First Thursday Art Event

I got the best birthday present this year! Don took a day off work to stay home with Mom so that I could go to Portland for Danielle's art show at Urban Studios in the Pearl District. Several streets are blocked off in this area every first Thursday of the month to aid foot traffic during the evening hours. Businesses hire DJs and live music, serve appetizers and drinks, and throw open their doors to lure the browsing public inside to peruse the work of a selected artist. It's quite the festive affair!

Lots of time and thought went into the preparations. Yay for sisters and friends! Danielle repurposed slides into these clever business cards that are miniature art pieces in themselves.

Danielle had five wall sections to fill. This 10-section painting was one of six art pieces that she sold before the evening was over. She titled her show "Amidst Utter Chaos" and provided a random experience of media, emotion, and genre; something for everyone.

At 7:00 the doors opened and friends, coworkers, and complete strangers started to filter in. It was great to see people circle the two big rooms, often more than once, linger in front of their favorite piece, and reach for one of Danielle's cool business cards.

People schmoozed with the artiste...

...mingled amongst themselves...

...and danced to the music provided by a DJ. Deemed "Jersey Shore Guy" by Sarah, this character, minus his colorful cap, entertained us a couple times with some impromptu break dancing.

Halfway into the evening, this jazz band marched in and regaled us with some live music that kept even the wallflowers from holding still. At this point, the crowd more than doubled.

A beautiful evening, amazing people, inspiring art. What a great celebration! Congratulations Danielle!

(Check out Danielle's art at http://www.mongolouise.wordpress.com/)

Home For the Holidays

Christmas seemed like a rush this year as work schedules and distance dominated our efforts to unite, but family ultimately prevailed. We had to content ourselves with connecting with Jeremy by phone, passing it around so everyone had time with him. Since everyone was not able to arrive until late on Christmas Eve, we visited a bit and then postponed our gifting until after Santa had arrived the next morning. After dinner that evening, Sarah and Travis headed back and then Jen and Danielle followed suit the next afternoon.

As always, we had a good time together punctuated by good-humored laughter. It is these moments of family time that make the holidays meaningful for me and the house seem empty afterwards.

Notice Danielle's creative packaging in the foreground.

Mom sat in her new "shopping chair" rather than let us move her regular chair closer.

A new sweater from Bob and Coletta.

Sister jokes.

Anyone want to know the time?

An obscene chicken.

Sister art.

Puzzled?

Beatboxing meets the Blues

Gifts with a theme:  Different Perspectives

And Then There Were Five

It was nice to have more people around the table this weekend. Sarah and Jen made it home for Thanksgiving so we feasted in the traditional fare, followed by alternate napping and snacking for the rest of the evening. Things were so relaxed that I didn't grab the camera, but if I had, I would have documented Don alternating between surfing the net and reading, Jen and Sarah stretched out on each sofa with their laptops, Mom napping in her chair, me painting the next window masterpiece, and Jen irritating Ellie by leaning over the back of the sofa next to her to stare out the window cheek-to-cheek.

This Wild West

Jeremy and two friends from Brooklyn flew out to Oregon for the week of his birthday. Spreading the time between a quick visit with friends, several nights in Portland with Jeremy’s sisters, and three nights here made the time fly by. Although a camping trip had been part of the original plan, a cold snap revamped the idea into an afternoon trek up the mountain toward J. Lake. They were also rewarded with a clear sky for viewing stars later on. Of course, no trip to the wilds of EO is complete without petting the tame critters, seeing the wild ones in their natural habitat, and hearing the coyote calls at night.

It was really great having Jeremy home and we thoroughly enjoyed meeting M and T. We hope they had some positive memories to take back home with them. Although the trip was a birthday gift for Jeremy, it certainly spilled over into a homecoming gift for the whole family. Thank you so much.