Patti Gibbons Art

While cleaning out an old purse, I found this poem that I wrote as my mother was dying, and my daughter was about to give birth to her post cancer treatment "miracle baby".  I was planning to drive    to Tennessee to help her for a week with Larry, as my mother lay in critical condition.  The Clash lyrics to  "Should I stay or should I go" were bouncing about in my tortured brain. Before I threw it away, I thought I would share it. Sanctuary music it says on the tape. A nun in the nursing home has left it playing on my mother's radio to soothe her. New Age music... to calm the soul for the journey. The angels are waiting at the gate mama. I wish you would go and meet them. I think you have suffered enough for your mistakes, and so have we. Free yourself. Free us. Rest in PEACE. Amen. As a postscript, my mother rallied.  It is a miracle she is still alive, though she never gets out of the bed in the nursing home. She seems happy enou...

It's the first night that Larry has left to teach a class at Marist since last spring.  Though I enjoy having him home, I am very comfortable with being alone, working in the studio, or working online listing my cards and collectibles in various venues. It is time I get to think, to play, and sometimes socialize without having to worry that I am leaving Larry out of it. Tonight as I was scanning Valentines to sell on Etsy, I came across this one which read:"Who Wouldn't Blow About a Guy Like You".  Now I think the person who designed this back in the 1940s knew what he/she was doing.  Photoshop had not been invented, but I am sure that they knew someday someone would have a field day with the card, as I did.  Those who know me, know that I could NEVER leave this card alone. The clone tool is one of the Photoshop tools I use quite often for retouching, and used it to get rid of just one little word.  Presto, instant crack-up. I hope you laughed a bit...ot...

For those of you who are around "my age" there was a TV show called The 21st Century, which was hosted by Walter Cronkite.  I believe it followed the Disney hour, and it talked about the latest in science....whether astronomy, oceanography, geology, genetics etc. Well, here we are, 10 years into the  21st century, a time where technology is developed and updated faster than I can type, and in my lifetime I am amazed at how technology has changed in transportation, video/audio/photography, and graphics. In my trying to keep up with technology I have had to learn about Smart Phones,  I cables, Flip Video Cams, iMacs, iPhones,iTunes, iPads, and learn acronyms such as HD 3d LCD LED, HDMI etc. I am in the middle of doing a major upgrade to my technology, and just bought a Smart Phone. I am LOVING my Droid, and have quickly gotten over the fact that Verizon is going to get a chunk of my money every month.  As long as I can get a signal, I can call, text, email, tak...

I am sitting here eating a bowl of vegetable stew flavored with the African spices of coriander, cumin, and cinnamon, watching The Third Man on my new digital cable, thinking about how I love toys, all kinds of toys. Art toys. Kitchen toys. Electronic toys. Kids toys.  Adult toys.  Boy toys. (just kidding).   I love my electronic toys most, though it is close tie with my kitchen toys. I have a few things that I have used for years, over and over, and I don't know what my life would be without them.   No. 1 is my Braun Submersible Blender w/attachments. I blend my cream soup right in the pot, and then attach it to a small container and whip up the salad-dressing-of-the-day.  No. 2 is my Salad Shooter.  I got one when I was married to #1 about 20 years ago, and finally some of the parts broke because they were brittle from use, though the motor was still going strong. My son bought me another one for Christmas and now I can once again make my potato panca...

I had started feeling sorry for myself Sunday morning because I had to go back to work after having 10 days off. Oh poor me. I had too many parties to go to, and too many evenings of entertaining. I was tired and needed a vacation from the vacation. I felt a tweak of guilt knowing not all people have off between Christmas and New Years, and some people have no family and friends TO party with, and many had no money to buy gifts.   But what really humbled me - was the ride past the Trailways bus station. A young soldier, in his desert fatigues, was saying goodbye to his family, their arms wrapped around one another in a somber huddle. Tears came to my eyes while thinking of my son in law in Afghanistan who was not with his wife and children for the holidays, and I ached for Megan, sick and alone, in Tennessee....our first holiday with out her and the children since Iraq. I flashed back to the emotional memory when Megan had to go back to Iraq after her two week leave....