48/365- The Road Home

Roads go ever ever on,
Under cloud and under star.
Yet feet that wandering have gone
Turn at last to home afar.
Eyes that fire and sword have seen,
And horror in the halls of stone
Look at last on meadows green,
And trees and hills they long have known.

― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

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This is lovingly dedicated to the beautiful family who lives at this local farm, the Troyer family.  One of the family members, Rashelle, used to live across the street from me until she married into this family and now she is a farmer's wife and the mother to a toddler son. 

Have a fabulous Tuesday!

xo

Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation 2018 Individual Artist Award Grant

Sometimes we need to do things for no other reason than to push ourselves in a direction we never would have gone. Recently, I have been so blessed with career opportunities flowing my way for which I am totally humbled and grateful. Most of the time opportunities don't just present on one's doorstep; you've got to work hard, become vulnerable, and put your work out there for people to see. When you plant seeds sometimes they hit fertile soil and grow into wonderful things and sometimes they dry up and wither into nothing. Sometimes these opportunities spring up quickly and sometimes they need lots of time to grow and develop.

I am constantly on the look out for new opportunities to enter my work into shows, publications, and more recently, apply for grants. Last week I found out about the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation 2018 Individual Artist Award Grants which happened to be accepting applications for grants in the amount of $1,000, $3,000, and $6,000 in the category of photography. When I looked at the deadline for the application, it was this past Friday at 4:30 PM. Unfortunately, because of taking care of Brenna all week and then internet problems (rural life issues), I missed the deadline. I was disappointed because the grant only comes around about every 4 years in the photography category so I would have to wait a long time to try again.  However, as fate would have it, I received an email on Saturday morning saying that the deadline was extended to Sunday at 11:59 PM due to server errors on the grant application site. Now, I didn't have any more excuses. I had to submit. I decided to go with the theme of black and white photography showing rural/agricultural landscape in Maryland and Southern Pennsylvania. I had to submit 8 photographs that were taken after July 2014 to represent my body of work. These are the 8 photos I chose to enter.

Frozen Silo-Digital Photography-Black and White Photography by Tracey Grumbach

Farm At Rest-Digital Photography-Black and White Photography by Tracey Grumbach

Amish Farmer- Digital Photography-Black and White Photography by Tracey Grumbach

Flock Over Farm- Digital Photography-Black and White Photography by Tracey Grumbach

Wash Day- Digital Photography-Black and White Photography by Tracey Grumbach

Winter Mount- Digital Photography-Black and White Photography by Tracey Grumbach

January Silos-Digital Photography-Black and White Photography by Tracey Grumbach

Team of Four-Digital Photography-Black and White Photography by Tracey Grumbach

Competition for this grant is highly competitive. The winners are selected by a team of jurors from out of state. I will have to wait a really long time to see if I am awarded grant money because they will not notify the winners until April of 2018. I am so proud that I worked really hard to pull this together and submit. It was a long process on which I spent several days. I am so thankful to my family for their encouragement and patience as I was hooked to my studio and computer for many many hours. My chances of winning are slim to none as most people who win grants actually enter several times before being selected. This is the first time I've ever applied for a grant, so I am not expecting much. The good part, though, is it forced me to reach out of my comfort zone, go through several years worth of images (many of which I've never shown before), and try something new.

What goals do you have that you've been putting off? What box will you step out of today?

Have a beautiful Monday...stick around the rest of the week as I have some really cool digital art pieces, photography pieces, and announcements to make this week!

xo

Baltimore County Rural Landscape- Mobile Artistry by Tracey Grumbach

Tracey Grumbach- Barn Art

I had rather be on my farm than be emperor of the world.

-George Washington 

This quote says it all...I don't have a lot of words today other than to say my daughter made it safely home from Canada last night after the trip of a lifetime. She truly was blessed to have this life experience and we are so grateful to her friend's family for inviting her along on this adventure. Brenna only has 3 more weekends here at home before moving away to college, so I'm glad to have her back to spend some quality time with her before she leaves again. 

This barn is one I admire greatly and pass frequently along my route to and from where I see my doctor and get blood work. The barn and the property are just magnificent and I would love to explore further but I don't know the owners. I am thinking about putting together a collage of all the many barns I have photographed over the years. I truly have an obsession with them!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and I look forward to sharing more images with you in the coming days.

