Politics as Usual

 

I hope it is easy enough to read ("Eat The Rich"). I photographed it quickly and the bottom is darker than the top, which made the letters harder to read. Obviously, the name of this piece is "A Modest Proposal". Possibly the rich are tough and stringy as they mostly seem to be pretty scrawny (*1), but this could solve some of the dilemmas facing our country at present. The President's (*2) proposed budget keeps shrinking as filibuster and renegade Democrats refuse to fucking raise taxes on the hideously wealthy and meanwhile "we the people" are still reeling from the pandemic and want free college and expanded health care, baby! So tax the rich and then eat them. I wouldn't miss Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos one bit...

My work is morphing from the last president's constant infuriating idiocy compelling me to immortalize his bizzarre rants(*3) to more measured ravings on my part about income equality and social justice. I should be busy for quite some time to come, as none of the societal ills we're plagued with are in danger of being solved any time soon. Call me a Socialist but I'd like to see some redistribution of wealth. (*4)

See what I mean? Plenty of raw material to go around! I know some philistines wondered where my work would go after "He Who's Name Shall Not Be Mentioned" (Thanks Stephen Colbert!) was expelled from the White House, but he was a symptom of some of these persistent dilemmas. Hell, COVID is still as major factor in our daily lives (whether many people would like to ignore this or not!), things are hardly "back to normal" and I'm still on unemployment. What kind of crazy job do I want to risk my life for? I'm content to make art and cause trouble. Revolution now, baby!

(*1) I think they're thin because they have private, at-home chefs that fed them exclusive omelettes comprised of egg whites and kale. And then their personal trainers boot-camp their sinewy muscles and force them to do a thousand squats. 

(*2) And for god's sake, how can Biden's current rating be lower than the Orange Buffoon's ever was?!??! I ask you?!?!? Things are a slow-go for Biden (again: filibuster, recalcitrant turn-coat Democrats in thrall to big money and obstructionist rethuglicans. I don't agree with everything Biden presents, but he's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyy better than The Orange Menace- even on a bad day!!

(*3) Remember "Person, Woman, Man, Camera, TV"?!?!? Here's my piece "Cognitively There" for old times sake:

(*4) Of course this reminds me of the time that Bob and I were driving home from Home Depot (where we had gone in pursuit of N 95 face masks) when a man in a pick-up pulled next to us and- no doubt admiring our Bernie Sanders bumper sticker- screamed "Socialism Sucks" as he roared away. I assume he doesn't like, oh, I don't know, hospitals and schools and roads and libraries and fire departments and Social Security...

 

10th Year Anniversary Railing!

 

This was supposed to be a jubilant post, my first of the New Year, touting all the good things happening. Soon (not soon enough) a new president, vaccinations coming, celebrating 10 years of life at The Bauhaus Chicken Coop and most importantly- a new railing up our stairs to go with that amazing balustrade that Bob constructed... (what did we do before the railing?!?!?)

But instead, I find myself (and almost everyone else I know) reeling from the crazy-town, rethuglican, trump-inspired mayhem that happened on Wednesday. This is me RAILING against the mob. Has anyone out there ever seen anything like that storming of The Capitol? I mean, many of us are old enough to have witnessed the Viet Nam War on TV or Nixon resigning... but this truly was like a page out of the Shit Hole Country playbook. Scary, disheartening, appalling, disgusting; how many more words can we conjure to describe what we saw. Stupid, ravenous, ill-informed followers of The Orange Menace being egged on by the (non) president himself and many of his fist-pumping evil henchmen, seeking to overturn an election because they didn't like the results. 

But here's another shot of the railing, before I go off the rails:

Look at the way it seamlessly ties into the balustrade! Bob meticulously painted the uprights the same color as my closet shoji screens and the railing is the same ethereal pale blue of the balustrade. I am going out of my way to find reasons to go up and down the stairs, so that I can enjoy using the railing!

