Greetings! This is my place for art and thinking. The images I find out in the world and close to home are sometimes put here. I like to smile and hence like to find images that are smileworthy. I'm also a bit melancholy sometimes and hence you might find images of solitude and loneliness.
Virginia Museum of History & Culture Hosts St Emma & St Francis de Sales Event
Enslavement to Empowerment
On February 18, 2023, St. Emma Military Academy and St. Francis de Sales High School will be highlighted in an event hosted by the Virginia Museum of History & Culture. If you've followed my blog for the last couple of years you might remember images of the ruins of the two schools. The property began its story as a plantation using enslaved people to build and maintain the large estate. In the 1890s Katherine Drexel (later St. Katherine) and her half-sister's husband Edward Morrell bought the property and founded the two high schools, St Emma (boys) and St Francis de Sales (girls) for African Americans and Natives. St Emma was the only military academy for Blacks in the U.S. The two schools graduated more than 15,000 in 70+ years of their existence.
The schools are crumbling and in ruins but the alumni are energized and doing their best to ensure the memories and legacies of the two schools remain alive. The event at the Museum will include photos from years past, an alumni discussion panel, and an historical presentation. I encourage you to come to the event, parking is easy (right behind the museum) and the information will be cool. Imagine a military high school in the middle of the woods...isolated, focused, and proud. Their last Commandant was Father Egbert Figaro, an inspirational leader whose imprint remains!
For more information and tickets ($20) please click the link. This is an important part of Virginia and U.S. history, one that must not be forgotten.
Cadet Alums of St Emma Military AcademyCadets talking at an event in front of St Emma in 2022.
St Emma & St Francis de Sales PosterPoster advertising event at Virginia Museum of History & Culture
Riverview of MansionKnown as the Big House during the years that St Emma was active
Virginia Museum of History & Culture
Introducing Mae Leslie Myer
Our granddaughter, Mae, is home with her parents and doing awesome. She is ensuring Kirsten and Paul are accustomed to her schedule and her wardrobe needs. Some concern about sleep seems to exist in the house despite the example Mae is setting, Paul and Kirsten are sleepy eyed. Mae and Simba are getting along famously and Mae is melting the hearts of all she meets. I remembered my camera and managed to snap a few. She dozed off while she was posing...I've had the problem with many of my models. Sigh.
A Granddaughter is Born!
Magic was in the air when we met, Mae, our one day old granddaughter yesterday. She is a tiny ball of wonder and had everyone smiling as she stretched and yawned and squirmed in our arms. She and the mom and the dad are healthy and a little tired. I will take and post some images in the coming days if the parents are okay with it. Time goes by so quickly that before you know it, she'll be driving a car.
Welcome to the world, Mae. You will make it a better place!!
The image is a Christmas tabletop village scene taken with a macro lens and then fiddled with a bit.
Holiday SceneTable Top Holiday Village
Winter
Winter fell softly like
The tears from my swollen eyes;
Sun crushed by quiet.
The Holidays come at us fast! And LOUD...endless traffic, honking horns, brazen lane changes, caroling, excited little voices, Hallmark movies, "everything's on sale," and more and more and more. Sometimes it's like we're drowning, immersed, surrounded by the sights and sounds of this happy, over scheduled month. But not for everyone; for some, life's fabric is torn...missing loved ones, pets, relationships, places, friends that used to mesh to help soften the din. Quiet isn't refuge or peace but a crashing silence of alone. The gift of time and caring might help, and we can give those without sales or coupons.
Day's EndSun setting over a flock of ducks in the winter.
Last Night My Hair Turned White
For years I've avoided mirrors, not on purpose, just, well...because. When I retired, so did my need for GQ. Not that I ever was GQ, I just needed a mirror to get all the buttons buttoned properly. After retirement, well, I wear shirts without buttons for the most part. I digress.
This morning and I'm not sure why, I looked at a picture of me that someone took last weekend and Oh! My! God! My hair is white!! WHITE! It was just a day or two ago when I was in the barber's chair and saw a tiny bit of grey. So...I'm pretty sure that some NOAA-induced super-snow cloud brought a cold, freezing breeze into my room last night and left me with this Jack Frost do! People will not recognize me. And law enforcement!! If they look at the me on my driver's license, they will arrest the new me for kidnapping the pictured me.
But then I look at my profile and the plot (and me) has thickened! And, I have a beard. It's white, too!! Maybe I am taking on the earthborn persona of Tim Allen's Santa Clause. It can't be that I'm getting old...too, too many things still to do. Are those cookies?
Snow!Snow fall in my front yard several years ago