Have a great Monday!

xo

Starry Crown- Mobile Art by Tracey Grumbach

When my son and I took a walk Tuesday morning, I saw this barn and the song Down to the River to Pray popped into my mind.  One of the lyrics says, "And who shall wear the starry crown" and a starry crown is exactly what I thought of when I saw this majestic, huge barn standing in the morning sun with the star near the peak.  It was such a beautiful morning and I felt like I had enough energy to do a short (and I mean short) walk, but now I've been paying for it. I'm not sure if it was the walk or not but Tuesday night and all day yesterday the pain in my legs has been unbearable.  This after my pain has been controlled really well for most of the month. My next appointment is Tuesday, so I am anxious to hear how my labs turned out.

My youngest daughter LOVES this song and sings along every time she hears it. I love it too, so I will share it with you...

Down to the River to Pray
Alison Krauss

As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good old way
And who shall wear the starry crown
Good Lord, show me the way!

O sisters, let's go down,
Let's go down, come on down
O sisters, let's go down
Down in the river to pray.

As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good old way
And who shall wear the robe and crown 

Good Lord, show me the way!

O brothers, let's go down
Let's go down, come on down
Come on, brothers, let's go down
Down in the river to pray.

As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good old way
And who shall wear the starry crown
Good Lord, show me the way!

O fathers, let's go down
Let's go down, come on down
O fathers, let's go down
Down in the river to pray.

As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good old way
And who shall wear the robe and crown
Good Lord, show me the way!

O mothers, let's go down
Let's go down; don't you want to go down?
Come on, mothers, let's go down
Down in the river to pray.

As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good old way
And who shall wear the starry crown
Good Lord, show me the way!

O sinners, let's go down
Let's go down, come on down
O sinners, let's go down
Down in the river to pray.

As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good old way
And who shall wear the robe and crown
Good Lord, show me the way!

-Songwriter- Philip Anthony Lawson
-Lyrics- Hal Leonard Corporation 

 Hope you all have a fantastic Thursday!
xo

Hello Darkness, My Old Friend- Digital Art

It has been quiet around here. Despite my plans for an active summer full of exploring with the twins before they return to public school in September, my body has decided not to cooperate so far. I've been confined to the house pretty much for the last week except for an outing to the Hippodrome with a friend and a family picnic for 4th of July...both of which I rested in chairs.  Yesterday I had a close call with a health crisis that almost sent me to the hospital, but in the end it subsided and I was able to stay home, under the careful and vigilant watch of my oldest daughter.  I sure am going to miss her when she moves away next month. I still have tons of hope, though, and I see a future full of activity and exploring. I'm just not quite there yet.

Since I haven't been far from home, I have been busy with creative things around the house. This was the view from my front porch when a summer thunderstorm was rolling in. Not too shabby of a view! I've also been working on my Figurescapes class and I have completed my second project. I'll show that to you and talk more about that here on the blog tomorrow. I've also been writing. Yesterday, I told you I was writing another article for The Mighty and I did, but after going back to edit it yesterday after lunch, I hated it. Yep. I absolutely hated the article I wrote. The tone was so negative and I didn't like how I presented the material. So, today, I plan on rewriting the article, but this time with a positive and hopeful tone!

Today looks to be more of the same, except maybe I will pull out some art materials and make some art paper and collages I can use in upcoming artwork I have planned. It will be fun to do something with physical materials instead of a just a computer. I hope your Thursday is the best Thursday you've ever had! I think I'll throw on some relaxing music, fold some laundry, and then get started with all of these creative endeavors I have planned. Till tomorrow...

xo

Heston Farm- Harford County, Maryland

Heston Farm- Altered Photography by Tracey Grumbach

Some days I just enjoy riding around my beautiful county taking in the scenery. Since I am not very mobile at the moment, taking "Sunday" drives any day of the week has become a form of therapy for me. I particularly like being the passenger so that my attention can be elsewhere, drinking in the deliciousness of the summer landscape. Being out of the house and riding around the county reminds me that the world is bigger than me. My problems seem much smaller in the wide open landscape. Being in nature, hearing nature, smelling nature, and seeing nature has a psychological healing affect. It is refreshing to know beauty doesn't cease to exist in the midst of pain. Light doesn't cease to exist in darkness. Drive therapy...that's what I'll call it. My only wish is that there was more room to pull off on the side of these country roads so I could take more photographs of the glorious sights.

