Watercolor

.. of camp from memory in studio the day after. 

Watercolors at Camp

A rainy day, makes for a soggy painting, but it had some merit, so here it is:

After a soggy spring

Which I spent mostly trying to save what I had unwisely already planted in my garden...

Good thing I mounded my garden for a raised bed effect, it has a moat!

Storm clouds

Williston, late June

Dahlia

I have done a couple of watercolors, which I will post soon.
I wish I could send this rain to my family in Colorado where fires burn out of control.

The End of the world is Nigh. Not again!

 The world has threatened its own ending several times already in my life.

 

I was born somewhere near the Cuban Missile crisis, I remember gradeschool movies about what to do when they drop the bomb, which always seemed so abolutely futile in the face of global nuclear destruction.  I even remember being warned about scary killer bees, coming to get us, from a rather early age.

So perhaps you’ll forgive me if I am a bit skeptical of this latest doom and gloom attitude that seems so prevalent of late.

 

A second ice age, volcanoes. global warming, or continental drift,

 that’s even when you don’t count the really crazy stuff like

 Alien invasions and the Zombie apocalypse.

…nor the more likely options like car accidents, illness,

and the great equalizer: time.

Whatever our untimely, or timely end, I want to breathe deep of what is here and now.

I want to give thanks and express my gratitude for those people that I love, and who have shown me love, or kindness, or even how to be human.

So, with the end of the world coming and all, I thought I would send out my Christmas messages early, because I would hate to have it all end, without having told my friends and family how much I truly love them.

 

I decided I want to write a seperate note for each person I know.

This way I can tailor my notes to say in what way I have been inspired by them.

I want to tell each person what is unique and special about them.

All those things for which they don't get nearly enough appreciation.

 

So I start listing everyone: Mom, Dad, siblings, friends, coworkers.

I jot down feable notes as I go down the list, typing out a sentance or two to describe my kin, the ones I have known all my life.

 

This is harder than it sounds, once you sit down to write it.

 

I go back up to the top to start writing Dad's note,

" To me you have always been a bit of a hero. Not just because you're my Dad, but also because I respect you. You are honest and highly intelligent, and have a great sense of humor." Just as I am pondering how inadequately this describes him, a really great customer's name pops into my head and I have to go back down to the bottom of the list to add another name, and another.

Soon I have been writing for over an hour.

 

I notice some patterns emerging.
"Thank you ..."appears alot.  So do variations upon "Your faith has inspired me,"

as well as "impressed by your strength and intelligence." and "sweet and kind and gentle,". 

How lucky I am to know such fine people!

I found I wanted to say to anyone younger (and that populaton keeps growing!) something like: "I still look forward to seeing what you make of your portion of this amazing thing called life."

 Of course there are some people who just stump me. I can't express how much I appreciate, love - there are no words. Or they seem sappy. My heart is bigger than my keyboard.

Then I lean back a bit and review it all again.  It's mostly just a list.

 

I start laughing.

 I have barely written anything at all.

But it was worth the time; thinking of all these amazing people...loving them for who and what they are. My mentors, my family, my best friends in life, thinking of the way they talk or listen, or smile, and feeling how it swells my heart  and enlarges my life simply to think of them!

 

Thank you ALL once again for reminding me to be grateful for my good fortune. You give me hope.

 

Whatever holiday you do (or do not) celebrate during this time of year:

 Happy (it).

Or better yet: Grateful it.

 

From my heart (and not intended to be offensive)

I wish you a very Grateful Christmas.

Chelsea Lindner
manager Artists' Mediums Inc.

Ways to help with the flooding in Vermont

Sunday we were hit with the edge of Hurricane/Tropical storm Irene,

My commute Monday -chels

and Though I lost power and phone for a while, it was hardley an inconvienience for me...
so many others are not so lucky!
Several towns are still unaccessable, and many are still without power.

There are lots of ways to help:

Today, (wed. Aug 31st) a family in Pittsfield reported that they bought the last loaf of bread at the market. IF YOU ARE IN OR AROUND RUTLAND, PLEASE DROP OFF SUPPLIES AT Restoring Rutland ~ 34 STRONGS AVENUE FROM 9AM-9PM. These supplies will be delivered to Mendon, Killington, and Pittsfield. Families are eager to get more water, baby food and formula, diapers, dog food, cleaning supplies, etc. Any help is appreciated. Thank you all.

You can also help through the Red cross:
http://www.redcrossvtnhuv.org/index.asp?IDCapitulo=44W8UXGL8L

Another way to help:
Vermont's Largest Hunger-Relief Organization - Vermont Foodbank
http://www.vtfoodbank.org/

In the meanwhile, craft artists should contact Cerf+ (Craft Emergency Relief Fund) for immediate help.

http://www.craftemergency.org/
and for recovery advice:
http://www.studioprotector.org


Thank you to Martha Fitch at the Vermont Crafts council for the reminder of the words of another Vermonter in the year after the 1927 flood:

"I love Vermont because of her hills and valleys, her scenery and invigorating climate, but most of all because of her indomitable people. They are a race of pioneers who have almost beggared themselves to serve others. If the spirit of liberty should vanish in other parts of the Union, and support of our institutions should languish, it could all be replenished from the generous store held by the people of this brave little state of Vermont." President Calvin Coolidge.