Wednesday, September 11, 2013

New Work and Anniversary trip to New Mexico!


(Above:  Signature block on Stained Glass L.  Click on any image in this blog post to enlarge.)

Today my mat board delivery came in the morning.  By the afternoon I had two newly finished Lunette Series pieces mounted ... plus a recently finished large, faux stained glass fiber creation.  I stayed very busy because, in addition to framing these pieces, I was trying to tie up any loose ends before leaving Columbia for a long weekend in New Mexico!



(Above:  Lunette IX.  Unframed: 17" x 21".  Framed:  23" x 29". Polyester stretch velvets fused with previously painted, heat-activated adhesives and metallic foil under chiffon scarves on a substrata of recycled, black acrylic felt with soldered holes and melting.  Click on image to enlarge.)

My husband Steve and I were married 32 years ago.  Yes ... it seems like only yesterday!  During the three+ decades, we've visited plenty of caves:  Luray Caverns; Mammoth Cave in Kentucky; Old Man's Cave in Ohio; the ice caves in Werfen, Austria; caves outside Buxton in England; Kartchner Caverns in Arizona; several small caves in California as well as various gold and silver mines; plus others underworld locations.  We aren't spelunkers but we do enjoy the natural wonders found in these subterranean locations.  We've always wanted to go to Carlsbad Caverns and figured that we'd better go soon.  If we waited too long, we knew we'd likely have to roll in with all the other senior citizens coming in their wheelchairs and going to the one area of this cave that actually has an elevator!  Imagine ... an elevator in a cave!  Anyway, we've been exercising regularly, getting prepared and going ... tomorrow ... returning late Monday night!  We are very excited!


(Above:  Lunette X.)

Like normal, we packed about an hour ago.  That took about five to ten minutes.  We may technically be "old", but we are experienced travelers.  We go with the flow!  We each packed two different outfits for the cave because there is a remote possibility that we will be required to change clothes between our two booked tours.  (There's something about carrying in harmful substances that could affect the native bat populations.)  Yes, we've booked two tours!


(Above:  Stained Glass L. Click on image to enlarge.)

We thoroughly read all the available tours and decided that we were already too old to crawl on hands-and-knees through narrow openings ... but that we are NOT too old to descend down rope ladders.  This coming Friday the Thirteenth, we are headed underground ... so ... if CNN or Google news features a couple being life-flighted out of the New Mexican National Park, it is only us admitting that we were older than we thought! LOL!  I promise to take load of photographs from this adventure!

 
(Above:  Stained Glass L.  Click on image to enlarge.)

Finally, I found the photo below on Facebook.  It was taken last week during "First Thursday" on Main Street.  Steve and I wrote a line on the public art project called "Before I Die".  We've written the same line on the same public art project in two other different cities!

(Above:  Steve and me participating by writing a line on the "Before I Die" public art project.  We wrote:   Before I/we die, I/we want to have my/our son Alex back in my/our life(s).  It is a hope.  Alex will turn 23 while we are returning from New Mexico.  Happy Birthday, Alex!

4 comments:

Roberta Warshaw said...

Have a wonderful trip! And perhaps Alex will see your online pleas and get in touch. I hope so!

Judy Ferguson said...

I am 72 years old and laughing at your ideas about old age. Although, I think that I am a better artist than I have ever been, you are exactly right about moving in the Senior Citizen circles. Hips, back, knees, hands. These all break down. I think you are smart for doing these things now. Have a great time.

Margaret said...

Happy Anniversary! Travelling mercies! And God bless you two and Alex, wherever he may be.

Wanda said...

I thought about you even more yesterday than normal....happy anniversary. You two are like one person and always have been. 'bestfriends', 'soulmates', 'made for each other', 'ying and yang'...whatever you want to call it, it's always been true and I am in awe of that and always have been. Steve, I've known you my whole life, it seems. Actually, it's really been most of it. Through thick and thin. And Susan...I won't write anything. I'm sure you know I'm crying as it is. I love you guys!