This farm is quite beautiful. It is owned by a local family, a family who has a child/grandchild the same age as my twins. They are a wonderful family and we buy hay for our horse from them. One day I will accompany my husband when he goes to buy hay and take more pictures of their amazing property. Hopefully I will be in much less pain and more mobile by then...it gives me something to shoot for!

I hope everyone has a beautiful weekend. Mine will be filled with rugby games, graduation parties, and taking down my current art show while delivering new art to the gallery.  I will be food prepping and doing some serious medicine schedule planning to make sure I don't get off track. Getting out of the house is not easy when your on such a strict time schedule (every two hours) of eating and taking medicine. Thank goodness my husband and kids are helpful in keeping me on track and praise God that I am surrounded by friends and neighbors who understand. God is good!

xo

Changes For Us

Late Spring Sunset- Digital Art by Tracey Grumbach

As the corn creeps closer to being knee high and the temperatures creep toward the nineties, my mind creeps toward next school year instead of summer fun. When I started the journey of homeschooling 2 years ago, I knew that one day we would return our twins back into the public school system at some point. We had a set of private goals for our children and my husband and I knew we would know when it was time to send them back. These past two years have been challenging, rewarding, fun, and full of bonding with my two youngest. But, the time has come to send them back to their local elementary school. It is a decision that brings me a mixed bag of feelings. While I am so happy for them to be more independent from me, I am sad for the fun times and flexibility we will lose in this process. We recently told them they are returning to the public education system and they too had mixed feelings. They are excited to be with friends on a daily basis again, but sad to lose our shorter schooling day, our fun field trips, and other special things we got to do as homeschoolers. For all of us it is a weird mix of excitement and grieving.  I guess that is normal for the ending of one stage of life and the moving on to another.

Thank you to everyone who has supported our decision to homeschool two years ago. We took a leap of faith pulling our children out of the system and home with us. Most everyone was happy for us and cheered us on for two years. I especially want to thank all the homeschooling moms who took me under their wing, counseled me when I was stressing out, and who have become lifelong friends. You all know who you are and you ladies rock. Thank you to everyone for your continuing support as we navigate this change again. I will be discontinuing my Instagram and blog related to homeschooling now that the twins will be back in school.  So, if you follow those, please be aware of this change.

Have a wonderful Monday...

xo

Triple Silos- Enhanced Photography by Tracey Grumbach

Two days ago I posted on Facebook about new challenges with my health. Here is the post for those who are not on Facebook.

Friends and Family...I debated all night whether to publicly share my latest test results with you all because I absolutely do not want any sympathy. In the end, I decided to share because I made a promise that I would be transparent about my daily life living with chronic disease and I will honor that promise.

As many of you know, I have not been feeling well for many months now. My husband was able to secure me an appointment with a local leading doctor on Lyme Disease. He specializes in Lyme and co-infections and ONLY sees patients for that. Last month I had my consult with him, he examined me, and ran many, many lab tests. During the month it took to get all the labs back I continued to deteriorate health wise. Yesterday, I had my second meeting with the specialist and he shared the news that I tested positive for 6 different infections...Lyme (Borrelia), Bartonella, Ehrlichiosis, Babesia, EBV, and c. pneumonia. Each one of these infections is a serious infection on its own, but all together they are just completely destroying my health. His feeling is that I have had several tick bites over the years (some I recall) in which the ticks have infected me with one or more of these infections.

The good news is the doctor has a plan of attack to try and finally kick all these buggers out of me. It is not as easy as it sounds because of the stealth way many of these infections hide in your own cells or tissues, including my brain (which explains why I am having word retrieval issues still as well as episodes of becoming confused and disoriented.)  I will probably be in treatment for at least a year.

Unfortunately, the treatment, at least at first, will make me sicker before it will make me better. This is due to die off of the bacteria which then release toxins from their cell walls into my system. These toxins can make me very sick as my body tries to get rid of them. (Herxheimer Reaction) To complicate matters, I have a genetic mutation that does not allow my body to detox well on its own. So, the first 6-8 weeks of intense antibiotic and anti-parasitic medicines will be hell. On top of that I am bound to a very strict anti-inflammatory diet while in treatment to try and minimize inflammation in my body. If you see me and think I am losing weight, the chances are that you are correct.