Thank goodness that I have a railing to hang onto as Wednesday and the insurrection at Capital made me weak in the knees and sick to my stomach. If I hear one more rethuglican try to imply that "antifa" was present, I'll puke. I needed that railing on Wednesday night after hours-straight watching this awful violent mob smash glass, smear feces, put feet up, stumble around- pointlessly!- like a bunch of drunk teenagers with nothing better to do... I'm sure we all saw some of the (low life) "highlights": no, I'm not even going to re-introduce them. May they all go to prison and rot. (*1)

(Looking back down). I'm exhausted and full of wine and cookies, antidotes to the toxicity and poison that we've all witnessed. But I really need to end on a good note so lets take a minute and toast Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff! Thank you Georgia for delivering the Senate! Thank you Stacey Abrams for tirelessly working to get the vote out! Democracy is alive and (somewhat) well.

(*1) At the very least, we can expect many of these epsilon sub-morons to get sick with COVID as this was a super-spreader event par-excellence! No masks, no social distancing and lots of open-mouthed, spittle-flinging screaming and chanting going on.

'Tis the Season

 As you may have noticed, I am seriously interested in politics and especially this upcoming presidential election as democracy itself is on the line. And with COVID 19 on the rise (again), the issue of voting is increasingly fraught as so many obstacles present: who wants to risk voting in person (and perhaps standing in line for hours and hours as seen in some states with early voting?!*(1) and get sick, the rethuglicans are threatening to intimidate those that show up to vote in person, the US Postal Service is under attack and being messed up by... you guessed it! rethuglicans and (once more) rethuglicans are removing ballot boxes and polling stations in some states and putting out phony ballot boxes in others (like California: and they're putting them at churches and gun shops(!?!?)

So it stands to reason that Bob and I- taking no chances and trusting nothing to fate- sent out our requests for absentee ballots in a timely fashion. Most of our friends also requested their ballots and have voted, too. So Bob's ballot appeared about and a half  week ago; he signed it and drove it to the town hall and deposited it in the secure ballot drop box. I checked the mail box the next day, and the next day, thinking maybe they mailed the ballots out alphabetically and me being a "V", I was later in line. But a week went by and I'm starting to think, "Hello! Me of all people! I'm constantly haranguing friends to vote early and I'm not getting my ballot. Maybe they put me on a "Do Not Let her Vote" List." Yesterday, I finally called the town hall and they agreed I should have received one as it had been sent out like two weeks ago!

This morning, I went to the town hall in person and had to sign a request for a replacement ballot. The irony, of course, is that I had to put in an appearance and I've been seriously trying to minimize the time I spend in public. I filed the form and then asked that they give me the ballot so I could fill it out RIGHT NOW, which I did as I had no need to reconsider for whom I was voting. 

I asked for am "I Voted" sticker but they didn't have any so I'll have to make my own.

So... I VOTED!! But I did have to work at it...

*(1) And leave it to me to wonder where do you go take a pee if you're standing in line for hours at a time?!? That's a major concern!

Spring/Break Art Show Part 3

                                    

It's exciting that our room at Spring/Break Art Show was featured in The Guardian! Politics was a big theme at this year's show and our room was timely, topical but well pulled together. Many people commented on how well curated our room was.

And speaking of "many people", we heard a rough estimate yesterday that as many as 20,000 came to Spring/Break! I personally feel like I talked to 19,357 of them! It was exciting, exhilarating, exhausting and excellent (and any other word beginning with "X" one wants to exploit). I would do it again in a minute (but at least let me have a week or two off...)

I also like telling people that I passed out over two million dollars in "bribes" as my business card was a piece of fake money (in denominations from $1 to 100,000) with a sticker with my name and vitals on it (phone number, email, website and Instagram handle). Everyone enjoyed that and I surprised no one else seems to thought of it. You gotta make viewers remember you!

