greenpepperpressblog

Michelle Ward/GreenPepperPress Blog

  • are you with me?

    Mw_help

    Just this afternoon Shannon, my sister, told me she learned she can access the computer from her hospital room.  HELLO?  Why wasn’t this brought to our attention earlier?  She’s been cooped up for over a month and they just tell her now?  Ok, so she’s not an internet junkie like I am so she probably didn’t ask….but now we know.  SO…..I’m thinking it might be a gas if I sent her an email tomorrow and said ‘hey, have you been to my blog lately?’ and when she gets here she’ll first roll her eyes (at me) and then she will be so touched and overwhelmed by all your messages.  What do ya think?  Wanna join me?

    Mw_rx

    They have been doing what they can with adjusting meds and all that, but I think there are very powerful things that assist the way to wellness – things that can’t be bottled or sent via IV to battle cystic fibrosis like gestures, words, and presence.  Since I can’t be there right now I thought I’d muster up, with your help, all the cheer we can manage from our keyboards.   

    For_shannon

    Some years ago there was an invented saying for cystic fibrosis:  sixty-five roses.  I think it came from a child that mis-heard or mis-said the name of the disease (much easier to say).  So my goal is get at least 65 comments. Are you with me? 

    Mw_65roses

  • are you with me?

    Mw_help

    Just this afternoon Shannon, my sister, told me she learned she can access the computer from her hospital room.  HELLO?  Why wasn’t this brought to our attention earlier?  She’s been cooped up for over a month and they just tell her now?  Ok, so she’s not an internet junkie like I am so she probably didn’t ask….but now we know.  SO…..I’m thinking it might be a gas if I sent her an email tomorrow and said ‘hey, have you been to my blog lately?’ and when she gets here she’ll first roll her eyes (at me) and then she will be so touched and overwhelmed by all your messages.  What do ya think?  Wanna join me?

    Mw_rx

    They have been doing what they can with adjusting meds and all that, but I think there are very powerful things that assist the way to wellness – things that can’t be bottled or sent via IV to battle cystic fibrosis like gestures, words, and presence.  Since I can’t be there right now I thought I’d muster up, with your help, all the cheer we can manage from our keyboards.   

    For_shannon

    Some years ago there was an invented saying for cystic fibrosis:  sixty-five roses.  I think it came from a child that mis-heard or mis-said the name of the disease (much easier to say).  So my goal is get at least 65 comments. Are you with me? 

    Mw_65roses

  • put to memory

    As the title of this post says, yesterday is put to memory.  Firstly, because it was an unexpected and delightful adventure – and secondly, because I am a pathetic photo journalist and hardly have any pictures to share.  Sometimes you just have to live in the moment and forget the camera – but it is good to have a few so you have evidence that it actually happened. 

    I’ll spare you the long story of how it all came to be, but here we are – ten women who gathered at the home of my sweet friend Judi Riesch, who is always the best hostess – and yesterday welcomed those from near and far. 

    Lmphoto_mw_jr_jw

    Mw_the_girls_1

    Mw_the_girls_2

    We managed to squeeze into the busy schedule of Judy Wilkenfeld as she is stateside for a seemingly whirlwind trip (hailing from Australia!) and happened to be visiting with her friends on our coast this week.  After being treated to a tour of Judi’s art-filled home (you can imagine the squeees after getting to see art we have become familiar with in our favorite books), we were privileged to have Judy tell us about her Twelve Tribes of Israel book which was on tour with her.  The book is so much bigger than you can imagine – breathtaking…stunning… layered and embedded with meaning and symbolism, representing the twelve sons of Jacob.  It was so special to be introduced to the tribes, to listen to Judy’s deep passion for this project (which I loved!!) and to meet her and her friends.  It didn’t escape me that yesterday was also the first day of Passover. 

    Mw_the_girls_4

    I’m counting on the other girls to have a better account with photos than I do – stop by their blogs and see if anyone shows you more evidence, or at least my cool shoes.  Here they are:  Leslie Marsh, Susanna Gordon, Judy Wilkenfeld, Bee Shay, Judi (let’s bug her to update her website shall we?), Kathryn Gilbert, Jerri Weitz, Karen Cole, and Joy Snyder.  I shouldn’t have given John a hard time for taking a blurry photo – the guy had a harem lobbing cameras at him – he was a wonderful host.

    I admit I avoid blogs that show food pictures.  Can’t stand it.  I think foodies should warn you before they assault you with their dinner plates.  (Like just tell me to quickly scroll down about 3 or 4 inches so I can get past the food I don’t want to see).  I’m breaking my own self-imposed rule of No Food Photos because I have to share these things with you that Judi made for us.  I can’t even bring myself to call them sandwiches, because that’s a pitiful word for what this is.  Since I’m not a foodie I have no proper vocabulary to replace sandwich.  So here’s your fair warning, scroll down quick if you can’t stomach seeing food on a blog…..it’s only one photo, so a quick 4" flick of the mouse should cover it.