To be honest, I just want to give up. I've been trying to kill these suckers for so long and they keep winning. But I won't give up because of my husband and kids. I have many things to be thankful for and I will count my blessings.

As I go into battle mode trying to make myself well again, I may disappear for a while. Body aches, headaches, nausea, exhaustion, etc. are part of the healing process so posting on the blog and on Facebook will not be a priority for me.

Please, no comments on how sorry you are. I know people don't want this for me and I am so thankful for your kindness, but the last thing I want is sympathy. I am blessed to have supportive family and friends. So many have stepped forward already to help with Brenna's graduation party because I am just not able to do it and I want the best for her. Truly, I am just sharing for awareness about the severity and longevity of tick borne diseases. PLEASE protect yourself and your kids. This summer is so very dangerous as the tick populations boomed over the winter.

If you'd like to help, prayers would be appreciated. Not only for me, but also for my family who has to see me go through this again. It is not easy on them. Thank you!

I am sharing this for two reasons...first to let you know my posting here on the blog may be sporadic. My priority right now is absolutely my health and my family, so art will be taking a back seat for a while.

 Thanks to all of those who have already reached out and offered help with my daughter's graduation party, with my twins, with meals, etc. Your kindness is humbling and appreciated. Prayers are appreciated. In the meantime, I will post here when I am able.  Have a great Memorial Day weekend.

xo


P.S.

I am still collecting donations throughout the month of May and donating a portion of the profit from the sale of my art in the month of May to NatCapLyme.org- an organization that helps with research, education, legislation, and support for those suffering and treating Lyme Disease. If you would like to help people like me and so many others who suffer daily from this disease, please visit Arts By the Bay Gallery in Havre de Grace where there are donation boxes until May 31. If you can't make it out to the gallery, please consider donating online using the following instructions.

1.  Go to NatCapLyme.org's donation page.
2.  Click on Fundraising Event in the tab section.
3.  In the Select Event for Fundraising dropdown menu choose the bottom one...Arts By the Bay Gallery Ticked Off Lyme Disease Awareness Event.
4.  Fill out the rest of the form and submit!

Pastoral Spring- Altered Photography by Tracey Grumbach

Our Tennessee Walking Horse, Toby, on spring grass

Fresh cut grass. Happy horses. Warm breezes. Thunderstorms. Country road walks. Blooming trees, bushes, and plants. Dandelions. Drinking coffee on the porch swing watching the birds at the feeder. Open windows. Baseball. Baby birds.

Just a few of my favorite spring things.

Only one day left until the Ticked Off- Lyme Disease Awareness Event! I'm so excited to see how the months of planning have come to fruition after so much hard work. Thank you to everyone who pitched in to make this event the best in can be.  Hope you can make it tomorrow! 

May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month...Would you be so kind as to make a small donation to the non-profit organization I am passionate about, NatCapLyme Association, who raises money for Lyme Disease education, legislation, research, and patient support? I would very much appreciate it! In order to keep tabs on how much money we raise, please follow these directions to make a donation.

1.  Go to NatCapLyme.org's donation page.
2.  Click on Fundraising Event in the tab section.
3.  In the Select Event for Fundraising dropdown menu choose the bottom one...Arts By the Bay Gallery Ticked Off Lyme Disease Awareness Event.
4.  Fill out the rest of the form and submit!

Thanks so much for any help you could give. This really is a great organization. I attend the support meetings of my local chapter and they are champions of getting the word out in Harford County and beyond.

Happy Thursday!

xo

Shaw Orchards, One Mile- Altered Photography by Tracey Grumbach

Many local friends and family may recognize this barn. It has long been one of my favorites, but because of its position near the road I could never get a decent shot of it. Then, one day I happened to drive on a road that I typically don't use only to discover this beautiful close up view of the barn. Sometimes it is all about changing perspectives or using the road less traveled.

Have a wonderful Thursday!

Spots are filling up for the May 20th Havre de Grace Photo Walk and Photography Workshop, so sign up now! You can register online here or stop in to Arts By the Bay Gallery to register in person. I will be working at Arts By the Bay on Saturday from 11:00-2:30PM so stop in and see me. I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have about the workshop or the Ticked Off Lyme Disease Awareness Event!

