mysteries

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

2009-12-24T11:30:00.000-08:00

This year our condo is unadorned, because by now we have arrived at both of our daughters houses, up North for the Christmas celebration. While I'm gone, for you who have more quiet days, some of the lights seen in the city.
My love for boats and ships stems from an early age. I was five years old when I went on a big 3-deck ship "Johan van Oldebarneveldt", with my two younger brothers and my parents, and a few hundred others. We went from Indonesia to Holland. The trip took approx. 3 weeks.

I have still some bits of memory about that trip. One cold morning there was snow on the deck. I never had seen snow, so that was fun.
Another time we arrived at night in Port Said somewhere by the Suez Canal. I was half asleep, but I heard the bartering going on with salesmen. My parents bought some beautiful leather wallets.

Since I was only 5, and half asleep, I don't remember what it looked like, but there must have been a lot of lights to see the merchandise. So this oceanfront water tower with many palms takes it place. Taken by hubby this year.

The last event on the trip I can remember was The Golf of Biskay (Southern part of France). And two thirds of the people on the ship were sea sick. The lunchrooms were empty! I got sea sick too! Also still remember that months after that I could feel the rhythm of the waves under my feet.

This is also a pic hubby took at night at Long Beach where the Queen Mary is lighted up.
It may be dark around us, but may this Christmas light up your heart and turn into a good memory. MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

A few posts are scheduled, so I am looking forward to your comments when we get back.

PAINTING OF AN ELEPHANT

2009-12-23T11:35:00.000-08:00

This year, definitely influenced by being on this blog, I expanded my subjects to paint with creatures from nature, next to the landscapes I used to do. One of them is Jose, with his nature blog (on my blog list: Jose E Hernandez World). He gave me his permission to paint from one of his photos of the elephants.

this photo belongs to Jose Hernandez -do NOT copy!

I thought it was a remarkable photo, because one is used to seeing gray elephants. Well, this one, is covered with reddish earth.
Hop over to my ART NOTES page, to see the progress and finish of my pastel painting of the elephant. I used the photo as a reference, so it looks different from the photo. Thank you Jose!
Remember, it's very easy. Click on the top pic of the right column to get there. Enjoy!

BIGGEST PARTY ON THE BLOCK

2009-12-21T01:00:00.000-08:00

That's what the homeowner said
when inviting hubby to his lavish Christmas party last year.

Their three story house with a view on the harbor

Talking about Deck the Halls...
the stairs are a part of the ambiance

Candles wherever possible

Catching the gracious hostess

in an unguarded moment

There is nothing fake about her

and her husband enjoyment giving to their friends

The Mariachi band liven things up

people milling around

going up to the third story to see the

lighted boats cruising the harbor

(my pics didn't turn out because it was raining)

When coming in there's a whole crew to serve us

the most incredible Hispanic food

At the end the Mexican Fruit cake

A man with a German accent took this pic for us

One of the very few Christmas parties

when the weather was

cold(er) and wet,

so we could wear our Christmas sweaters

Oh, this late already??

See ya next year

Out the door we go

each friend holding
a Poinsettia from the stairs

XMAS CARD MAKING

2009-12-16T12:09:00.000-08:00

In the city there are always plenty Christmas parties.
One of them I don't want to miss. Our friend John
is a graphic designer for a doughnuts company.

About ten years ago he started a Christmas Open House.

where artists and their families brought goodies,

and if they played, they brought their musical instruments.

Why people kept coming back to his open house,

was not the pizza, or scrumptious desserts,

but the card making he started.

Someone had given him a hand printing press

that was more than a 100 years old.

The artists made their "card" on a woodcut,

covered with linoleum.

The tricky part is that the print will be reversed from what you see here. Also lettering. That's why I don't do them. This artist did!
(it says: Peace on Earth)

The youngest artist, 4 years old, is in the first pic, with our friend John. The girl on the right has been coming since she was a toddler.

All afternoon and evening, people came to make their cards.
To see me and the Christmas card I am making, hop over to ART NOTES

(click on the top pic of the right column to get there).
If you have trouble getting to ART NOTES, please let me know!

Nostalgia Dolls

2009-12-18T01:30:00.000-08:00

When it pertains to my children, I am rather nostalgic.

I kept the dolls of my daughter's collection.

Now the grand daughters play with them.

The lace tablecloth was crocheted by my mother.

I kept the little cowboy boots from my son when he was a baby, to give to his son. He actually wore them.
And the super nostalgic pic we had taken in Reno in early American clothes.I didn't take out the reflection of the lamp lights, because it adds to the vintage look.

I had to leave this bedroom in our old house, but we took this Dutch oak bed with us. The beds are lower because in Europe they have a mattress with inner springs (so you only have one mattress, not two like in the USA). But these beds hold up for generations.

The rest of my house is rather modern looking!

TIME FOR FUN

2009-12-02T01:53:00.000-08:00

We have a few cut-ups in the family. Some unintentional, some very intentional!
These pics were taken last year around Christmas.

Monkey step 1 and Monkey step 2

Monkey step3 and Then Sideways

Ooooh, you thought I couldn't do it!

Okay. ready to watch my fav TV show!

Ooh, yummy paper!

I can't wait!!!I'm shaking all over!

Ooh, caaarton!...always what I wanted!

First son-in-law insisted on trimming the tree with Dad.

Then, they HAD TO put a Santa Claus hat on.

Then, "Naa-aah, You said THIS year YOU would play for Santa Claus!"

"No, you!"

"No you!

Take a pic, Mom, quick - I need some proof here!!"

