Wednesday, June 30, 2010

SUMMER SHARED

I think one of my favorite parts of summer is
the unexpected visitors that share the days with me...
Resting a bit - but still watching the nest!
                                                          

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Sometimes you get lucky TWICE Happy Dads Day Papa!

I can't say for certain but I'd be inclined to believe most are lucky to be close to one parent, to be adult friends with their mother or their father. My life was gifted twice because I was and am incredibly close to my father also. Daddy (aka knight in shining armor) Dad, pa, pappa.


It's said that he was every bit as happy about his 'first' being a girl as a boy. Never restricting me to the confines of 'girl activities' Dad opened every door the male world offered for me. He taught me to fish (catch and release) he let me help paint the house (with a q-tip LOL as I wasn't much older than in this picture at the time).

We happily shared time together from the beginning. So much more am I for the fact he taught me of fish and motors, how to read animal prints in the mud (and explained why ice cream is cold :-) pictured above). No question was turned away, no opportunity I was interested in learning about withheld. Yet simultaneously I remained his princess.....


One of my most consistent early memories of my Dad, being a scientific glassblower, was the sound of his carlisle torch, the magic of his hands working glass. Fascinating. Amazing. He always had a studio at every house. It remains unchanged. Dad continues to work glass as does my fascination with the magic he creates with flame, glass and skill. He's worked with chemists, engineers, scientists and medical researchers designing and creating apparatus that have helped make changes in the world. Tho he'd never say so, his work has been instrumental in significant projects and research that have made a difference. He should be proud - I certainly am proud of him.


When I found the love of my life and married he created the wedding cake top you see for me as a surprise. The tall gates actually open on glass hinges. Once again the significance, the icon of open(ing) doors/gates/pathways. :-)



Tho I find (much to my surprise) there are no pictures of us working glass together, the next door he opened for me gave me a career I love, a place in the tradition of being an apprenticed lampworker that I am so proud to carry. Having apprenticed with my father to learn the art of working glass from him has been and is an amazing journey. Beginning at a time when women working glass were far and few between, when a career in glass as a woman was nearly unheard of he opened the door for me. I won't live long enough to learn all he knows of glass. During the many years we've shared behind the torches, from learning latticino to lathes, he also taught me of life. While we melt(ed) glass together year after year we've talked of life, of choices, of zen, of business, of art. We've pondered how one quantifies 'success', dealing with crisis, relationships, challenges, sorrow and joy. We've talked about the future of lampworking and glass, the dynamics of 'degreed' glass workers vs apprenticeships as we've melted... He teaching, I learning. So much he's taught me in so many ways, about glass and about life.

He's my father, my teacher, my mentor, my friend. I hope to always make you proud Dad as a fellow lampworker carrying on the tradition and skills you have passed to me. And as your daughter.

I Love you Pa ~ I hope you know how much... Happy Fathers Day from 'chickie'

Sunday, June 13, 2010

National Veggie Month (uh ok lol)


Uh, yeah, national veggie month
Wait for it...
Wait...
Here it comes...
Can you hear me? HaHaHaHaaaaaaaaaa

If you know me - at all - you know how I despise veggies
(I think they may even dislike me, lol)

It began in childhood. Me vs veggies    
Ick, yuk, gagggggg lol

My parents, my brother, my husband
love love lovvvveeee veggies.

But me?
Oh my, nay nay never as they say, lol
Give me a twinkie, a dingdong, a donut
a cupcake (or a whole cake!) any day, roflmao

So to those of you who love veggies
Happy Veg Month!

I however am going to celebrate
by counting my hoard
of twinkies  :-)



Sunday, June 06, 2010

Flip Flop Danger??!!

REALLY?!
Danger????
Apparently so, according to
No disrespect intended towards the writer,
the source or the intent of the article.
But fer cryin' out loud
FLIP FLOP DANGERS?
(there's actually even a link to flip flops / sandals
that earn the APMA Seal of Acceptance). 
Again, no disrespect but  
Puuullleeeaasseee!

Flip flops are a simple, long standing ICON of summer!
Of fun and frolic
Of beach, yard & summer stroll.
Limp, bendy (yes a made up word, lol) pieces
of gay and happily colored foam-plastic!

I ask you
of all the things to worry about, of all the ills of humanity
of all the things that could justify (and improve) from our attention
should fun, funky, (still cheap) FF's 
be classified as a topic of worry and fear?

Uh, well, how can I put this.... 

NO! 

With a bit of common sense, and a dash of 'may stub your toe but you'll live'
sprinkled with 'let's just have a little sqishy fun' and not over-think this
I believe this icon of summer frolic 
(remember frolic? lol) 
may yet live on
happily amusing
(many) 
of us for years to come.....

It's a great life if you don't weaken
(lol)
Start by not buying into the purported danger
of 
Flip
Flops!