Spring Blooms in Purple- Harford County Artist

Driving around the other day, I had to pull over and capture this scene. Everywhere near my home the farmer's fields are covered in purple blooms, creating acres purple carpeted earth. It is stunning to see, for sure. Unfortunately, I haven't had time or energy to deal with my computer crashing, so I still do not have a functioning photoshop program to edit, so this is edited solely from my phone. There are things I would love to do to this image to make it better, but I just don't have the equipment right now to do it.

Just some upcoming events I want to remind you about...first, on Saturday, April 22 I will be working my monthly shift at Arts By the Bay Gallery in Havre de Grace. Stop in and see me before the winter show ends! I will be working from 11AM-2:30PM, so come on in and see Harford County's Best Art Gallery!

While you are there, you can sign up for the workshop I am teaching, Havre de Grace Photo Walk and Mini Composition Workshop. It is a mini photography composition workshop along with a guided photowalk of Havre de Grace, Maryland. More information and a sign up for that will be forthcoming next week!

In addition, the new spring show at Arts By the Bay will be having the opening reception on Friday, April 28th. I am the featured artist for this show and will be showing approximately 35-40 pieces of art! Stop in for a fun time...it is free and there will be hors d'oeuvres, a cash bar, and lots of amazing art from local artists!

And, of course, on May 5th I will be hosting the Ticked Off-Lyme Disease Awareness Event, also at Arts By the Bay. I will be discussing my journey with Lyme disease and co-infections along with discussing how art has played an integral part in my healing and dealing with the ups and downs of a chronic, debilitating illness. Joining me will be Janet Jensen, a brilliant and caring representative from Harford Lyme Advocates who will have an informational table set up and who can answer your more technical questions about this disease that is taking over Maryland. The CDC has identified Maryland as a hot spot for Lyme cases and this spring and summer are supposed to be even worse due to the warm winter. Please, come out and inform yourself! We will have fun activities and we will be raising funds for the nonprofit group NatCapLyme, who support Lyme research, education, legislation, and support.

I hope to see you at any or all of these upcoming events! The rest of April and all of May will be jam packed with art and events. In the meantime, I am still under doctor's care for figuring out my latest flare so, hopefully I will be able to maintain the stamina needed to get through this spring!

Have a great weekend!

xo

Hi Myrtle- Digital Art Created with Collaging Techniques

About this image: It was a heat wave in the middle February. The temperatures were approaching 70 degrees and the outdoors was calling. I had to go. I couldn't be stuck inside a moment longer with my aching jaw and tired body. So, my husband took me on a ride near our home to get me out.  We started talking about this barn even before we got there. We both had seen it many times and it is one of our favorites, but I had never photographed it. So, with my trusty iPhone 6S Plus in hand, I grabbed this image from the passenger side window. There is something about the double decker barn with the star on it that captures my heart. Something about the rolling green hills, spooning the barn red buildings in its folds.  Something about the silo standing tall and alert, guarding its yard. Truly, farming is the backbone of this country from its beginnings to now and it is also the lifeblood of my ancestral history, so I get it honest. Both sides of my family are farmers or miners from West Virginia and Kentucky. As far back as I have traced they have been farmers. The soil, it seems, is in my blood.

The title for this piece comes from a scanned letter I used as a texture that my great uncle wrote to his sister, my grandmother Myrtle, to tell her he was being deployed to go to Europe for WWII. I love the handwriting and the personal connection it has in my history. I often use old letters or documents I have from my ancestors in my art work. His letter began in a cheerful, "Hi, Myrtle!" and so I used it as the title. Can you find it in the piece?  There is also music notes and a face hiding in the piece as well.

Hey, y'all, I have added an event calendar to the Upcoming Events page because it was just more tidy to keep track of art shows, events, workshops, and appearances that way. So, go ahead over and check it out! Over the weekend I have confirmed two more dates and places for showing my work. I am excited to announce my work will be displayed at the last two upcoming Susquehanna Symphony Orchestra regular season performances at Bel Air High School. So, on March 4th and May 20th, I will be there before the show starts and during intermission to display my art and to answer questions.  My art will be on sale at this event as well (check or exact cash only for these two events) so head out, check out some great art and stay to listen to the SSO perform! It is going to be a great night of fun!