(click to enlarge, if you want to see Mr. Cut Up big)

2009-12-14T13:43:00.000-08:00

Life is full of twists and turns,
and sometimes deep valleys.
walk through them all
and end our journey well
© St. Germain

This is one of the pics I took for one of my Celebrity Collection paintings. It was amazing how this rose stayed in this position for 2 weeks, in 80 degree weather. It was as if it was holding on to life, till the petals were almost totally faded to white.
Before my graduate work, one of the families we had befriended in Holland, called me, saying, "I can't find my daughter. Is she with you? She has been away for hours. And she would only go to the store to buy buttons for her coat."
Her daughter was part of the college group that used to hang out at our house every week. She had been discouraged lately, but college people often are.
In trying to be helpful, I asked the mom what he daughter had said to her.
"Oh, she only left a note."
"What did the note say?"
When the mother read it to me... I had this sinking feeling.
Later when I was thinking about the daughter's note, my mind made word associations with "button." In Dutch, that word is also used for making a noose with a rope.
Maybe it was only a cry for help, but I called the mother back.
Initially she did not want to believe her daughter's note was a suicide note. So I explained the word association. She finally got second thoughts and started involving more people in the search for her daughter.
The next day I heard of the daughter's botched up suicide attempt.

There were two suicides that did not fail. People who were in my circle of friends. They were older, and may have made attempts before, that I did not know of.
In December the rate of suicides peak. Why? Isn't it supposed to be the happiest time of the year? For many it is. But for equally many it is the most stressful time of the year (often job and family).
Suicide prevention is fairly easy to learn. You don't need a degree in psychology for that. Just picture seeing your friend drowning -what would you do?
Bytheway, you may print out this post for anyone who's dealing with a friend/relative who's in this position

These are the symptoms:
- usually they have been depressed for some time. Some are very good in hiding this, and may not take any medication.
- They may have a great job, and a family who loves them. They even may have close friends.
Yet, they have isolated themselves - in their mind (that's why you do not leave them alone, once you have established they may harm themselves).
- the greatest danger for suicide is when people have been very depressed, and suddenly they seem to feel "better." But that is when they have actually taken the decision to do the harmful act, and they are relieved about it.
-The suicide note is not only "a cry for help" as you saw in the story above. They do not leave a note though!

You have to be very direct with them to find out how serious they are about suicide. It is about life and death, so do not beat around the bush!
Ask 3 questions:

1)do you have a plan? If they do, let them tell you their plan.

Also ask how serious are they about it (are they just thinking about it vaguely, like a wish? The more detailed their plan, and responses to questions 2 and 3 are, the more serious they are.

2)when are you going to do it? Referring to time and place. let them tell you when

3)How are you going to do it? Referring to "tools", like gun, pills, rope, by drowning, etc.

What do you do when it's serious? Serious means imminent danger. Do not leave them alone. Not even for half an hour! It takes only a few seconds to pull a trigger, or ingest an overdose while going to the bathroom.
Call the police or their physician. If they don't have a doc., call the police or 911.

What to do when one is thinking about it, but not,   " I'm going to do it this week."
* Get them out of their isolation
* Make sure - go with them to their doc or your physician if they don't have one,
    to get anti-depressants (If they resist medication, tell them,
   "Just for a few weeks."). But that is not enough.
* Make sure that you call them regularly, or do things with them
   (getting them out of their isolation, giving them the feeling that you care)
* Make his or her social network as wide as possible
   (that's not Facebook, but friends meeting with him or her, face to face).
* They will resist, trying to stay isolated. So you might need some help there from others.
   Tell them that it is okay to be depressed, but they don't have to stay there.
   (they often feel guilty, ashamed, or weak)

* Crisis-therapy helps enormously. Help your friend get there. Go with him or her.
   Sit in the waiting room and bring him or her back home.
   It's okay when others pay for the therapy.
   Give your friend the phone number of a 24 hour crisis hot line.

Hope I have been clear enough. If you have some questions, please do not hesitate to email me Jeannette(dot)Coevorde1(at)yahoo(dot)com

REFLECTIONS

2009-12-12T13:14:00.000-08:00

Oops! I pushed the wrong button, and posted this reflection

before I had any text with it!

It is a pic where some photoshop came in handy.
Below is the original pic.

Maybe I was reflecting on why the posts that give the most info.

and take much time to prepare,

are not as commented on as easily as the ones

(like the psychological one below) that are very simple.

What do you think?

Anyway, on this trip to Big Bear Lake with our Dutch friends

who took the reflection pic, we also saw this in the sky!

No photoshop here! Cool, eh?

WHEN THINGS GO DIFFERENT THAN EXPECTED

2009-12-11T14:14:00.000-08:00

Guess I'm still not done playing around with my backgrounds LOL. That's my playful side. The next is my helpful side.
This second stress relieving post in December is to give you some suggestions to make life and relationships easier on you. The first one was about boundaries and coming home in the holidays (a few posts down). This is one about perceptions and reality.

In the candlelight of upcoming Christmas events and "good will towards men", as well as the week later when many make New Year's resolutions, our glasses may tend to be rosy colored and our motive to do our best may be very genuine. But what are your expectations?

Before we moved to a new downsized house this year, our TV broke down, so we decided that we would buy a new one after we would sell our old house. To our big relief exactly a week before Thanksgiving escrow closed. Yay!
We had not watched TV for half a year, so when we watched one of the reality shows where the house is remodeled, it inspired me to this post.

This couple knew what they wanted, but had never remodeled a whole room. They thought that they could build a new bathroom over the weekend, without any help.
It started to rain, it got freezing cold, the kids got sick and after the weekend and 5 days into the next week the husband finally finished the sub floor. Everything else, like changing the plumbing, putting in a shower, bathtub, sinks, cabinets, lights, etc. still needed to be done!
When one wants something to happen, there is more needed than expectation that it wil happen! It is called reality!

To help you gauge your own development on expectations which may llead to stress I devised a few questions to ask yourself. I made this one for the specific purpose of this post/article. You may print this out for you or a friend, as long as you include the copyright -thank you!