    Mw_food_photo_alert

    Mw_the_girls_3_2

    So that’s all I have as photographic proof from yesterday – but the treasured memories are countless.  A spontaneous day spent with women who found one another because of our love for art! 

  • put to memory

    As the title of this post says, yesterday is put to memory.  Firstly, because it was an unexpected and delightful adventure – and secondly, because I am a pathetic photo journalist and hardly have any pictures to share.  Sometimes you just have to live in the moment and forget the camera – but it is good to have a few so you have evidence that it actually happened. 

    I’ll spare you the long story of how it all came to be, but here we are – ten women who gathered at the home of my sweet friend Judi Riesch, who is always the best hostess – and yesterday welcomed those from near and far. 

    Lmphoto_mw_jr_jw

    Mw_the_girls_1

    Mw_the_girls_2

    We managed to squeeze into the busy schedule of Judy Wilkenfeld as she is stateside for a seemingly whirlwind trip (hailing from Australia!) and happened to be visiting with her friends on our coast this week.  After being treated to a tour of Judi’s art-filled home (you can imagine the squeees after getting to see art we have become familiar with in our favorite books), we were privileged to have Judy tell us about her Twelve Tribes of Israel book which was on tour with her.  The book is so much bigger than you can imagine – breathtaking…stunning… layered and embedded with meaning and symbolism, representing the twelve sons of Jacob.  It was so special to be introduced to the tribes, to listen to Judy’s deep passion for this project (which I loved!!) and to meet her and her friends.  It didn’t escape me that yesterday was also the first day of Passover. 

    Mw_the_girls_4

    I’m counting on the other girls to have a better account with photos than I do – stop by their blogs and see if anyone shows you more evidence, or at least my cool shoes.  Here they are:  Leslie Marsh, Susanna Gordon, Judy Wilkenfeld, Bee Shay, Judi (let’s bug her to update her website shall we?), Kathryn Gilbert, Jerri Weitz, Karen Cole, and Joy Snyder.  I shouldn’t have given John a hard time for taking a blurry photo – the guy had a harem lobbing cameras at him – he was a wonderful host.

    I admit I avoid blogs that show food pictures.  Can’t stand it.  I think foodies should warn you before they assault you with their dinner plates.  (Like just tell me to quickly scroll down about 3 or 4 inches so I can get past the food I don’t want to see).  I’m breaking my own self-imposed rule of No Food Photos because I have to share these things with you that Judi made for us.  I can’t even bring myself to call them sandwiches, because that’s a pitiful word for what this is.  Since I’m not a foodie I have no proper vocabulary to replace sandwich.  So here’s your fair warning, scroll down quick if you can’t stomach seeing food on a blog…..it’s only one photo, so a quick 4" flick of the mouse should cover it.

    Mw_food_photo_alert

    Mw_the_girls_3_2

    So that’s all I have as photographic proof from yesterday – but the treasured memories are countless.  A spontaneous day spent with women who found one another because of our love for art! 

  • spontaneous

    Mw_evidencehands

    Today a group of ten artists met – some for the first time, some who’ve been friends for years.  It fell into place with a gracious hostess.  Yesterday, a blog post led to a comment which led to a phone call (because of two girls who met via blogs) and another phone call (because of two other girls who met via blogs), and one more (between more girls who met via blogs)….and it happened that in less than 24 hours the plan became a gathering.  Details to follow…..but in addition to being grateful for a terrific experience this afternoon, I’m giving props to the connections we make because of blogging, more specifically – artists who blog and friends who read them.  *thumbs up* 

  • spontaneous

    Mw_evidencehands

    Today a group of ten artists met – some for the first time, some who’ve been friends for years.  It fell into place with a gracious hostess.  Yesterday, a blog post led to a comment which led to a phone call (because of two girls who met via blogs) and another phone call (because of two other girls who met via blogs), and one more (between more girls who met via blogs)….and it happened that in less than 24 hours the plan became a gathering.  Details to follow…..but in addition to being grateful for a terrific experience this afternoon, I’m giving props to the connections we make because of blogging, more specifically – artists who blog and friends who read them.  *thumbs up* 

  • element of surprise

    What gets your attention when you are looking at art?  Or magazines, or books, or blogs?  Isn’t there a hope that you’ll be surprised?  A desire to be impressed by something that is new-to-you, or something that is clever, or inventive, or just different.  You want to be surprised.  We all get bored from seeing more of the same don’t we? 