Please SAVE THE DATE May 5, 2017 6PM-9Pm for a special Lyme Disease Awareness Event that I am hosting at Arts By the Bay in Havre de Grace! I will be the featured artist and have three walls of my art displayed. In addition I will be talking about my journey through Chronic Lyme Disease and how it had affected my art. Also, Harford Lyme Advocates will have an informational table set up to help spread the word about the dangers of tick borne illnesses and how to keep yourself safe. It is also First Friday in Havre de Grace, so the streets will be shut down and tons of businesses and restaurants will be having special events and deals! I sincerely hope to see you all there...stop in and say hello!

Also, keep your eyes open for some workshop dates to come out this week. One will be a Mini-Composition Workshop and Guided Photo Walk in Havre de Grace, MD in May (I am shooting for May 20th in the morning, but haven't confirmed that date yet) and the other will be an Introduction to Mobile Art (I've received a ton of requests for this) sometime in April!

Have a fabulous day!
xo

Humility Is the Foundation of All Virtues- Baltimore Digital Artist

About this image: Remember I talked about that one day last week where the sun was actually out and I took a walk with the kids? Since then, it has been gray, dreary, dark, and downright depressing. Truthfully, this has been one of the longest stretches of dreariness I can remember. So, I have resorted to going back to that day for some inspiration, warmth, and sunshine; otherwise, I doesn't look like I will be getting any. Where I live there are so many awesome rural buildings. I love buildings that show a bit of wear and tear on the outside yet have the strength and resilience to be standing strong in the face of utter destruction. I find it inspirational in my journey for my health and rather metaphoric to remember that although on the outside, my physical body may take a beating, my soul, the foundation of my being is standing strong, weathering the storm.

Please consider heading out tonight to Havre de Grace to enjoy the opening reception of the Winter Blitz art show from 7-9PM at Arts By the Bay Gallery. I will be working but I will also have 5 pieces hanging (one of which is on the cover and featured in the upcoming issue of Somerset Digital Studio magazine), photographing the show for promotions, and I will be mingling/chatting with our guests! So, stop in for a good time and good art!  Hope to see you there!

Have a beautiful weekend. I will see you here on Monday. xo  Go Falcons! :)

xo

Winter Country Morning- Digital Art Landscape

I only went out for a walk, and finally concluded to stay out til sundown, 

for going out, I found, was really going in.

-John Muir

About this image: A discarded image back in 2010 has found its way to become today's digital art piece. Even in the dead of winter, the sunrise adds the warmest of glows to the golden brown earth, turned up to the surface by last year's autumn harvest. Accented by the red barns and green outbuilding, this image spoke to me out of the archives. I am so glad, now, that I did not delete these old images. What I believed was trash back then is turning out to be treasure to me now. Sunflare used to ruin a picture for me, but now, I honor the science behind why it happens and see the beauty in it. So interesting, how light and lenses works, don't you think?

About this quote: When I find myself needing some clarity, I always seem to migrate outdoors. Like John Muir, it brings me home, to the center of myself when I am outside, feet on the soil, face to the sun, bird song in my ear. It is where we come from and where we belong, as part of the earth. But so many of today's youth are so far out of touch with nature, preferring instead, to be surrounded by electronics, that it is causing a disruption (in my humble opinion) in the natural order of the next generation's connection to earth. There seems to be an underlying vibration of dissatisfaction and frustration within our youth, that I believe is caused somewhat by the disconnect between themselves and nature. Being surrounded by all of those EMFs, bombarded by not only the images they seen on screens, but by the unseen waves of magnetic fields in our modern world. For me, the best I can do is be a good role model for my own children and step into nature often, talking out loud about how we are connected to the earth and how it is the place to go when you need centered. I hope they follow in my footsteps and fall in love with the dirt, air, and water, that soothes me like the Mother she is.

Along Big Falls Road- Landscape Mobile Art by Tracey Grumbach

Along Big Falls Road- Landscape Mobile Art by Tracey Grumbach

About this image: Some days are just hard as a parent. You try to do your best by your kids every day, but sometimes one just falls short. A few weeks ago my youngest daughter started telling me that she couldn't see the board or pocket chart in homeschool very well. She kept getting out of her seat and walking up to the board over and over again. Being that they are homeschooled, I play the dual role as her mom and as her teacher, which sometimes is not a blessing. Knowing my youngest daughter as I do, I suspected that she was making up that she couldn't see as an excuse to procrastinate doing her work and to stretch her legs. So, I told her to sit down and do her work after several trips to the board. Then, yesterday, during school, she told me again that she couldn't see, but this time it was vocabulary cards in a pocket chart. The pocket chart stand is very close to her desk, so again, I thought she was procrastinating and told her to sit down. This time, though, I noticed her visible frustration as she squinted to see the chart.