EXPECTATIONS QUESTIONNAIRE

COPYRIGHT: ©Jeannette St Germain

Instruction: circle the one that is true for you at this moment
Never=1 point Sometime=2 points Half of the time=3 points
Frequent =4 points Always=5 points

1.    When I start on a project, I always seem to run out of time,
       and can't make the deadline.
Never     sometimes     half of the time     frequent     always

2.    If I want to buy someone a present, I just buy it on credit and
       don't give myself a time line to pay it off.
Never    sometimes   half of the time   frequent   always

3.    If things do not work out like expected, I move heaven and earth
   to get the result I want.
Never   sometimes   half of the time   frequent   always

4.    I think "it;s time for dad, mom... (fill in person in question)
       to grow up. You'll see, he/she won't forget me this Christmas.
Never   sometimes   half of the time   frequent   always

5.    I can stop drinking (whatever you like to do) whenever I want to -
       it's just a matter of putting my mind to it.
Never   sometime   half of the time   frequent   always

6.    I don't need any help. I just don't like to be obligated to people.
Never   sometime   half of the time   frequent   always

7.    My children will care for me in my old age. That's where
       I'm counting on.
Never   sometime   half of the time   frequent   always

8.    I don't like plans - its' so forced. I don't keep an appointment
       book either. I like life as it comes.
Never   sometime   half of the time   frequent   always

9.    I don't have time for new appointments or friends.
       I'm booked solid for 4 months straight.
Never   sometime   half of the time   frequent   always

10. You say to your sister/brother/coworker, "Since you don't have
       anything planned, and I have another party to go to after this one,
       why don't you clean up here afterward?"
COPYRIGHT: ©Jeannette St Germain

Never=1 point Sometime=2 points Half of the time=3 points
Frequent =4 points Always=5 points

With 3 points or more:
start working on your expectations to be more reality based.
With 5 points or more :
please look at the items with the highest number of points, and start working on these areas. It helps when your family and friends work in this together. In other words, it may not be you who has unrealistic expectations, but your friends, coworkers or people you are closely connected to.COPYRIGHT: ©Jeannette St Germain

How did you do? The holidays are a great opportunity to see how your expectations turn out! The comments have been very helpful!! It all depends on how have have learned to cope with stress in our life, how we will react to unrealistic expectations. It is an interplay between you, environmental situations, others, organization, and time. So, if expectations are unrealistic, it may not be your fault at all!

Curious where or what you may set yourself or others up to, regarding the areas to which the questionnaire points to? To make this post not too long , I'll post them in a day or so.

BUSINESS OR NO BUSINESS, THAT'S THE QUESTION

2009-12-09T11:03:00.000-08:00

Hmmm, this background...may be to stay...
Yesterday after my 100th follower, Paula from Pensacola Daily Photo came in as the 101st. I like to acknowledge her too, because she is the first of the second hundred! Her photos are awesome, and taken with great sensitivity and creativity!

Since I only put art notes on my second blog, I tell some of the story with this smaller oil painting here. Don't know if some of you are wondering why I am not promoting my art as vigorously as I could. No, I am not rich - no one is, after moving in and out of countries four times!

It costs a small fortune to ship furniture or one's car, so when one decides not to do that, it is like starting all over again with a household. Really, ALL over, because every country has a different current of electricity, so one can't use the appliances of the previous country.

Anyway, back to the story, why I do not pursue the business side of my art as much as I could. I came back to art when two of my 3 my children were still in elementary school, and to be there for them was higher on my priority list than to make oodles of money with traveling a lot. Then, when my painting on Sundays started (see post:Sunday Painter), it kept me painting all the time. So, no time for business.

I think the most.compelling reason is the following. I alluded in one of my posts to it, that I received much encouragement in the beginning. An official sale of my painting, and also I had a couple of solo shows.
There was this business woman in my last solo show who kept coming back to look at a certain painting. The first time she asked me why it was not priced. When I told her that I had only priced the bigger 24 x 30 inch paintings, she chided me in a friendly manner, saying that the smaller paintings were just as important.

The second time, when she came back and saw the price tag, she slowly said,
"Is that what YOU want for it?" When there was a moment of hesitation, she told me,
" I want to pay you, what do you think it's worth?" I hesitated again.
She pressed me. "Come on now, I have a business. This is business. What is the price?"
I was very skeptical that she would accept the price, but I quoted a price three times of the value listed on the tag.

She didn't blink or winch, or cleared her throat when she wrote out the check for the painting posted on Art Notes this week. This is only part of the painting!!!
FOR THE WHOLE PAINTING, click on my blog ART NOTES (pic on top)
OR "View My Complete Profile" (right column). On the bottom you see my two blogs. Click on ART NOTES, and it will take you right there.

When I came back to the same city a few months later, she bought another, even smaller painting, because the red in that painting fit her interior.
All these experiences have given me trust that if I really needed to live from the sales of my paintings, the dollars would come in.

You see, it is very tempting to paint what everyone wants, when you know that you can make hundreds of dollars with it. I keep myself free from that temptation.

This view you probably would not hear from a business person. Only an artist can hold this "crazy" view!

CLOUDS IN SUNSET PROGRESSION

2009-12-07T11:00:00.000-08:00

Today, Tuesday, I like to acknowledge my 100th FOLLOWER! She is Merisi from VIENNA FOR BEGINNERS. She has a delightful blog with professional photos of the places only a Viennese would know about. I love her posts about coffee places, and all the impressive palaces and all the historical tidbits of musicians of the past. I have been with my family in Vienna myself during two vacations in Austria, and it was worth, educational and enjoyable every moment being there. So is Merisi's blog

As you see, I'm experimenting with background colors on my blog right now! Don't be surprised if it's another color every day this week:)
Someone is painting the sky, with the colors I would use, but it's not me!

Especially those dabs of gray - it's totally my style! I guess I can't charge nature with my copyright LOL! No retouching or photoshop here, folks.

Interestingly, when looking at the clouds, you would expect a huge storm coming, yet it didn't. The sky painter was just generous that evening with the colors of his palette.

I enjoyed these awesome skies and sunset thoroughly this year during my daily (supposedly daily:) ) exercise walks around the old neighborhood.

BOUNDARIES IN HOME COMING

2009-12-04T00:48:00.000-08:00

December is an emotional roller coaster for many, and I like to write about some of these upheavals and conflicts as it may help someone you know. This post is about belonging and boundaries.

In this time of year many meanings may be attached to coming home.
First of all, is there a place to call home?
If so, does coming home mean having to deal or face unfinished business? It may be a conflict either party was too proud to address, or it may be a very serious matter, such as abuse of any kind, mental illness, domestic violence, criminality, and so on.

