Exhaustion... And Relief!

 

I'm so relieved! So relieved, in fact, that I am starting a new piece that has NOTHING TO DO with The Orange Menace or all the lies and trouble he has caused. How's THAT for radical??!?! Although when I was shopping for fabric, I had three people exclaim, "Oh! that's such pretty material! What are you going to make?" (I think they expected me to say, "A winsome frock!" or some such nicety.) I replied, "I make profanity-laced political banners." One woman retorted, "Oh, that's nice." Another older (even than me) woman asked and I once more offered that I make political banners. She suggested that the election is over... implying that there's no room for politics anymore. I replied that although I was very happy with the outcome of the election, as an artist, there is always something political to address. Such is my mission!

But yes, relief and exhaustion. I know that many of us are experiencing this combination. I wanted to call friends and sing praises of democracy in action, but I've been so tired that crawling into bed and reading and then... YES!! SLEEPING!! Deep, restful sleep. Or, more to the point, safe and restful, sleep, sleep, sleep.(*1) I am certain we face many up-hill and stupid battles between here and inauguration day (biggest one EVER!!) thanks to intransigent rethuglicans and a little poor-loser dictator that just won't quit. But we won!

And how's this for a hopeful sign? I was walking past the compost pile and I spied something orange. It was a gazania, alive and still in bloom despite last week's below freezing temperatures and being chucked out of a pot. A bit of sunshine to help us along!

(*1) Although I did have a truly weird dream that Rudy Giuliani helped me steal a very large (blue) dump truck to help try and rescue someone. He was actually a good person in the dream; how warped is that?!?

 

 

Enjoy It While Ye May!

I'm milking this dying bouquet because soon enough, the only flowers available will be the ones in my fertile imagination. Fall is here and it's blustery and we lost all our tender annuals- with the freaky exception of a particularly intrepid corner of zinnias! Actually, I've got quite an assortment of potted plants temporarily residing in my studio so we won't be entirely without greenery this winter. Now, where to put all those plants in the living room...
I'm also posting a picture here of an interesting visitor that Bob and I had late last week:

Look at that thing! He was BIG- way bigger than the photo suggests. This large insect was scaling one of Bob's sculptures and we couldn't help but notice him. He was carefully feeling his way up the steel... Here's his other side:

(I'm saying "he" but maybe it's a girl. I'm not sure how we tell.) Anyway, he/she was was oblivious to my efforts to document him/her.  We're guessing it's a type of cricket. Impressive and eerie.
But speaking of insects/bugs/pests/varmints/vermin and official lice...
Holy cow! Impeachment! Talk about draining swamps and all things pestilence! I can't look the news away and maybe the changing seasons becomes an advanced metaphor for changing directions in a seriously misguided administration. I could go on for days (and believe me, I'd rather discuss insects!) but did anyone really think that Rudy Giuliani (who DOES look like Nosferatu...) was a good guy? Please: the best thing that could have happened in this amazingly action packed week was that "two associates" of Giuliani's were arrested. More arrests to come. I'm on the edge of my seat and looking forward to designer handcuffs!

Russian Roulette

Another one of my periodic posts in which the picture would seem to have little to do with my topic or the direction of my thoughts. This is a picture I was given at work (because they were going to toss it out) and I liked it: I think it's Shangri-La... a place I'd love to transport myself, Bob, Robin the Good and Maggie the Mexican Pony to. (And a few hundred close family members and friends.)
Maybe Shangri-La is a good place to head, what with the stunningly abysmal state of affairs here in America. Just think- the "truth isn't truth" (thanks Rudy Giuliani!) just like it's kissing cousin in linguistic and moral turpitude, "alternative facts" (thanks Kellyanne Conway!). Why do rethuglicans always play so fast and loose with the English language?
Those of you reading this that actually know me know that I am not shy about my dismay at the current occupant of the White House. There is little that I can add that hasn't already been said, including repeating the mantra that the conservative's beloved Ronald Reagan is probably rolling over (and over and over) in his grave with all the embracing of Russia and it's feckless leader. A little "Evil Empire", anyone? Or are their memories so faulty?
I realize that conservatives and rethuglicans are embracing Their Dear Leader because he's delivering on so many of their pet projects: fewer regulations, gigantic tax cuts for the already rich, dismantling health care, destroying the environment, stacking the Supreme Court with conservative activist judges... I could go on but I'd probably sick up all over my keyboard. The rethuglicans are apparently willing to assume the despicable posture of spineless, smirking sycophants. Where does it end? I cringe when craven mouth pieces (I'm thinking Paul Ryan or Mitch McConnell) slink out and say something like, "Oh don't pay any attention to the tweets". Talk about enablers! Or toadies like Devin Nunes echoing "witch hunt, witch hunt!" despite indictments and grand juries.
Hopefully, something will end this current situation (nonviolently), be it (in no particular order) the emoluments clause, The Mueller Investigation, those unreleased tax returns, Stormy Daniels, Michael Cohen, Omarosa, health code violations at Mar-A-Lago, Karen McDougal, the stupidity of certain off spring, pee pee tapes, Paul Manafort, Marina Butina and the NRA, Don McGahn etc etc. Every day brings more dirt and allegations and weirder behaviors and appearances by the living dead (there's Rudy Giuliani again!) Russian roulette indeed!
I never thought I'd say this, but I'm downright nostalgic for old-school rethuglicans!