Monday, November 28, 2011

The Family Tree

For years, I have worked countless hours researching my genealogy along with that of my husband.  It has been a passionate hobby of mine.  Somehow, in my mind, the act of discovering a name or a date brought meaning to the lives of these forgotten generations.  In reality it doesn't take long and the memory of your life is easily wiped from the face of the earth.  In James 4:13-15 we are told "What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes."  A cemetery marker, a census record or a vague certificate filed in court house is usually all that is left.  Yet somehow when I discover them it brings their life back into focus and while their are few that have great accomplishments, they make me who I am and their blood flows through my veins and the veins of my children.  This makes it important for me to document as much details as I can about their lives and share their stories with everyone that will listen.

My newest painting really has little to do with this subject except for the name that I have chosen..."The Family Tree".  This pair of cardinals have taken on the awesome responsibility of being a parent.  They have picked a strong and safe location to build their nest, high up in the branches of this oak tree.  Doing what parents of all kinds have done for generations, providing safety for their young and perpetuating their kind.  I hope that as you enjoy this painting that you will think about your own legacy.  It is never too late to say a kind word or make a memory.



$300.00



Sunday, November 20, 2011

Blogger in training

I've felt a tugging in my heart to take blogging seriously and begin in ernest to regularly record my thoughts and things I have learned in regards to painting and my Nevada adventures. Of course one has to get out of the house to experience adventure. This isn't an easy task for me because I'm such a home body. So to get me better informed about the whole blogging process I've been reading books on the topic. I've skimmed the book "Blogging Bliss" by Tara Frey and also "Problogger" by Darren Rowse and Chris Garrett. Both books had really good information but the non-techy person that I am finds a bit of struggle with all the information. The one really tecky thing I had previuosly accomplished was getting this blog to link right over to my Facebook notes but this week Facebook announced they were ending this feature. Go figure.