Brave New World Exhibit at the World Trade Center in Baltimore

Brave New World art exhibit by Tracey Grumbach at the World Trade Center in Baltimore

The following press release was just sent to local Maryland news outlets and I am pretty excited about this opportunity!

 

BALTIMORE, MD−August 20, 2019−Harford County artist, Tracey Grumbach, is currently showing 46 pieces of digital art in a solo art exhibit titled “Brave New World” at the World Trade Center in Baltimore.  The show runs through September 13, 2019.

This is the largest collection of Mrs. Grumbach’s work shown to date and features work from several of her latest series including Faceless, The Beauty Myth, and Growth Mindset, which examine human nature and the influences of the technical age on the human psyche.

Tracey Grumbach states, “This collection of art is my victory call because it was created over a period of several years out of a need to express myself during my battle with Chronic Lyme Disease. I felt silenced, not only from the effects of aphasia, which was caused by the disease damaging the language section of my brain, but also by the doctors and hospitals who didn’t believe I was suffering in such a severe way. Art was my way of reconnecting with a world that I didn’t trust anymore, thus the title of the exhibit, Brave New World.”

Mrs. Grumbach’s artistic practice is focused on combining traditional collage with photography and digital art, creating a unique look that each of the other disciplines can’t achieve on their own.

Mrs. Grumbach will also show her art in New York City at the prestigious LymeMIND Conference on October 19, 2019.

About Tracey Grumbach (www.nineacresdesigns.com)

Tracey Grumbach teaches art and photography classes at Harford Community College.  Her artwork has been seen in venues throughout Maryland and Pennsylvania, and has been published in national and international publications. She is also a member of Harford Artists’ Association. 

Tracey Grumbach in front of the Brave New World art exhibit at the World Trade Center in Baltimore

If you happen to swing by the exhibit, take a picture of yourself in front of the art and send it to me to be entered for a chance to win a free print!

I am so thankful to God for these opportunities to get my art and my story out into the world. 

The Loss of Innocence- Mobile Art by Baltimore Artist

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field...I'll meet you there.

-Rumi

About this image- As I sat in our homeschool room/art studio yesterday, I felt this strange feeling on my skin. It was warm and tingly. It reached down into my soul with long golden fingers and awoke a sleeping part of me. After two and a half weeks of rain, gloom, and gray skies, this sunbeam found its way into my window and onto my arm. Its touch felt vaguely familiar and as I turned to greet it, the ray of amber light filled my face and eyes with the most brilliant light. It was like crawling out of the proverbial cave of darkness into the light where a human must blink over and over again as one's eyes adjust to the brilliance. The occasion called for drastic measures...homeschool came to a screeching halt and we went outside into the 50 degree weather for a walk. As we walked around our rural neighborhood, we came across a swingset sitting alone in a field and I felt inspired to create this digital art piece, The Loss of Innocence. 

Wonderful news...the editing process has been finished for the article I wrote for Somerset Digital Studio and it will be going to print shortly! I was sent the PDF proof copy to edit and I was so excited to see the layout and my words on the "pages" of the magazine. After making a few changes to my article and correcting a few typos, it received final approval! It was so exciting to walk through this process. I also received information on the payout I will receive (they pay per page, so until the layout was finalized, I didn't know the total). Then, something amazing happened...I got a separate email from the editor with a PDF proof of the cover...with The Wheel on it! Yes, they selected my image (along with two other images by other ) to feature on the COVER! I was shocked and honored! I can't share the cover just yet as it is still under wraps, but when I get the go-ahead, I will share it with you all. The print copy will hit the newsstands on March 1! I can not WAIT! Thank you for sharing this exciting journey with me and always supporting my growth and development as an artist. 

Speaking of The Wheel...the one and only print copy of this featured art piece will be showing and for sale at the "Winter Blitz" show at Arts By the Bay Gallery in Havre de Grace, opening on Friday, February 3 from 7PM-9PM! If you would like to be the owner of the piece, be sure to stop in a grab it before someone else does! It is one of my favorite all time pieces, so I am a bit sad to see it go! I am working the desk that night, so please stop in and see me! (I am also working tomorrow from 2:30PM- 7:00PM. This is the last weekend for the current show, so come see it before it goes!)

Also, if you are so inclined, you can check out this article written by the Chester County Press about the art show I am involved with at Oxford Arts Alliance in Pennsylvania. I was thrilled the writer chose to mention two of my three pieces that are showing there. 

