Greetings From Sunny Southern California!

Today is the last day of my "vacation."

I am a substitute teacher and today is the last "free" day I have to do whatever I want before I go back to work on Monday.

Everyone says, "wow, lucky you, you have three weeks off!" which yes, is nice, only I don't get paid for that time off so my next paycheck will be yikes ultra small.

The fun part, though, is that yes, we were able to do some nice things during that time.

How come I never remember to take pictures?

Everyone else takes pictures of everywhere they go, including places I would not think of taking pictures of, and then they make great photos and great posts.

Oh well. I am hoping one day I will learn.

For now, the only time I can get pics is if my hubby takes them, which he loves to do.

During our time off, of which my hubby also had a week off, we took my dad to the corporate headquarters of "In-N-Out."

I think In-N-Out is mostly only in California and that they are beginning to branch out a bit going east, so if you are not from here, particularly Southern California, you might not have heard of In-N-Out, but over here, they are super famous for great burgers. And at this particular store in Baldwin Park, they have company offices located several yards away from the restaurant, as well as a store that sells merchandise with their great artwork.

My dad loves In-N-Out, so we thought it would be fun to make a little outing of it to take him to go eat and then look at the company store.

Yes, I know.

Other teachers are spending their vacations going to Hawaii, Europe, or on a cruise.

Me, I go out to eat a burger and look at stores.

Anyway, the above photo is a pic of me and my dad, and if I do say so myself, I can't believe how beautiful my hair looks!

I know how that sounds, only you don't know how much trouble my hair always gives me, so yes, I am going to get thrilled and comment on how beautiful my hair looks. ;D

My hubby was taking pictures all over the place, but I really liked how this sign came out:

It includes one of my favorite images, which is of L.A.'s famous palm trees.

I don't know why I love them so much. Maybe because they are such an iconic symbol of beautiful, sunny, Southern California, and all the dreams they hold.

So I also included a photo of the real thing:

That's so I can show my cousin, who just moved back to the east coast, all she is missing.

She said that today the weather was going to move from freezing all the way up to 43 degrees.

Over here we have been enjoying sunny weather in the upper 80's, although today it moved down to a chilly 75 degrees.

HA HA!

Just had to rub it in, Cuz!

Hope you all had a great holiday time and that your New Year is already off to a good start!

'Til later,

Carol B.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all.

And to those who are missing someone this day,

may they still be in all your hopes and dreams.

Love,

Carol B.

Pomona Art Colony

Ok, so is this a beautiful painting or what?

It is just a small part of a mural that is painted on a building located in the Pomona Art Colony. A friend of mine was showing a couple of her paintings in the Pomona Valley Art Association so my hubby and I went down there to see them. Wish I could show them to you but not allowed to take photos.

My husband took a lot of other photos of this area and this mural was one of them. It's so large he couldn't take a photo of the whole thing without having to go so far back that you wouldn't really be able to see the details, so he photographed parts of it.

This was my favorite figure in the mural. Here is a close up:

Still not anywhere as magnificent as if you saw it in person.

Wish I could list the artist but couldn't find the name.

Whoever you are, you are fantastic!

If you're ever in the area, go check it out. There's lots of galleries and cool campy boutiques.

Now that we're inspired, let's go back and paint!

'Til later,

Carol B.

Sunny and Grateful

"3 For You And Me"

Mixed Media on cardboard

8 1/2 x 11

It's freezing here in L.A.!

Ok. So it's 64 degrees.

I know that is sissy weather for many of you who are in areas that are honest to goodness freezing. But for us here in Los Angeles it is freezing!

Yes, when it comes to weather, we are sissies.

But looking at this painting with its brilliant warm colors makes me feel nice and toasty!

(Colors more brilliant in person).

(Honest).

I am sitting here in my room with the curtains open wide and I am bundled in my socks and sweats to keep warm, but even though it's cold, the sun is shining in so bright! It's clear and beautiful outside, so yes, I am grateful.

Hope everything is good for you.

And yes, cousin Karen, when you are spending your Christmas truly freezing in the Northeast, I will be thinking of you here in Sunny L.A!

HA HA!

Love,

Carol B.

Painting Free

"Through Any Window"

Mixed Media on paper

18x24

I have been having a great time with this new style of painting.

New to me, that is.

No boundaries.

No limits.

What I am working on in life, as well as in my painting.

I started out with this background:

Actually went through several transformations.

It is teaching me not to be afraid of making a mistake.

Instead of hesitating, afraid to make one "wrong" brush mark, backing away in fear and putting the work aside, I now go for it, painting what I feel, and if it doesn't work, painting over it and working it again.

Now to do that in life!

I added my person:

Her closeup:

The painting is too big to scan so the colors are not exact, but you get the idea.

Painting Free!

Peace.

Carol B.

A Letter To My Mom

It is over two and a half months since my mother died.

But I am having a hard time because my feelings are stuck and I can't get that it's real.

So I live in this land where I wander around like maybe there's something wrong but I don't know what.

Yesterday was not a very good day.

So this morning I wrote a letter to my mom, hoping it will help.

I am posting it here.

It is very early in the morning, when it is still dark outside and when things seem ok that might not seem ok later on when it gets light.

But I'm going to put it here anyway, hoping that if I send it out in cyberspace it might make it seem more real than when I sit here with my feelings, all by myself in the dark.

Forgive me if it seems too personal or if what I am saying sounds weird.

I am just trying to get myself to understand.

Mom,

Why did you die?

I don't know what to think.

I couldn't stand seeing you die.

I couldn't stand seeing you suffer.

I know you aren't suffering anymore, but I still see when you were suffering and there was nothing I could do.

At the same time things are bugging me because I can't see that you really died.

I can't see it as having happened at all.

I keep thinking you are just off visiting Aunt Alice and that you haven't come back yet and now it's getting later and later and where are you?

How come you haven't come back?

Dad is lonely and needs you.

But you aren't coming back, are you?

You really honestly died and are buried in the ground and you are not coming back.

And yet, even as I write this I just can't see it as being true, which is why this is such a bug for me because I am stuck in this feeling that you are off visiting your sister and when are you coming back?

But you are not coming back, are you?

Are you really in heaven?

Are you really with God?

Are you really with Jesus?

Is it all really real?

Are you happy being there?

I think I miss you.

My pants aren't hemmed.

I need them for work and my pants aren't hemmed because you aren't here.

You aren't going to be here for Thanksgiving, are you?

You aren't going to be here for Joe's birthday, are you?

You aren't going to be here for Janine's birthday, are you?

You aren't going to be here for Christmas, are you?

You aren't going to be here for Dionna's birthday, are you?

You aren't going to be here for Dad's birthday, are you?

And you aren't going to be here for Mother's Day, are you?

What am I going to do then, if I don't have a mother?

You aren't going to be here for Eric's birthday, are you?

You aren't going to be here when Eric and Janine finally get married and have your great-grandbabies, are you?

And you aren't going to be here for my birthday, are you?

Ever again.

Year after year, you won't be here, ever again.

I miss you.

Love,

Carol

Love, Always

Happy Birthday, Steven.

May your creative light shine on me always!

Love,

Carol B.