13, 14 and 14 (Pretty Cryptic, No?)

In honor of July the 4th, I have presented a numerically cryptic posting. And I have thoughtfully illustrated this blog with images from my beaded Credit Card series. What could possibly be more patriotic than images of credit cards? Money and flags, united in one iconic artwork.
The "13" in my title refers (of course) to the 13 original colonies that caused a revolution and broke away from England. This is why we celebrate the Fourth of July and why the more reckless among us celebrate by blowing off a digit or two after a few brewskis and the old chimpanzee and dynamite conundrum. Happy fireworks to you too!
The first "14" in the title references the 14 idiots that are currently running for the republican nomination for the next presidential cycle. What could be more worthy of the next revolution than to consider that Donald Trump actually thinks he'd make a "good" president.  Can you name all of them? Several are so damned peculiar that it's nearly impossible to forget them, no matter how hard we try. Bobby Jindal anyone? Governor of a state that he has done nothing to help and boy does it need help. Low wages, no health care, the attractively named "Cancer Alley" running through it, poverty just to name a few issues that might hurt his chances. Rick Perry? How about nominating a guy already under indictment? Or Chris Christie who has staked out a platform based (so far) on making pot totally illegal again. Ad his approval rating is in the single digits in his own state. (There are those pesky digits again. I guess you can count Christie supporters on one hand...) Or Rick Santorum? Please. Carly Fiorina? She seems to have announced and then disappeared. I suppose it does help the republican cause to have a woman hanging around. Again, the number of digits on one hand can be used to account for all the woman the republicans have welcomed into that big ol' tent. Not to mention that her record seems based on taking jobs away from people. do I really need to go on? Stop me!!! (Although I should mention that we're all waiting with the proverbial "bated breath" for number 15 and 16 to throw their hats in the ring.)

Okay the last number "14" is the number of acupuncture needles I had inserted into my head, ears, hands, feet and neck this morning. What a way to start the Fourth of July! But I have to say I feel really good and the sitting still for forty minutes this morning was probably the most inert and restful I've been in ages. I seem to have less discomfort and more energy so God Bless Chinese medicine!

Noisy Night and Various Blessings

(Seeing as it's nearly impossible to take pictures of sounds or noise, the photos here are going to be drawn from other inspirations. Personally? I don't like blogs that lack pictures! However, last night, I went to use the bathroom and happened to see a few of Bob's recent sculptures, illuminated by the downstairs hall light. It was atmospheric enough to stand in for an illustration of "sounds".)
In any event, last night at The Bauhaus Chicken Coop was spectacularly noisy. As Bob and I donned our sleeping caps and settled down for a early summer's night nap every possible thing that could make noise made noise.
I don't remember what was first, but there was an odd persistent sound somewhere between video game electronic music and herds of ruminating hoofed animals. We kept going to the open windows, attempting to isolate just what was making that sound. No luck. But it soon mixed with tree frogs, birds and the occasional giant airplane transversing our yard, directly over the sky light. Also heard were endless drones of motocycles or cars and trucks from the nearby highway. Then there was the persistent yapping of various neighborhood dogs as well as the sharp and protracted complaints of what sounded like at least ten coyotes, near and far. And suddenly there was a tremendous BOOOM!!! from what must have been a gun shot, probably fired at the coyotes. And next- inexplicably- the rapid explosions of fireworks. And it's not even the fourth of July. So much for the sound effect portion of this posting...

(Eerie, no? So it was 2:00 when I went out to take these photos, but unlike the night before, it was utterly silent! But you have to look closely to see Bob's sculpture...)

And, yes, I received several blessings recently. Maybe it stems from my new-found appreciation of a pope who actually seems to have a heart and a mind. (Gotta like a pope that not only states that human life is causing climate change, and also remarks about income disparity and our wasteful consumer culture. You go, pope!) In any event, last week I had just wheeled a hefty barrow full of horse manure around to the compost pile when I spied a car in the driveway. I approached, thinking it was probably some of Bob's customers for his garden metal work. But as I got nearer, I saw a thick book in the hand of the lady who had alighted from the car. She said, "I'd like to invite you to a study group that I'm certain you'll find interesting." I responded, "I don't think you really want to talk to me or invite me to your group. I'm an artist and a heathen." Without missing a beat, she asked, "And how long have you been a heathen?" That was pretty funny! But she threw some sort of all purpose blessing at me as she got into the escape vehicle.
And a a week or so earlier, while in Brooklyn, Bob and i passed by an open air worship service of some sort. Hell, we were looking for art but we received a free blessing from a young woman trying to drag us into prayer. And of course, I walk by the house of the retired nuns up the road and they're always dispensing blessings to me and Jules the Dog. For being a heathen artist, I seem to be awash in blessings!