Nice

Today I went, for the second time, to teach an art class at a little elementary school that's within walking distance from my house. When I arrived there, students were eating lunch with family members on large grassy areas that surround the building. Volunteers in cute aprons and chef's hats were serving healthy snacks; I suspect they were university students. I found out from the teacher of the class I was visiting that the last Friday of every month is family lunch day. Very cool. Some parents had brought pizza, some had packed nice lunches. "Dessert" from the volunteers was beautiful carrots. I wish I could have seen what else they served. Curious.

The weather was beautiful. Because it usually is, our schools use outdoor areas extensively. Kids almost always eat outside.

I still think my grandson's school is just about the best in the world, but it is great to see good stuff happening at the other school in town.

The class I was working with was well mannered and productive. It helps that classes are small - 21 students. In my first teaching job, 41 students were packed into a second grade classroom. In SC. With no AC. Oh, my! And I wondered why I couldn't do better than I did. I was happy to see that the teacher and her student teacher had time to run to the restroom, eat their own lunches in peace, and seemed relaxed - not toooo overworked. Parents seem to take very active roles in making the school work. So nice.

After teaching, I stopped by the Art Center, of course, then went to take my paintings down at a local business. I will rehang them at an attorney's office on Monday.

Tonight, Papa grilled pork roast with Ollie's BBQ sauce. I cooked great grits and green beans. Life is good.

Good News

I received this message today:

Just wanted to tell you how much I love the new look at the Art Center. It's contemporary, edgy and fabulous. Thanks for all you do. I'd say we're officially noticed.
proud member

Now that's the kind of feedback I like!!!

Saturday I will redo the flower pots and move them around. And hang the kids' art that will be finished at a class tomorrow.

Our maintenance director is putting his finishing touches on the exterior, too. The new show is hung and looks great. Food and music are planned and champagne is in the fridge. Let's party.

All Better

I had made peace with the complaint I received yesterday and was able to smile about it today. Tonight I got a message from the complainer thanking me for my "rapid" response. It also included a supportive comment about how difficult it is for the board to balance the old and the new. Whew:)

I will look at this one as a blessing, preparing me for others that are sure to come. I can practice my replies.

And besides, I enjoyed my lovely day. Late last night I realized I had three events/appointments scheduled for today. To one I needed to take an appetizer. So I scrounged through my pantry and fridge, dug through recipes, and whipped up a delicious bean dip. I had Papa write a letter for me to sign so I could miss a financial appointment,then this morning called the handyman I was supposed to meet at the Art Center.

I picked up chips to go with the dip on the way to my wine tasting party and enjoyed a relaxing lunch with girl friends. Great brownies for dessert. After that, I zipped over to the Art Center to oversee the work that was going on. It all worked.

Papa and I finished up the great soup I made last night and ate too much of the leftover yummy bean dip. Just now, Papa brought me a bowl of popcorn.

What a nice day.

Growing Pains

I've been very busy at the art center for the last few days - well, maybe weeks or months. We've just painted the building purple! With citrus green trim and fuchsia doors. As I have mentioned in earlier posts, we are trying to update our look and increase visibility. For many years our building was a putty color, so this is quite a change. Shock, maybe. I should add that we are located on Main street, lined with funky little shops and eateries.

A new sign reading ART CENTER Morro Bay went up on the front of the building today. If winds are not too strong, in a few days huge letters reading the same will be high up on a larger, rear section of our facility. Hopefully they'll be up soon. I will post pictures then.

My committee and I have worked very hard to make our art center show what it is, make our signs readable and memorable, and entice visitors. On Sunday we'll have a celebration of our face lift. Lots to do before then.

All good, right?

Today I received the first major complaint:( Sigh.

Growing pains.

Roo

With errands today, Papa and I hauled the kids around for a while then took them for their favorite bubble gum ice cream.

While the kids were eating, Roo said, "When people look at me for a long time I um....................."

After waiting for her to find the words, I said, "You feel uncomfortable?"

Roo: "Unh hunh!" She seemed relieved that I found the words for her.

Me: "Why do you think people look at you that way?"

Roo: "Because I am so cute and maybe they want me to be their kid."

No esteem problems there.

I Love My Flowers

I've been spending some time working in my back garden and talking to the little plants in the front yard. Here are some photos to show what's happening. I'm also working on my raised veggie beds - pictures of those later.






You can see that our tiny plants are finally growing!




Pretty parsley at sunset.





This time last year, this area was barren.



My favorite rose color:)



Iris grow right up through my rose bushes and the creeping geraniums go wherever they please. Kind of wild.

Happy

I am happy to say that I sold this little painting today. The buyer is the same one who bought another small painting of mine last week. I am very flattered and pleased. I hope everyone is impressed that I actually photographed the painting before I took it to the art center.

I am also very pleased and excited that our art association is nearing the end of a face lift process. Soon the paint and new signs will go up and on May 2 we will have a celebration for the new look and our change from just an association to an art center. I am very proud.

Sale!

