View From A Bus

The picture to the right was taken from the side window I hoped to catch the reflection I was seeing and the magazine stand and I was thrilled to get this picture the way I really saw it. The beauty of a great camera!

In case you were wondering if I only took pictures of European men I decided to post some pictures from my bus seat. Since I get bus sick I had the best seat in the house.... sometimes it pays to have a sensitive motion sensor. Much of the driving we did was downright scary from the front seat of a bus.... all those near misses.



I really thought this couple was sweet if you look you will see she is sitting side saddle pretty difficult considering the way these scooters are driven in traffic. Frankly it would scare the heck out of me. The heavy traffic was everywhere. In Athens circle they alternate even and odd days with even and odd license plate numbers to try to keep traffic down.

Hosting the Olympics forced Athens to put in a mass transit system which has made a difference in the pollution levels there. The pollution was so high it was causing damage to the Acropolis. Pollution is still visible to the eye but our guide said it is greatly improved. He also said that some people will buy two cars to get around the even and odd day system... go figure.

I am far from done with the European traffic report... I was amazed, horrified, alarmed, mesmerized and somewhat in awe of the driving I saw from the front seat of a tour bus.

Time for me to go do the dance of life... work today ...waitressing at a wonderful local restaurant. The Gathering Place.

I am also learning to be a Barista for my new job at the Oregon Trail Roasting Co. Here is a link to an article in the local paper with a picture of THE MACHINE and my boss Davis.

http://www.bnd.com/entertainment/restaurants/story/402632.html

Let me tell you being a coffee barista is no easy job making the perfect cappuccino foam takes a lot of practice! After experiencing the perfect cappuccino in Italy I came home pining for one. Life is funny that way pine long enough for a real cappuccino and you get hired to make them....ha ha... life is rich!


In case you are wondering.... YES... I am still doing art!
Are people still buying art ? Good question!

Be well and dance if you get a chance ....whatever the dance might look like.... these are the Sweet Years.

Sweet Hot Years

Okay... I couldn't resist but this title refers MOSTLY to the temperature in Athens the day I took this series of pictures. These hot men were doing the traditional changing of the guard ceremony in 112 degree temperatures. They guard the tomb of the unknown soldier. Their shoes had taps on them so the sound they made while they did this march was wonderful.

The ceremony took about 8 minutes and when they finished there many tourist lined up to take pictures standing next to these soldiers who were not allowed to show any facial expression.

This tourist behaviour bothered me so you won't see any of those pictures. I think they look dignified until someone in shorts goes up to stand next to them. Iwas told if you get to close to them or the tomb they will slam their gun butt down on the ground to warn you away.

They stood in the sun completely still with sweat pouring down their faces. I was brought to tears when one of the soldiers who was not at guard took a towel and very gently wiped the sweat from their faces. His job was also to keep the crowds from being disruptive and interfering with the men who were at guard. This small act of kindness was overwhelming in it's tenderness. That kind of thing will get me every time.

I loved this ceremony and the tomb has been there being guarded since 1932 and is guarded around the clock by soldiers called Evzones. It is a great honor for them to do this and they are punished if they do something wrong. They are not paid but each greek male must do 1 year military service and they must qualify.

These shoes were really amazing... I plan to investigate why they look the way they do...what is the deal with the pom poms I wonder. They sold copies of the shoes in the tourist shops ...go figure.

The Evzones have to be a certain height so all Greek men cannot do this.

This was a very tightly choreographed ceremeony all movements are done in unison ... high stepping ...arm swinging, and guns changing position. I am sure there are technical terms for these movements but I care more for their beauty and majesty than the correct term to call them.

In Greece young men do a a mandatory year of military service and they compete to do this ceremony.

Each change of guard spends 1 hour standing guard this was a brutal temperature to be doing this. I hope they freeze their underclothing before they head out. The 2 guards who marched away at the end of their hour were drenched with sweat.

Did I mention it was hot???

