Good News

I rang the gallery last week and spoke with the director's assistant and made a time to pick up my unsold artwork. That was today. I not only got all my unsold work back but I also got a cheque. The squeaky wheel does get the most oil after all. The cheque was for less than I believe it should have been as I was charged for the cost of the second exhibition when I was told I was getting that free of charge. Not much I can do about that. I choose to look on the whole experience as a positive one as I have learned so much. Not only the things I need to look out for but the things that I expect from such a business arrangement. These are the things that will be going into my contract and anyone who wants to represent me will need to sign on my dotted line. I also gained a lot of confidence within myself. Confidence that I deserve to be treated with respect and that I deserve to be paid just like anyone else gets paid for their work. I do still have a bit of anger in me. I put my heart and soul into my work. My paintings are my story, my voice, and that in itself makes them sacred. For someone to come along and soil them, by not respecting me, has made me angry. The unsold paintings are stacked in my studio but they have lost some of their shine. They don't feel the same any more. They are soiled. This will change in time. I am just saying how I feel. I know it sounds a bit dramatic but hey, I'm an artist. Artists are a bit dramatic aren't they? Anyway today feels like I have slain a dragon. I have slain dragons before for my children. This is the first time I have slain one for myself.

Lineage

I finished the portrait of Zoe and I'm happy with it. Of course there are areas where it could have been better but I'm new at this and am trying not to be too hard on myself. It actually looks like her and I have learnt a lot. Hopefully I will continue to learn as I embark on the art of portraiture. Its something I find incredibly difficult and I lack confidence. Hopefully this too will change. I put my heart into it and basically you can't ask for more than that, can you?

Lineage - Zoe aged 8

mixed media on canvas

91.4x121.8cm (36"x48")

Something that really bothers me is that you can't see the size of a painting on a computer screen. The size is part of it and it adds another dimension of meaning. So I added a pic with a silly goose grinning over the top of the painting to give you an idea of the scale. The silly goose is quite pleased that the painting covers many of her protruding and saggy bits hehehe.

Now with this work out of the way I am in the planning stages of another work. A trip to the library saw me with an armful of books that I am looking forward to flicking through. I bought a new canvas in preparation and decided on the same size as 'Lineage'. Recently I have recovered from my fetish of painting shoes so it only seems natural that I am now planning a painting (or maybe more) involving dresses. At this stage I am thinking of a 1950's dress built up with layers of stained and altered papers. I think it would be funny to have the dress on a coat hanger and make the hanger look like its hanging from the top of the canvas but we shall see. Oh did you hear that??? There it is again ...... my studio is calling me, bye for now

The Power of Art Day

Its Thursday and a much needed art day is ahead of me. I have been working on a portrait of Zoe for a portraiture art prize I plan to enter. The portrait does not need to be of anyone famous but it must show the relationship between the sitter and the artist. You get to write a little blurb about the relationship to go with the painting. I am calling the painting 'Lineage' as it not only speaks about my special relationship with Zoe but that with my grandmother. The background is made of layers of old family letters. Among them precious letters from my grandmother. I also have some text from old children's books. Zoe is looking down at her cupped upturned hands where she is holding a pansy. Pansies were my grandmother's favourite flowers and she grew them in her window boxes. She pressed me one and sent it to me. I still have it. Zoe is looking lovingly down at the flower as she listens to the stories I tell her of family that came before her. You see she understands the special relationship I had with my grandmother because she now has that same specialness with hers. Anyway I'm getting misty now. I only have the face left to do and a few little touches here and there. Fear! The painting is on the large side, measuring 91x122cm (36"x48") and if all goes well today I should finish it. Do you want to see it??? But its not finished. Oh alright, here it is.

Well what do you think??? Am I on the right track??? Hope I can do justice to that sweet face.

Another painting I have been working on is 'The Diner'. 1950's style diner table and chairs. This one is 101.6x152.4cm (40'x60'). The background has old diner menus. It too is not finished. It needs something. It looks so cold and clinical and as yet I haven't been able to resolve it. There are things I am happy with like the reflection on the chair seats etc. but overall it needs something. It still needs to have some difference between the wall and the floor and some little human element. Maybe a spilled milkshake dripping onto the floor. Any suggestions. I really hope I can fix it as I don't want to paint over it. It already has another unresolved painting underneath. I sometimes have these cursed canvases that have several paintings painted on them before I am happy.

