A Day in the Past

Facebook reminded me that 8 years ago I was at the coliseum in Rome. The most amazing observation I made was that it was so quiet. People spoke in hush as to pay respect and reference to the many people martyred for the faith. Early church martyrs pray for us.

Little Bunny Foo Foo

Little Bunny foo foo,

Hopping through the forest
Scooping up the field mice,
And bopping them on the head

And down came the blue Fairy, and she said

Little Bunny foo foo,

I don't wanna see you Scooping up the field mice,
and bopping them on the head

What's that all got to do with anything?  I bought this fuzzy pen with bunny ears a few days ago. It's been a lot of fun. When kids come into the office sick, I play "Little Bunny Foo Foo" and bop them on the head.....it has miraculous affects on kids.

The other day one girl was on the cot sick and the other kid in a chair crying.  So Little Bunny foo foo made an appearance complete with music. As I was bopping the crying child over the head with the fuzzy pen, the other girl began mouthing the words of the Blue Fairy...it became a little performance at which before long the crying girl began chuckling and laughing. The sick one seemed to forget her situation. It was miraculous. LOL

If you want  aren't familiar with the song here you go but I might warn you....it sticks in your head!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pkx51y4ppg

A New Friend

 Over the past year I have been volunteering at a private independent Catholic school Divine Mercy Academy. I've made a lot of friends but my best friend there is the art teacher. She studied at the Mitchell School for Art. She is very talented and her portraits are amazing. This is one of her still life works. She's teaching the kids how to do still life.

I love working with Mary Etta. She has a lot of fun and has an infectious laugh not mention a strong faith and love of God. Although I work in the office doing the administrative work I love to sneak in there to see what wonderful things Mary Etta has planned for the kids. 

Recently I took a class on watercolor on rice paper batik . Last weekend I shared my new "skill" with her. We had a great time Arting together...I look forward to more fun times. 

Easter is Coming

 Happy Lent Ya'll! Easter is coming. Every year I do the "Create a Cross" on Palm Sunday.  Saw this meme on Facebook. Most times it works out great...sometimes it looks like this. Have a Happy Upcoming Holy Week.

Reduce reuse recycle!

 

I end up with so much lint. I throw it away and one day I was thinking, there must be something I can do with this. 

 Searching I found that you can use lint for a fire starter. Well I can't use it because I have a pellet stove but my daughter has a wood stove. So I'm making some for her. By next winter I should have lots of them to give to her.

They are very easy to make. All it takes is 

* lint of course

*Empty toilet paper roll or paper towel roll cut in half

*wax paper. 

You just fill the toilet paper roll up with lint and then roll it up in a piece of wax paper. Twist the ends very tight because those ends will be where you will light it. It's like a little fuse.

Now you have something to do with your lint. Have fun. 

A Visit from Beatrice

Last night I had a very unusual dream. For one thing I don't usually remember my dreams and when I do, they usually don't involve someone who has passed.

After my Mom died, I had a dream with her in it. She was very excited telling me she saw her mother and she had a colorful aura all around her. I was scared and I told Mom that I didn't like seeing dead people. I guess I was scared. After that I never had any more dreams with her in it.

But last night, I had a very interesting dream! I had a dream that we were having some kind of family get together.  All my Yori cousins were there and they all left together to go someplace. I was left behind reminiscent of when I was a child and they would also leave me behind because I was so much younger than they were.

Well all of a sudden I turned around and I saw Grandmom Yori! She was younger than when she died and she wasn't wearing her glasses. I immediately recognized her and thought to myself that the Yori cousins would be very upset that they missed her.

I ran up to her and greeted her and told her how much I loved and missed her. And I remarked that I hadn't seen her since I was 9.  She was moved when I told her how devastated I was when she died. I also told her that I knew that the night she died, it was her who was standing at the bottom of my bed and that I was sorry I ran down the hallway because I was afraid causing her spirit to leave.

It's making me nuts but I can't remember what she told me in that dream but I remember I had a conversation with her because I remembered that one of my Yori cousins said she never had a conversation with her and I was thinking, "oh gee, she should have been here."  Grandmom Yori spoke perfect English and I was very surprised because when I was a child she spoke little English mostly Italian interspersed with English. I was so happy to see her.