The following story is more typical. This young man insisted on getting his inheritance early.

Can you believe it? He squandered it! Then he ended up working as a worker at a farm, so at least he had a place to stay.

When he came to his senses, he wondered why he should stay with these pigs, if he probably would get a better treatment home??

But...there were all these "issues" he had to face.

He knew he had disappointed his dad deeply by leaving home. On top of that, the guilt and remorse over blowing his inherited money on useless entertainment... he had nothing to show for!

He didn't even count on being treated as a son now. He looked disheveled, clothes torn, dirty and smelly...but yet home was somehow drawing him.

So he started the journey. The knots in his stomach became bigger when he saw his home at the horizon. Who was that, standing there by the house? No, it can't be! The young man started running and running, all the way into his father's arms.

© Graphite, St.Germain

He searched his father's face for clues of anger or indifference. To his great relief, he could only see joy. His father's eyes were somewhat misty, and the son's remorse increased when his dad called a worker to start cooking for a welcome home party.

I love this story, because the father obviously believed his son would eventually do the right thing. This son somehow knew that his father would give him a place, even if it was where the workers slept.

A homecoming is an opportunity to face unfinished business, most often with family members. The same concepts apply for friendships. If all parties are willing, there is a good chance for a new page or chapter in one's life.

But I've also had people in the therapy room, coming back from their holidays at home, needing a few months to recover emotionally, because of the continuing dysfunction there.

Not every parent is mature enough to overlook and forgive the wrongs of their children. Not every child is able to forgive their parents/mentor/boss for hurting them emotionally or physically, and then move on with their life.

That one belongs to a family does not mean that one does not have the right to a life of his or her own. When you reach adulthood, you eventually catch on if you are treated as a doormat, an object, or as a valued human being.

If things are broken, and one of the parties back home is not willing to change, you might be better off celebrating the holidays somewhere else. You can only pick up the pieces of your own life, hope for the better regarding the other(s), and move on.
You don't have to pick up the other person's pieces, unless you want to and you are very sure it will not cripple your own life.

To put it in a visual picture: boundaries are like a picket fence. The fence is where the (other) person's property (boundaries) end, and where yours begin. The fence is a clear demarcation between the two. On my second blog page ART NOTES is a painting that gives you an illustration what happens when boundaries are lacking. (click on right column: view my complete profile. Then on the bottom, click on Art Notes, which will take you to that page)

Living without your family of origin or you past best friend, doesn't mean though that you have to go through life alone, or be lonely. We all need a sense of belonging. Our family mostly provides that. But if not, look and find people who will receive you with open arms. They can become your "family." (They don't need to be older; they could be friends your own age).

Home is a place where the heart finds belonging. A good and safe place.

One of the best books on the subject is "Boundaries" by Cloud and Townsend.

THE VOICE OF THE SOUL

2009-11-30T02:00:00.000-08:00

The voice of our soul is heard in music.
Just a snippet of how teachers have an enormous influence on the life of their students. In 5th grade, the teacher and the one of 4th grade teamed up to start a children's choir. I loved to sing, and in that choir I had my first public performance as a 10 year old with two other girls, who I became very good friends with. The voices as well as the instrumentalists who accompanied, were all 4 and 5th graders.

Music sparked so much inspiration that I not only learned to play the guitar and ukulele, but as a 14 year old began to compose songs. I sang these at public performances. My songs even got the attention to a performing artists - piano player - who was studying for her doctorate in music.

I might have been ahead of others in my musical skills, but I was still a teen and needed to mature in some things. Unfortunately, my parents did not have the know-how to guide me in this.

One was about humility. I remember very well that I and a very talented friend both sang a song while she accompanied. (At 15 she gave adult recitals) We practiced half an hour, and received the second prize in a local competition. We told each other that we were not going to do this anymore, bcause it was too easy!

Something else I struggled with was that if one has a talent, others set that person apart. Suddenly one ends up having many friends who are not really friends. I solved that problem by emotionally withdrawing while still being an outgoing person on the outside. Not a good solution!

Whenever I hear of someone young the public goes gaga over, I feel for them, for that very reason!

To pick back up my story line, I in turn influenced my brothers. They each play the guitar as well as another instrument.
Music brings people together. Music is one of the things my brothers and I always can talk about, even though our taste in music vastly differs.
My brother did not let me go empty handed to the States. At that time he spent his yearly vacation in Spain and bought several times a guitar there. He gave me an Arita, which sound is comparable to the Yamaha. I love this guitar - it de-stressed me during my studies and gave me new energy.

Music is a torch to be passed onto the next generation. Since I know the power of music and how much joy it can bring in one's life, I made sure to take my children to their piano lessons,
even though I was always pressed for time during my grad. studies. It paid off. Both of my girls led a band at some point, and my son was is able to accompany singers.
The quick watercolor at the top of this post is one of my girls with her saxophone.

All that to say that I actually come from a musical family.
What about painting? That's just one of those unexpected quirks of life!

THE BEGINNINGS OF COLLECTIONS

2009-11-27T11:51:00.000-08:00

The world is my playground.

Little nothings coming from different parts

of the globe turn into keep sakes for me.

I am known for my love for bags and purses.

So whenever they visit another country,

my friends bring something like this back,

to share their experience with me.

The left bag is from China and I may have to ask

one of my blog friends to decipher the characters.

This friend used to live in the USA, and is the daughter

of a university professor in China.

The right bag comes from Nepal from a friend

who traveled to different Asian countries.

Nepal is on my "list", because I would like to see

the Himalyas (not climb!) with my own eyes.

On the left is a ring holder and on the right

a perfume jar. The latter (almost 3 inch high)

comes from Greece,

and I could not leave it in the store!

A top view.

The ring holder (1 1/2 inch high) was a gift
from my then 8 year old daughter,

who loves to collect small objects.

Two small mustard jars, blue (4 inches high)
and the green one (3 1/2 inch high), including the lids.
Go and look on my ART NOTES (my second blog)
because it holds some of my tools.

Now my living space is almost slashed in half,
the designs of these sweet little nothings
seem much more intriguing.