So yesterday I 'spilled my guts' and today I am showing you my work in progress 'warts and all'. See the lion is awakening and is gaining strength!

Lost My Way.

I thought I would take a leaf out of Elena's book and 'spill my guts'. I tend to hide away when I have some issues to work through but in reality it would be better just to talk about them right here. After all I have so many supportive virtual friends. Most of you know my story to date. I started experimenting with painting/collage in 2005 and went ahead in leaps and bounds after going on The Artist's Way Journey with a group of like minded artists. Now I have come to a point where I don't know where to turn. My path isn't clear any more. Its all dark and foggy. Of course one thing is clear, I need to continue to paint. I just don't know where I'm going. The Artist's Way helped me to work out that I don't want to do the selling part of my art. It gave me the courage to approach a commercial gallery and I found one who was willing to represent an artist without 'a name'. Exhibitions prevailed and sales were quite good. This was the right path for me I thought and I started looking further afield for other galleries who might represent me in other states. Time went on ..... no payment from gallery. More time went by ..... nothing. Am I not entitled to fair pay for my work??? Its now been 7 months since the first exhibition ended and over 3 months since the second exhibition closed and still no money. Plus the gallery has a whole body of unsold work of mine. I have emailed, I have phoned and I have sent an invoice but am not getting anywhere. I went with a commercial gallery so I wouldn't have to deal with things like this. I am owed quite a few thousand dollars and am disillusioned with the whole thing. I am now too scared to approach other galleries further afield in case the same thing occurs. There is this dark cloud hanging over me and an awful gnawing feeling in my stomach. I'm an artist, not a fighter and just want to crawl under a dark rock. On a positive note I have learnt a lot from this experience. Some wonderful people have given me advice and in hindsight I should have sort some advice before signing on the dotted line. A kind friend has advised that I should always have my own contract for the galleries to sign and has even given me examples of contracts to alter for my needs. My art comes from deep inside me. Its part of my soul, part of who I am that I put onto canvas to share. That someone can take that and not respect me has really hurt my inner artist child. Yes I know I'm sounding dramatic but I'm really a sensitive soul on the inside and these things wound me deeply. Anyway all this has clouded my path and I'm not sure where I am headed. My goals seem to be unclear now. Its hard to move forward one step at a time when you don't know which way is forward. There I've said it!

School Holidays

My painting is nearly finished YAY! Art day has come around already. I can't believe its been a week since I posted. Time flies.

Its school holidays and Zoe is staying with us for a few days. She hogs the computer! I don't mind. She is learning to knit and doing rather well at it. Last night we sat in bed with the tv on with our knitting. A pair of old grandmas hehehe.

Well I'd better get on with the day.

Its Thursday

Its Thursday and you know what that means ... ART DAY! A whole blissful day lost in the studio away from the outside world. Wonder what will happen to the canvas today. I have decided to paint over the painting on the large 60"x40" canvas. I just can't get it to a place that I'm happy with. You have that sometimes. It just won't work so another painting will go over the top. I have this idea for 1950's diner table and chairs. I aim to use old diner menus in my background along with my usual layers of stampings and washes. Red chairs and a chrome and laminate table. Well, as Laura would say "I'd better bust a move" and get out in the studio. If you don't hear from me don't worry. I am safe. I would just be floating in the studio somewhere. Come and join me if you want. I will warn you though. Art is addictive!

Had a Break. How Are You? What's New With You???

I think this is the longest time I've been away from my blog. I don't really have an excuse. Maybe I just haven't had anything to say. Ha, that will be the day.

Well firstly the news. Those of you on Facebook already know. Bob and I have another grandchild. Oliver William was born on 3rd March weighing 10lb 12ozs and that was two weeks early. He was 56.5cm long (22 and a half inches). His brother Evan (aged 3 years) did not want to know about him at first as he had wanted a sister that he had already named Ruby. He was told that he could have a brother but he was adamant the baby was a sister. He is used to it now and loves his little baby Oliver.

Oliver

big cousin Zoe proudly holding baby Oliver at Evan's birthday party

big brother Evan at his third birthday party, grr

I have been in the studio and I have been very busy even though I haven't got a lot to show you. I am still working on my huge canvas (60"x40"). Its basically finished but I feel the painting hasn't got the 'it' factor. You know that special something. I keep working on it, adding another layer trying to get something I'm happy with. Some paintings fall into place really easily and some don't I suppose.