Guilt immediately kicked in. Maybe she really couldn't see the chart or board! So, being near-sighted myself, I grabbed my glasses and put them on her. Immediately, her face relaxed and she said, "Oh, now I can see..." and she spelled the word right off the card from her seat.

Ugh. For about two weeks I was letting this poor kid suffer with not being able to see things at a distance! I assumed she was just procrastinating and stretching and wanting attention when she really truly had a vision issue. I immediately called the eye doctor and as luck would have it, they had a cancellation minutes before for that afternoon. We grabbed that spot. Well, turns out she did need glasses and so she picked the prettiest pink and purple pair they had. Poor thing.

You may ask, "What does this have to do with this image?" Well, as we were traveling to the eye doctor, I came across this beautiful scene. I stopped in the middle of the road (I live in a rural area with barely any road traffic and in both directions there were no vehicles in sight) and took a picture with my iPhone. While waiting at the doctor's office, I used all my mobile app art tools to create this piece. When I was finished with it (about 6-7 steps in the whole process), I showed the twins my work. They both gasped and said, "How did you do that when you are not even at your computer?"  Since they were with me in the truck when I took the picture, they knew what the original scene looked like and could compare it to the finished product. I loved that they were impressed. N, my youngest daughter, said, "Mom, you are the best artist."  LOL. I don't strive to be the best artist, I just have a compulsion to create and express my feelings through digital art, but the fact that my kids think I'm the best makes me glow. Especially since I know I am far from perfect and make many mistakes as a mom. But, they love me and forgive me all my shortcomings.

Don't forget to stop in tonight at Oxford Art Alliance to see me from 5-8PM! I have three pieces showing and for sale...all three are limited editions with only one print available! They will never be printed again, so grab the one and only while you can. Check out the flyer below for details and please make sure you introduce yourself tonight!

Also, on yesterday's post, I said to tune in for a big announcement today, but I have to postpone revealing what that is until later next week! Sorry for any confusion that may cause!
xo

The Winter Ivy on the Red Barn- Altered Photography by Tracey Grumbach

About this image:  A different view of one of my favorite barns, Duncan Road Barn. I took this image the same day as I took this one, intrigued by the barren ivy that climbs the beautiful red barn wood.

Last year I set a goal for myself to read 20 books. For some reason I had a horrible time achieving that...it seemed like as soon as I got half way through a book I lost interest and started something else.  It's not that the books were bad. If that were the case I would have just stopped reading it and moved on.  But instead, I just lost my focus and interest with no fault to the book. This year I have decided to pick up the books I left abandoned and try and finish them. I hate unfinished things. I am not a fan of loose ends, so wrapping up these books and adding them to my finished pile will feel good.

One of the books I left behind last year was my signed copy of Never Broken-Songs Are Only Half the Story by Jewel. I really admire Jewel as a person and an artist, so I really wanted to finish her memoir. I also watch Alaska, the Last Frontier on television. It is a reality show about her family, the Kilchers,  that still live and homestead in Alaska. This season Jewel came back to the homestead with her son, Kase, so it encouraged me even more to pick up the book again. A few pages into reading the book this year, I came across this quote and it struck me, so I thought I would share it with you...

From Never Broken-Songs Are Only Half the Story- by Jewel

I wrote feverishly, spending two weeks in silence.  I cannot overstate the importance of silence to young artists, or to anyone seeking a creative voice.  It takes great influences to find your way to unique self-expression.  You must stand on the shoulders of artists who have gone before you.  Read great works.  See great arts.  Listen to great voices.  This sets a bar for your spirit and psyche to work toward.  Then you must dive inward into silence.  Stand on the rippling edges of the expansive universe within your own being and create from there.  Don't compare yourself with what's popular.  Doing so is like one child comparing himself with another.  Greatness is never achieved by trying to imitate the greatness of another.  Greatness is chipping away at all that does not belong to you and then expressing yourself so truly that others can't help but recognize it. It is in silence that we discover ourselves.  The silence and the unknown can be frightening, but with time it stops feeling like there is nothing there.  The darkness and silence will begin to feel like a void in a positive sense--the womb of creation.  It is the magical nothing that something is birthed from.  Feed yourself a diet of great work, and then go away by yourself and listen alone to your soul speak to you. Silence will be your greatest teacher.

