16/365- Keep Your Face to the Sunshine

Sunflower Fields in White Hall as seen by artist Tracey Grumbach

“Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows. It's what the sunflowers do.”
―Helen Keller

--------------

Happy Friday, ya'll. Well, Brenna is now staying with us through the weekend and will try to get back to Orlando on Monday. Her school is still closed and the apartment complex still does not have power. I'm loving having her home, but she is starting to get antsy and restless being in limbo. I completely understand and hope she can get back to a normal routine very soon.

Brenna will actually be joining me this evening, since she is still home, at the opening reception for the Autumn Splendor show at Arts By the Bay Gallery. I'm hoping to pop in close to 7PM and stay for about an hour. I'd love to meet you all and chat, so if you have any questions about Lyme or digital art, I'd be thrilled to talk with you. I hope to see you there.

Yesterday I confirmed plans to model for one of my artist friends, Pamela Wilde, who is a painter. On October 27th from 7PM-10PM at the Artists Emporium in Havre de Grace, she will be painting me in a Halloween costume in the front window. I am so stinking excited about it! Now I just need to figure out a really cool and unique costume. Any ideas? Keep your eyes out for really out-of-the-box hats or costumes (no masks per the artist). This is the first time I will be modeling for a painter and I am so glad it is with her. Pam is not only a fun and kind person, she is also a very talented artist. I added this event to the Upcoming Events page if you'd like to check it out!

Until tomorrow, folks...

xo

Sunflower In Its Last Day- Portrait of a Flower Series

Digital Art by Harford County Artist Tracey Grumbach

Sorry for not posting yesterday...my intention was to write a post after dropping Brian and the kids off to go to Universal Island of Adventure. However, after dropping them off I decided to explore Winter Park a bit on my own. I decided to visit the Meade Botanical Gardens and stroll slowly in the shade for some "me" time. I had a wonderful time but I realized I didn't choose the best footwear when I came across a sign warning visitors about alligators and venomous snakes. Oh, and the marshy ground was like quicksand. I had a difficult time keeping my flip flops on my feet and not being sucked into the muddy marsh. I saw several abandoned flip flops along my walk and totally understood how that could happen. Luckily, I didn't lose mine, but it was a struggle. Also luckily I didn't come into contact with any alligators or venomous snakes. I did, however, come across some creepy spiders that had spikes on their backs and some monstrous grasshoppers that looked like miniature dinosaurs. Ick. It was pure heaven strolling alone and not having the kids ask me 1, 428 questions about everything. Just me and my thoughts (and my paranoia about alligators and snakes eating me.)

After getting dripping wet full of sweat, I decided it was time to leave. Instead of going back to the hotel, I decided to stop in to see what the Morse Museum was all about.  Well, what a place, let me tell you! It has the largest collection of works by Louis Comfort Tiffany. It is a fabulous museum and I was practically the only person in there at the time. I had all the security officers at my disposal to answer questions and give me more information. I had a fabulous time exploring all the art. The chapel was breathtaking! If you are ever in the area, you must stop in and check it out.

Today is Brian and the twins' last day here in Florida. They will head home in the morning. So, we will be spending another family day exploring all that Winter Park has to offer. I am staying until Wednesday so I can attend the parent orientation at Full Sail and make sure Brenna is all set to start school on the 28th. She has mandatory orientation for the full week starting Monday so I will have a bit of time on my hands to explore more if I choose.

I hope all is well with you all! I will be posting on Monday so I will see you then. Have a fabulous weekend!

xo

Sunflower in Ball Jar- Digital Art By Tracey Grumbach

The last few weeks have been difficult ones. When dealing with any chronic illness, stress can be a huge factor in how your immune system responds to latent illnesses, such as EBV. When stress suppresses the immune system, those illnesses that are lying in wait can flare and cause a host of issues. This is exactly what is happening to me, I believe. My lab results show elevated levels of EBV as well as C. pneumoniae. Additional tests show lack of oxygen being carried to my brain and the rest of my body. All of these things can cause exhaustion, headaches, depression, and many other issues.  Lately, my stress levels have been very, very high, allowing the perfect environment for these illnesses to rear their ugly heads. Thanks to Lyme and co-infections, my immune system was almost non-existent to begin with, so when stress comes along to hammer it down even more, I get very sick. That is why I haven't been blogging and posting as much on social media. I've been trying to lie low and take care of myself.

Anyway, a beautiful bouquet of sunflowers was given to my mother for her birthday while she was staying here at my house. I took the opportunity to use my tabletop lightbox and shoot some portraits of these amazing creations. I just love the combination of blue and yellow...very calming for me. This one is in route from the art printer and I can't wait to see how it looks in person. If you'd like to see it too, be sure to stop in to Arts By the Bay Gallery beginning on April 28th (opening reception for the spring show which I am the featured artist for) and June 25th (the closing for the spring show). Don't forget to come out the night of May 5th to the Ticked Off-Lyme Disease Awareness Event to help support the us in educating the community about the dangers of Lyme Disease! It is going to be a good time.

Have a wonderful week, y'all.

xo

The End of Summer- Creative Digital Art

The end of summer draws near and the season of changes is creeping up. All around me corn is being harvested, sunflowers are drooping their heads, the temperatures have cooled a bit, and the days are getting shorter. Autumn is my favorite season. I am very much looking forward to jeans, sweaters, boots, jackets, and hot tea on my front porch swing. What is your favorite season? Why?

I hope you all have a wonderful Monday. Stop for a minute and see if you can smell, hear, or see the changes around you. Hugs...

xo

Impression of Sunflower

Digital drawing/painting of a sunflower- iPhone and desktop used for this creation

It's crazy how excited I am becoming about homeschooling.  After months of contemplation about what was best for my kids and for our family as a whole, the decision was finally made several weeks ago to go for it.  Since then my mind has let go of the anxiety of the decision making and my heart has embraced the joy of this journey I am about to take with my kiddos.  Many of you may not know that I actually have a degree in teaching, so this is right up my alley.  My two loves in life are teaching and art.  Now I get to do both while getting to spend time with my little people and get to learn more about them as human beings.  How lucky am I?

I ordered a curriculum that will cover all of the academic subjects for the kids, but this program is a bit weak in the music and art department.  So, I set out to create my own music and art curriculum and I have finished planning my first music unit...Introduction to the Orchestra.  I know less than nothing about music, so this is a learning experience for me as well.  I utilized free materials from my library (which is awesome, by the way)...books, cd's, movies, websites, etc. to complete this unit and I have planned a trip to the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra with the kids so they can see the real artistry in action!  This is so exciting.  I am in heaven!

In addition, we have joined a Homeschool Co-Op and I will be teaching middle and high schoolers photography...studying the science and art of photography as well as studying famous photographers and their work! I am even thinking about having them at the end of the class put on an exhibit! Are you kidding me?  This is my life?  What joy I have in sharing this gift with other homeschool kids!  I finally feel with this decision, everything I've wanted for my kids, my family, and myself is finally falling into place.  Homeschool, teaching, art, photography, music, learning, being with my kids daily...pure bliss.  I. Can. Not. Wait.

Remind me I said that when I am overwhelmed and the kids are on my last nerve.  I might be excited, but I am not naive about how it will be.  I know it won't all be rainbows and unicorns.  But life never is...we will just take it one day at a time and I will keep reminding myself how incredibly blessed I am to have this opportunity.

Now, if my health would just fall in line, life would be pretty darn perfect.  :)

xo