Another painting I have been working on is one I hope to enter in one of the major art prizes. I am really excited about this one. It was one of those paintings that just brought me so much joy during its creation. It was a challenge. There are things in this painting I usually don't tackle. Things I try to stay away from like hands, stripes and foreshortening. It took awhile to get the composition right and Bob was so patient while I took photo after photo. Changing the direction of the light, climbing higher on the ladder so I could see directly into his coffee cup, changing the position of his hands, moving his feet etc etc etc. He is worried that this painting will make him sort after as a model. No phone calls so far hehehe lol! I wanted the viewer to almost become the painting. No that doesn't make sense. I was trying to achieve the view you get when you look down into your own lap (well almost). It invites the viewer to really become part of the painting I think. Does that make more sense or am I off in airy fairy art land that's full of ramblings of a mad woman hehehe? I purposely made Bob put his hand on the painting while I photographed it so you can get the scale of it. Its so disappointing when I paint larger than life and it ends up a small picture on a computer screen. It changes the whole feeling of it somehow.

Coffee and Striped Pyjamas

mixed media on canvas

91x122cm (36"x48")

I hope I still have some blogger friends left after neglecting you all for so long. Hope you all had a lovely Easter that you were able to share with your loved ones.

Kreativity Blogger Award

My dear blogger friend and supporter Suz of http://suz-beginagain.blogspot.com/ has passed on the Kreativity Blogger Award to me. I feel honoured as she is to pass it onto those blogs she enjoys reading. She passed it to me! Me, who doesn't post regularly, is bad at spelling and grammar and only rambles on about ordinary, everyday things. Now in order to accept this honour I am to tell seven interesting things about myself and pass this award onto blogs that I enjoy reading. Mmm seven things. Interesting things mmm. Seven interesting things about me. Well how about I write seven things and you decide whether they are interesting.

1. I migrated from Germany at the age of four with my parents. I was very close with my maternal grandmother and never saw her again. Sad but I call Australia home and can not imagine living anywhere else.

2. At the age of 55 I still love to play. I watch children's programs on tv and still jump in puddles with my gum boots on. I never want to grow up completely and you can't make me, so there :p.

3. I love ordinary everyday objects. They add to our sense of well being and make a house a home. I love them so much that I paint them. I paint them larger than life to lift their status. Ordinary everyday objects have stories to tell. Stories of their connection to home and family. I try to tell my stories with my paintings. Sometimes people hear them and sometimes people hear their own stories. Either way this makes me happy.

4. My mum, daughter and granddaughter are among my best friends.

5. I went to university with my daughter. We both studied art and hung out together. Julia studied visual art and I studied applied art (ceramic and glass design).

6. I would love nothing better than to live in my studio. Literally!!!!! I mean it. I would love to live amongst my art supplies in true warehouse fashion.

7. I can make a clapping sound using only one hand.

Now to the blogs I love to read. Well among them are Suz blog but she nominated me. Then there's Elena's blog but she has also been nominated by Suz. So my nominees are:

Chrissie of http://niminyfingers.blogspot.com/ who makes the most amazing textile based things and makes me laugh with her wonderful sense of humour.

Laura of http://lonecrowart.blogspot.com/ who is a wonderful collage/assemblage artist who shares all her wisdom and takes me on wonderful walks in the woods.

April of http://aprilsart.blogspot.com/ who is so warm and giving that you can feel yourself sink into her warm embrace whenever you read her blog.

Deborah of http://debrossart.blogspot.com/ and http://debrossclay.blogspot.com/ who has such a love of creating that she explores everything and anything fearlessly.

Of course there are other bloggers I enjoy but life is intruding on their blogging time at the moment and so they wouldn't have time to respond. I would just like to take this opportunity to tell you all how much I enjoy our interaction. The friendships I have made through the internet and the support I receive are amazing.

Two Months

I have struggled since Christmas to get back into a proper flow. These down times really scare me. I don't like them and I struggle to free myself of their hold. This time its been a little over two months to get back into the swing of things. But its over for now so I'm just going to enjoy being back in the studio. I have just finished another large(ish) painting. I am still to tackle the huge canvas a bought a couple of weeks ago ..... fear ... but that's another story hehehe.