Have a beautiful day! I'm hoping for more sun, but so far it doesn't look promising. I will just have to make my own sun today.  

xo

Horse In the Buttercups- Baltimore Digital Artist

No doubt he heard me coming through the long field. His ears were pricked behind him, listening, and his nose was working to smell me. I moved slowly and deliberately, wanting to get as near as I could. The grass in the field was long, my high muck boots swishing as I moved forward, a sound he did not much like. The split second after taking this image, the click from the shutter startled him and he began walking slow circles, snorting his irritation before finally walking away, alerting the rest of the herd that an annoying stranger was near. And then they were all gone over the rolling hills toward the barn in the distance.

Today is the day I have been waiting for for three weeks. I am hoping to get the stitches out of my mouth from my recent jaw surgery. I am a bit nervous as they need to take the stitches out and then remove the membranes that are covering the bone graft. I hope all is healing well and the procedure is easy and painfree. I would appreciate any thoughts and prayers. Thanks!

xo

You Make Your Mark

Graffiti's always been a temporary art form. You make your mark and they scrub it off.

-Bansky

No matter how hard they try, they can not erase me. They may be able to erase my art, silence my voice, and delete my words; but they will never get rid of me.

 I was in awe, standing in an alley in Baltimore City, just trying to absorb all of the art spray painted there. The paint was fresh. The art new. The pungent smell of paint still lingered in the air like a badge of courage of those risking arrest just to express themselves. The acrid bouquet cut through even the strong urine smell that lingered around the edges of the building. It was like walking into some brightly colored cartoon, the drabness and grayness of the city fading away into this vibrant new world.  A new world where color was king, expression freely accepted, and nothing was permanent. Everything was free flowing and liquid. With the breeze blowing, I almost felt unsteady on my feet. What was this amazing world I had entered?

Standing there, contemplating, I yearned for the ability to camouflage myself into the wall, like a chameleon, by taking on all the beautiful colors I saw there. What if our skin could blend perfectly into the wall and take on the exact art that our shadows were covering? How freaking cool would that be to disappear into this most vibrant, beautiful world? And that is when the idea struck me...I can. I can simply disappear here...and I did.

Hope your Monday and the rest of your week is vibrant and beautiful.

xo

The Best Thing To Do Is Walk Out of the Barn- Digital Art By Harford County Artist

I love the title of this piece of art because it reminds us that even in stormy, difficult times, it is best to walk out into the open and be vulnerable. Take chances. Live your dreams. Take steps forward when all you want to do is stand still.

Whether it is personal or career related, taking chances has never been easier for me. Somehow when you are faced with difficult health, it really puts other things in your life into perspective. I used to be afraid to ask for what I want and need, but I've learned that if I don't advocate for myself, then no one will. The worst that can happen is someone tells you "no." Big deal. Is not fulfilling your dreams a risk you want to take just because someone may tell you no? For me, it is a clear choice.

So, whether it is for my health or for my career, I have been practicing intention and not letting fear stop me from moving forward. I ask for help when I need it.  I put my art out there to be judged. I accept a no when it comes, but it doesn't freeze me.

In the past week I have contacted two local publications and one national publication to consider publishing my art. Also, I have committed to entering a juried art contest on the local level. Nothing may come of any of this, but if I didn't try and stick my head and heart out there, then NOTHING would come of it for sure. Because when you do nothing, nothing comes to you in return. But, what if everything came of this? What if all three publications said yes! What if I won the contest? Yes, what if.

So, what are you waiting for? What dreams do you have that you can take a baby step toward today? No is not a barrier...it is just a detour sign. Don't be afraid of it, just take a different route. Get busy, people. Take action toward your goals.

xo

Digital Art by Tracey Grumbach to Hang at Arts By the Bay Gallery in Havre de Grace

Please stop in today at Arts By the Bay Gallery in Havre de Grace from 3PM-7PM to see me and the 5 new pieces that will be hanging in the Autumn Aura Art show. I will be removing my current pieces and replacing them with the following five pieces. I'd love to chat with you about these 5 pieces, what they mean to me, and how my fight with Chronic Lyme Disease has influenced these art pieces and my art in general.

