book club pick for january

my first classics

I am reading the Classics for the first time.  I love it.

While the definition of classic literature can be highly debated, I generally think of it as stories, poetry, speeches, documents and studies that have stood the test of time, as worth reading more than once, and as having some redeeming value.

Over the last two years or so, my life has been greatly enriched by the following reading.

Heidi (Spyri)
Tom Sawyer (Twain)
Pride & Prejudice (Austen)
Emma (Austen)
The Secret Garden (Burnett)
A Christmas Carol (Dickens)
Uncle Tom's Cabin (Stowe)
The Scarlet Pimpernel (Orczy)
Strong Poison (Sayers)
Sherlock Holmes:  The Adventure of the Speckled Band (Doyle)
The Constitution of the United States of America
The Bill of Rights
The Declaration of Independence
Mr. Popper's Penguins (Atwater)
The Blue Castle (Montgomery)
The Hobbit (Tolkien)
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Robinson)
Poetry (Various)
Tales from Shakespeare (Various) (Lamb)
Abigail Adams: First Lady of Faith & Courage (Witter)
Carry On, Mr. Bowditch (Latham)


I guess, I can say that I read a couple of classic series before these...  The Chronicles of Narnia (Lewis) and The Little House on the Prairie (Wilder) were much loved boxed sets in my home as a child.


I am currently reading The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Baum) as I prepare to see the stage show and Journey to the Center of the Earth (Verne) with my children who recently saw the movie... and loved it!

I am a part of a book club, too.  We are making our way through books like these, one classic novel a month.  I hope you pick up a Classic and read along with me.

You won't be disappointed,
lib

georgia o'keeffe: painter of skyscrapers

Radiator Building, Night, New York , 1927, Georgia  O'Keeffe

I have studied enough art to associate the famed painter Georgia O'Keeffe with remarkable portraits of colorfully magnified flowers.  But I recently learned that she was also known for her New York cityscapes and skyscrapers.

City Night , 1926, Georgia O'Keeffe

Stunning!  She painted these in the 1920's.

New York Night , 1928-1929, Georgia O'Keeffe

Oh, the glamour!  

Brooklyn Bridge, 1949, Georgia O'Keeffe

The strength!  But, as we know, man's fortitude could not last.  With the stock market crash of 1929, O'Keeffe stopped painting the city.  The images had become reminders of failure.

I'm so pleased to have discovered these gems of art!

And I'm glad that New York recovered after the Great Depression and is still vibrant nearly 75 years later.

I kind of have a thing for that city,
lib

happy sinterklaas day!

I spent four years in Holland as a child.  And we always set out our shoe for Sinterklaas on the eve of Sinterklaas Day. The next morning the shoe would hold a chocolate letter or coin, a mandarin orange, hot chocolate, or ginger-like cookies called pepernoten.

This Dutch version of Santa Claus arrives in the Netherlands on a steamship from Spain accompanied by his helpers Zwarte Pieten (meaning Black Petes).  Sinterklaas parades through the towns on his big white horse and the Zwarte Pieten throw pepernoten and candies to the children.

I love that my children want to celebrate this day, too.  And as they were falling asleep with their wooden shoes by the door, I could hear them singing,

Sinterklaas, kapoentje
Gooi wat in mijn schoentje,
Breng wat in mijn laarsje,
Dank je Sinterklaasje.

Translation:
Saint Nic'las, my dear one,
Something in my shoe put,
Something in my stocking,
Thank you, Saint Nich-o-las!

You've heard the song before... remember the little Dutch girl in Miracle on 34th Street?  

Yeah, it's pretty sweet to hear lilting from the girls' bedroom on the eve of Sinterklaas Day.  

Gotta love this tradition,

lib

why i do what i do...

if i can make it there...

This is the picture that hangs in our living room.
Now go to http://karapaslaydesigns.blogspot.com/ and see where Tim and Kara are making it big this week.  That's right... the Big Apple... at Christmastime!  Hhhmmmm...  drink it in, friends!

Besides Broadway, Off-Broadway, The Plaza, Central Park, Rockefeller Center, The Rockettes, Carnegie Deli, and countless other reasons to be in NYC, Tim and Kara are actually there because they are talented and passionate about design and the world is beginning to notice.

I tip my hat to them... then shuffle off to Buffalo... I feel a belting, Broadway song coming on...
lib

dr. seuss & the musical

My husband, Chris, designs sets for film, stage, and television.  He also art directs and production designs.  He is a pretty talented fellow.  His current project is the set design and construction of Tulsa Project Theatre's staging of Seussical.  This Off-Broadway version of the musical is based on Dr. Seuss' characters Horton, the Grinch, the Cat in the Hat and others.

