Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

I took this photo from my window early Christmas Eve. It was quiet and so still, the way it is just before it starts to snow.
I hope your 2008 is prosperous and joyous. Make your New Year's eve safe and happy.
As my mother always said...Drive careful, the nuts are out!

A Touch of Spring

A new commission for the new year. I just love cardinals, and as I write this, there are four pairs on my feeder outside my window. I am glad that these are so popular, because I love to paint them.

One of my favorite people....

I am sorry to say that we said goodbye to Dianne Hoberg this week. She was one of the most positive, fabulous people I have ever had the privilege to know. She succumbed to a brain tumor early in the morning on Tuesday. I wish I had had a chance to know her better, because what I did know of her, I loved. I will carry her memory and her laugh in my heart for the rest of my life.
Hug the people in your life, let them know that you love them because you have no idea how long they will be with you.
God speed to you Dianne, I can't wait to see you again.

Roma!

It is hard for me to wrap my mind around the concept of an impromptu trip to Rome, but that is exactly what I did. John had a meeting there, and I tagged along. While he was in meetings all day, I roamed the streets and did the "touristy" thing. What an experience!!! I stood in front of works by Michelangelo and Raphael, ate in sidewalk cafes', took my life in my own hands as I crossed the street!

Here are a few pictures from the trip...

The Piazza De Spagna...and this is the slow season!!!!!!!!!
The Colosseum of course. This is a view of the catacombs where they kept the gladiators and animals to compete that day. They came up in trap doors in the arena floor. (Watch Gladiator, you will see what I mean)

The Forum. This is the area where Caesar was murdered. It was amazing to walk on the same cobblestones that the early Romans did. This area was soaked with history, every where you turned.

Some good looking guy I saw there in Rome and had to take his picture.

The famous Trevi Fountain. All designed and created by Bernini in the late 17th century. His work is all over the city.

I took a trip to Pompeii on Monday. This was one of the people caught by surprise in the eruption of Mt Vesuvius in 79 AD. Plaster casts were made of them during the excavations. When I was a young girl, I saw a National Geographic about this event and the ruins. Ever since then, I have been fascinated with the whole story of Pompeii. It was an amazing thing to stand in the streets of this once amazing and advanced place. You could feel the presence of every one that had walked these streets. Notice in the photo below the ruts in the stone from the hundreds of chariots and wagons that populated these roads.
I had to include this fresco. There were hundreds of mosaics and frescoes that have survived 2 thousand years...but this one was the most special. It was in the bordello...and this was a "menu item" that was available. Click on the image to get a closer look. By the way, there was a pharmacy right next door for when you were done here. I am not kidding.

This of course is...the Sistine Chapel. I was in awe, not only by the amazing art but the fact that I was being mooned by God. How come that angle is not in any of the posters?

Last but not least, St Peters Basilica and the Pieta. This sculpture may very well be the reason that I wanted to be an artist in the first place. The marble breathes with life and emotion. We as artists can only dream to achieve this kind of work in our lifetime and Michelangelo did it at 23. I came home inspired and intimidated. It is an amazing place and as an artist, it should be on the must do list.