The Bottles

acrylic on canvas

101.6x76.2cm (40"x30")

Knock Knock

Yesterday was an extremely productive art day with my buddy Mignon. I finished the painting I was working on and started on a new one. It was such a good day we decided to have two art days this week with the next one scheduled for Sunday.

As you know I have a love of dilapidated buildings and recently became inspired by ghost signs. I wanted to try and capture the essence of ghost signs and incorporated them into my dilapidated building series. However as you can see below I zoomed in much too far and left no room for the ghost sign. So your role in all of this is to imagine the ghost sign somewhere up above the painting to the right hehehe. Can you see it??? It seems to be a trade mark of mine to zoom in on the details and make them larger than life. Maybe the ghosts signs will emerge somewhere down the track in another painting. And if not that's ok too as long as I'm painting.

The Red Door

mixed media on canvas

60.9x50.8cm (24"x20")

Its Festival Time

The Adelaide Festival of Arts is here again. Performing and visual art everywhere. In every nook and cranny, wherever there is a little space something is going on. Of course if the festival is here then so is The Fringe where the weird and the wonderful come from all over the globe to fill our little city and show us what they can do. Adelaide is alive with the buzz of performing and visual art literally everywhere. Friday night was the opening parade of The Adelaide Fringe.

80,000 people flocked to the city on a hot and balmy evening

Julia, Zoe and I were among them

descendants of the original owners of the land sang and played didgeridoo

the reason Zoe wanted to go to the opening - the roller derby girls

she wants to join roller derby when she's old enough

she practises every Saturday and keeps skating even with blisters

is she old enough yet???

big dinosaurs

a bit scary Zoe thought

is that Marilyn???

inside a bubble

disabled people joined the parade

smiling and waving and having a great time

different performers enticing you to come to their show

yes! say it with art woo!!!

oh my, their mothers must hold their breath

that was fun!

and Zoe even got a butterfly with flashing lights

Grumpy Me

There has been a lot of personal stuff still taking up my time. That means less time in the studio and less time in the studio makes for one grumpy me, ROAR!!!!! Being a Leo I feel I'm entitled to let out a 'roar' now and again hehehe. I left the story last time with a big new canvas 152.4x101.6cm (60"x40") sitting on my easel. Well its still there all blank and white. I haven't been able to get in the studio but I have however been working on the planning stages of a couple of paintings. I have been researching dilapidated buildings and have acquired a passion for ghost signs. I found some great sites that deal with documenting old hand painted signs on buildings before they are lost forever. The layers and textures are divine and I want to try to re-create these effects on my dilapidated buildings series. Its always about layers, textures and text with me. I think the layers are like history with people's personal lives and stories being added to each layer. This of course causes change with some things being covered while others are revealed thus creating a new story. And every viewer adds their own story or connotations to it so its forever evolving and changing. Gee I'm not sure I understand what I just said hehehe, but I know what I mean even if I can't put it into words. So while all this is going on inside my head I am also still trying to improve my skills with portraiture. I know in my mind what I want to achieve but the hands are a bit slow in understanding and tend to do their own thing. It will get better in time. I just have to keep going.

Art, Text and Dilapidated Buildings

My Mum always told me the older you get the quicker time goes. I remember when I was a child and my birthdays took so long to come around and Christmas felt like it came every two years instead of one. Now in my fifties whoosh another day flies by and whoosh another month, another year. So far this year has been a year of caring for others and not much time for art.

Things have to change. There are art ideas bubbling up inside me and they will explode out the top of my head if I don't get some paint on canvas soon. I did go and buy a large canvas. I have never painted one this big before. Its nearly as tall as me reaching to just under my nose from the ground 152.4x101.6cm (60"x40"). I only have a little car so getting it home was amusing. I'm still on the abandoned or run down building theme so a dilapidated door, peeling paint, padlock, keep out signs could be on the cards, watch this space hehehe.

Along with my dilapidated building series I will also continue with developing my skills in the art of portraiture. I went to an exhibition and was inspired by a portrait I saw there. Up close you could see the paint daubs that depicted the features. The shapes and light and shade that all together formed the image of a person's face. That's what I'm aspiring to. Looser shapes and experimenting with different colours and of course text, I always like to add text. I am very hopeful that we will have some cooler days in the coming week so I can spend time in my otherwise too hot studio. That big canvas is calling me .....