Baltimore

I Am Reborn

My Significant Other Right Now is Myself

Now Autumn Fire Burns

When We Drove By the Farm in Autumn

The opening reception for the Autumn Aura Art Show will be Friday, August 26, 2016 from 7PM-9PM. There will be refreshments, and a cash bar. My dear friend, Douglas Williams, is the featured artist for this show and his work is amazing! If you can't stop in today at Arts By the Bay Gallery, then mark your calendar for next Friday! Hope to see you soon.

Reinvent Yourself: Self Portrait

Here's the shiny secret nobody sitting in a cold clinical office is going to tell us, unless they have lived with cancer themselves: it is not a death sentence. It is, in fact, quite the opposite. No matter how long we get to live, cancer is going to wake us up to life.

_Miriam Boleyn-Fitzgerald

in Bella Grace Summer 2016 edition

Just replace the word "cancer" with "Lyme Disease" and this all still rings true. I define my life by "before" and "after"...Before I got Lyme Disease and After I got Lyme Disease.

After I got Lyme Disease I call "My Awakening" because it has taught so much about myself, life, my family, my friends, and frankly, the world. I have changed so much after putting all the pieces back together that Lyme shattered, you would not recognize me. The world owes me nothing. I am solely responsible for my own happiness and well-being. I took ownership and responsibility for my life. I look to the earth and nature to heal me (with amazing guidance from my holistic Lyme doctor). I choose how I spend my time carefully, as time is the most precious thing I have. I want to live simply and naturally and make steps daily to do just that. I have the power and control over how I react to the stimulus all around me, the sole dictator of my emotional well being. I have choice.

Do you know how powerful that realization was for me? It transformed my life. I know I would be a different person today, a person I like immensely less than the person I am now, if I had never been infected with Lyme. While I don't wish Lyme (or any chronic illness for that matter) on anyone, I am thankful for the way it has changed my perspective on myself, the people I surround myself with, and the world.

We all have the superpower of re-inventing ourselves. I am really the only thing I have complete and utter control of in this world. Me. Myself. I.

xo

I Am the Person I Know Best

I create self portraits because I am the person I know the best.

Self Portrait 2

Self Portrait 2

Another in my recent self portrait series

How many times have I stood by and watched something from afar that I know I should stop? How many times have I talked myself out of my gut instinct? How many times have I let fear stop me? How many times have I walked by someone struggling and thought, "It's not my problem?" How many times have I not wanted to be nosey so I minded my own business instead of offering help?

Many times.

But not this night.

This night I noticed, I interfered, I had enough, I was nosey, I didn't turn the other cheek, I didn't mind my own business, I stood up for what is right, I pushed through the fear, I didn't talk myself out of it, I didn't turn my head and pretend not to see.

Driving by in Baltimore City, I saw it happen and once I did I couldn't NOT do something. I've been there, where she is, shivering (is it cold or fear or both?) on the corner trying to get away. I've been the negotiator at my own boxing match, trying to get free without harm from someone that was supposed to love me. I've wondered what words will work this time to diffuse the anger that is hurled at me for reasons I can't fathom. I've seen the fear in her eyes from the inside out and remember how the brain and emotions shut off to protect itself...that blank stare. I wonder if she will remember the whole incident or only bits and pieces or only the residual gut ache of fear, desperation, and hopelessness? I wonder if she is already planning how she will respond when he apologizes? She probably is.

I pick up my phone and dial the three numbers...9.1.1.

911. What is your emergency?

I'm at the corner of _____________ and ________________.  There is a male hitting, grabbing, and restraining a female. I need a police officer...

After I hung up the tears came, fast and hot. Why is this such an epidemic in this world? 1 in 4 women will be victims of intimate partner violence in their lifetime. I was that ONE when I was in a long abusive relationship as a teen.

I wish I knew if the police actually showed up. I wish I knew if they made it on time. I wish I knew a way to stop the abuse without putting myself in a deadly situation. I wish I knew this would be the last time she was hit by someone that is supposed to love her. I hope she makes it out. I did. There is hope, but there has to be a rock bottom and a will to move forward. If I could, I would bottle strength, courage, and fortitude and give it to her.  I'd giftwrap it in love and offer it to her like a lifesaver thrown to a drowning victim.  She just has to grab on.

xo

One Way

One Way Down Up

When life is bringing you down, utilize all means possible to lift yourself back up.