And although I didn't make two (or even one!) million dollars, I did sell a couple of my smaller works and broke even. I suspect that Ellen (Hi Ellen!) who runs ODETTA (the gallery in Brooklyn that we're affiliated with) will hear from interested parties who may want to purchase work post- art fair. So many people photographed not only the work, but the price list. So I am optimistic.

Whether anything sold or not, many eyes saw our work and that alone is gratifying. As an artist who creates alone in her studio, finding an audience is paramount. I love my solitude, I love where I live (Green Acres is the place for me...) but I also crave the lime light, baby, and need the adulation of those adoring eyes. But more importantly, I (and my gallery mates) have a message and are sharing it with the hopes that things will change. We ARE activist artists and there are so many things that need changing right now. Maybe we can push people in that direction...

My gallery mates and I (hello David! Hello Margaret!) are likewise happy with the level of exposure we received. Margaret got significant notice for a bit of a flap that ensued after she was told to remove an art work from our window (facing the street and a Trump building diagonally across 1st Avenue...) that featured a X'd out portrait of Himself. Suffice it to say, any publicity is GOOD publicity. (Here's a link to The Guardian article, if anyone is interested: 

Critical Canvas Spring/Break Art Show

Spring/Break Art Show Act 2

Ah yes! "Collusion", "Complicit" and "Fuck Your 2nd Amendment" are happily ensconced at Spring/Break (along with fine work by David Borawski and Margaret Roleke). I'm happy to report that our booth- in a relatively hospitable office space with heat and electricity and a near by water fountain!- is receiving excellent reviews. The paparazzi are popping and we're feeding on feedback and I couldn't be happier.
I think I've made some good connections (along with enough praise that my head is a bit inflated!) and I passed out more than a million dollars in business cards. (My business card is a sticker with all my vitals (name, phone number, email, web site, Instagram handle) on a piece of fake currency. Literally, all denominations. People loved my fake money/bribery card. I said, "Better than bitcoin!")
Wouldn't you know it though: two people I really wnated to see came by when I was here at home, resting and recuperating from talking to a half a zillion admirers. It's nice when someone you don't know comes into the space and says, "Gee I saw your work on so and so's Instagram feed!" I guess I'm hitting the right eyes.
Fortunately, the entire presentation of our space is coherent and well curated (thank you Margaret and Ellen) and has a unity of theme to it. There are more than a few pretty chaotic spaces full of demanding, noisy work...

Did I mention that the UN Plaza Building where the art fair is taking place in across the street from a Trump building? How ironic is that? The theme of this year's Spring/Break is "Fact or Fiction" and there are many interesting installations (including our room) that play with the weird dynamic of "fake news"and lies and misrepresentation. There's even a giant pill container, filled with fake "drug money" in a tiled pharmaceutically inspired room. That one's cool!
But I'm signing off as I'm tired and need to prepare for my next episode of life as an emerging art star. (Kidding!)   But I do have another million dollars worth of business cards to produce and I need a good night's sleep and orthopedic shoes. My feet got really tired from walking on hard pavement and standing for eight hours on cement floors. Life as an artist is hard!!!

A Post After the Elections

It's nice to be able to think about something other than politics (Go Blue Ripple!!) like the fact that Bob made this wonderful tile top table. It's got a great stable metal base with an attractive diamond pattern (maybe I'll photo that later) and these tiles were "found" down by Bob's studio. Amazing the stuff that turns up! I love the variation in blues among the tiles...

And you don't see items like this everyday! Our delightful and talented friend Roberta charmed me with an elaborate birthday package. This repurposed Osage orange (with a found alien hand!!!) announced my new magazine subscriptions (Remember that I use them in collage making). But that wasn't all: beneath the carefully wrapped orange was a lovely length of African cloth- perfect for upcoming project! and as if THAT wasn't enough, Roberta also bequeathed me a huge assortment of bulbs! Species tulips, scilla, daffodils, hybrid tulips... amazing! Any one of these gifts would have been more than generous but altogether, I'm overwhelmed! And really? It actually is nicer to receive gifts when least expected! Thank you Roberta!