First for 2010

I am on top of the world tonight and all it took to lift me to such heights is a good session in my studio with my art buddy Mignon. Yes its Thursday and that means its art day hehehe. I do some art on most days but Thursday is a full day with someone who knows my art speak. I can talk textures, colours, layers, composition, concepts and Mignon talks back. Her eyes don't glaze over and she understands what I am talking about. Of course you can't have an art day with an art buddy without some girl talk as well hehehe. I have been working on a portrait. As I'm new to portraiture its been giving me some grief. Parts of it are good and working well while other parts have been worked, scrubbed back, worked again and so on and so forth. I think its really been holding me back and attacking my confidence. Well last week I decided to put it aside and start a new painting. I'm not giving up, just putting it out of the way for a little bit. I thought I would return to something a little simpler to build my confidence again. And here is my first completed painting for 2010.

Abandoned

mixed media on canvas

100x75cm (40"x30")

Commercial Galleries

We just heard the good news that Bob's son, Peter is getting married to his fiancée Alison in May. As they live in Brisbane the wedding will be there. So we are researching cheap flights and accommodation. That got me thinking. As I was going to Brisbane anyway it would be a good opportunity to check out some commercial galleries to see which I could approach for representation. Its not like I get to Brisbane very often. Anyway while I've been hours on the computer checking out gallery websites to see what kind of artwork they show I thought I might as well keep going and check out galleries in Melbourne as well. I'm not planning a trip to Melbourne but I did some networking with a fellow member of RedBubble who happens to live in Melbourne. She put me onto some great galleries. So now I have two lists of galleries to approach and fingers crossed someone will take me on. Along with entering some of the major art prizes in Australia, another step forward is to get my work interstate. One foot in front of the other, one step at a time .....

I just started reading The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron with my online tribe. Its not the first time but each time I read it it seems like the first. I find something new in it every time. Its this book along with the support of some wonderful women (my tribe, you know who you are) that has helped me develop my art practice. I mean I've had some wonderful teachers along the way to develop my practical art skills but this is something different. This is about confidence and building skills to dissolve the barriers that are preventing your creativity from finding expression. It helps you to start and or stay on the path of creativity. That sounds all a bit airy fairy or spaced out arty farty but it really does work.

This and That

Its the last week of the school holidays and Zoe was getting bored. She received roller skates from her Uncle Troy for Christmas and has been practising to skate. She found a coupon in the newspaper for a half price skating session and thought she was ready to strut her stuff. She put on her skating outfit (another Christmas present) and off we went. There was music and flashing lights to add to the atmosphere. Zoe has her sights set on roller derby when she's old enough.

Careful start.

And off we go!

A little bit of roller limbo.

Skating is very thirsty work.

With her mum Julia.

The music, the lights and the experienced skaters made me yearn to skate again. My knees just wouldn't take it now :(. Oh well at least I had the joy of watching Zoe skate.

Yesterday I went to Victor Harbor with my art buddy Mignon. We went to see the Victor Harbor Art show. I have heard about it over the years but never got around to going to see it. I didn't realise it was so big. When I say big I don't actually mean the size of it although there was a lot of art on display. I mean 'big' as in the number of people it attracts and the amount of sales. I also didn't realise the first prize was $10,000 with lesser prizes of $5,000 and $2,500 etc. Yep that's a 'must enter' for next year. I was also glad to see that a lot of nude life drawings and paintings sold. I've been worried that we may go down the path of the US where Doris says life drawings and paintings are not very well received. So much art, so much inspiration it was rather overwhelming. We had to have a break half way through and stop for coffee and cake to get our strength up to tackle the rest. The amount of sales really made my heart sing. People are buying art and at a good price, yay! It was a scorcher of a day in Adelaide again yesterday but Victor Harbor was very pleasant with a lovely sea breeze that kept things cool. We had fish and chips for lunch wrapped in paper and sat near the beach with the seagulls waiting for handouts.

On the way back home we dropped into McLaren Vale to see how my exhibition at Penny Hill winery is going. It finishes on the 9th February. I've had 4 sales, yay! As my sister told me yesterday, I'm doing better than Van Gogh as he only had one sale while he was alive hehehe. Yes, I know, sales don't make the artist but I've had a few lately and it does make me feel like I am really and truly a real artist lol.