Now that I have mature and I'm not afraid to see family that have gone before me in dreams, I hope to have more conversations with her. And I really hope I remember what she says...I need could use help with the family tree, especially on the Pannoni (her maiden name) side.

A Long Time Coming

Yesterday, my daughter and her family went to the Basilica in Baltimore to see our friend Rob and several others ordained as Deacon. Rob was in youth group at St. Jane Frances de Chantal in Pasadena, MD with my daughter many years ago. I have really watched this "work in progress".

The ordination was long time coming and I feel like I personally prayed him through Seminary! LOL  I cannot tell you how elated I was for him and the Church, not to mention that there were others being ordained Deacons on their way to Priesthood as well.

The Mass was perfect, full of the faithful all feeling the way I felt I'm sure. There was a packed house and even though we arrived 30 minutes early there were no seats to be had so we stood in the back. I'm telling you kneeling on cold marble  was grueling and I offered it up for the souls in Purgatory sending many I'm sure up to the pearly gates!

It ended up a blessing in disguise because when everyone sat down we were able to see everything.  I would not have had such a good view in the pews. God is good.

After the Mass there was a lovely reception at the Catholic Center. There were lots of folks there. The Mom's of the future Priests did a nice job. 

Rob was really busy greeting everyone but I managed to get in to congratulate him and have a photo taken.

Today Rob gave his first homily at Mass at St. Jane's church. I was very nervous for him but he did an awesome job and didn't miss a beat. Our Pastor Mgr. Carl was nodding his head and smiling the whole time.  Rob preached on the Trinity, not an easy one as he indicated. But he left me with a wonderful image of

the Holy Spirit as the Fire of Love. I never thought of it that way.

He's going to make a terrific Priest when he's ordained in December.  And if the others who are going to be ordained are even a little like him, we are leaving my 3 year old granddaughter, Evie and the Church in good hands.

Prayer for Vocations:

Father, we're your people, the work of your hands.
So precious are we in your sight that you sent your Son, Jesus.
Jesus calls us to heal the broken-hearted,
to dry the tears of those who mourn, to give hope to those who despair,
and to rejoice in your steadfast love.
We, the baptized, realize our call to serve.
Help us to know how.
Call forth from among us priests, sisters, brothers and lay ministers.
With our hearts you continue to love your people.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God forever and ever.

http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/prayers-and-devotions/prayers/prayers-for-vocations.cfm

The Eyes Have It

So today I had to visit the eye doctor to schedule my cataract surgery. I'm a little more than  nervous about all of this because my eyes are so precious to me as an artist.

I came home from the visit and I have done 2 sketches/studies, one of a girl and one of a guy. It's like I have to get all this stuff done just in case something goes wrong.

The good news is, is that he will correct my astigmatism and I also won't have to wear glasses any more. The bad news is in order to do that he will have to take my close up vision....so I'll have to wear reading glasses.

I asked if it will affect my paintings....he said his wife was an artist and he understands that blues will be more intense and white will have hint of pink or blue. I'm not sure how I feel about that but it might be interesting to compare new and old paintings I guess.

Surgery is August 11, pray for me please....so the "girl study" was done with dilated eyes...maybe I should just keep the cataracts and keep my eyes dilated.

The Benefits of Smiles

I came across this on the Maxine Facebook page.  I shared it last year and it popped up today in my Memory Feed. It still makes me chuckle. It so reminds me of me. My "resting face" makes me look angry so to combat that I try to always smile especially when I make eye contact with someone. Smiling does a couple of things: a) Makes me happy, b) makes other people happy, and most importantly c) it hides my mouth wrinkles.  A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.

Image Source:   https://www.facebook.com/maxine/photos/a.167331877944.118063.153850792944/10154330950512945/?type=3&theater

Culinary Lessons of Life

I don't have a great track record in the kitchen. It seems though that every attempt at cooking teaches me something.  With this track record I wonder sometimes how it is that I'm overweight? Wouldn't you think if you mutilate your breakfast/lunch/dinner you'd be skinny? Maybe it's the eating out that I have to do because my food is sometimes inedible. LOL Here's some of my valuable culinary lessons:

Lesson 1: Make sure you don't boil over the gnocchi. Use a bigger pot, more water and for heaven's sake stay off Facebook!

Lesson 2: Bacon will NEVER get crispy in the frying pan. Ask me how I know? You must drain it. Leaving it in the pan just burns it. And don't try to feed it to the dog because even HE won't eat it.

