Art & Artists

If you have followed our blog for some time, you will know that we encourage the children strongly when it comes to art (and music, and science, and literature, and....)

Today I took the children out to a small art exhibition, with art by Thom Van Benschoten. They were intrigued by the detail in Van Benschoten's pencil and pen-and-ink drawings.

Some of the places portrayed looked oddly familiar, but set in a different time...

Some stories portrayed were fun to talk about...

Some places portrayed, we've seen...

And some of the artwork was original for sale...

Some was particularly impressive to the little boys...

Some was nostalgic.

All of it was lovely, and so very finely detailed.

Mr V.B. had included a few pencil portraits of children as examples, for anyone who would like a pencil portrait of their own families. The prices were reasonable, but my children were amazed that someone would pay so much for something "anyone" could do.

I said, "'Anyone' could do that? Do you think so?"

Joman said, "Well, YOU can, Mom."

I said, "Well, first of all, I'm not 'anyone,' and second, I'd have to work a really long time before I could do so well. But you guys take note: work on your talents, and you can have a job you enjoy doing, and make a living at it."

We have been working at home a little bit, here and there. I got out some watercolors we've had for a few years, and a very good botanical art book, and gave it a try. I wish we had time to sit and paint more often.

Inspiration from the book

Inspiration from the garden

Of course, if a child is inclined to be arty, they will always find a way. :-)

Kater-Gater's Birthday -- Summer Photos part 3

Apologies for the overabundance of baby photos, following. She's so cute. I culled as many as I could. :-)

In August, Katy turned 1. We had a small party for her.

I'm going to let Woby narrate these photos for you.

Wook! Gamma! Arin! Emmy! Joe! Wook! Cookies!

Bebe Teetee! Emmy, book!

Bebe Teetee's open pesents!

Teetee's Bunny! Mmm, bunny!

Wook! Cookies, cookies! Ha ha ha! Beer cake, heart!

Daddy and Bebe Teetee.

Toby, Bebe Teetee, one, cake! Cake beer!

Bebe Teetee in high cheer!

Peetchure Bebe Teetee! Bye bye!

Summertime Photos Part 2

Miss Rose and I joined a group that makes "6-hour Quilts" for charity. There is a specific method to making this kind of quilt, but it's quite simple, and we have enjoyed learning how.

Later in July, we held our first annual family birthday party. With seven (soon to be eight) people celebrating birthdays each year, we thought it might be a lot more fun to celebrate with the small family on the date (most of us with winter birthdays,) and have one big party for everyone in the summer, when it's nice outside.

Activites for everyone: marshmallow shooters (and wars,) painted flower baskets, painted wooden snakes and lizards, and games like cornhole and soccer.

We ate a lot of food, then had a fabulous magic show, then ate a lot more food.

For some reason, Grandpa always, always gets picked as a volunteer. He's had worse assignments than this one, I promise you.

Hee. Cute babies.

Summertime Photos Part 1

It's almost the end of summer. Can you believe it? We actually had quite a busy summer, although I didn't post much on the blog. Just thought I'd share a few pictures with you, of things you probably haven't seen yet.

Roks turned five years old. Around the same time, he changed his name to Flower Rocket Star, but that was too long to put on his requested "colorful soccer ball" cake.

Aunty Hannah and Uncle Steve sent this Butterfly Garden kit, and oh, my...did he ever love it. Roks' favorite thing in the entire universe is "callerpilters." He is a man obsessed. We ordered the painted lady caterpillars, and he raised them all successfully to beautiful butterflies. Now he talks incessantly of chrysalises and butterfly life cycles. Thanks Aunty Hannah and Uncle Steve!

In July, we made another trip up to Amish Country. I had intended to do a post entirely about this trip, but I guess I won't ever get around to it. So here are the photos with some brief descriptions.

Best food in the county. Guggisberg.

Pie, of course. Very important.

While we were eating, a big storm blew up, with clouds barely clearing the ground. There was a tornado warning, and a howling wind. But in just a few minutes, it was over. When we went outside half-an-hour later, the temperature had dropped about 20 degrees and it was just lovely outside.

Cutie. :-)

Guggisberg Cheese Factory.

These folk sit across the street from the cheese factory and sell their wares. The elderly man is Old Order Amish, and the girl selling baskets with her little brother is from one of the strictest sects of Amish, the Swartzentrubers.

I don't know what this is. But it was friendly.

Granny's quilts. Love this place. Got that pattern I was after, too.

$500.00, and this Amish buggy is yours.

We ate with this Amish family, the Masts. They host dinners in their home.

Here are the buggies of their grown children and grandbabies, who came to help serve, eat, and clean up dinner.

We spent some time relaxing by the pond at Guggisberg Swiss Chalet.

This is one of the many one-room Amish schoolhouses. We were able to see many Amish teens playing sports on the weekend too, and very many families gathered together to cook out and picnic in the front yards. I don't think we saw a front porch without someone young or old sitting, a-rocking on it.

These are buzzards, and they were eating raccoon road-kill before we pulled up.

The end.