Ouch Jean, that sounds totally painful and frustrating! I hope you get well soon!

Jean,

Best wishes for a speedy and full recovery from your neighbor in Wisconsin.

: )

Gosh Jean, I really feel for you. It's such a waste when pain prevents us from doing the things we love to do - life is short enough as it is. Maybe you can spend this recuperation time reading and absorbing every book on painting you can get your hands on (although you are probably doing that already). By the time you are ready to give it a whirl again, your fingers will be surprised at how much easier it will be for them to get clear and concise direction from your brain.

Jean,

For the first time a man noticed that his good friend had installed an ear ring in his ear. Having known the man for years he was amazed at this additional adornment. Finally, he could hold back no longer and asked his friend -- why, after all these years have you suddenly decided to wear an ear ring? Since my wife found it in my pocket, the man replied.

Mary, I forgot you and your lovely portrait of Ben. Believe me I noticed, just brain dead sometimes.

Janel, Thank you so much, I see you've been busy too. You will only continue to get better. Sometime we should meet in person.

Heidi, Feast and Famine is such a powerful work. Congrats on the orders, I hope you will post the bronze. My fingers want to do the work, not read about it. But I'll read anyway, been working on this right hand thing and painted for a little while today.

Okay Mike.....thanks for the giggle! :sunnysmil Did you know that I was a lhama girl at the Circus World Museum in Baraboo when I was a teenager. Baraboo was the summer home of the Ringling family. My mother made costumes, and did custom tailoring for Jean Ringling. We didn't have all the fantastic art, but they did store and work on all the circus wagons there. I used to hang out with the people who did the restoration and it is extremely delicate work. Hope you're enjoying Sarasota.

Jean

Jean,

I didn't know there was a summer home. Where is Baraboo? I thought the summer was spent going from town to town and putting on the greatest show on earth. What were the duties of the Ihama girl?

Hope you're up and at em' soon.

I am enjoying Sarasota very much.

Here's a little something from Sarasota to Madison.

Beautiful photo Mike, did you take it? Baraboo is about 50 miles north of Madison, it's a beautiful area with many unique qualities. Glaciers created a range of bluffs with spring fed lakes. I think the Ringlings fell in love with the area and used it for their northern base. There is a mansion in the middle of town (not open to the public), and a calliope plays everyday that can be heard through the whole town. The population was about 6000 when I lived there.

A lhama girl leads a lhama around with a leash all day at the museum and lets little kids pet him. On a good day the lhama will only spit 3-4 times. Stinky and sticky! This was a coveted job, believe it or not.

Jean

On a good day I can spit many more times than that.

Yep, I took it, I got a whole bucket of them. They are justifiably proud of their sunsets around here.