Lesson 3: Use a deeper bowl to make instant oatmeal and use the plastic covers that you spent the money to buy.

Lesson 4: Pay attention to what you're cooking.  Make sure not to walk away from the toaster oven to flip through your phone. And, if you smell something, chances are it's burned.

I Saw The Sign....

and it opened up my eyes, I saw the sign
Life is demanding without understanding
I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes, I saw the sign
No one's gonna drag you up to get into the light where you belong
But where do you belong?🎶

So today I saw the signs....and it made me LOL....This is how you can BMore in Fells Point......

Holy Guacamole

It's been a while since I posted here. I need to get back into the grove. But I say that every year. LOL

Well for now, I can tell you what cool thing I did last week.  My second cousin Lori came to town. We went into Baltimore with a few addresses from my genealogical research on my Mom's family in hand. Then we went to those addresses and photographed some of them.

708 is to the left

We had a great time. The first stop of 708 Bond Street. My great grandparents Anna and Adam Schmidt first lived there when the immigrated from Russia Poland in the 1890s.  It was quite a surprise when we saw it was a bar, One Eyed Mikes. Lori took some photos and then stuck her head in there telling them what we were doing. People seemed interested so we went in and had a drink toasting Adam and Anna because without them immigrating to the US, we would never have been here! The owner told us it had become a bar in the 70's.  Who knew?  Turns out it is  World's First Grand Marnier Club & Liquor Licensed bar and it is the number one seller of Gran Marnier Liquor in the world.

 Looks like other families also rented there from the census records. I looked online and it has 3 apartments in the existing building. I wonder which floor our family lived on. They had 5 kids but the eldest was already married with a child so I'm sure she didn't live there.

Another stop was to 1814 Collington Avenue. That was one of the homes of great uncle Leon Schmidt. It was also the place where he shot a Baltimore City Police officer who later died. There are 2 stories. One is the family story and one is in the newspapers...I'll leave it to that. It looks like they were gutting it and modernizing it. I was kind of disapppointed but I'll go back at a later date when there isn't all that wood out there.

This photo has Lori taking photos while I'm illegally parked...yikes! Thank God it was a slow night in Baltimore or the police were preoccupied with more serious stuff so they didn't worry about the little offenses.

We took another 2 photos that I'm not sure now is the right address so I won't list them. I will when we do this again.

Me outside 224 S Madera St.

What an amazing change!

One of the really cool things was when we went to my grandmother Katherine Siwik Schmidt's little house near Patterson Park, 224 S. Madera Street. She bought it in 1961 after her husband Walter Schmidt passed away. They were living in Pasadena MD so she wanted to move back to the city.  The house as I remember it was flowered very old wall paper on the walls and a wallpapered ceiling, metal kitchen cabinets. Upstairs had 2 bedrooms and one bath but the bedrooms had no wall between them so you went up the steps and either went left to one or right to the other. She had painted screens and a metal monogram on the screen door that had a big S.

While Lori was taking photos the couple who was inside painting, reading it to rent, came out and asked what she was doing. She told them and they invited us in.  It was an amazing change as you can see from the photos. Everything had been gutted I'm sure. There was never exposed brick but I expect that came out when the plaster walls came down.  I walked around with my mouth open. It was beautifully modern. I was thinking I wish my Mom and Busia (grandmother) was alive to see those photos. Being back in that house brought me to tears. I'm so thankful. 

I was always the one in the illegally parked car! LOL

We were illegally parked again (it's an alley basically) but this time the Police found us. He sounded his siren so Lori went outside. She told him what we were doing and he seemed touched and was kind enough to allow her to go around the block and park again illegally.  I guess again we are small fish compared to what goes on in Baltimore these days.

Anyway...I wish you all a Happy New Year. My prayer and hope for you is that it will be a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous one for you.  Thanks for reading this.

A New Kid in Town

There's a new kid in town, Dennis Holcomb of Holcomb Arts on Etsy. Well actually he's not so new and not a kid but he is new to Etsy. He's one of my favorite artists who combines photography and painting with amazing results.


 So go check him out and if you are an Etsian, give his shop a little love with some hearts please. :)

Here's a link to Holcomb Arts on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/ shop/Holcombarts?ref=l2-shopheader-name

Don't miss it!