They hold this leg raised position for quite a long time it was impressive. I am not sure how many times they repeat it.

See how high he lifts his feet it is very striking when the foot comes town there is a loud tapping sound as the metal cleats on his shoes touch the ground.

There are many ways to dance .

I hope you enjoyed these pictures of very hot soldiers doing a very tough job.

If your Sweet Years are heating up as we reach the best of summer be glad you aren't dressed like this!

Be well ... remember if there is an opportunity to dance.... high step it!

Sweet Years continued

I decided to investigate the phrase Sweet Years because I like it and my Italian bus driver oozing with machismo was wearing it and I wondered why. Clearly, this man is interesting! So many of you have commented about him I must of not been the only one to notice.

I did a Google search and came up with these bits of information.

There is a clothing line in Italy that is very popular and I am guessing this is where the watch band came from. Here is a link to their site .

http://www.breadandbutter.com/brandbible_summer2008/htdocs/brandbible.php?bpid=266

I warn those of you who have wrote me telling me of your wee bit of crush on my bus driver the guy on the front page of this link is pretty darn cute in a certain swarthy Italian way.

I also discovered a you tube with an Italian beauty singing the link is below. Perhaps my bus driver loves this woman I can certainly see him dancing to the song she sings.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9g5JyvuHfs

The wonder of it is I'll never know which makes the mystery rather grand ... don't you think?

In any case I think the Sweet Years is a commendable message aren't we all living the Sweet Years right now no matter what our age may be.

In my case I like to think they have all been Sweet even the more trying years.

So here's wishing you many Sweet Years in the future and the acceptance of the Sweet Years that you have already lived.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Let the Sweet Years unfold!

Art in Athens

This mural covered the whole side of a building in downtown Athens it was really spectacular and the subtle colors were very beautiful. I suppose it is possible that it was once a much brighter color palette but has faded over time. I went to zap51.com and found the artists website. His name is Alexandros Vasmoulakis and his work is interesting. I like his faces and the colors he uses.

Right Side Bird
These birds were painted by hand on each side of a door into a home decorating business in Athens. They were very intricate and the colors were wonderful. I wanted to hire this company to paint my kitchen. I was unable to read the Greek so I do not know the artist. They were a great addition to the bustling downtown area where there was quite a bit of building repair being done with lots of boarded up areas and netting to cover work areas.

We had free time and wandered the flea markets and discovered mostly tourist crap. A common occurrence for much of my trip something I found frustrating. I wanted to wander the off the beaten track places looking for treasures.But hey if I was going to feel frustrated I might as well do it in the beauty of Greece and Italy.

Left Side Bird

Near downtown on the plaza I loved the Nigerian street vendors selling Prada bags most likely stolen or knock offs they kept up a steady flow "Hello lady" in a lovely accent trying to get and keep my attention. One elderly Greek lady with a lovely smile and an armful of handmade textiles followed me for a block or more trying to sell me a particular tablecloth. I kept saying no... no... no she kept trying and when I pulled my arm out of her hand she started screaming something that sounded a lot like the word failure. Who knew what she was yelling Greek blessings or curses either way it was fascinating. I would of taken her picture but it would of meant buying a tablecloth I didn't want for far too much money.

While in this same plaza I stopped inside a a beautiful old Greek Orthodox church and spent some quiet time and lit a candle in honor of my friend Kent as it was the anniversary of his death. There were just a few candles lit when I entered but by the time I left there were 20 or more it was a very busy church lots of people coming and going saying a quick prayer and lighting a candle. I liked these plazas centered around the old churches they were really very beautiful and most had lovely shade trees.

Dance if you get a chance... remember these are the Sweet Years!

Sweet Years

This is the last set of pictures I took from Italy... our bus driver. He was a compelling person to observe. I loved his style and the way he put himself out in the world. It is almost a week later I am still contemplating what his life is like. Have you ever seen a person that made your imagination come alive. This man is bigger than life.