THANKSGIVING JALAPENO CHILI (without beans)

2009-11-25T10:00:00.000-08:00

Before the chili recipe, I like to say, Happy Birthday, Hubby!
And I am posting here one of his photo experiments - the one he is most proud of, and has been published in a photo book of photographers.

Night Rose

If for one or another reason you 're not planning on the traditional turkey dinner on Thanksgiving Day, you might want to consider this delicious comfort food for this day.

My oldest daughter got away with several first prizes on chili-cookouts with her own variant of this recipe.
Personally I like this recipe because one does not have to think about soaking the beans overnight. But if that is a must in your chili, you can easily add the beans.

The only time I was ever on some kind of a diet was with the Suzanne's Summer's recipes. She separates the carbohydrates from the proteins. That means, simplistically explained, meat combined with veggies, or carbohydrates combined with veggies.What I like about this diet is that you can have the portions as big as you want.

My favorite recipe is a variant of Summer's Jalapeno Chili (her books are in the local libraries). Her recipe is too spicy for me, so I leave out the Jalapeno pepper when I make it. Also, her recipe calls for 6 Tablespoons of chili, which I reduced to 3-4 Tablespoons.

Ingredients

1 lb each of hot and sweet sausages
1/4 cup of olive oil
2 cups of onions, chopped
6 cloves (3 Tablespoons) garlic
1/2 lb. hamburger meat
2 red bell peppers
2 green bell peppers
1-6 Jalapeno peppers (seeded)

35 oz. can of tomatoes, drained
1 cup of dry white wine
1 cup of fresh parsley
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
3 Tablespoons chili powder
3 Tablespoons cumin
2 Tablespoons oregano
1 Tablespoon basil
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 Tablespoon fennel seeds
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 lb. fresh tomatoes

If the recipe is made for 1 or 2 people, the first half of the ingredients can be halved.
I don't scrimp on the spices!

Saute the sausage in olive oil: set aside. When cooled off cut in 1 inch pieces
Saute onions and garlic for about 5 minutes
Brown the hamburger meat
Add the bell peppers (and Jalapeno peppers)
Mix all ingredients up till now and cook for about 10 minutes.

Stir in all the spices.
At the end, stir in the fresh tomatoes

Serve with Jack cheese, sour cream and chopped green onions, if preferred. Of course cornbread to cool down the hot chili.

Serve another spoon of that chili, please!
Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving Day!

MIRRORED LIVES

2009-11-23T02:28:00.000-08:00

Storyteller

Once there were two families whose lives were altered by national events. This is the setting that brought them together to the same house. Their lives looked like mirrored lives.

The mother of family Set wrote later to the mother of family Jet:

When we saw your house for the first time, I told the realtor that I liked it so much. My teens loved it as well. I couldn't forget about the house, so after 2 weeks I asked if I could see it again. That time your hubby was there and we talked for a while.
I asked the realtor to send in an offer. I heard later that you had multiple offers that were much higher. I was a bit down at that time.
I went on to see many other estates, but came back to this house after a few months with a higher offer. By now, 50% of all real estate sales were foreclosures, which effected the prices of the other houses greatly.

Fam. Jet took the offer, and when the two families met, an amazing scenario came to light.

Family Jet lived in one of the major cities of Indonesia. They had the Dutch nationality. At the time Jetty was 5 years old, life there became chaotic. Riots made the streets very unsafe. Inflation escalated to the point where one egg cost 50 cents (this was in the 1950ties). Jetty's parents decided to live in Holland, and escape the impending oppression of Islam. They went, as thousands of others did, on big sea liners to Holland to begin a new life.

Pushing the button on fast forward, Jetty and her husband received their college degrees in the US and then went back to Holland. Nine years later they came back, with their three children to this country for the second time.
After a decade she and her husband purchased a house in an all-American neighborhood. After many years, when faced with an empty nest, they thought it would be best to sell their house. You probably may have gathered by now that this part was my own story.

Family Set lived in one of the major cities of Indonesia as well. Twenty years before, they also lived in the United States.
Life in Indonesia became very scary when she had to drive a long way to bring her kids to the Catholic school and riots of the Muslims began to make the streets unsafe. She never knew if one of those days she would make it (read: be alive) or not.
So, even though her husband had a business there, she decided to move to the USA to escape Islam and have a safer life for her teens. After about a decade the economy in the US changed, and they were able to buy a house.

Isn't it amazing how after 50 real estate agents with their clients coming through one's house, and escrow falling through three times, that the buyer has similar life events happen to them as the seller?
How often does this happen?

PS don't forget to look at my new page ART NOTES

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INTRO TO MY SECOND BLOG PAGE & WHITE CHOC CHIP COOKIE

2009-11-20T01:38:00.000-08:00

My need for a second page is to complement my art website.
For some time, I would have liked to react right away to the comments made on my paintings, but both of the web masters of my art website www(dot)stgermainart(dot)com are extremely busy.
Also, every change I like to make is going to cost me. That is not in my budget now.
AND.....I have you, who are already reading my stuff (thank you, you are much appreciated!!)

"Art Notes" will be more "off the cuff", telegram style, or like notes jotted down on a sticky note. Who knows it will grow into a book!
So, bloggie friend, click on the bottom of "view my complete profile." There you will see my blogs "Mysteries" and "Art Notes".
Click on Art Notes. I have already posted something there.
I have not finished customizing the background, but that will come soon enough!

When the days turn shorter and colder, my cookie gene kicks in. It may have to do with my Dutch gene that says you can't have tea of coffee without a cookie.

My favorite holiday cookie is a chocolate cookie with white chocolate chips in it. Whole wheat flower is less tasty with this cookie, so I use non-bleached flour. I always reduce the sugar amount a few teasoons than the original recipe here. The recipe makes about 45 mid- size cookies.

On ungreased sheet drop teaspoons full of batter.
Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 180 degrees Celsius for 10-11 min.
Edge is lightly browned. Cool for 2 min.