Today is the last day to sign up for the FolkArt and Primitives blog give away.



to sign up go to:  http://folkartprimitivesteam.blogspot.com/2017/03/bring-on-spring-giveaway.html?m=1

Babbling...

So clocks spring forward and the weather goes to winter? I'm confused. I had a few days of flip flops then back to long underwear and snow boots! Crazy Maryland Weather.

I had bought this top but was afraid to wear it thinking it would jinx our nice weather. Then bam we get snow so I pulled out the snow shirt.  The snow turned to freezing rain and ice and the neighbors tree decided to lean over towards our shed. Now I'm just waiting and wondering if I'll be getting a new shed out of the deal. LOL

Well Saturday, March 18, 9 - 3 pm, is the Glen Burnie High School Craft show and I'm hoping that this snow and ice is gone by then. There's nothing worse than loading and unloading fragile porcelain in ice. I am really nervous about it. Drop by if you aren't doing anything and visit us. We are in the cafeteria in our usual spot. There will be eggs and bunnies (of course), nightlights, alcohol ink art, porcelain, hand painted wine glasses, decorative painting on wood...you name it we will have it. It always amazes me how much Patricia and I can get into that little space.

I  put some spring listings on Etsy....Here's one. Lots of eggs for you collectors.

This egg is a pale blue bisc with enamel scroll work...it's so soft and pretty...here's the link to the listing on Etsy.

Spring Has Sprung and....

....bounced right back to winter! Geesh... A few days of nice weather. Crocus

were blooming, daffodils were coming up and trees were budding! It was great a day or two of wearing capris and even one I could pull out the flip flops.

Where did it go? I'm back to scarves, gloves and a winter coat!

I will be delighted to get back to spring but in the meantime while I wait, my FolkArt and Primitives Team on Etsy is hosting a give away March 27-30th!

Go to our blog to sign up during that time period.
http://folkartprimitivesteam.blogspot.com/

I am donating one of my hand painted porcelain eggs!

Changing Priorities

No more parties on New Year's Eve for  me. Forget the  fancy clothes, the fireworks, the ball drop and the champagne. I have other priorities.

I'd rather be home with my grandchildren watching Shrek, eating ice cream, blowing our little horns and hitting the sack by 8 pm.

I must be getting old...or maybe I'm just getting wise. 

Happy New Year!

After Christmas Sale

January 3-22, my Etsy Team, Folkart and Prims (FAAP) is having a sale!  I'm looking forward to finding some great bargains!

Search AFTERXMASFAAP on Etsy to find the sale items or check out our E-catalogue. If you are on Facebook, join our FAAP Marketplace!

What a View

So today I went with the DH (today's meaning-Darling Husband) to one of his coworker's open house. Steve had knocked down his house and rebuilt it.

His house is on the water in Baltimore County. It has a killer view.

As I sat talking and mostly listening to his coworkers and their wives, I couldn't help day dreaming from time to time as I enjoyed the view.

Available on Etsy

On the way home we were going over the Key Bridge and the sunset was just amazing. I was thinking as I snapped the photo it might be an inspiration for an alcohol ink painting at some point like the print to the right.

Mason the Safety & the Maryland State Flag

Acrylic on wood. Available in my Etsy Shop

Mason, my grandson, is back in school. Can't believe he is in 5th grade. He applied to be a Safety this year and was thrilled to be chosen as the Flag Safety. That means every day he puts up and takes down the American Flag and the Maryland State Flag.

We had a big discussion about the Maryland State Flag and how to remember which way was up. I told him the  right corner should have the cross that goes up to Heaven, like Jesus did. I googled it and showed him how it should look.  So the day before yesterday before he takes the flag down, he runs up to my car and say's "Granny Jo look at the flag." I almost spit out my coke. He had it upside down!!!

I told him so but he said that one of the teachers told him that when he put it the way I told him that it was incorrect. I told him, I knew my flag. I worked 35 years for the State of MD and that was one of my pet peeves!  So yesterday he runs out to the car pointing to the flag and I gave him a thumbs up because it was correct.

Mason said the teacher told him again  it was wrong again and instead of being diplomatic, he told her she should google it because Granny Jo worked for the State for 35 years and it's her pet peeve.

Well if this apple box doesn't sell I just might have to give it to her as an apology at the end of the year.