Cunniforms to Blinking Cursors

In 1972 I was an art student taking drawing classes in Sherzer Hall at Eastern Michigan University, last week I returned to Sherzer Hall for a drawing class at the age of 72. It took me seventeen years to get my bachelor of fine arts degree than two masters degrees in my sixties and now, having taught at EMU for eight years, I’m returning to the thing that started it all those years ago, drawing.

When I applied for admission to the art school I was interviewed by Kingsley Calkins, department head at the time. I took in my little portfolio of the few things I’d drawn and painted, one was a watercolor of a fall landscape (8 x 10). I varnished it, framed it and it hung on the wall of our home for many years. I might still have it tucked away in one of my folders of old work. I also still have my original acceptance letter, it is a signpost of my life, one of those moments when you really feel good about yourself, something you have accomplished all on your own. Even though I’ve accomplished pretty much everything I’ve set out to do, this one moment, this one letter was the beginning.

Now, for class this coming Tuesday I’m supposed to find a new artist or new website, some avant-garde example and be ready to share with the class. However, I was curious about the art of Kingsley Calkins, I really didn’t remember what type of art he did. I can see his face and almost hear his voice because for my last class, after taking classes for seventeen years, I took a study abroad class in Paris, with Kingsley Calkins, Sharon Harrison, and Richard Fairfield in May of 1987. So, I did a Google search and found one image and an Oral History Interview with Kingsley Mark Calkins, 1979 June 19 done by the Smithsonian Archives of American Art. I then searched the ARTstore database on the Halle library website and found nothing. That is such a shame since he was department head for many years.

Then I pulled out my journal from the Paris trip that was part of our homework from Kingsley Calkins. I saved the note King and Sharon wrote about my journal, it brought tears to my eyes as I read them because they are both gone now.

I need to get back to the ‘little brown” drawing that is also due Tuesday. I’ll insert it here when it’s done. I also have to finish prepping for my writing classes.

Loved this little trip down memory lane. Blessings!

I haven’t written in my blog since this past July, between the garden, the yard, the house, and then teaching three classes and consulting for the Writing Center at EMU there wasn’t any time left for my blog. It took me twenty minutes to figure out how to even get here with passwords and a new site. As I said in my Holiday letter: this past year has brought about many changes in my life.

First, I bought a small house in January. It is perfect for me, with three bedrooms and a family/dining area off the kitchen with a fireplace. I love having a fire in the evening, it’s very comforting and calming after a long day of teaching and consulting. The smallest room is my office, where I grade, write, and have room to draw, create all kinds of projects. The house also has a full unfinished basement that is great for storage, laundry and my summer furniture along with a few plants.

The second big change, was the passing of Tobias Lorenzo, my little Yorkie of almost sixteen years, on April 9th. I was devastated. He went almost everywhere with me and had almost as many flying miles as I do. He is buried in the backyard in his own little garden next to my tiny barn.

The third biggest change was adopting a rescue puppy. Little Orphan Annie came into my life on May 19^th. She was born in Corpus Cristi, Texas on January 17^th, the same day I bought the house, my mom and dad’s anniversary, and Michelle and Richard’s anniversary. The universe picked her for me! She came to Bottle Babies Rescue and I picked her up at Pet Smart in Dearborn. She is now eleven months old and still in training. Being half Yorkie and half Havanese (we think) she’s stubborn, smart, and a little beasti-girl! It took me about four years to train Toby and it looks like it will take just as long to train this little twelve-pounder.

This year for Thanksgiving we all met at my oldest son’s home in the Kansas City area. It was a special time with my three children and seven of the eight grandkids. The Sunday before Thanksgiving I picked up my granddaughter in Cleveland and she stayed with me until we drove to KC on Wednesday. She talked me into buying matching PJs for the grandkids and me. My sister bought the girls matching socks and the guys matching hats.

As you can see above, it turned out to be a very special moment for the McCombs/Dobson Thanksgiving Sleepover!

We had not all been together for eleven years, at that time the two youngest girls were only two and now they are thirteen! One of them is taller than me, of course, most of my grandchildren are taller than me.

What does 2019 hold? Who knows, I don’t see how it could top 2018.

My Potager! I’ve harvested lettuce, snow peas, green beans and Hungarian peppers. Tomatoes will be soon. I’m sitting on the deck, the robins and other birds singing to me. It’s supposed to be another 88+ degree day. Grateful for the breeze.

Lorrie & I had a relaxing time at Cindy’s Manchester fireworks party last night. Let the fireworks begin, boomers and all the spectacular colorful designs bursting in the night sky!

Summertime and Annie’s training continues , , ,

Five and a half months old and she chews on everything and anything. However, she is the cutest!

This entry is going to be a short one. I’m just trying to get myself writing on this blog more consistantly. So until next time, have a SAFE and FUN 4th of July!

I bought a small three-bedroom ranch on January 17th. I moved in, over a couple weeks in February, with my little Yorkie, Toby. I had help from many relatives and friends. I finished, redoing the front of the fireplace, painting, and unpacking all of the boxes sometime in March. On April 9th I had to have my little Toby put down. He had an enlarged heart, a tumor, and his seizures were getting worse. He would have been sixteen on May 1. It was the hardest thing I’ve done in a very long time. I cried for two weeks, every time I thought of all the things we did together, including the move to the new house. He had almost as many flying miles as I do.  He now lies in his own little garden by the little barn in the backyard.

It’s now June 6th. I’ve built and planted a Potager (French for kitchen garden). I’ve transplanted hostas, lilies, iris, and lily of the valley to all parts of my yard. I’ve moved dirt from the front gardens to the Potager frames and back gardens. I’ve mowed the yard now several times. And, I’ve adopted a little rescue puppy. She is a four and a half -month old Yorkie mix born on January 17th in Corpus Cristi, Texas. Yes, her birth date has a lot of significance, not only is it the day I bought the house but also was my parent’s wedding anniversary, the day my dad passed away and my daughter’s anniversary date. The Universe has a way of providing us with exactly what we need when we need it. I call her Lil’ Orphan Annie! A new chapter of my life begins.

And now, I finally have time to write on my blog again.

The Potager idea came about when my brother tagged me in a Facebook post when I first moved into the house. I decided that was what I wanted to do for my garden area. I started with the sandbox frame left in the backyard and made four more frames to go with it. Here are a few shots of the progression from one frame to five, as the half moon shape of the North edge of my Potager was revealed.

It took a couple months to complete. I did it in stages, building the frames, removing the sod, and finally moving dirt from the front gardens to the Potager frames with my new two-wheel wheelbarrow. The stone also came from the front gardens. When I had the house inspected, I was informed that the front gardens were too high on the foundation and that they needed to be excavated so they drained away from the house. YES! a lot of work, however, I didn’t have to buy any dirt or wood for this project.  The sandbox frame was already there and all of the wood for the other frames and the bench came from behind my little barn. All I had to buy were the lag bolts to put them all together. I am a do-it-yourself person, I come from a family who knows “the art of making do” and I needed to work with my hands; my form of therapy.

In the right big frame of my Potager, I’m growing green beans, peppers, peas and lettuce. The middle frame has four different kinds of tomatoes. The left large frame has rhubarb, zucchini, squash, spinach, beets, and sunflowers. The two smaller frames have herbs: cilantro, sage, oregano, basil, thyme, and rosemary. I picked some of the lettuce yesterday for my salad! All of the hard work is well worth it as I begin to harvest. Now, when I sit on the bench in the morning with my cup of coffee and Annie’s playing in the mulch, I have my own meditation space surrounded by all the growing energy.

Today