Dr. Seuss... a set designer's dream!
How fun is the world of Dr. Seuss?!

Funky characters, strange trees, odd buildings.
Aahhh, pure designer joy.

Seussical runs December 9-23 at the Tulsa Convention Center.  Buy tickets here... http://tulsaprojecttheatre.com/

Oh, and our dear friend and a "most excellent" dancer, Heather (Hall) Newman, is choreographing.  She is always exceptional.  Outstanding.  Talented.  Experienced.  And just downright good.

Be there,
lib

in 1492...

...Columbus sailed the ocean blue.  And 520 years later, we boarded the Pinta and the Nina at the Port of Muskogee.  Full-scale replicas of Columbus' ships travel from port to port with a volunteer crew.

Our first impression... small!  The original crew slept, ate and worked on the tiny decks... Yes, across the unknown Atlantic, roaring wind, chilly rain, blistering heat... no cover... no bunks.  Who would sign up for this tour?!  No one, really.  We learned that the crew was mostly made up of criminals who earned a "get-out-of-jail-free" card for sailing with Columbus.

Hand-crafted in Brazil by eighth generation ship builders, the Nina is nothing short of a work of art.  Historically accurate, fully operational.  History come to life.  Go see the ships for yourself.  http://thenina.com/

owasso Christmas tree farm

The cousins were just a little excited about finding a Christmas tree today at the tree farm.

Locally, the Owasso Christmas Tree Farm is the place go to actually experience a "lot o' sap" while lying on your side drawing a rustic saw back and forth through the pine's trunk.  Luckily the children are getting older and by the time they all had a chance with the blade, we were practically through.  Oooohh, I love the smell of pine in the air.  It's that time of year again.

May the Christmas festivities begin!
Enjoy,
lib

Happy Thanksgiving!

So, I asked my family this morning what they are thankful for.  Here is their list.  Yes, in this order.

Family
Salami
Brie
Burnt orange Dodge Chargers
Cranberries
Raspberries
Pumpkin pie
Cranberry apples (What's a cranberry apple, Mi?  A shrug and a sweet grin from my 3-year-old.)
Music
Running Water
Oma & Opa
Grandma & Grandpa
Aunts & uncles
Relatives
Mashed potatoes
Then Evi decided it was time to transition.  She urged us:  Let's get on to toys now...

I am thankful for life.  Love.  God's grace.  And all of the above.

From our home to yours...
Happy Thanksgiving!
lib

a workin' man's reward

My girls and I peeled twenty pounds of potatoes today in preparation for Thanksgiving.  Crisp outside and cozy within, with peelers in hand, they had this conversation....


My 6-year-old:  Can you imagine if you come in from a hard working day and your wife has made a hot, yummy dinner.
My 10-year-old: Well,  I'm going to be a housewife.
My 8-year-old:  Hhhmmm... Then you're never going to know.

stop fighting and start blogging!

Okay, okay!  I'll do it.  I'll start a blog.  Aren't there enough out there already?  Well, not like mine.  Because my story is unique to me.  My world, my vision, my interpretation... all specific to me.  I have something important to share, not always pertinent, but important.  Important to my creative expression, to my chronicling of life and beauty, and to the friends who will be inspired along the way.  Ooohh.  So cliche.  But I really do hope this isn't just for me.

So that said...  here are the main themes that have been rolling around in my head for months while I have ignored the "call to blog." 


TRAVEL AND ADVENTURE... Love it.  Europe, especially, where I spent five and a half years of my childhood.  Definitely going to share some of those experiences.  And new adventures, too... locally and beyond... hopefully, way beyond at times.

PERMORMING AND FINE ARTS... Art, design, photography, dance.  Oh, and musical theatre.  Yes, lib loves NYC.  I share my art love with my husband, a creative in the film, theatre and television industry:  production design, art direction, set building.  You've got to see his stuff!  

CLASSICS AND WORTHY READS...  Reading the Classics for the first time...how did I miss these?  Love to read and love to discuss what virtue is revealed in a story or speech or document that has stood the test of time.  Newer Worthy Reads require attention, too.  And I love quotes.

BEAUTY AND MY CHILDREN...  Since high school all I wanted to do was have a family and photograph my children.  At that time, I loved the vintage-looking, hand-colored calendars and greeting cards full of misty, idyllic impressions.  Well, I've discovered that photographs of my children are not always idyllic, but always authentic.  And that is beautiful.

LITTLE HOUSE AND THE BIG FAMILY...  This one won't leave me alone, so I guess someone needs to share with me in the roller coaster adventure of a big family living in a small house.  I know size is relative, but in our culture, I'd say we fit this description right now. Hhmmm... this could be a little too revealing for me.  Can we go back to talking about art?

Drink it in!
lib