And here's pastel upside down Robin to remind us that dogs enjoy getting mentioned, too! Robin's been very happy; I think she likes the colder weather, even if I don't. It makes her super frisky and nuts. She's been doing mad loops around the yard at like a million miles an hour. Craziness runs in the family.
I am trying to catch up with myself. It's hard to believe that it's almost Thanksgiving and the year is drawing to a close. So much has happened and continues to happen (and I'm not just thinking of politics!!! A decades worth of "incidents" in a day!) Remember that we experienced a tornado and we are still cleaning up from that. The tree guys are eagerly awaited to take down a whole bunch more dying spruces (the weather's been against them). I have a bunch more planting and yes! I have more studio ideas to implement. And don't get me started on the changes going on at work... anyone want to hire an artist? Actually, I have ideas in that department, too!

Terrible Week! But Good Harvest

Grapes! Tons of grapes! 84 squash! (count 'em... Bob did!) Lots of green (and yellow) beans in the freezer! Quite the bountiful harvest. And all of Nature's goodness offsets some of the cosmic shit swirling around. Sometimes it helps to just stop and count the squash...
I don't even want to dwell on or dive into why this week (past couple of weeks, actually) were so atrocious but I guess it starts with discovering a co-worker doing weird- and potentially dangerous- "research" on a work computer and the management not dealing with this in any way at all. Or my not getting a raise... and then we all get our hours cut. So work sucked!!
I guess I am dwelling on why things have been awful. And we get politics; yes, it all seems to devolve back to The Orange Menace and his evil agenda. A bit of lying and bragging to the UN and (more) insulting our allies. Supreme Court picks that are less than Supreme... triggering more than just a little PTSD in yours truly. Let's talk vegetables, please!

Well here's a bright spot. My sister Cathy gave us an exciting Day of the Dead decoration that, for all of it's being a dead person, looks pretty happy. Probably because it's not following the news. I do seem to be incapable of not listening to the horror story that is our current predicament.
Here's a happier note: I've been working my butt off in preparation for being included in a couple of shows and I'm receiving good feedback on my work.  For City Wide Open Studios this year, I'm pushing my "WTF" theme which has become a series and will be featured in my "WTF Emporium". Many colorful WTF items will be for sale and I just recently had a curator call me and rave about my work and wonder if  they could cluster a stack of my WTF pillows in a window. (They can't as I'm still making them!) But it was nice to know someone is thinking of me and my work!

Here's a small one I finished. My work was also put up on Instagram (in a promotional posting for a anti-gun show I'm included in) and called "quirky" which I think is just fine. I myself have been known to be "quirky" so I guess it's a good catch-all.
Today was a better day all around. Not only did I get good art input, I seemed to cross paths with better people who semi-restored a tiny bit of my (lack of) faith in humanity. If there are so many good/nice/reasonable people out there, why do all the bad/evil/insane people get into politics!??!

Now Who's the Snowflake?

For those of you who were unable to attend the NYC art world event of the season, here's a few highlights. (Yes, they are screen shots from a few friends albums on Facebook- thank you Roberta, Phillip and Yolanda!) because I/we were too busy schmoozing and chatting up the room to take pictures (or even oversee the taking of pictures). It was packed with admiring friends and art fans and I was quite happy. Many good friends traveled from the wilds of Connecticut; I am astonished at their love and support!

