... and Now for Something Completely Different

   Well, not really. This is about my niece, Paulina [Julian's sister] They are alike in that they are both bright, beautiful, [or handsome] athletic and determined. Julian spoke like Elmer Fudd till he was six. Paulina [aka "Chickie"] added and embellished her consonants; instead of cream, it was pream; in lieu of Ripley, she called their dog Bripbrey, and so on. Julian will quietly assess a situation, and usually come to an "agreement". Paulina seems to argue just for the sake of arguing.

The model

The painting

Paulina, a few years ago, with Lucy

The determined artist

Riding Bruno, a few months ago

Halloween 2010, she has "Bieber fever"

Wearing my birthday balloons last summer

Working her fabulous fashion sense on Ralphie

   But she is her own woman, that's for sure, with her own fashion sense. I'll never forget her taking dance lessons, and insisting on wearing her tutu well below her "root beer" belly. She does her own thing. She has also been one of my models.

Jules and Me

Jules and I, enjoying a moment. He's about 2 years here.

Jules at 9 years, form a photo at my 50th birthday

Julian, with his 1st fish. He's 14 years here.

Julian at 15.

Bond, Julian Bond - 16 years old

   This is my nephew, Julian, soon to be 17 years old. And like most of us older folk, I still see him in my mind's eye as being 2 1/2. WHY is that??? From the time I first saw him, I have felt an ease of relationship. [unusual for me, a lone wolf] I could always make him laugh as a baby. He was always an interesting person to be with, and is still so. I suppose the reasons are partly that he came along at a very traumatic time in our family, and that he is quite a bit like me in some ways. I remember my mother bringing him to see my horse, when he was about 8 months. He was fearless, though her head was bigger than Jules' entire body. He had his arm, to the elbow, up her nose, and Good Ol' Sweetie just stood there with a slurpy look on her face.

   Now, soon to be seventeen, Julian is very handsome, bright, thoughtful, athletic, [a great hockey player] and artistic in the literary arts. I love him to bits. That's my Jules!

Some Old Feathered Friends

Just for comparison, one of my more recent hens

A very uncomfortable-looking blue heron

HAH - another one

Yup, it's a chicken

Hen study

Some Old Landscapes

A scene from the park, where I walk and ride

An invention, inspired by the Gulf Islands 

Moody ... Broody

Another imagined scene, for my 1st painting class

Some Musty, Dusty Florals ...

Not bad, though not sure what type of plant?

Snowberries - I still find them attractive

Dandelion

Hmm ... I think it's coneflower

BAD rendition of lilies

I honestly don't know. I probably made it up.

Obvious - petunias

Pine cone study

Don't know the name, but florists use them in displays - very attractive leaf and berry

I'll finish this walk down memory lane today. I feel the need to "get on with it" more.