Radiant Heart

Song - "These Are the Days" by Van Morrison

Last Saturday my future daughter-in-law's family threw an engagement party at a local park for Andy and Ashley.

Toasts were made....

Some kissing may have occurred.......

Prime spots were reserved for Bocce Ball.....

Games were enjoyed.....

Families spent time together.....

Some delicious margarita's were enjoyed.....

MOG and MOB got to hug the happy groom-to-be.....

Babies were held.......

Welcome to the world Nicholas! Four weeks old!......

Ashley, my mom & "Reverend" Jodi got to visit....

MOB, FOG and the "Reverend" enjoy the sunny day....

My mom made mini apple pie's for dessert.....yumm.....

Love and Laughter were ever present.....

Now I am off to cry some happy tears for these two dear ones!

Congratulations Andy and Ashley.

Cha-Cha-Cha-Changes

Song - Changes by David Bowie

In 2013 I painted a rather large canvas (30 x 40) for a show I was having with a group a artist friends that I paint with - Bay Area Studio Artists or BASA. The show was titled "Shades of California" and I painted a beach scene from my beloved Lake Tahoe.

  However, I made the umbrella RED! I thought at the time that it added a snap of color!

......And it was used for the Marketing of our show.



I never liked the painting and I couldn't put my finger on why - other than the colors of the water were too intense and maybe everything was too saturated? It was not calming like I feel when I am on this beach.

 I changed the water and made the stripes of the umbrella more defined.  Still no.....

So I have had it stored in a back room but often wondered what I could do to improve this painting.

Move forward to 2016 - last week.  I was getting ready for an upcoming show in Danville at Chow and I thought about a painting for their large wall.

 I began to work with the photo of the painting in PhotoShop.  I changed that awful purple-blue of the shadows from the chairs, removed the flip-flops (because it always made me wonder where that person went to?), and I lowered the horizon.  Better.....but.......

 Then I decided the umbrella was too stiff and needed a slight breeze.....so I changed the shape. Mmmm.....still not working.

 I changed it to blue, then taupe and finally solid white.  Better but not feeling light and breezy!

Then yesterday morning I noticed our white canvas umbrellas on the back deck and snapped a photo.  I could see the colors coming through the under part of it as well as the changes in the fabric as it moved from post to post.  I also received a catalog the day before with a selection of umbrellas so I combined my backyard photo and the catalog stripes and here it is...............

 I added the hint of a turquoise line at the horizon and poof! So soothing....

 I feel so much better.  It was a tough challenge but I stuck with it and am very happy with how it turned out.  Time to give it a title.....

"Remember…. The entrance to the sanctuary is in you." - Rumi

Instant Replay

Song - Take Me Out to the Ball Game by Peavy & Flannery & Giants


On Thursday the SF Giants had their Home Opener and guess who was there?

Yup...me and Mr. B!


We dropped Mika off in the morning at my mom's house and mom was all decked out (along with Mr. B) in dad's CRAWFORD shirt!

Pretty cute huh?

Getting off the Bay Bridge and heading to the Pier parking lot - I just love this view of the bridge.

Buster Posey greeted us at the stadium as did our good friends Chris & Jodi
who joined us at the game!

The excitement was palatable!!!

Everyone was decked out in Orange and Black (except for the Dodger fans (boo-hiss - JK)!

The pre-game announcers were all decked out on a beautiful day in April. Hi Shawn!!!

The Dodgers were warming up and preparing to whoop the Giants!

It's always fun to people watch at AT&T Park but especially on Opening Day!

I gotta get Mr. B a suit like that! Just for special occasions of course!!!

The Extra Large American Flag was brought out in style............

And long may it wave..........

They brought out Little Leaguers and Willie Mays.  

We had not one but two flyover's!!!

A big ol' jet airliner..............

And a flock of seagulls.

I don't know what happened to the Blue Angels this year.  

But I was majorly bummed....

Until I remembered that Hunter Pence is right near our seats 

- insert big smile HERE!

Everyone was ready....

The boating fans were ready!

The SF police were ready!

And then it was kind of boring for 4 innings and not just because the Dodgers were winning. 
Mostly because our Giants were playing like it was their first practice game. 
Peavy didn't pitch well and we made some fumbles out in the field and
No One was hitting well!

 The fans were so bored

that ice cream was getting it's close up shot in the seats in front of me.

But then somehow we came alive!!!

We caught up and then passed the Dodgers by!

We stood up and cheered our little hearts out!

We had pow-wow's in the infield.

Hi guys....welcome back!

Fans were catching fly balls - barehanded!!!!

Dodger and Giant fans were friends again.

All was right in our part of the world.

Then we began to get in our flow!


And then......

Three Giants got on base.....

And then Hunter Pence hit a Grand Slam!!!!!

Posey couldn't get the grin off his face in the next inning.

And that's the final score folks!

The boys are back in town!


"Baseball, it is said, is only a game.  True.  And the Grand Canyon is only a hole in Arizona.  Not all holes, or games, are created equal."  -  George Will

Baseball, it is said, is only a game. True. And the Grand Canyon is only a hole in Arizona. Not all holes, or games, are created equal. George Will
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/baseball.html