And here are people that I DON"T KNOW, looking at (and gesturing to) my art work. Yowzah! That's great! I received a lot of positive feedback and the show did look really good so I couldn't be happier.*
The show went on, despite the chills/spill/thrills necessary to have an already sick artist's stomach in her mouth. You all probably heard about how my work wasn't picked up and delivered to NYC when it was scheduled.... someone's father (thanks Weston!) had to make that trip. And then a piece of lace- instrumental to the completion of "Complicit"- was unloaded at the wrong address (thanks again fro resolving that issue, Weston)... Yes, artist's hearts are often in cardiac arrest, wondering if all the details were in place- or whether the Devil is indeed alive and well and attending to them!
And then, of course, there is the truly funny-or pathetic- story of how the delivery gentleman (who IS after all, a conservative, gun tottin' rethuglican) REFUSED to pick up the three pieces from the gallery that we weren't hanging... this despite the fact that he was stopping at the gallery to drop off several paintings and had the room in his truck. Hahahahaa! tender sensibilities, indeed! Now who's the snowflake? The things you learn.
And we arrived home at midnight, fed the Dog and Pony Show ( we have a dog walker who comes to minister to Robin's needs) and fell into bed. And woke up at the crack of dawn to go back in to sit the show. It was pretty slow until the last hour or so, when some friends from New Haven showed up and -heavens!- more strangers poured into the gallery and took pictures, were impressed, asked all the right questions etc. That made the day fun and worthwhile.
On the way back to the subway, I was exultant and Bob and I were chatting away merrily about the next move when BOOM! I hit some sort of slippery spot and crashed to the pavement. Naturally, I had just removed my gloves, so my left hand absorbed the fall- along with my left upper thigh and hip. That hurt! And so much for ol' NYC being nice to artists... (it's not!)

Evidence, need I say more?
So the show looks good, my bruises will fade, and Bob and I are hauling into NYC every Saturday to be there for the requisite "meeting and greeting" and "gripping and grinning". Stop by if you're in the neighborhood.

*Well, I would have liked to have sold every piece... or even one (but there's still time...)

A Very Busy Week!

Yes, that's me and my fellow women artists being interviewed on WPKN, a local very independent radio station. Thanks to Debbie Hesse for the invitation- and the photograph! We were all radio neophytes (and quite nervous initially!)but settled in and had a delightful hour long discussion of art, music, politics and Nasty Women in modern day America.
On my way to the radio station, I was enthralled, listening to public hearings into intelligence gathering and the evidence coming forth about Russian meddling in our recent election- shades of Watergate! Yes, I was one of those youngsters who couldn't get enough of Senator Sam and the rest of the subcommittee as delved into nefarious Nixon White House doings...
I had work to complete for my inclusion in the show "Mincing Words" curated by the artist (and organizer of wonderful shows) Martha Lewis. Hangers to be affixed, work to be delivered- the typical pre-game details. And this was at the same time as trying to get the car repaired, go to work, finish a collage for another fund raiser auction.
Not to mention Maggie still needs additional TLC because while her hoof is on the mend, she needs to regain the weight and strength she shed while hurting. Maggie actually broke into a trot and then a bit of a canter yesterday so I know she's improving. And of course, the extra attention that Maggie gets requires me to lavish more focus on Lil' Robin (who waxes jealous...). No wonder I run around like a nut before leaving for work.

(Another shot, taken by the station manager, Steve Constanza).
Bob and I were jubilant and celebrated the rethuglican defeat of their non-replacement of ObamaCare. Hooray! You can't take away benefits and give a tax break to the wealthy and expect to pass a cruel and unusual law (that the Unpresident doesn't seem to have read...) Can we nowpush on to Single Payer Universal Coverage, please? Instead of pandering to the Tea Party turned "Freedom Caucus" who didn't think the absurdity proffered went far enough... yeesh!
And then the truck screwed up as we dropped the car off for brake repairs, essentially leaving us transportationless. Thank goodness for our good friend Joe who ferried us to my opening in New Haven yesterday afternoon! I was able to drop off my work for the auction and then we were all free to enjoy a crowded and boisterous opening and dine on Japanese food afterwards. A good night!
But I experienced a funny moment when I went into my studio the other day and my walls were entirely bare. It was shocking! I guess it's good to have a bunch of your work out in the world and empty space to fill up with new art.