~Me

Sometimes the heavy burdens of life cloud your vision and bring you down. It is imperative that you reach inward and find a way to lift yourself back up, fighting the gravity of everyday life...the news, mean people, and the general burdens of being human. Find your own balloons...friends, art, music, reading, nature, and use them to negate the "one way down" feeling of everyday life. Invest time and energy into your own well being. If you don't, no one else will.

This has been a public service announcement by yours truly. ;)
Hope you all are taking care of yourselves in the aftermath of this historic blizzard. Sending love to everyone.

xo

Woodland Fairies

Let us proceed under the assumption that the fairy folk do exist, and that I am not a gibbering moron.

~Eoin Colfer, Artemis Fowl

Word for 2016

Minimize

Happy New Year, folks!  New Year's has never really been a big deal to me other than having to buy a new calendar and wrapping up end-of-year business dealings.  I usually don't do New Year's Eve parties and I (embarrassingly) am usually in bed before the ball drops. *Yawn*  I know, I am boring but the older I get the more I am totally fine with being boring.

Each year, instead of making a New Year's Resolution, I choose a word to anchor me in the coming year.  This year the word will be...

MINIMALISM.

I want to not only minimize my possessions, but also minimize the clutter in my brain with meditation and yoga, and minimize my time commitments to things that are not associated with my core values and beliefs. I want to start saying NO more to things that are time sucks, like social media.

So, that is my goal...get rid of stuff, minimize, reduce, and unclutter in all aspects of my world. I will post this word prominently in my office/studio to keep reminding myself for this year. What are y'all doing for the New Year?  Do you do resolutions, words, something else, or nothing at all?

I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful New Year...if you are a partier, then party safe!  See you soon in 2016!

The Barn on the Hill

Heading to the Walter's Art Gallery today with the twins for homeschool.  Should be a great time. :)

I hope you enjoy this latest digital painting I created of the beautiful rural landscape in and around my neighborhood.  Have a wonderful Thursday.  xo

A Tournament of Lies

A tournament, a tournament, a tournament of lies

Offer me solutions, offer me alternatives

And I decline.

It's the end of the world as we know it

It's the end of the world as we know it (It's time I had some time alone)

It's the end of the world as we know it

And I feel fine.

R.E.M

It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)

Created partially from collage software and partially in Photoshop CS 6 after watching the news and realizing once again why it is I only watch it maybe once a month. Truly, it feels like I don't recognize the world I am living in with all the hate and destruction swirling around us on a daily basis. 

Civil unrest. ISIS. Politics. Mass killings. Refugees...it goes on and on and on. 

I turn it off.  I turn it all off and risk being ignorant to the world's issues. I am choosing to stick my head in the sand just for a moment of sanity. No wonder the stress level in our country is palatable. It is all bubbling beneath the surface, rising over and simmering, threatening to explode as all of the media outlets spoon feed us the bitter taste of hate. When it does boil over...it will be the end of the world as we know it...and I don't think I will feel fine. 

Going back to my happy place, now.

When We Drove Past the Farm in Autumn

There is something so comforting to me about this time of year. I love the fresh chill in the air, the sound of combines working late into the night,  and the smell of the damp earth heaving a sigh before a long winter's rest. Plumes of smoke rise from bonfires, surrounded by families telling ghost stories and roasting marshmallows together. The birds become active again, some beginning their commute south while others frantically gorge on autumn seeds and grain to fill up for the long winter creeping in. This time of year seems to give us permission to exhale, to stop and look around us, and appreciate the bounty the earth has given us over the past many months. I so appreciate Mother Nature's hard work providing us with her fruits.

Sitting in the passenger side, I rode by a local farm the other day. I snapped an iPhone image of the golden cornfields blurring by me with the farm and silo in the background, partly obscured by the tall, dry cornstalks.  I didn't think much of it until later when I looked back at the image and was inspired by the gorgeous tones of the season and decided to create it into this piece. Just looking at it makes me happy, and I hope it does you too.

xo

Better Keep Yourself Clean and Bright

Better keep yourself clean and bright; 

you are the window through which you must see the world. 

~George Bernard Shaw

Someone asked me the other day how I can stay so positive when I am in the midst of so much pain and confusion caused by Lyme. The question took me off guard because in general I am a very positive person, but not a very patient one (with myself). I guess the answer is I truly, deep down in my heart and fibers of my soul, believe that whatever you send out into the world you get back. If I am moping around grumpy all the time, how could I expect to have a beautiful day? I'd get on my own nerves, much less all the other people I love and care about. It's not something I have to think about most of the time, I am just happy.