Ingredients

Combine and set aside:

2 1/4 cup flour

2/3 cup cocoa

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

Beat with combined ingredients (above) till creamy
        1 cup of butter, softened
          3/4 cup sugar
          2/3 cup brown sugar.1 tsp vanilla
Add slowly
         2 eggs
Stir in
         1/2 cup white chocolate chips or chunks

Be careful not to get in chocolate shock!

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BLOG BIRTHDAY

2009-11-02T02:00:00.000-08:00

Last year November I made a last ditch effort to get my blog at this site going. I had started it in March, but could not figure out how to get to other blogs, and if I'm not mistaken (I'm Miss Forgetful) the follow feature was not there yet, only the blogs of note.

These blogs get tiresome pretty quickly, while some have a strange world view, and others have a real attitude! It probably has to do with my taste, but for half of them, I could not see why they were a blog of note! So escaped to Myspace and made about a hundred friends there. One of them, also had a blog here, Tadn'Tina, and I am very thankful that she explained to me how the system goes here!

Since last November I've met all of you and make this month my blog birthday!
There are 3 other birthdays in my family: my oldest daughter, my brother, and hubby.

No birthday without a cake. In Holland, where I I am originally from, it is the birthday girl or boy who provide the refreshments. So I'm posting a cake from friends in Holland. Anneke Super and her hubby were a big support when we made a big transition from one to two children. After this, the third baby was a piece of cake!

APPLE CAKE
The original recipe is actually the double amount of this one, and it's easy to make some favorite additions, such as almonds, or other nuts, berries, or flavors.

In a baking pan 11 x 8 inch, the baking time is approx. 50 min. at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, or 180 degrees Celsius, or no. 4 for oven.
Butter and flour the pan before putting in the batter.

When the recipe is doubled, put the batter in a 13 x 9 inch baking pan and, the baking time becomes 1 hour and 10 min. for most ovens.

Ingredients

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
pinch of salt (optional)
2 eggs
1/2 cup & 1 Tablespoon milk
1 3/4 cup of flour
1 /34 teaspoon baking powder
2-3 apples (almost any type of apple)

cinnamon

Mix sugar and butter till creamy
Add eggs one by one.
Stir in the milk (don't worry if it looks like the milk is spoilt)
Mix the flour and baking powder and add to above ingredients
Put batter in baking pan
Arrange peeled and cored apple slices on top of batter
Sprinkle with cinnamon (I like a lot!)

Have a slice!

SCRIBBLE/DOODLE - The Same But Different MOODS

2009-11-18T11:13:00.000-08:00

The same scene scene, with two different mediums.
One is acrylic. One in watercolor.
One scene with 2 different painting styles.
The same scene displaying different times of the day. One is a night scene. The other is a day or Spring scene.
In the Scribble/Doodle Window I changed this scene with Photoshop into an wild Fauvistic, expressionistic landscape.

I gave myself this exercise once as an illustration for a workshop I taught some years ago.

It is one thing to be able to draw well, but better art displays a mood in the painting. Setting the mood is definitely what makes the painting "speak." How to set a mood? Colors and shadows more importantly, and then moving on to blurry or sharp edges (boundaries). The darker the color, the more it will have the effect of a somber, night, serene, or mysterious place.

Light and bright colors express an uplifted mood. A display of spring or summer, sunny, cheerful. Edges are often sharper, but do not need to be.

These are not the only possibilities for this or any landscape scene.
Another mood would be fiery, or a late Fall with almost bare branches, or snow, or storm. A mood goes beyond weather conditions. One can make any kind of scene busy, or contemplative, or depressing.
If I'm doing a little self-evaluation here, I've noticed that most of my landscapes exude a bright, sunny, or dreamy atmosphere, while the painting of angels and of revelation (on my web site) are more night and mysterious views.

In these scenes I did not deal with shadows, but they are another way to set the stage. That maybe for another time bloggie friends!

RELAXED WEEKEND - ramble

2009-11-16T07:00:00.000-08:00

What a relaxed weekend. I needed that. Puttering around. No deadlines, schedules, or commitments. I called my favorite nursery on a whim yesterday, to ask if they already had the Christmas cactus in stock.

And they did. Pink, white, and red.

So, I chose a big white one, and a small red one.

I put them close together.

I have a weakness for African violets, so this one begged me to come home with me.
Another orphan rescued:) Now I see this pic, I notice hubby has been doctoring with the settings. So, I don't feel bad taking it into Photoshop to get the effect I originally wanted.

Some people feel alive in the morning. Others in the afternoon. For me, I feel most alive in the evening. My inspiration for painting also comes in the evening. Never in the morning, unless I am waking up from a dream about it.

This weekend we went out for coffee. Exploring our new neighborhood and night life, so to speak. This was a cozy, but well lit coffee shop. I like to see what I'm drinking. Nice interior, comfy chairs and not too small. We were astonished when at 9 pm they said they were closing. Is this Los Angeles?? Maybe we're in the wrong city! I had counted on 10:30 at least.

click on image for details

We met up with friends whom we had not seen in ages, and caught up on each others stories of the years we had not seen each other. Seems like all of California is on a roller coaster (a tad exaggerated). But when you hear that some of your friends are in an equal position, things do not seem so bad anymore. We all will survive this. And some of you out there, you will too, even though you have the feeling that you're hanging on by a thread.

BIRDS MIGRATING and other Things, SUNDAY PART 3

2009-11-13T11:12:00.000-08:00

On a Wednesday in July, still in the middle of moving boxes, an email came that the head of the music department had voiced, "Why not painting every time we play music, instead of only at conferences?"
I was excited, so I signed up for the first Sunday.

How do you Know What to Paint?

The rest of that week, whenever a quiet moment came, I saw birds in my mind, flying in migrating patterns. This didn't seem a particularly spiritual subject to me, but I have learned to go with whatever keeps coming to my mind, because that is often the inspiration I should go with.

When starting I painted in big letters Supernatural Turn. I had never done that before. When the pastor came by to look, he said, "Supernatural turn, huh? I like it already." I painted at this location before, but he had never looked at what I painted. So, I politely thanked him.

