Exhibit Time

As always tons of stuff going on here. I was away for three days last week to do grandparent stuff at Gabriel and Jonah's school. Reading to their classes. Really a lot of fun. I read Tomie DePaola's, "THE ART LESSON". We have much in common. Sadly, I won't be doing that anymore, because Jeanie, Derek and the kids will be moving to California right after Christmas, for a few years. So it'll be Kristie's (Derek's Mom) turn to do it for a while. Derek will be attending seminary there--I know, I know, he could do it closer, but he's got some deal there because of his home church in Severn, plus some other thing with the GI bill. Anyway, it's got me pretty miserable, but Isabella is here with me keeping my days joyful. Jonah as usual, being the character that he is, wants a moustache for Christmas, so he can "be a man and not have to work". Nice. Our turkeys are being raised free-range and organically, by my friend and feed guy, John Fiorella. We get them next week. I saw them a few weeks ago and they were enormous then. I am so ready for Thanksgiving. Last week I had a weekend art show at the UM Library. It turned out to be very rewarding. I made a lot of good connections and sold a painting. After the reception on Friday, we went to Georges' for dinner. I must say the Chef Jeremy is really doing a fabulous job. His food hits the spot and you don't need to spend a fortune. We really enjoyed it. BTW, if you didn't know it, Jeremy was the winner on "CHOPPED"! He deserved it. Honest, his food is very good. Speaking of art shows, I have an exhibit with Jay Jr. and hopefully our friend Ute Arnold in December. We hang on the 6th of December and the reception is December 13th from 4pm to 7pm. This is my annual exhibit at the Gryphon Cafe', 105 W. Lancaster Ave., Wayne, PA 19087, Phone:610.688.1988 and YOU are invited. We'll be serving food/beer/wine. Children, friends and family are welcome to come along with you. I probably won't be posting much...not that I have been lately...until after the holidays. My plate is overflowing already. The exciting part is that Jeanie and her family will be living here for awhile before they leave for CA. I can't wait. The sun was so welcome yesterday and today. Jay and I took Isabella to a playground for a couple of hours yesterday. It felt tropical. She and I worked outside in the chicken pen/ swamps today. The sun felt so good. Jeanie, Krista and Josie have all had the flu. I'm desperately trying to avoid it. I'm outside working every day, rain--mostly rain-- or shine and drinking a lot of flu-fighter tea. Jay got it for me last year when I was coming down with something and it knocked it right out! Seriously, it did. Chickens are all doing OK. Some of the girls that hatched last spring are starting to lay their eggs. Very exciting. The boys are doing their jobs and chix are hatching out regularly. The fox still visits every night. She looks good and is getting her winter coat. My friend Eric, up the road, is the master raccoon, Hav-a-Hart trapper. He's caught two recently. That is two less I have coming here now. Thank God. His girlfriend Sharon is bringing treats for the chickens almost everyday. They're like junkies now for the whole-grain oat bread she brings for them. I let the Splash, Blue and Black Copper Marans out today to free-range. It's the first time in weeks. They were just yipee yiaying it up! The hawk still passes overhead, but up very high. I don't think she was looking for them today, since it's been so long since they've been out. I'm going to visit my friend Bailey tomorrow on a chicken mission, it'll be on my way to or from Pearl for my art supplies. Last week Danny took Jay and I to Nectar for dinner. Torri was working, so we sat at the bar. Man, was it terrific! I can't give you a blow by blow, you just need to go and try it for yourself. Chef Patrick came out and talked with us for a while. Such a great, down-to-earth guy. No pretense, just real. The restaurant atmosphere is fabulous in the sense that it is very open and spacious, but with a cocoon-like sense of coziness. Krista took me for Mother's Day about five years ago and we sat upstairs. Looking down on the room and the bar, the big candles give you a Zen/John Singer Sargent/Maxfield Parrish, feeling all at the same time. I had my first foie gras sushi there. I'm reading "The Woman in White", at bedtime and just finished "The Careful Use of Compliments" in the car. I really enjoyed "The Careful Use of Compliments", but am really struggling through "The Woman in White". It's like reading "Lady Chatterly's Lover". The same point, being painfully made, over and over and over. So that's it for now. Enjoy this fine weather while we have it. The dreariness will be here soon. I'll pop in now and again. Be well and be in touch.