There are dark days, though. Don't let me kid you about that. There are days when I am angry, sad, feel sorry for myself, don't see the light, and want to quit. On days like that I tend to be snappy and curt; short and impatient with everything around me. Those days I feel like I am living in someone else's body, watching myself from afar and I don't recognize myself. When I find myself lost in the dark hole of despair what brings me around is usually two things...sleep and my kids. I find a high correlation between lack of sufficient sleep and a hopeless feeling. So, with a good catch up on sleep, some rest, and looking in my children's faces, I am often rescued from my own darkness. 

Besides, everyone has problems, not just me. My problems are no worse or no better than everyone else's, mine are just different. My friend said the other day that she didn't like complaining about her health to me because I have it so much worse. Truthfully, I don't see it that way. I don't compare my health issues with anyone else's and never think, "Oh, I have it so much worse than you." I don't pity myself nor do I ever wish this disease was someone else's. Everyone single one of us has a burden to carry and this is mine and I am ok with that. I wouldn't want anyone else to carry it...ever.  Which is why I am speaking out about it and trying to educate everyone about the early signs of Lyme, the alternative options of testing, and clearing up misconceptions like the one I ran into last night.  

I was eating dinner with my daughter when a waiter asked me if I had celiac because I could not eat gluten. I replied that I did not have celiac, but that I do have Lyme which causes me to have a strict diet to control inflammation in the body, therefore I can not have dairy, gluten, or alcohol. His reply was to ask if that was the "disease where once you take the tick off your body you get better?"  It is shocking to me that people who live in an epidemic area such as this still don't know anything about the disease. I want to correct that so people don't have to suffer in pain and fear for years like I did. Of course, 14 months ago I had no idea about this disease and I lived here all of my life, so I guess that should be a clue that education is of paramount need. 

On another note, I have been on a creative manic this week and have more digital art to share!  Tons of ideas are flowing...now if I could only add 12 hours to the day.  

Hugs...

When Fears Are Grounded

When fears are grounded dreams take flight.

~Unknown

Please mark your calendars for Friday, October 2, 2015.  I will be hosting the opening reception for my show at The Gallery at 122 Main where I will be the featured artist for the month of October! The reception is from 5PM- 8PM and the gallery is located at 122 E. Main Street in Elkton, Maryland. I will be showcasing my photography and digital art. I am partnering with a soon-to-be-announced Lyme advocacy group to spread awareness about this terrible disease and a percentage of the proceeds from my art sales will go to Lyme education and awareness. I would love to see lots of friendly faces...stop in, introduce yourself, browse through the gallery and enjoy the evening in Elkton! Hope to see you there!  xo

Dance in the Puddles

I am the parent of one of those children, a girl, who wants nothing more than to be loved by a dear friend. She is a people person. Everywhere we go, she yearns for the attentions and sweetness of a girl her age. If there is a girl in the area within a few years age difference from her, she finds them, and says, "Mama! I found a friend!" She may not ever know her name, she may not ever see her again, but she declares that girl her best friend for that moment in time. I hope one day she can find a true friend that is her confidant, her safe place to fall, her favorite person to share secrets with.

Inspired by the vintage photo I showed at the bottom of this post, I created two very different pieces...this digitally painted art piece, Dance in the Puddles, and In the Sweetness of Friendship. I really love them both, but feel more of an emotional connection to this one.

Hope your week is starting off well. Mine certainly is as I am in Lynchburg visiting my mother. Nothing like quality time with the woman who can still bring me peace and comfort as well as keep me grounded and in line.  Love you, Mom!

xo

Get Up One More Time Than You Are Knocked Down

The Kiss- digital mixed media

That sheer feeling of elation when a goal you have set for yourself is achieved. That is exactly what I felt when at 6:41PM yesterday evening I received an email from the managing editor of Artful Blogging Magazine telling me my blog was chosen to be featured in their upcoming November issue! Artful Blogging is a gorgeous magazine published by Stampington and Company four times a year. I've been reading this magazine for years and admiring their beautiful printed magazine, drawing inspiration from many other artists and bloggers. For a long time I promised myself that one day I would have my work in a Stampington and Company publication, but fear of failure held me back for years.