It turns out that he was so taken with the concept of the supernatural turn,
for it applied to 60% or more to his congregation.
This is in one of the posh beach cities in California. According to the news California is one of the 10 states shortest on cash.
This painting gave him an image to refer to (in advertisement they call it "branding".
When one sees the box with the detergent "Tide". every American knows what it means.)

Since August the painting has been used as a visual image
in the meeting for business people. He talked about it at other times,
let me come to the front to talk about it.
Not that I talked that much, because there were so many who gave their own
version how that image applied to them, that at times I was a bit
uncomfortable with all that attention. As you can see I changed, placing the words on the right as part of the cloud pattern. It's not quite finished yet, but I'll do that later.

Is the Effect always so Dramatic?

This painting of the birds is actually the first one that has been
so widely recognized and used so many occasions as an illustration. Half of the time it speaks only to a few people.
One time I painted a diamond, and the painting was mainly blue. Someone came in and her jaw dropped, because she had a blue diamond which she had inherited,
and she had been wondering if she should sell it,
because she was in a real jam at the time.

Does it Always come this Easy?

One time my musings about what to paint were finally answered on Sunday morning while packing up my painting gear. I had the strange feeling I should paint a bride.
A bride?? I muttered under my breath that I didn't like to paint that mushy stuff.
But then, a bride would be a symbol of the bride of Christ - the church. Even though I was still cringing at the thought, an assurance came over me
that I would make someone's day with it.

No time to make a sketch, so I went purely on my intuition and included the Bridegroom
(for the Protestants it is a symbol of Jesus Christ).

After painting this almost iconic looking painting, while I'm cleaning up my things,
someone comes running up the steps to the platform, asking me if she can take a pic of the painting with her cell phone. I do not know her, but I nod. It seemed important to her.
This is part of her paraphrased email a week later (I have her permission).
It really touched me.

The painting effected her greatly, because she was a twenty-something woman who had a shady past. At times she imagines that in heaven God's son would want to dance with her.
Because she had been addicted to porn and other immorality, she feels awkward and unclean, even though she knows that the bride is a symbol for the bride of Christ,
and he has forgiven her what she did in the past.
When she sees me painting the bride, suddenly all her doubts about being forgiven
vanish, and could see herself as washed clean, and being able to dance with the bridegroom.

This painting was never finished, because the next time I painted
something else. Maybe this unusual subject was only for this one young woman, but thoroughly worth the effort.
Most of the time I finish a painting at home, and put them on my art website http://www.stgermainart.com/ - click here*) or on one of my blogs.
Up till now, I have received feedback on every Sunday painting (since 2004).
Now you can imagine why I love to paint on Sunday.

* NB - website is NOT updated, so my new paintings are not on there and prices on web site are negotiable for my followers on this site

MOMENTS - OUT OF LIFE OF ARTIST

2009-11-11T01:42:00.000-08:00

My day always starts with tea. My son-in-law got into

teas too. So he and my middle daughter took us to

a tea store where a tea maker from Teawana is sold.

One puts the tealeaves on the bottom, and pours

the boiling water on top of it. Then the tea drips

into one's teacup underneath. I couldn't resist

trying a white tea, called Snow Geisha. Delicieux!

Still cutting off roses from my old front yard...

in November! I know, I am spoiled living in California.

Roses make my day - I never can get enough of them.

In-between running errands, mostly for food,
painting supplies, and this time of the year
Christmas shopping. Although I may look like
a bag lady, my bags need to be nice

or cute, like this little one my oldest daughter

brought from the Philippines, but still big enough
for my wallet, lotion and chapstick.

In the afternoon I often drink a cappuccino. To show you
how small my cappuccino maker is, I
put a pint of whipped cream carton next to it.
I'm mostly too much in a hurry to make the foam,
but its a treat with liquid whipped cream.

Often more of my day is spent on making preparations
to paint, than my time painting on canvas. It may be
in doing research on skeletal structure. And I actually
watched two movies for the movement of this horse.
This was the THIRD sketch I made for the painting
Night Riders(which I'll show you at another time).

As you can see, I give numbers to the values
(from light-1 to dark-3)
Often the success of a painting hinges on how much time
one wants to spend in preparation.
How far one comes, also often depends on
how disciplined the artist is.

Always make time to see the sun setting or

to look at the clouds on my walk.
These clouds are like "pastels in the sky."

This was a first bracelet I made with directions

from a magazine. Some adjustments!

I exchanged big round ceramic beads for

smaller glass ones, because the first ones felt too heavy.

What size of wrists do they give instructions for??

I made this with one flower less, and was still

too big for me, so I put the "oval "opening on the top

around the last flower when wearing it.

Since it's Fall you know that in-between and at night

I am knitting hats, scarves, socks, or other things.

I thrive on having multiple projects going on
at the same time and drive everyone else crazy with it.

DOUBLE TAKE - Sunday Painter Part 2

2009-11-09T00:59:00.000-08:00

Have you ever done a double take? (for the ones who don't know: you see something, and it's so shocking that you can't believe what you saw, so you look again!) And horrors - it's true. You saw it right! That's a little how I felt becoming a Sunday painter.

How did you become a Sunday painter?

Writers have called artists "prophets" because in a time of societal changes, the artists are the first to show it in their work Often this is seen in their style and approach to painting.

The whole decade of the nineties was a turnover, starting 2months before the new Year of 1990, with the fall of Communism and. culminating in Sept. 2001 as a monumental change. Since then several levels of society have not been the same.

In the nineties, my family went as well through some big changes. Suddenly my small friendly watercolors changed from one day to another into working in oil on 24 x 30 inch canvas with sober and semi-abstract forms. The change was big because I had never ever painted with oil before!

That whole story is written on one of the pages of my website www.stgermainart.com

Seven years later (2004)I went to a mid size conference (about 1300 people attending). The day before, I knew that I knew that I knew that one of the speakers was going to speak about multiplication.
Don' t ask me how I knew. I did not have a dream, or vision, nor did I hear I voice from heaven.
I just knew!
In the course of the day I remembered that a long time ago I had painted 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. (its the story of the feeding of the 5000 where 5 loaves of bread were being multiplied, enough to feed 5000 men and their families).