Sticky Fingers

The title sticky fingers usually has connotations of theft but in the case of a mixed media artist it means she's back in her studio. Hip hip hurray! See the mess below? That's the proof ! The gentle ebb and flow of the studio rhythm is finally filtering in after the festive season break.

I've only been dabbling mind. Below is a picture of a tote bag that Julia once gave to me. It has pockets back and front for photographs but I've decided to make some little collages instead.
Now working this small is a challenge in itself. My smallest painting is 50x60cm (20"x24") and these little collages are roughly 9x10cm (3 1/2"x4"). Its a first for me but as with the felt bag I'm having fun fun fun.
There are 9 pockets each side so I have a few more to go yet.

Once finished I will knuckle down to finish that portrait I started last year. Then its more of the same until I feel confident enough to do any one's portrait. Ha! Will that ever happen? Oh well, I will just practice, practice, practice anyway and see what happens. I just hope I don't insult any of my friends when I endeavour to paint their portraits. Just remember I'm just starting out. By the way, you're next Vanita.

The Bag

I finished Zoe's bag today. I know great felters like Chrissie would probably cringe at my effort but I had so much fun. I want to make another one to correct where I went wrong with this one. Felt is a bit thin in places. Handles are too far apart so it hangs funny when you hold the handles but weeeeeeeeeeeee what fun!!!

The Call of the Studio

The call of the studio is getting very strong and still I have not got back into the rhythm of things. Bob has been home and Zoe has been staying. I suppose they are reasonable excuses for not starting my art. I did however go in the studio yesterday and start a little project that's been on the back burner. I had promised to make Zoe a felt handbag quite some time ago. I finally got out the wool and felting stuff and started that yesterday. I will continue with that today. I will take some photos to show you when there's something decent to see. I also have this clear vinyl bag that Julia once gave me. It is covered with pockets in which you are meant to put photos but instead I will do some collage and painting. These are just a few little projects to get the rhythm going. Next week Thursday art day will start up again. That will help. Maybe I will get the portrait finished that I started last year. I think I just have to resign myself to the fact that I take about a month off over the festive season. Maybe then I won't be so hard on myself and stress about getting back in the studio. Most of the time I do work hard so having a month off is not unreasonable. There is a lot of self discipline involved in being an artist. There is no one waiting for you to clock on. No boss calling the shots. Its up to you when you work and how long etc. Its taken me quite some time to acquire the skills needed to have a good working practice and I'm scared to fall into the old traps. I'm forever vigilant that I am moving forward not backwards. Forever vigilant that my inner censor, the little voice inside that tries to undermine you, doesn't gain strength. Anyway enough ramblings. I have my goals set for the year and all is right with my world.

Summer

We have been in the middle of a heat wave with nearly a week of over 40c (104F) temperatures and I was feeling a bit sorry for myself. The pics on my friends blogs of snow made me wish for some cold. However, after reading a recent post by Doris on her blog about shovelling snow I gave this summer verses winter thing a lot of thought. I didn't much like the sound of shovelling snow and sore muscles. If you don't live with snow you don't realise that it will keep building up and eventually you wouldn't get out of your door! No, I thought, that's not for me. Its time I looked at the positives of summer instead of moaning about the heat. So here it goes.

THE POSITIVES OF A HOT SUMMER

Long, long days with the sun starting to rise around 6am and starting to set at 8.30pm. There's still some light at 9pm.

Going down to the beach in the evening to cool off and catch some sea breezes.

Not much laundry to do as you don't wear many clothes.

Washing dries in 15 minutes on the line.

No need to use hot water when taking a shower as the cold water in the pipes is warm enough.

Too hot to cook so a lot of fresh garden salads are on the menu.

Delicious stone fruits of peaches, apricots, nectarines etc are in glut supply. Not to mention all the cooling melons like watermelon, rock melon, honey dew etc. mmm!

Long cold drinks with the ice tinkling on the side of the glass.

Squirting people with my super pump action water gun.

School holidays so I get more time to play with Zoe.

Ice cream.

Barbecues.

Sleeping with all the windows open when there is a night breeze.

The list goes on and on. These are just some things off the top of my head. Yep I love summer even though I grumble about the heat sometimes. It is pretty special. Its like being on holiday in your own backyard. I think I would rather get up early and water the garden than shovel snow. Snow would be nice to visit but brr ...

My leg is on the mend. Thanks for all your well wishes :)