His watch band said Sweet on one side of the watch and Years on the other side.

I wonder what this statement means to him and why he chooses to wear it. His hands are beautiful and graceful and I wondered if he might be a poet, musician or painter. I would not be surprised to find out he was professional thief, a safe cracker or private detective. His name would be something like Taddeo, Luca, Santi, or Federigo.

Like all our bus drivers he talked on the cell phone while he was driving. This drove me nuts! Managing the traffic seemed like enough of a challenge to me without adding the extra distraction of a cell phone.

He picked the cheesiest station on the radio Italian disco music .. very fun!

I am certain he dances ...he whistled and tapped his fingers to every song...possibly a happy man?

I am a photo stalker I have to admit it but this guy was certainly great fuel for my imagination!

All for now.

Dance if you get the chance remember these are the Sweet Years.

Home Again

I am home and recovered from my trip. The first day back I felt like I had a head stuffed with cotton. 16 hours of sleep made all the difference. Now I am making plans for my upcoming shows and ruminating on some work in progress trying to get back in the routine of work.

My daughter Charlie treated me to the trip to Italy and Greece. With great pride I watched her interaction with her students. She is a great teacher and a lovely woman and I am proud of her. Her 14 students were really fun to spend the nine days with. I was so impressed with them ...what a great group. We were joined by 2 other groups of students one from San Antonio Texas and one from Virginia our group totaled 36 . Having 36 people traveling together was not without it's challenges especially when it came to meal time.

We were kept very busy this trip. I took 620 pictures... do you want to see them? I'll post the best of them over time so you don't get bored with them.

No dancing since my return but tomorrow is a new day!

Be well and dance if you get a moment.

Bye For Now

My hollyhocks are lovely today. I thought I'd share.


I am leaving for Greece this morning.

I'll return on the 25th be prepared for many pictures!

Be well... and don't forget to dance!

Jacque

Fathers Day

It is a hot and sunny morning in Southern Illinois... I am busy making last preparations for my first trip out of the country. Packing light is the challenge of the day. I leave tomorrow and will fly into Greece where I will meet my daughter and 12 high school students from Montana and 4 parents who will participate in the chaperoning of the group. We will be in Greece 3 days and then take a boat to Serronto Italy from there to Rome for 5 days. I am taking my camera and sketch book and leaving all hand work at home. I will also take my i pod loaded with dancing music .... just in case!

My son and I ventured out for his first driving experience last night it was fun to observe his confidence grow as we drove round and round a parking lot. I think he will be a great driver with some practice .... that is easy to say from the safety of an empty parking lot. By the time I get home from my trip he will be driving the roads this is where the real fun begins.

My husband gave my daughter a wonderful birthday present he took her to a 3 day music festival. They took my van, an air mattress, and a huge amount of snacks. I look forward to hearing their stories this afternoon when they return. I did get to hear some BB King over the phone last night. This trip has earned him father of the year in my daughters eyes. I am quite proud of him as well as this trip was not without it's challenges. Today we celebrate Father's Day with Lasagna and chocolate cake!

Be well and have a great week!

If you get a chance to dance... shake a hip!

Jacque

The Jungle Season

The woods around our house are getting thick and will be creeping closer to our house as the days get longer. Yesterday I pushed back the edges of the woods with the mower the first time this year to do so. My son took over my mowing job this year and is still working out the details so doing the edges is not in his skill set... yet. I love to mow so it was with a heavy heart that I relinquished the tractor to him watching the learning curve is a challenge for me I have to be patient and accept some ragged grass here missed patches here and there. He is getting a lot better and I hope the experience will help him when he gets behind the wheel of a car for the first time in a couple of weeks. Yes... driver's training begins!

The woods are loud with all the bird activity there so many new baby birds I can hear their mothers calling out to them teaching them to fly and the sounds of hungry birds still in the nest. It is interesting how I am beginning to recognize the difference in the bird calls.

