Getting Lost....

It's been a long time since I've added anything to this blog. Life's been full and busy, but, well that goes without saying if I haven't blogged, right? I've been working on selling ad space and getting donations for the annual Art of the Deal at the MDCA. Being on the AOD committee requires this, but guess what...I hate asking people for money/donations/anything. Part of my purpose for joining the board at the Center was to help with something I care about. Another part was to grow as a person. I guess this falls into both categories. Doing something that feels challenging definitely makes you grow! ACK! Growth!

This blog is something of a stream of consciousness update, so if I go all over, bear with me. As I am writing about the AOD, I'm actually thinking about Jordan. She's been writing a lot lately, creative writing. A friend of our family that is a special friend to Jordan, Heather, has started a writing class for herself (yeah Heather!!) and she's been sharing with us what her class is like, what her assignments are, etc. I'm watching Jordan get very inspired by the assignments even attempting one of her own. It has also inspired Jordan to share more of her creative writing, and she's been open to critique and feedback. What a growth spurt for her. I remember Jordan saying how she hated writing, how she was no good at it. It always struck me as a funny thing for her to say. This is a kid who loves reading, can rip apart a book or character in a heartbeat, knows what she likes, what makes books good but didn't feel that connection with the writing within herself. It's been beautiful watching her move past her own insecurities, and into the bravery it takes to create. Heather's been great about offering real and constructive critisism, not to mention honest praise. You know....it's always been our vision, as homeschooling parents, that our children would learn not only from us but from our community of loving adults as well. And also that this would unfold as their interests unfolded. It's as lovely as we've imagined it. Oh, check out her blog sight for a sample...Jordan's Junk.

Ah, here's another thing. We hit a cool spell yesterday morning. The girls and I walked out the door on the way to our weekly hs gathering and it took our breath away. We all stopped and sighed, breathed deeply.....it's just lovely having the humidity down, the temp down, lovely lovely!! Last night when we got home we opened all the windows up! It's the first time since summer began, probably back in May or something. I heard birds, I heard LIFE! Wonderful wonderful. All day today I've had the windows open and the fans going and the whole house is comfortable. Is the end of the heat in sight? I hope so!

Sunday

To practice art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. So do it.
~~Kurt Vonnegut

Today Jordan and I went to breakfast at the Highland Street Cafe....seems like it was the usual for both of us. Two eggs, hamsteak, home fries, and dry english muffin for me....French toast and hash browns for Jordan. Me, coffee, Jordan, sweet tea. We had a nice chat. It's always good to get that one-on-one girl time. Makenna was with Ela and Rich is in New Jersey helping out his folks, so we took advantage of the time together.

The Highland St. is the usual dive-y, local joint, not much on aesthetics, but great on that local flavor. We went home for a bit, then off to the Gallery Opening of the Central Florida Plein Air Painters. They came for a paint out event where they painted for two days in Mount Dora, Friday and Saturday, then turned in their work, framed and finished, to be judged, all by Saturday at 4pm. All this wraps up with a gallery opening at the Mount Dora Center for Arts. The show goes until October.

Jordan gracefully agreed to attend with me, thank you Jordan, and it was fun introducing her to the people I've been working with on the board. It was also a very cool experience to have all of the paintings in the gallery be of somewhere in the town. Some were very obvious, the lighthouse, the restaurants, etc. but some were of a house, or a couple strolling down the sidewalk with their dogs. It was cool seing a town I see every day through the eyes of someone else, represented in their artwork. Very nice.

Lots of the paintings were great and I had the pleasure of chatting up one particular artist, Steven Geer. Jordan and I both loved his take on a house on 10th Street in Mount Dora. I'd love to have him come and do a workshop at the Center. His painting just glowed from across the room. He was very inspiring and gracefully shared the plein air experience with me. All of this makes me want to paint. Thanks Steven!