Painting accepted at Exhibit

This painting titled "Leatherwood Drive" was accepted at the White River Painting Exhibit and Sale Edwards ARt Gallery at the Ralph Foster Museum at the College of the Ozarks near Branson, MO. It will be on display until December 16, 2010.
I am working on a series of these paintings based on photographs that my stepson Jason Took.

Are you smarter than a two year old?

I think a toddler can think a lot faster than me. My lovely Daughter-in-law told me recently she had to give the baby an m&m in the check out line at Wally world so she would quit screaming long enough for her to check out. The poor girl was frazled and needed a quick fix. I probably would have given the baby the whole bag. We all know how everyone starts standing on their toes and peering over the dividers made of candy to see why that baby is screaming and giving you the evil eye. Yes there is a lot of parenting info that gives us all those solutions to the screaming child and yes I know giving a treat to a screaming baby is not the best solution in the long run. But sometimes that baby is smarter than me in getting her way. And you know you have all resorted to the quick fix at one time or another. So let's hear it what was your guilty little secret quick fix?

We are all scared children inside

Book Review: Cliff Falls by C.B. Shiepe
I am a voracious reader and reading is one of my primary sources of fun and down time. So if the book doesn't reach me in the first few pages I do not waste my time. I found CLIFF FALLS to be an easy read and it touched my soul in a couple of spots that needed a light shone on them.

#1 No One Escapes Life and the grass is not greener in someone elses life. I need to be more content and thankful of where I am and what I have.
#2 It is too easy to get your eyes off God and on man. We so often find it easy to put fault on everyone but ourselves for our walk with the Lord. We put our leaders on pedestals then kick them when they fall off of them. They, like us are scared children inside. A primary lesson in this book was look to God not the men in the pulpit. What is your reason for being in a church body? Is it to serve God and others or to go where there is the biggest following and more money?
#3 we don't believe others will support us when we need it and that carries over into our relationship with God. We will follow a man and idolize him and not accept the loving Hand of our Father.

I found several underlying lessons in the story line of Cliff Falls and recomend it to anyone struggling with, "they have it easier than me" syndrome.

Not Perfect, but Possible

The solution to a fight, an argument,difference of opinion,unthoughtfulness on the part of another person, unfair treatment, selfishness, egoism, disregard for another person's rights is not splitting up and finding other human beings to live with, but understanding what must be taught, time after time, through seeking to find solutions which are not perfect, but which are possible.

One lesson I tried to teach my children, from a very early age...was the fact that some things must never be said, no matter how hot the argument, no matter how angry one becomes, no matter how far one goes in feeling, "I don't care how much I hurt him or her."Some things are too much of a "luxury" ever to say. Some things are too great a price to pay for the momentary satisfaction of putting the other person down. Some things are like throwing indelible ink on a costly work of art, or smashing a priceless statue just to make a strong point in an argument. Saying certain things is an expense beyond all reason.

What is it that can never be put into words, which can't be erased and forgotten? What is it that one can resolve and succeed never to say during the lifetime of relationship with one person?

It is attacking the person in his or her most vulnerable, most sensitive, most insecure spot in life. It is pulling the rug out at a place where the other person felt there was a solid acceptance and understanding, without question. It is bringing up something from the other person's background which he has no control over and which carries with it painful memories of outsiders' lack of understanding. It is turning the one secure place in all of life into a suddenly exposed place of naked attack from which there is no place to run. At some point in the beginning of a relationship, it is of tremendous importance to decide inside yourself just what things are really "out of bounds," and to declare to yourself that you will never resort to say anything about; his or her big nose, deformities, lack of cultural or educational upbringing, and psychological fears or special weaknesses. Naturally it can't be too big a list, but there must be certain specific areas you rationally decide not to let "wild horses drag out of you." It is possible. It is a restraint that you can inflict upon yourself. It is a possible control. - Edith Schaeffer