As an artist and person I can really connect to her words. Silence and quiet time is a must for me now. It didn't used to be before I was sick, but it is now. Habit, my word for 2017, is helping me carve that quiet time that I crave and need. Yoga each morning before the kids awake, guided meditation in my sauna, reading time and journaling have all been priceless to me in the first 10 days of this year. I'm so thrilled with my choices this year and excited at the prospect of the inner peace it is bringing me.

I hope you all have a very zen sort of day.

xo

Duncan Road Barn- Digital Art by Tracey Grumbach

About this image:  On the first day of the year a neighbor or mine holds motorcycle races for the riders in a club they belong to. They always invite us to stop over and enjoy the races (and I usually photograph some too) and over the years, it has become a tradition for us to visit them on January 1. We don't race motorcycles...heck, we don't even own a motorcycle, but I do love a good engine, a good race, and action photography.

Anyway, on the short walk to their house on New Year's Day, I passed one of my favorite barns...one that has been in many of my art pieces. I call it The Duncan Road Barn. As I was walking along the fence line, I happened to notice how beautiful the light was catching the tall, brown, fall grasses that have yet to be covered in snow this season. The barn seemed to soak in the warm colors of the sun and reflect out its own light from within. Even the branches of the bare tree glimmered in the beautiful light. I fell in love with the scene and came up with this. I hope you like it.

May you have a blessed day...stay warm and safe.

xo

First Amish Snowfall- Digital Art by Tracey Grumbach

First Amish Snowfall
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

From my family to yours- wishing you all the merriest of Christmases! May your Christmas be filled with family, love, hope, peace, and joy. I plan on enjoying the holiday with my family and will be back to blogging before the New Year!

God bless, peace on earth and goodwill to all people.

xo

Storm Rolling In- Mobile Photography Art by Tracey Grumbach

Storm Rolling In- Mobile Photography Art by Tracey Grumbach

Yesterday was the winter solstice. That means it was the astronomical beginning of winter and there was the fewest hours of sunlight yesterday for the entire year. From this day until the summer solstice our days will begin getting longer again. At least that is something to look forward to! I love me some sunlight.

As if right on cue, yesterday I began getting a terrible head cold for the first time in a long time. Nothing says Christmas like a stuffy head, sneezing, watery eyes, coughing, and general miserableness. I am sucking on my zinc lozenges every two hours, taking lots of Vitamin C, making my "special sick tea" made with organic lemon and raw honey, misting my Essential Oils, and washing my hands like a mad woman. Hopefully this will help shorten the virus and let me enjoy Christmas Eve and Christmas with family. I also hope I don't infect anyone else in the house!

I hope you all stay healthy and well through the season...and happy Winter Solstice to you all.

xo

The Morning of the First Frost - Rural Landscape Art

Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

-J.R.R. Tolkien

Wishing all of you warmth and comfort during this cold snap! I was out driving back from an appointment the other morning when I came across this beautiful scene...just a tad bit of morning frost still clinging to the center most area of the lawn. It was a grey, cold morning and I could feel the chill down deep in my bones. I struggled all day to get warm.

Some days are still like that for me. Ever since I was infected with Lyme all those years ago my body does not regulate my temperature very well. We have our thermostat set on 72 in the house and I was wearing a winter fleece lined wool hat, a long sleeve shirt, a sweatshirt on top of that, a pair of jeans, alpaca wool socks with Ugg type boots up to my calf and I STILL was sitting on the couch wrapped up in a blanket. It's crazy, I tell you.

But just as easily, I could be dying of heat. I don't tolerate warmth very well either. If it is too hot, I react quickly with nausea and profuse sweating. It's terrible. I never know when I will be cold and when I will be hot.

So, layers is the strategy for me. I layer my clothing so that I have options and can change from one minute to the next, pulling on and off layers as needed. Is anyone else sensitive to temperature changes? If so, how do you deal with it?

Stay warm, y'all...I hear ice and snow are coming in tonight! Be safe and I will see you on the blog next week.

xo