I’d like to thank all the new followers I’ve gotten in the past few months.  I appreciate you taking time to read or at least skim over my blog.  I’m up to 234 followers, not a multiple of 5 number, the numbers we usually celebrate, but I feel extra grateful today.

I also want to apologize for not always being able to read or comment on your blog in return.  My plate’s pretty full now and I have less time for reading than I used to.  I’ve also put myself on computer time limits.  I have a tendency to spend too much time on social media, and reading blogs, then I don’t get my own writing and painting done.

And it’s summer time.  I enjoy being outside, roaming the neighborhood looking at people’s gardens.  I also tend to my own porch garden.  My apartment faces west, so in the evening I like to tend to the plants, then sit out there and read a book.

It seems like the safer-at-home quarantines would give me more time to do everything, but think instead it’s made me tired and made me unmotivated to get my work done.  Practically everyone I know is going though the same thing, or they are in states of such high anxiety that they can’t create.  This is natural, these are traumatic times and even though we’re given a gift of time, it’s come weighed down with insecurity about our future.

I’ve been encouraged by the response of people to the brutal murder of George Floyd.  That whole week was horrible with the stories that came out about Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery.  A tipping point was reached and I’m glad to see so many protesting. And for the first time in my life to see businesses eager to make Black Lives Matter statements, even if they’re not all really committed to hiring more African-Americans, especially at the executive level.

The movement to restructure the way we police our communities has enormous potential to keep the public safer, allow the police to have less stress in their jobs,  and allow the community to feel a vested interest in their own safety and health.

It won’t be an easy or a painless process, but if we keep it going, we may eventually get out from under the shadow of Jim Crow, and move forward as a more just nation.

 

I can’t imagine how difficult it’s been for African Americans to live all these generations in a country that doesn’t recognize that their lives matter, to not have the same legal protection, and to have no trust in the police.  I pray that will finally change.  Or move closer to justice.  I’m so very proud of the brave African Americans who are not backing down, who are using protest, art, music and education to get things growing in the right direction.

I have an art show planned for September, but at this point I don’t know if it will happen in the venue I’ve reserved.  We may have to use some creative thinking to get that going.  It may be another studio show, but maybe we’ll set it up in the yard, so people can move easily and keep social distance.

So I just wanted to check in, give my thanks and thoughts, and share some pictures of my garden.

More art and stories to come soon,

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If you find a typo, let me know, and I’ll send you a postcard.