I remember my mom would get after us if my sister and I called each other even so much as stupid. We were just not allowed to say things like that.I appreciate it as an adult because of careless comments by others to me. Some of those comments while in my heart I knew they weren't really true have changed my perception of myself in a negative way. It is important for all of us to guard our tongues. Think before speaking, think is this the way I want to be spoken to? - Pam

look who's 5 months old

14 inches of snow

It was amazing, I got up at 6am to get ready for church and was asking my husband if he thought that was ice on his truck but when we went outside it wasn't ice. The dogs water wasn't frozen but there was a fine dusting of snow as we watched Snow started coming down in huge flakes and fast. Within 10 minutes the ground was covered. I didn't take the chance of going to church and it was a good thing because they called about 7:30 and said it was snowing so hard on their side of the mountain they were calling it off so please send out an email letting everyone know.
The snow continued until late afternoon with about 14 inches before it stopped. Our power was out for several hours that afternoon. The snow was wet and heavy, perfect for making snowmen and David and I planned on making one when it stopped. However in the meantime campers had gotten stranded at Steel Creek and we seemed to have the only cabin left open so we shoveled the snow off the steps, it was still snowing so heavily that it covered the steps almost as fast as I shoveled. We helped the ranger get 5 people settled into the cabin. They ended up staying 2 nights. Deborah was running around in the snow and loving it she kept burying her nose in it and snuffling around. It was too dark to build a snowman by the time it stopped snowing so we thought we'd do it the next day. Well it melted so much there was hardly any snow left! Just a lot of mud. It was an utterly amazing winter storm on the first day of spring.

Takin' it Easy

I really need some taking it easy time, but it seems like only the dogs have that option around here. I want to know where are all the pictures I took of my art are! All of them are gone and now I'm having to redo all my photos. So between those 2 large projects and worries I'm trying to take David's business paperless. Getting David to sit down long enough to tell me what catagories to enter info in is like putting bamboo splinters under your fingernails. I've been sitting at my computers for days! And while sometimes I enjoy that right now the weather is wonderful and I want to be outside. I do have some trips scheduled for Wed and Thursday to take pictures and I hope to have something wonderful to post when I get back. Oops! now one of the printers is acting up...I'm really getting tired of having ink all over me.
Enough venting for now. This was originally added to the blog in Oct 2008. The above issues have been resolved. All Photos by Pam unless it says otherwise.

Easy open and seal bags my butt!

Who was the person who thought of the easy open and close bags that you get food in at the store? There is nothing easy about those things! If you are lucky you might get the little tear strip off without injury to yourself but then there is the problem that you accidentally tore thru the reclosable strip and now you can't reseal the thing and put it away you either have to transfer it to some other bag or put a clippy on it and hope that doesn't get knocked off. How about making those tear strips large enough to get a hold of with normal size fingers!

photo by Christina

Closets

Why do I think I need so many clothes? I only wear about 10 different outfits all the time! I think I am out of my mind! I just spent an hour cleaning out my closet because I ran out of hangers and I refuse to buy more. giggle, I'd rather be doing what edgy is doing in this pic - snoozin'. photo by Christina

My First Grandchild

This is our little sweetie, Kaylee at 3 months.

Never having had Children of my own was a decision I made when I was very young and playing with dolls. It occured to me that this was not an activity I enjoyed so I stopped. I can say that I have never really regretted the choice to not have children as I believe that not everyone should. I think that if it had happened I would have welcomed it and became a good mother. I have 2 grown step-sons, one who is married and he and his wife had this darling baby girl on my husband and I's 12th wedding anniversary. What a blessing to have a lovely daughter-in-law and now this grandchild. I've been taking pictures of her since a couple hours after she was born and these pictures are from her 3 month birthday. I take so many pictures that I think she will not recognize me if I do not have a camera attached to my face. I'm working toward being able to take even better portraits and events and I'll try and be more diligent in adding them to my blog.

New Type of Portrait

I did a series of these 12 x 12 portraits as Christmas presents. It was a lot of fun doing them and you 2 can have your child, spouse, or pet painted in this wonderful graphic style. Just email me thru my web site artbypamla.com and I'll get a price to you.