Better Late Than Not At All

Another first! Bob went out and bought our very first purchased lawn mower. We've had at least four or five mowers over the last 20 (very) odd years, but they'd all been bequeathed to us by family, friends or celebrities. Our last mower died last fall and we relied on Crisco the Stallion to mow the lawn- which, to his credit, he did a lovely job (maybe the only think he did well besides spook...). Anyway, I haven't had the time or the temporary fence posts to move the fence around for Maggie yet so Bob and I were watching the grass get shaggier and shaggier.
Bob took the initiative and made the big acquisition on Monday so that when I arrived home from work, he'd already mowed around the clothes line and the vegetable garden. I mowed around the flower beds last night after a long day of planting up a storm.

(Pictured is my now historic gardening hat. While out tilling the Good Earth, I think it important to remind people of the egregious crimes wrought upon our nation and the world by previous administrations. I am assuming that half of our country probably doesn't even remember Dick...)

Here's a happier photo of one of the arrangements I made for a container announcing the White Garden Area. (Did I already share this picture? Someone please tell me as I've been so busy and feel so behind that I may be repeating myself. But it does look good!) I planted over two full flats of annuals yesterday and despair of finding several key players in my borders- specifically Nicotiana Sylvestris and (real) Tithonia. (You may recall the debacle that occurred last year when I planted Tithonia that just got bigger and weedier and never bloomed; what a travesty!) And please don't remind me of my own sloth; I simply didn't get around to planting the above cited annuals and am now in deep regret. If anyone spies these two plants on trips to garden centers, send me a heads up.
The weather has sort of cooperated; it's muggy but good for transplanting. I have been so "on task" that I almost forgot to notice the plants flowering really handsomely. The tall bearded Iris are great this year. I have to remember to label the so I can move some into parts of the borders, out of the cut flower area. A low blue mat-forming plant called Lithodora is spectacular- so deep blue with almost juniper like foliage. My Delphinium are in bud and I'm waiting for a few other things to pop. I guess it;s a reminder to stop and smell the roses!

2013 Here we Come!

I am so surprised sometimes by my own work and how it manages to emerge from me. Even in the darkest, coldest time of the year, when I feel cranky (haven't I honestly mentioned that recently?) and it would seem I/we should be creatively "frozen", all kinds of things pour out of me. The last week or so has been ridiculously productive...
As sometimes happens, I have been motivated by the endless debates in Congress about whether to end Bush (ugh) era tax cuts, go over the 'fiscal cliff" (voted one of the most over used phrases of 2012) raise the debt ceiling, get partisan politicians to agree for once, blah blah blah, blah... But I have made a small suite of collages and a fabric piece and I made an entire new (very silly!) alphabet book; the list goes on.
And I was remarking to Bob the other morning, over coffee in bed, that we still don't know where "creativity" comes from. They've located places in the brain that hold memories and dream centers and language but the formation of creative ideas-or thoughts in general!- is elusive. It seems like one minute you're debating whether to have peanut butter and jelly on your toast and the next minute, your next overwhelming concept/ project is arrayed out before you. I know; it's a hackneyed discussion, but miraculous none the less!
So the piece above is done entirely in flesh toned magazine samples. I feel that is appropriate as Congress often seems to "traffic" in us. (Like the proverbial pound of flesh). How else can they justify giving themselves raises while they argue for years about raising the minimum wage (how it will hurt business to give workers something like $10 extra a week. Don't get me started!) And the price of not raising the debt ceiling is real in human terms.
Anyway, the alphabet book I made is an exercise in fun and games and an antidote to all that budgetary hogwash and dreck. Gotta lighten up some how!

Head First Over the (gasp!) Fiscal Cliff!