I forgot to mention in my earlier post tonight that I sold a painting several days ago! I almost didn't submit it to the current show at the gallery; I was uncertain about it. I wasn't sure it was good enough, and I wasn't sure I wanted to sell it. Taking it was a last minute, quick decision. I guess because I'd paid for a nice frame I decided it was presentable. The title is Homage in honor of Mother. No photo:( Again:(

Feast and Famine

I haven't blogged for a few days because each day I thought I would snap pictures of my gardens, front landscaping that is finally beginning to fill out, and the backyard area that was sparse last year and is now overgrown. Or my latest paintings in progress. Or Buddy and Roo. As you see, I haven't done that. Sigh. I miss so many photo opportunities.

But just because I have no photos to share - that's the famine part - does not mean I am living an empty life. No indeed. Quite the opposite - literally. Starting with last Wednesday this foodie has fully indulged.

On Wednesday I ate lunch at Chef Ricks in Santa Maria, and Rick never fails to please! On Friday night Papa and I met friends at Et Voila!, and on Saturday I drove with a friend to Los Olivos to see an exhibit of Milford Zorne's inspiring watercolors. While there we found a little farmer's market selling black-eyed peas. Bliss to this southern girl's heart. We visited a great olive shop, and I dropped a bunch of cash on mango vinegar, blood orange olive oil, and olives. And two new oil spouts. And then! Lunch at a little cafe. I'd planned to have "just a little salad" of course. But!!! My eye caught "Southern Que Sandwich" on the menu.

Here's the back story. Years ago - like more than 40, I suspect - in Florence, Alabama, a friend and I would pick up pastries from a bakery then head to the wrong side of town to an awful looking BBQ joint. We'd sit in the car to eat the best BBQ sandwiches in the universe, wash them down with Dr. Pepper, and finish off the lunch with our sinful long john pastries. Heaven. I'm guessing one of us was pregnant.

Even though in between that time and now I was a very strict vegetarian for more than fifteen years and currently eat very little meat other than poultry and fish, I never forgot the taste of those sandwiches. So on Saturday when I saw Southern Que's on the menu, I just had to order one. That was absolutely the best BBQ sandwich I have had since Alabama. Without a doubt. Oh my! My friend laughed at me all through lunch. It did come with the little salad I'd planned to order - and it was good, too.

Then tonight, after a long day of meetings for the art association, I came home late to make sandwiches out of a pork tenderloin we cooked last night - it has just a hint of curry in the rub. I sliced the pork very thinly, used small flatbread buns, spread them with mustard and mayo, and added cheese, our garden lettuce, and dill pickles. Nothing fancy, I thought - but good enough for a quick dinner. Oh, and I warmed them a little. I'll have to tell you that was one fine sandwich. About as good as the one I had on Saturday. I could have eaten three of them. Maybe more. I am proud to tell you that I stopped at one.

So what if I gained back two pounds? The pleasure was worth every ounce. So what if my tummy jiggles when the car hits a bump? When it does I'll remember all that good food and the family and friends who've shared it with me.

Two Fisted Intemperance

I guess there is no reason to do anything half way.

My daughter called this afternoon to say she had brought boiled peanuts to me from Bon Temps restaurant in San Luis Obispo. That is living proof that I did something right when she was a kid or that she grew up to be a spectacular person in spite of me. Whichever - I like it.

She suggested that Papa could pick them up while he was out or she could bring the peanuts to me tomorrow. No! No way! I was heading out to buy Easter treats for the kids, so I zoomed right on over to pick up those peanuts. I thought I could nibble on a few as I drove to SLO and back. But that didn't work out so well. Even being the practiced boiled peanut eater that I am, I couldn't quite manage to eat juicy peanuts without dousing me and the floor mats of my car; I needed both hands. For the first time in recent memory, I wanted to hit red lights, and I wished they lasted longer when I did. I finally gave up until I reached World Market, then sat in the parking lot eating for a while.

Of course I ate more at home. Then after dinner, while making filling for tomorrow's dessert, I licked big globby spoons of vanilla cream - twice. Then of course I needed to taste some of the Easter candy I was stuffing into plastic eggs. Then I needed another taste, and another.

Oh, the delicious intemperance of it all!

The Lizard Tree

"Oh!" Roo said. "It's a carpet of yellow!"

We had just navigated a turn through the hills of Hwy 58, leading us to our Lizard Tree. We've decided this needs to be an annual excursion to view the wildflowers, picnic, and chase lizards and bugs.

And Roo is right; the flowers do indeed form a carpet. I usually try to avoid stepping on flowers, but not here - not possible.



Last year we found an abundance of lizards at this tree, but the speedy things always eluded Buddy's fast grasp. This year was little different, but the challenge was worth the trip. We came home, like last year, with a container of big beetles, a bit too much sun, and good memories.



Back in Los Osos, we hurried to buy and dye eggs. The result? Happy kids and beautiful eggs.




Roo says this should be Great Friday instead of Good Friday. I agree.