Then, one day in May, I decided that I was being a hypocrite. I was writing blogs about taking control of your life, not living in fear, and reaching for your goals and yet here I was being held back by the very thing I told everyone else not worry about. Fear. So, I decided to get off the proverbial fence and just do it. So, that very day, May 22 to be exact, I wrote a submission email to the managing editor of Artful Blogging...and held my breath.  A week later I received an email telling me that she had received my submission and that a decision would be made at the end of June or beginning of July. Ach...that is a long time to wait. But, what was I to do? I felt encouraged that they didn't say no right off the bat, so I just filed it in the back of my brain and moved on with my busy life.

June passed.  No word.

July began.  No word.

I decided that if I hadn't heard by July 7th, the end of the first week of July, that my blog probably wasn't chosen for publication. July 7th came and went. Darn. I was disappointed, but not discouraged. Since it was a goal, I would just work on my blog for a while and resubmit. July 8th came...my mother called and asked, out of the blue, "Have you heard about your blog submission?" The question stung a bit because I wanted so badly to say YES and that it was chosen. I wanted to make her proud. But, I hadn't heard a word, so I told her the truth, "No, I don't think it was chosen.  I'll have to try again later."

I guess my mother putting it out into the world was a blessing because later that evening, at 6:41PM, my iPhone pinged the alert that I had received an email in my work account. I checked it immediately and was elated. All I read was, "Congrats! Your blog has been selected to be featured in the upcoming November issue of Artful Blogging that hits newsstands November 1, 2015!" I let out a squeal, jumped out of my chair, and exclaimed to the two construction workers in my house at the time, "I DID IT!" They paused in their work, looking at me like I was a nut and asked calmly exactly what it was that I did. I rambled on, my words a confused waterfall of exclamations and explanations, about setting a goal, going after it, and achieving it...My art was going to be published in a magazine I had long adored! I am pretty sure they thought I was possessed at that moment and I am not at all sure they understood a word I said.

I ran around the house telling anyone who would listen, including my daughter's friend who was over at the time, that I had overcome my fear of failure and had achieved a career goal! Elation.  Pure elation. I was proud of myself for overcoming all that has happened in the last year and a half and never giving up on my goals. So, please keep your eyes out for two amazing things happening this fall...I will be having a solo show at The Gallery at 122 Main in Elkton, Maryland, featuring my photographs and my digital art. I will also be published in Artful Blogging magazine, hitting the newsstands on November 1! Thank you to all my family and friends who support me in everything I do and celebrate life's victories with me. I love and appreciate you all. xo

The Bee Keeper

It's funny how things change.  When I was a much younger woman, not only was I in need of controlling every aspect of my life, but I also cared a lot more than I do now about what people think of me.  Back when we purchased our first home, I was so crazy about keeping my yard spotless and "weed" free because God forbid someone think I not take care of my lawn.  No clover, no dandelions, no crab grass...nothing to mar my little postage stamp in the world.  In my youthful naivety I would spray herbicide (Round-Up anyone?) at every errant sprig of grass in the crack of a sidewalk and any weed-like intruder into my perfect grass.  Herbicide was my friend and companion.  I had no idea what I was doing to myself, my kids, the bees, and the environment.

Fast forward 18 or so years and I found myself the other day slowly walking around my small farm, observing, appreciating, and taking in all the little details that make me love this place. As I was looking down, I saw one of many patches of clover in my lawn and fields and it hit me for some reason, how differently I feel about this "weed."  While I used to hate it, I now see it for what it is...food for the amazing bees that are declining at an alarmingly rapid rate (thanks to people like myself who sprayed insecticides, pesticides, and herbicides); a treat for my horse who loves its sweet taste, and a part of my grassy environment that should be and is welcome here.  So differently I think than when I was a young twenty-something.  I only wish I had come to my senses a little earlier.  I guess the saying goes, when you know better, you do better.

I created this piece, The Bee Keeper, over the weekend while I was still on house arrest (or as the surgeon calls it, bedrest) from my surgery last Wednesday.  I was starting to feel better and could not lie in bed a single moment more, and I had ideas swirling around...like this one.  So, it was much needed exercise for my brain while being a quiet and calm physical activity.  I hope you like it...and I hope in honor of the bees, your family and yourself, to commit to not to spraying Round-Up any more. ;)  Happy Monday, y'all.