Sattelite Gallery Move--Showing at LJ Library

I've joined the traveling Brazosport artists' "satellite gallery". I've had paintings hanging in the Dow Beutel Building for a couple of months now, but today it was time to move them to their new location. Mother went with me and helped me lug all the paintings into the local Lake Jackson Library conference room, where we spent about an hour hanging them. They will be on display there until August; then we'll move them again.



Our local paper did a write up on me and gave my blog address as the place to go view pictures of my paintings, so I figured I might should update this site at least for today! If you want to see other paintings I've done, check them out at http://www.smconner.com.



As you can tell, I've taken a break from blogging for a few weeks. Who knows, maybe this will get me jumpstarted again. Life seems to have gotten in the way, if you know what I mean! Thanks to those of you who've told me you miss it. I love you all for noticing.

California or BUST!

Hubby and I leave for San Francisco and points north Saturday morning--a 15th wedding anniversary present! While we're gone, trusty computer's going in for a check-up--it's moving soooooooo slllllloooooooowwwww..... So, I'm signing off until May 1! Catch up with you then!

Getting a Do...

No, these aren't hot fudge sundaes! I went today to get my hair colored. I usually do it myself, but I decided to go a little more dramatic. Lorena talked me into doing my red plus 3 shades, so I decided to try it.
Am I beautiful yet??? Looks like I have a ways to go!
It's more subtle than I thought it would be, but it's pretty. We'll see...

Saturday, April 14 - One more batch...

Ok, so I'm posting way too many, but we just don't get too many chances to visit with this gal this way, so I'm taking advantage--like she said, it was quality time, way overdue. Robin's been working here at the Bourbon Street Candy Co. for 3 years now. She's enjoyed it, and they all seem to think she's pretty grand, too.
Her bosses are very nice people. We enjoyed visiting with them and seeing their "baby", the shop.
Some of Robin's work buddies making the shop's specialty. Robin, we love you, and we had a great time!

Saturday, April 14 - Dinner at Joe's on Corpus Bay

Seems strange when your kids start drinking in front of you. Robin and I talked about it. My mother moved in with Jim and me when I was 53. I told her when she was thinking about coming down, "Mother before you come down, you have to know that Jim and I drink occasionally, and Robin has her belly button pierced and we really don't care." 53! I was always mortified that she would find out that I wasn't the daughter she thought. Now-adays, she really doesn't care and she's pretty cool about a lot of things, but I didn't know then. Anyway, we all had a drink Saturday evening together, and it was nice. We probably don't know it all, but that's ok, too.
Here we are about to eat, having had a wonderful day. Robin's a great tourguide and a very sweet friend.
This was one of the many signs at Joe's--I've adoped it as my mantra! :)

Saturday, April 14 - More Robin/Corpus Pictures

After we saw the botanical gardens, we decided to see the USS Lexington, a WWII aircraft carrier docked at Corpus. It was fun watching Robin and her daddy walking through the Carrier reading all the signs, and sitting in all the right seats: gunner seats, captains seats, etc.

I love this picture of Robin--happy and grinning from ear to ear!

Robin and her daddy in another "seat" of some kind...don't remember, but they wanted their picture made!

Satellite Gallery Exhibit

I took several paintings to the Dow Beutel Building this morning and Rick, here, helped me hang them. The Art League has several "satellite" galleries, and the Beutel Building is one of them. So, I'm officially on the circuit.

Rick was a great helper--I hadn't expected Dow to provide help hanging paintings, but they did. And they let me pull my car right up to the front door to unload, so it was a very pleasurable experience. My paintings will be on exhibit there until June.

On With Life...

Today was errand day for Mother and me--I took her for visit with one of her doctors, and I sat outside by their reflection pool and waited for her. After my breakthrough this morning, it was delicious. I saw turtles, and snapped all kinds of pictures of flowers, reflections, knot holes in the bridge, mold on the concrete--all of it. When we can find the energy flow of love and trust, everything takes on new meaning and all of it's beautiful...
Then off we went to get our nails done! Now, that's awesome! I love this little place--they have the nicest people, and it makes me happy to go there.

Lunch at the Local

You know, my mom and I really like going out to eat. That's a bonus for Jim since she's living here with us. He would rather eat at home, but with her here,my eating out bug gets taken care of pretty often now-adays, it seems. There are two of these delicious bushes planted by the door at The Local in downtown Lake Jackson. Don't know what the heck they are, but they are scrumptious! Beautiful vivid red, and wonderful soft texture. Would love to have branches cut and in a vase in my living room! Think they would notice?
And I've just always thought this drink display was really great with all the color, so I took a photo. Seemed like the thing to do!

A Day with Mother

I've kind of neglected Mother all week, and both of us were feeling a little dumpy the last couple of days, so we took a day off to "go" and see. She had heard that a replica of the Nina was in Baytown, so I looked and sure enough, it was docked at the Marina. She's a history buff, so off we went. She was thrilled to get to go on it and to listen to the history talk, and to just imagine Columbus and his crew of 25 + animals and passengers on a little boat like this. We figured either he and the folks with him were brave--or a little crazy! Her biggest wonder was how 25 men could sleep on the deck with all the snoring, belching, farting, etc...:) We are both very private people who enjoy our quiet, and this was just a little too close quarters for us!
After Baytown Marina, we headed toward Texas City to see the art exhibit hanging there (including two of my paintings), and we happened on Tookies, Jim's favorite hamburger place, so we stopped for a "bean burger". They're fabulous--big juicy beef burgers, refried beans, and crushed fritos! To die for! And Tookie's is a lot of atmosphere! You get the picture? We had a really good day, and I think it did us both a lot of good!

Dinner at Giavonni's

Some of us got together tonight at Giavonni's for Italian food. Meet (from left to right: my mother Millie, me, Gay (her guy Richard is between us, but you can't see anything but his head behind me!), Sally, Nancy, Kay, Joan, Ken, and Jeanette. We went for Italian food, but Mother and I had steak, and it was wonderful!

Meet Makenzie Smith

You know, sometimes you just stumble upon the sweetest little blessings. Meet Makenzie Smith. She was dining at El Chico with her mom and dad today when we saw her. Such a delightful little cutie.

Most of the time she sat by her dad--I think that's one of the things that struck me. I watched her dad taking care of her, and it was really special. A girlie and her daddy are something very special.
That is until he pulls out the napkin and tries to clean up matters! This was the closest I saw to a struggle between the two, but it didn't last long...
Although Makenzie looks just a tad suspicious for a while longer. She was such a beauty and it was so much fun watching her. And man, she can really say "BYE"! :) Makinzie, I hope you have a very happy life, and that all your dreams come true!