What Remains of That Whisper- Digital Artist Tracey Grumbach

About this image: As the velvety petals of your rose began to age and harden around the edges, I strained to still hear the words whispered in my ear all of those days ago. What was it you said when your breath was so gentle and feathery on my cheek? The words are no longer clear, but the intonation still vibrates in my chest. The rise and fall of your whisper still lingers in the recesses of my mind. As I recall, my reply was sweet on my tongue but bitter in my heart. But you didn't know that and you smiled your sweet smile. Now this, and the memory, is all that remains.


You are cordially invited to the May 5th event, Ticked Off- Lyme Disease Awareness Event, at Arts By the Bay Gallery in Havre de Grace, Maryland from 6PM-9PM! I will be presenting 3 walls of my art as well as speaking about my experience with trying to get properly diagnosed with and treated for Chronic Lyme Disease. I will discuss how my life has changed including how art has become a vehicle for me to express myself when I no longer could rely on words. We will have an informational table about Lyme Disease and how to protect yourself as well as personnel from Harford Lyme Advocates to answer questions you may have! A portion of proceeds from the sale of my art will go back to the local community to support Lyme sufferers and their families by funding education, legislation, and research!  Please mark your calendars now as you won't want to miss this! I have some fun things planned and I have other artists working on some art specifically for this event! Hope to see you there!

The World Is Such a Small Place

Time and time again I am reminded just how small the world is. The other day on a real estate shoot, I was greeted by the owners as I entered their house. The male looked very familiar to me, but then again a lot of people look familiar to me, so I didn't say anything.

About 15 minutes into the shoot, after chatting a while with the couple as I moved room to room, the gentleman says, "Did you used to be a teacher?"

Stunned, because yes indeed, I did used to be a teacher, I said, "YES! You look familiar...were you a teacher?" In my prior life, in 1994 to be exact, I graduated from Towson University and moved to Harford County to teach elementary school.

"No," he said. But maybe you taught my children.  Where did you teach?"
After telling him the locations where I've taught he informed me that his kids never attended any of those schools, so that couldn't be it.

I continued on my way through their house, shooting each room, until during another discussion I mentioned that I used to live in Abingdon, the same general location where this house was.  "Really?" he said. "Where about?"

"Box Hill," I replied.

"Ha!" he said. "I did too!"

"Maybe that is why you look familiar," I said.

"Maybe." he said. But he still didn't sound convinced.

Finally, toward the end of the shoot, he asked, "Did you used to tutor by any chance?"

"Yes!" I said. "I ran my own tutoring business for 13 years!" After I stayed home to raise my children, I began tutoring children to make ends meet. I ran my business for 13 years and loved it.

He laughed and said, "I figured it out. You tutored my daughter years and years ago!  The funny part is that it wasn't your face that looked familiar. Your voice gave it away."

"My voice?" I questioned.

"Yes. You have a teacher-voice. It's not bad, but very distinct. I wouldn't forget that voice anywhere. I remember you were a very good tutor and you had a very specific way of teaching and you were strict about how she did her work."

I laughed. "Yes, I had a specific method that was proven to help kids. I hope I was able to help her and that she was successful."

"Yes, she is. She graduated college, is doing well, and is now getting her masters."

It is so funny how people come in and out of your life. It turns out that his ex-wife and the mother of his daughter that he was referring to, contacted me the day after this. He must've told her that he ran into me and she reached out to me with an email. She told me that she and her daughter also have chronic Lyme disease and have found success with their treatment. She offered for me to join a Facebook page of a friend of hers who runs a support/information group for Lyme disease sufferers. I know these people were brought back into my life for a reason and am thankful to hear how a former student of mine is doing.

Life is good, is it not?

Have a beautiful Monday and happy MLK day!

xo

Taking Time to Rest

Tired. 

After weeks of going, going, going, it has caught up to me.  I'm so tired.  Exhausted.  Toast. 

So much is happening right now and I am having trouble keeping up with it all emotionally and physically. 

My brain and body have been in overdrive for over a month and frankly, I just need a chance to catch up.  But life doesn't work that way.  Coming up I have my son's graduation, my daughter's 16th birthday,  the one year anniversary of my father's death (I find myself falling into melancholy the closer it creeps), construction of the house and office/studio, and preparing for a huge life change that will be happening this summer.  Everyone has their dishes full, I know this, so I am not complaining, I just need to find some time to rest and take care of me.  I've been doing so well with Lyme recovery, I don't want to send myself backward.