Yesterday when I mowed I had to stop and let a mother bird get her baby out of the way not once but twice ...same birds even after I avoided the area for a long while to give them a chance to practice. I do love watching these lessons. Baby birds are so vulnerable and very cute. I wonder if mother birds get frustrated.

This spring I have also observed the fierceness of birds as they chase away the hawks from their babies and have to marvel at their courage and determination. I tell my kids this is a great indicator of how mothers can love their children.... fiercely! In my perfect world all mothers would be this way.

We have AC just in time as someone turned up the heat outside ! The repairmen left Friday about 5pm and they worked hard all day. I ended up with some unexpected holes in my closet and bedroom ceiling they will come patch and paint them next week.

I am looking for some good fiction to take on my trip to Italy .... any suggestions out there?
I would love to hear some.

Last week I bought a big book titled Amber Forever a book I have seen many times but avoided because I didn't like the name and it looked like a romance novel but a clerk handed it to me and said this is a great and very long historical fiction perfect for a long flight... a bestseller in 16 countries as well .... so I bought it and will save it for the trip. I'll let you know !

My daughter left on her band trip early Saturday morning she arrives in Boston today it will be fun to hear her adventures along the way! So far it has been a lot of bus travel.

My oldest daughter called at 1 am last night to tell me that she just met Bill Clinton's at the Mo Club ( Missoula Club) a pub I used to hang out at almost 30 years ago... GREAT burgers! She was surprised to see him there campaigning for Hilary my brave girl put her hand on his back to talk to him... the secret service men told her not to touch him. He turned around they spoke a few minutes and he thanked her for her work as a teacher and reached out and shook her hand. She called to tell me thinking it would be a fun message to wake up to. My phone is rarely at my bedside table so she was surprised when I answered. What an odd phone call! I was groggy and said something like... " Okay .... well thanks for letting me know"... Funny! I look forward to hearing the rest of the story today. I do think it is interesting that Bill Clinton was at the Mo club at midnight.

Yesterday I finished my piece for Tomme Fent's grab bag challenge.... well mostly finished ....I'll sew on the sleeve and label today during the baseball game. .. Go Cards! All the participants put together a bag of fabrics and other embellishments they wanted to see someone use in an art quilt. We sent the bags to Tomme who redistributed them to us. We had to design and then create a 20 x 20 art quilt for someone without knowing who they were. I look forward to seeing what someone did with the fabrics and embellishments I selected for my bag. This was fun and challenging! I really enjoyed not knowing who I was making a quilt for. After the quilts get distributed I will post a picture of the piece I made so you can see it but I can't do it before the new owner receives it.

Happy Sunday !

Be well and dance if you get a chance!

Trials of Living in a Damp House

I couldn't write a new post without a picture. Here is a picture of what dry looks like this is eastern Montana in late summer. My daughter took this picture and I made a piece for her for a fund raiser from it. So I would like to have something between Eastern Montana dry and Southern Illinois humid especially in my house.


The new Air Conditioner is getting installed today and the timing couldn't be better it has been really humid the past few days and my bed is very damp from the humidity.

Two nice men are hard at it already sawing and banging hammers. My big dog Gracie is quite put out because she hears them but doesn't know who they are or what they are doing. She is watching the floor with great concentration and tipping her head from side to side in listening posture. Funny dog!

I know this... damp sheets like to twist and it feels like I am sleeping in lotion which might be good for the skin but frankly I haven't noticed a big improvement.

The house smells like the poop side of a barn. I have a sensitive nose so humidity is pretty stinky especially with 2 dogs and 2 teenagers in the house.

My work doesn't glide on the surface of my sewing table in fact it sticks... A LOT!

Dancing is a lot harder when it's humid... very hard to breathe. Then my legs like to stick together and it is hard to sweat. UGH!

On the positive side cold beer tastes very good!

More storms are headed our way and the heat has arrived so it will be good to be able to turn on the AC. If all goes well tonight the house will be a lot drier.

Enjoy the day!

If you get the chance dance!