As I mentioned to all of my Facebook-abiding friends, I love phrases like "The Fiscal Cliff". Someone dreams up these slogans for some dire event on our horizon and that's all you here for a few weeks or maybe months. Like "credit default swaps". Or "QE2" (which I initially thought was that big cruise ship). As quickly as they spiral into virality, they flame out and no one ever utters them again. When was the last time the phrase "zombie bank" crossed your lips?
So it is my (self appointed) role as Guardian of Today's Meaningless Phrase to immortalize these terms in works of art. (See the detail above; I'm in the middle of this piece and I'm psyched! I could use a week or so off from work to complete it). Other works are to follow and are in process on my studio tables. "Sequestration" is next up! (Who invented that? I was on the Internet checking on how to spell such a monstrosity!)
I am certain we all appreciate that these disasters, financial and otherwise, are all cooked up by Congress people with nothing better to do than create games of brinksmanship. All are zero-sum exercises that neither this side nor that will "win". I just hope that President Obama holds his line, does not capitulate (as he was far too willing to due during his first term) and drives those crazy republicans over the edge. Why is it that people with the least money and the most to lose seem inspired to believe the lies and self-serving policies of the greediest rich? At present, the republicans want to raise the age of social security, raise taxes on all of us (underachievers!), eliminate things like mortgage deductions and doom us all to penury so that they (who never need rely on social security or medicare) can keep more of their filthy lucre. Now why there hasn't been a revolution is beyond me; I suppose Fox News, TV in general and shopping at the malls for Xmas has trumped any real concern for "our future".
But hey! At least it gives me fodder for my artistic mill. Now I need to go check the spelling on "sequestration".

Smell-O-Vision

I'm seriously tempted to paint a white stripe up Jules' back. It's Day 2 with no water and both Bob and I woke up in the middle of the night smelling skunk. Our friend Joe said that the bag that Bob gave him a loaf of bread in smelled. too. I just came back from the store and can't imagine what others think! God bless anal gland expressions!
Jules and I  took a truncated walk this a.m. Up to and bit down the dirt road, but no heroics as the wind was started to swirl and tear pretty powerfully.
So this is a preamble to the valiant postings to follow. Our afore-mentioned friend Joe and his friend Andy have come over to help in replacing our well pump. Such valor! We're just hoping that the plumbing parts store is still open. And that no one gets blown away. Repair efforts will be suspended if the storm gets suddenly worse today. So far, not too much rain, just that constant tug of wind.
Another thing that stinks is the "perfect storm" that reporters are brewing about the possibility of an electoral college tie. How can this be? How can there be so many stupid, hateful; people? Maybe they're just drumming up worst case scenarios to keep the the populace interested. Can it really be that close? And I've heard so many things leading to the conclusion that it's almost impossible to have a clean election anyway. Mitt Romney's son owns part of a voting machine company. Didn't we go through this last time?? How come we can't fix this situation? We try and bring democratic elections to third world countries and monitor their results, and here we subscribe to a different set of rules!

Seasons End But New Beginnings

Last of the flowers! Gigantic dahlias that just started coming into their own- in time for that famous first frost. I picked them the night it was going to freeze so that at least we can enjoy them while we dine.
Beneath the dahlias is Bob's new bumper sticker. I really like the fact that what was originally a pejorative- "Obamacare"- became a positive label. And I believe that Obama does care... more than that odious and mean Mitt Romany and his evil sidekick Paul Ryan.
Another reason that I am putting up this particular posting is that my blog seemed be be altogether too beige and monochrome. It needed some real color. This particular arrangement is pretty primary but better than off white and endless drabness and beige beige beige (enough of that to come now that it's fall into winter...).
Here's a great thing about this time of year: garden centers are all offering truly remarkable discounts so that they can off load left over nursery stock. Just this week, I purchased a Sambucus nigra at 75% off and with my remaining grubstake, I was able to buy a really chunky White New Dawn climbing rose for (gasp) $4.25! (Okay, with tax it came to like $4.53...) Now to find the time to plant.
And get an eyefull of this find:

That's the real color! Need I add that that was love at first gander; got a good buy on this shrub, too. I was so impressed with this "Amethyst Beauty" Callicarpa and I chortled happily to myself about being the first kid on my block to have one of these in my garden. Then I stopped at a Dunkin Donuts to use the bathroom and there was one planted in front of the drive through. Ha! Looks better at out house and our coffee is
better, too.