Check out my Art Blog

http://robertnelsonart.blogspot.com/

Now This is a Traditional Christmas

According to the jokes(as in "The Family Dog"), the husband is supposed to get a new tie(s) for Christmas. Well, I did. Four of them to be exact, all from my loving wife. She thought I needed them. Number three here is a print of the Van Gogh painting "Cypress Trees".


So, of course, I give her what I think she needs. Somehow that always translates into something I secretly want. But, being a man, what better gift is there than a new power tool. . .or at least a power generator.
And thus the traditions continue. I'm sure I'll enjoy her gift very much. Merry Christmas to all!

The Allegory of the Rose Garden

Sometimes life seems warm and glowing . . .

Then, one dark and stormy night, adversity comes around . . .
Often it makes us feel lost, and we can't see the light . . .
We sometimes feel laden down, deformed, and overly burdened by life . . .
Or the trial seems to drain the very fluid of our soul . . .
We often can feel alone when our heads are frosted and grey . . .
Yet, neighbors are sometimes burdened even more . . .
Adversity happens regardless of size, age, shape, or color . . .
But our burdens will always fall by the wayside . . .
And when all seems darkest, coldest, and lost . . .
We may have bent, almost been broken . . .
But when we reach for the "Son" . . .
We will be raised in a new cycle and be refreshed . . .
And our own light will glow through, again . . .
To join with His Light, to be glorious evermore . . .

A few Uinta photos

Creation of "Middle Earth"

Begin with a masonite board painted with gesso and powdered marble. Block in the shapes in sepia tones.November 14, 2007, adding the mountains and distant trees.
Jan. 12th detail--
Jan. 12, 2008
Jan. 24, 2008
Feb. 3, 2008
Feb. 25, 2008


Detail of rock, March 31st
Nearly finished, July 4th

Springtime in the Rockies

The mountain smelled so fresh. One can feel the quickening of spring. At this altitude summer comes later. Especially this year.

Sunrise

My favorite time of day is sunrise. Today found me at the North Ogden pool where I swam into the sunrise. Strangely, I've never done that before. I had the pool all to myself (and a couple of seagulls on the fence who seemed disgruntled). Though I rested often, I swam for 45 minutes, watching the light slide across a few clouds until, reaching under them, it set Mt. Ben Lomond's snow on fire. Then the light rose above the clouds, and Ben Lomond went back to sleep. I don't have the vocabulary to describe the colors. I felt so alive. However, I learned, again, that atrophy is a terrible thing. They say a storm is coming in tomorrow. I've never had the joy of swimming in a storm before, either. If they'll stay open, I gotta try it.

A Thought From My Youthful Gatherings

William Ellery Channing wrote:

To live content with small means,
To seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion;
To be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich;
To study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly;
To listen to stars and birds, to babes and sages, with open heart;
To bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never.
In a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common.
This is to be my symphony.

Think You Are Having a Bad Day?

Some of these have got to hurt in the morning, but I found them funny. So much for my maturity.

A Thought for Food - for Thought

Julia Cameron wrote:
"Only recently recognized as an addiction, workaholism still receives a great deal of support in our society. The phrase 'I'm working' has a certain unassailable air of goodness and duty to it. The truth is we are very often working to avoid ourselves, our spouses, our real feelings. . . Play can make a workaholic very nervous. Fun is scary."
My favorite memories are the times we had fun together. When we worked together, it was fun.

Quenching Spring Fever

Came home from school on this warm afternoon fired up to get spring rolling, determined to start the annual fruit tree pruning. Snow still on the ground so I put on my irrigation black rubber boots that come to the tops of my calves. Oiled the lopping shears and headed for the peach trees. I was so eager, so excited. The sun was warm on my face and I unbuttoned my jacket. By the time I got to the first tree in line, snow had filled my boots and my feet were wet. Soon they were freezing. I got one tree mostly done and had to quit. I did find the buried water hose for the horses and thawed it out so they could have fresh water, though. Then a friend came to visit and gave me an excuse to wait for a couple more days. My spring fever has abated and cooled a little until my feet warm up, but by Friday will be raging again I'm sure.

TOUCHES I LOVE

Touches on the outside:

Grass under bare feet
Fingers in my hair
Sunshine on my shoulders
A child's hand
A spouse's hand
Breezes through my shirt
Rolling sweat
Blue-white winter days' sharpness against my cheek
A horse's muzzle
A cat's tongue
A dog's fur at the base of his ear
A horse's heart beat between my legs
Water sliding along my body when swimming
Cool summer sheets
Warm winter fleece
Silk
Satin
Flannel
Bread on my tongue
A roll in the snow when super heated
A waterfall on my head and shoulders
A snowflake on my nose
An autumn leaf resting in my palm
A massage
A full stream from the tap on my toes
Hugs
Kisses
The weight of quilts in winter and nothing in summer
Cozy sleeping bags
Tugs on the belaying line
An all over brush scratching
The grip of a butterfly
Skinny dipping

Touches on the inside:

Music
Laughter
"Heart sneezes"
A nice meal
Learning
Hugs and Kisses
Love
Light and color
Exercise
Rhythm
A good reading book
Chuckles
Things of the Spirit