Dread & Delight

It was a beautiful fall day for a trip to Weatherspoon Art Museum in Greensboro with my older daughter and my older sister-in-law. (I'm feeling quite young after writing that sentence.)

The whole title of the exhibit we went to see is "Dread & Delight: Fairy Tales in an Anxious World." Although fairy tales were originally "riddled with sexual innuendo, child abuse and all manner of violent scenarios" (Tom Patterson in The Winston-Salem Journal, November 11, 2018), I much prefer the simple fairy tales of my childhood. I confess I had a sense of anxiety and couldn't even finish reading the descriptions of some of the artistic depictions.

 Without further ado, here are some pics ... none of which are R-rated or too dreadful. Enjoy!
 

(Rapunzel) Ties of Protection and Safekeeping. MK Guth

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"What is worth protecting?" Participants wrote their responses on red flannel ribbons which tied the synthetic hair braids.

(Little Red Riding Hood) If We Believe in Theory, by Xaviera Simmons.

Individual boys and girls were given the hooded cape and wicker basket and just one prompt: to tell the photographer where the wolf was.

Hansel and Gretel, by Tom Otterness

"Otterness creates a scene that is engagingly playful but reminds us that, for many children, the joy of play is not a given."

(Cinderella) The Ice Queen, by Ana Teresa Fernandez

High heels made from ice, worn while standing over a street grate until they melted away! (This was actually a video of the shoes slowly melting.) "Her Cinderella exhibits the physical and mental strength to withstand and ultimately walk away from the pain of her own accord."

(Cinderella) Motherload, by Timothy Horn

This was created "in response to the life story of a woman named Alma Spreckles.... Alma was a lowly laundress when she met and married the heir to a sugar fortune. Her 'rags to riches' story, however, did not bring her a life filled with joy. This real-life Cinderella found that happiness is really quite fragile." (The carriage is covered in crystallized rock candy!)

That's yours truly on the left with my daughter Anna.

Now onto a few other pieces of art that caught my eye in the museum.

Kill for Peace, by Carol Summers. A protest against the war in Viet Nam.

Mirror/Vortex by Robert Smithson. I took the photo looking down into the mirrors.

Animals, by Andy Warhol. I took this for my husband the farmer. :)

Next, some "people" photos.

And then it was outside for a short stroll to some deliciousness.

A gorgeous blue sky overhead and two dear family members at my side. Life is good!

A Perfect Day

At various times today, I said to myself or right out loud, "What a day! What a perfect day!" This evening, as I was thinking I should blog about it, I remembered I'm working on the Children's Devotional for the September issue of Forsyth Family Magazine. Its working title? "What a Day!" I guess it just goes to show you need to experience what you preach.

I had no agenda today, no to-do list. Of course there were kitties to feed and breakfast to get on the table and then dishes to wash, but after that the day just rolled out, smoothly, a bit at a time. Actually, the first big smile of the day was right after breakfast when the mail came. Look at my new mouse pad from Shutterfly.

My family! A smile every time I sit at my computer :)

The cookie jar was empty, so I decided to make chocolate chip cookies. Instead of making the whole recipe, I went with a half batch. That means there aren't any extras to put in the freezer, but it was a good decision. And, if I do say so myself, Yum!

I have fresh peaches, thanks to Beth and Edith making a trip to the fruit stands the other day, so I decided to make a peach cake. It's not a fancy cake, but it's easy and delicious. I have the recipe written on a slip of paper, but I don't know where I originally got it. The recipe here is the same except for the following: Whisk the eggs in the bowl and add 1 tsp. vanilla. Then add the other ingredients (except the peaches and nuts) and stir by hand. (No beaters to wash). I used only 1/2 tsp salt. When it's all combined, then gently stir in the peaches and nuts. Bake as directed.

Music blasting from the living room kept me bopping all day long. Casting Crowns,The Beach Boys, Selah, Lady Antebellum, Kutless - good stuff!

Weldon came in about 4:00 and asked if I could come help him for a few minutes. Nothing was in the oven or cooking on the stove, so off I went. He was working on the baler and my job was to slip a bolt on either end of the big roller when he got it in position. Unfortunately, that never happened. That sucker is HEAVY!

The good news is that neighbor Clay stopped to help. I hurried out with some cake for him to take home. The bad news is that the bolt Weldon had didn't fit or wasn't just right in some way. The good news is that, after supper, he was able to get a bolt in town, so hopefully he can put it back together tomorrow. We're ending on the good news!

When I went out to feed the kitties, my heart almost stopped beating. There was Adorable (French pronunciation, please)! She has been gone for three or four days! She was coming across the yard, leaning into each cat she met, as though to say, "I'm home! I've missed you." She was a little thinner than usual, but otherwise looked good. She just kept leaning in for snuggles. So sweet!

Adorable (pictured) and Beatrice are the only two left from the first-ever batch of attic kitties :)

Today was an all-around beautiful day. Every time I went outside, I stretched my arms out in airplane mode and let the sun do its warming thing. I was glad I didn't have to be out there working, but I love the sensation of the sun soaking in a bit. Haiti memories :) Not only was the day lovely; my heart was calm, peaceful, and content. Beautiful.

What a day! What a perfect day!