So, I think today I will do just that.  I think I will sleep.  I think I will rest.  I think I will do just about nothing.  I haven't done that in so long and this is the only day that I have where I can do that.  I'm taking the opportunity!

Hoping wherever you are it is a beautiful day.  If it's not, make it one.

xo

Luxury Lives in the Finer Details- The Gallery at 122 Main

"Luxury lives in the finer details." ~Iggy Azalea

This is the third piece that will be hanging in the the April show of The Gallery at 122 Main.  I am really looking forward to seeing all the art go up on April 3 and to the opening reception on April 10! I hope everyone has marked their calendars and will come on out to say hello!  This piece is matted and framed with the finished dimensions as 23" (h) by 33' (w) and is listed at $175.00! You must see this one in person, as the saturation on the photographic paper is tremendous!

If you are interested in smaller prints, I have 8" x 12" prints for sale at Nine Acres Designs website for $31.90.  You can add lustre coating and matboard for a nominal cost.  The three prints that are hanging in the April show, The Heart Finds Its Morning, and Promising Too Much, as well as this one will be on sale at my website for a LIMITED TIME ONLY, so please don't delay with your orders.

I hope you all have a wonderful Friday!  I am looking forward to a morning real estate shoot and then some much needed pampering in the afternoon in the form of a spring haircut!  Have a great weekend and I will see you on the other side.

P.S.  I am collecting reader questions over at Nine Acres Designs on Facebook via private message, or you can email me questions from this blog (see side bar) to feature and answer on an upcoming blog post.  You can ask private or personal questions (within decent limits!) and I'd be happy to answer!  Thanks to those who have already sent some in!  This is going to be fun!

The Nicest Thing

"Tracey,  The pictures are great!  You did a fantastic job!  Thanks for making our home show so beautiful.  C and J"

Those are the words I woke up to the morning after delivering real estate photos to my client.  Just a few sentences had a great impact on my day and filled my sails with the energy I need to continue working while fighting this terrible illness.  Not many people take the time to say thank you now days but when they do, it makes a big difference.

Who have you thanked today?

Things That Make Me Smile

Don't you just love the pop of autumn colors?

As I walked around a bit yesterday on my mini-exploration,

I came across this fallen log that had tree fungus growing on it.

It looks like candy corn, doesn't it?

:)

It made me smile.

Today I am thankful for the time I spent with first graders testing them

on their knowledge of various grade appropriate information about our country.

This voluntary program is called the Patriot Program and the kids study on their own time,

learning all sorts of facts about the U.S.A.

I am the "Patriot Mom" for my daughter's class and today I started testing them.

They are all so cute and enthusiastic!

It was a great way to start my day.

xo

Weeds

Anyone know what plant this is?

I see it as an invasive weed and it is all over my garden,

swallowing up my plants.

Someone told me years ago, though, that it is actually ground cover.

Anyone know?

Please pray for a safe drive home for us today.

It's a long 5 hour drive and I am hoping for stress free passage.

Today I am thankful that weeds can sometimes be beautiful too.

In all ugly things our perspective can help us find the silver lining

and make us grateful for even the most difficult situations.

Even on cloudy days I sometimes put on sunglasses 

just to fool my psyche in to believing it is sunny ;)

xo

Ready to Unfurl

Today I am thankful for my beautiful 15 year old daughter

who brings such joy and laughter to my life.

She is such an amazing person with a huge, kind heart,

a humble, strong, quiet, self confidence

and a smart, creative brain with ideas that still fascinate me.

Why God decided to bless me with this gift that is her 15 years ago,

I will never know, but I am honored to be her mother.

My relationship with all my children is so unique and equally as fulfilling,

but when I imagined having a teenage daughter, 

I couldn't even begin to dream about a connection this close or rewarding.

Happy Birthday, my beautiful Ladybug!

May you always have the best in life 

and stay the sweet, caring person you are.

It is a joy watching you unfurl from a shy little girl

into this beautiful, confident woman.

One day you will change the world with your words.

You may already have...

xo

Daisy in the Rain

Today I am thankful for my garden and the beautiful,

life giving rain we had yesterday.

My garden was covered in leftover raindrops,

like tears caressing one's cheek,

slowly sliding off the petals to the ground below.

It was so quiet and serene with the skies still overcast

acting like a gigantic soft box.

Don't you love how the colors of the world POP after the rain;

the water magnifying the magnificence of Nature's palette?

Some hate the rain, 

but I actually find it comforting.

It makes the sun afterward that much more enjoyable.

xo