    Mw_surprise

    I read an interview yesterday (or was it the day before?) with my favorite rock star and he was talking about going back into the studio and what keeps him inspired.  As a musician, who is also a fan of many kinds of music, it was a simple thing to say….."I want to be surprised by a melody I haven’t come across yet."

    Isn’t that what we strive for too?  Not a melody, but a something.  We want to be surprised by something we haven’t come across yet.  Notice he didn’t say he wanted to go into a music store to hear something he hadn’t heard before….he’s going into the studio to discover that melody – that combination of notes that might be the next hook or lick.  Eight notes and time spent at the keyboard or on the guitar.  Experimenting, exploring, unearthing, failing, succeeding.

    In the studio.  THAT is where you will make your discoveries, the best-learned lessons.  Putting in the time with messy hands and dirty brushes is where you will find the most rewarding surprises.

    Now that my taxes are done (whew!) I can being the final preparations for my upcoming workshop.  This is the funnest time (yes, I said funnest). I rehearse in my head all the things I want to remember to share with the artists.  I scribble notes, make playlists, overpack supplies, and try to contain my giddy-ness that I am about to spend studio time with other seekers-of-surprises.  Each artist will learn something different, and hopefully surprising, depending on their accumulated experience…..and no matter what is on my lesson plan, we will all learn something from one another.

    Here’s hoping you plan some surprise time for yourself this week.

  • element of surprise

    What gets your attention when you are looking at art?  Or magazines, or books, or blogs?  Isn’t there a hope that you’ll be surprised?  A desire to be impressed by something that is new-to-you, or something that is clever, or inventive, or just different.  You want to be surprised.  We all get bored from seeing more of the same don’t we? 

    Mw_surprise

    I read an interview yesterday (or was it the day before?) with my favorite rock star and he was talking about going back into the studio and what keeps him inspired.  As a musician, who is also a fan of many kinds of music, it was a simple thing to say….."I want to be surprised by a melody I haven’t come across yet."

    Isn’t that what we strive for too?  Not a melody, but a something.  We want to be surprised by something we haven’t come across yet.  Notice he didn’t say he wanted to go into a music store to hear something he hadn’t heard before….he’s going into the studio to discover that melody – that combination of notes that might be the next hook or lick.  Eight notes and time spent at the keyboard or on the guitar.  Experimenting, exploring, unearthing, failing, succeeding.

    In the studio.  THAT is where you will make your discoveries, the best-learned lessons.  Putting in the time with messy hands and dirty brushes is where you will find the most rewarding surprises.

    Now that my taxes are done (whew!) I can being the final preparations for my upcoming workshop.  This is the funnest time (yes, I said funnest). I rehearse in my head all the things I want to remember to share with the artists.  I scribble notes, make playlists, overpack supplies, and try to contain my giddy-ness that I am about to spend studio time with other seekers-of-surprises.  Each artist will learn something different, and hopefully surprising, depending on their accumulated experience…..and no matter what is on my lesson plan, we will all learn something from one another.

    Here’s hoping you plan some surprise time for yourself this week.

  • it rocked

    Mw_sam_party_08c

    Mw_sam_party08d 

    Mw_sam_party08e

    Mw_sam_party08g

    We are totally buzzing from a terrific day spent with friends out on the deck for the annual birthday party.  It ended up being the BEST weather even though they said it would be otherwise.  Not one single drop.  Even the medium gray clouds were gone before the party started.

    Unfortunately I didn’t get everyone in the photo but you get the idea.  Here’s a cool thing:  all the girls are current buddies who come to help out in Room 10.  All the boys are buddie-alumni, coming back to visit from High School. 

    Mw_sam_party08i

    Mw_sam_party08h

    Mw_sam_party08j

    Mw_sam_party08f

    (Of course, one more pose with the you-know-what hands)

    This morning….found this….the first for the season….

    Mwsam_party_08luckyday_2

    Thanks for all your good wishes and positive vibes.  *grins*

  • it rocked

    Mw_sam_party_08c

    Mw_sam_party08d 

    Mw_sam_party08e

    Mw_sam_party08g

    We are totally buzzing from a terrific day spent with friends out on the deck for the annual birthday party.  It ended up being the BEST weather even though they said it would be otherwise.  Not one single drop.  Even the medium gray clouds were gone before the party started.

    Unfortunately I didn’t get everyone in the photo but you get the idea.  Here’s a cool thing:  all the girls are current buddies who come to help out in Room 10.  All the boys are buddie-alumni, coming back to visit from High School. 

    Mw_sam_party08i

    Mw_sam_party08h

    Mw_sam_party08j

    Mw_sam_party08f

    (Of course, one more pose with the you-know-what hands)

    This morning….found this….the first for the season….

    Mwsam_party_08luckyday_2

    Thanks for all your good wishes and positive vibes.  *grins*