I thought it was very strange, and never heard of people doing that, but had decided to take that painting with me. Needless to say, I also felt conspicuous. It's rather difficult to hide a 24 x 30 inch painting under your coat or sweater!

The next evening, I was sitting on pins and needles, thinking what if you are wrong? Nevertheless, as soon as the speaker said that multiplication was going to come the coming year, I stepped out of my seat and brought it to the platform. To my astonishment the speaker was not even surprised.
He saw me coming and started laughing, saying, "Oh, I love those prophetic people." Then the people in the video booth, showed the painting on a big screen (about 8 x 10 feet) on the platform. And a ripple of "Ooooh" went through the audience.

And that was how I became a Sunday painter.

Now I had passed this hurdle, I was more confident and asked the pastors who were in charge of this conference if I could paint on Sunday, and they accepted.
First I painted in Mott Auditorium, and then in the Ambassador Auditorium, both in Pasadena, CA.

Since the story will get too long, hold on curious ones, in the next part of the story I will come to that painting with the birds:)

SUNDAY PAINTER

2009-11-06T01:30:00.000-08:00

You undoubtedly heard about Sunday drivers? The ones who only drive on Sunday and hold up traffic with their slooow driving. Well, there are also Sunday painters. I consider myself as one. Not because I only paint on Sunday, or that I paint slowly. But painting on Sunday has become my niche. More than my landscapes? Absolutely.

So what is different about painting on Sunday?
On a given Sunday I stand with my easel in front of, or on a platform of a church, while nowadays some have incorporated other branches of art, together with the usual music.

So what is this about?
From whatever angle I approach this, there is no theological proof or explanation, other than that God is the Creator, and He is the One who painted the sky and the grass, and everything else He made.
So, if he wants to be worshiped, what better way to do it with art?

Music has been the "tool" of worship throughout history. After the Reformation they made Luther out to be the one who viewed that any visual or three dimensional image is idolatry. But this does not seem to be true. I have talked to theology students from Fuller Theological Seminary, and they told me that Luther allowed painters to be part of the worship service. I was surprised, to say the least, and I know some of you might be too.

The pic above is my first painting stint for two years at what once used to be once the performing arts center, home of the Philharmonic Orchestra in Pasadena. This pic is taken after the service.

Here I'm painting on the platform at the same time the band is playing during the first part of the church service. Very well known people like Bing Crosby, Pavarotti, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Arthur Rubinstein, and others have performed on this platform.

Do they tell you what to paint? They give me complete freedom to paint what I think I should paint. I take this freedom very seriously, because most people cannot remember a whole sermon, but they do remember a visual image. So, I spend "some time" in preparation.

I have had staggering comments of people having dreams that same week, or conversations with others about the painted image, or the painting providing a solution for what they were seeking. I'll tell another time about an experience I'll never forget.

In the next part of this story, I'll tell you how I came to do this kind of painting, and eventually I'll talk about this painting, which was a total surprise to me.

***************

SCRIBBLE/DOODLE WINDOW AND RAMBLE

2009-11-04T01:30:00.000-08:00

Hands and feet always have been a fascinating subject to draw. They say as much as one's face.

In my first year of graduate training I learned quite a bit more about hands. We would be video-ed weekly, and got plenty of comments of our supervisors how we came over, the sitting positions, hands, feet, face. Everything had to look as "neutral" as possible. One of my favorite hand positions for the counseling room is to fold my hands into each other.

In my life outside that room my hands are seldom at rest. A reminder came some weeks ago, when my brother emailed me "...it made me think of you when you were drawing so much in your teens..."
I thought he should see me now! My hands are busier than ever, not only with drawing, but also painting, knitting, crocheting, making jewelry, and so on.

This mixed media work was done about 12 years ago, when "oversized anything" was in vogue. Notice the wedding ring on the left hand? When living in Holland, I wore the ring on my right hand, because that's where Protestant people who are married, wear their wedding ring.
If one was Catholic, one wore it on the opposite side. (Commonly, the engagement ring moved to the other hand when one got married.)

So the more subtle question to ask if you wanted to know if someone was married or not, was to inquire, "Are you Protestant or Catholic?"

In the seventies most women in the Netherlands had a simple wedding band. Sometimes with a tiny diamond in it, but never the extravagant two rings fitting into each other, now common in the USA.
Two years ago, I noticed to my chagrin that in the new church we attended, people were looking at my ring. At first I reasoned that I had been living more than fifteen years in the States, and was not planning to change anything on my appearance.

But as time went by, these looks from men as well as women became too distracting. I could see their pondering or confusion. Hmm, she keeps coming with the same guy. But why doesn't she have a wedding ring on?
So, one time I had enough of it, and told to my husband, "I need a ring."
Not, I want a ring, or I like a ring for my birthday. No, "I need..."
I know that was not very romantic!!

Hubby looked very surprised, so I told him why.
He did not say anything that I can remember.

A few weeks later, we were visiting one of our kids, and we were shopping in Old Town.
When we passed a Russian jewelry store, I suddenly remembered my conversation with hubby. Because the ring in itself was not an important thing to me, I had forgotten all about it!
I saw a ring I liked, but I did not expect hubby to like it, or to immediately give in to an extravagant expense.

My jaw dropped when all he said was, "okay," and went to the cash register to pay for it! Without any protest, or joke "that is then your birthday gift" (it was not near by birthday).
I was so dumbfounded and confused that when leaving the store, I carried the little handbag with the box in it. My daughter demanded, "Aren't you going to wear it?"

(Sorry, it's not very visible that these are two rings, but if you want "proof" then click on the image to enlarge.)

"Uh, uh..mmm....I have to get used to the idea."
" Well, you get used to the idea, by wearing it!" said little Smarty Pants, and had a big grin on her face, when in the middle of the street, I finally opened the box and put "it" on.

"It" is a pain to wear, or rather, all the times you have to take it off, when you wash the dishes, when I paint, or when I knit, my yarn gets stuck in it, and so on, and so forth.
Can't I just go back to my simple wedding ring? Don't tell me...
I remember now why I started wearing it.