41/365- The Missing Pole and the Morning Newspaper

Digital Art by Tracey Grumbach

“Heaven, such as it is, is right here on earth. Behold: my revelation: I stand at the door in the morning, and lo, there is a newspaper, in sight like unto an emerald. And holy, holy, holy is the coffee, which was, and is, and is to come."

-Sarah Vowell, Take the Cannoli

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Today is a bittersweet day. Tyler, my oldest son, is flying out of the nest and heading out to live in an apartment with some roommates while he attends school at Universal Technical Institute in Exton, PA. While I am so happy for him and am so proud to see him pursue his dreams, it leaves me with a knot in my stomach because I will miss him. He is the silliness in our household. He loves to make us all laugh and he is all the time lifting our moods. In the span of two months, I have watched my two oldest set out on their own and start a new chapter of their lives. After raising these kids for 18 years, guiding them along the way, it is not easy to let them go. The house feels incredibly empty and I am incredibly weepy, sad for myself but happy for him.

I will be in Exton today attending school orientation and helping Tyler move into his new digs.  Hug your children tightly today. They grow up so darn fast.

xo

40/365- Arizona Inn 1

One of the unique buildings of the Arizona Inn at dusk

Privacy, quiet, and sunshine. -Arizona Inn

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Brian and I had the pleasure of staying at this historical Inn in Tucson when we were there. It is a gorgeous, unique hotel that was built in the 1930s and is still family owned today. We absolutely loved our stay there and would love to go back one day. The service, the restaurant, and the history of the place was truly amazing. If you are ever in Tucson, consider staying here. The Arizona Inn has been the highlight of several recent blog posts including Sun Setting Over Arizona Inn, Arizona Bicycle, Evening at the Pool, and In the Shadow of the Sun King. It will also be the the feature of several upcoming posts. I took tons of photos here because I loved the unique set up and architecture. I also loved the Arizona Inn's signature salmon and blue colors. So much to love!

Be sure to check back on the blog today at noon for a special post about my visit to Washington D.C. yesterday! Photos and commentary about the award ceremony and the presentation by Dr. Neil Spector will be featured on that post!

Stay dry today, y'all.  Have a fantastic Monday!

xo

39/365- Sun Setting Over Arizona Inn

Digital Art featuring the Arizona Inn in Tucson

“Ô, Sunlight! The most precious gold to be found on Earth.” ― Roman Payn

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 Happy Sunday, y'all. I am heading down to Johns Hopkins Sibley Hospital in Washington D.C. today to hear Dr. Neil Spector speak about his experience with being a Lyme patient and the treatments he has been researching. It should be an informative presentation and I am very much looking forward to it.

Have a great day!

xo

38/365- Arizona Bicycle

Arizona Bicycle by Tracey Grumbach

“A man on foot, on horseback or on a bicycle will see more, feel more, enjoy more in one mile than the motorized tourists can in a hundred miles.”

― Edward Abbey, Desert Solitaire 

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 Just a reminder that today I am working my shift at Arts By the Bay Gallery in Havre de Grace from 11:00 AM until 2:30 PM. Please stop in and say hello! I will be hanging Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse today to replace a framed piece that sold last week. Also, if you are interested in picking up the current edition of Harford's Heart Magazine which features my art, we have those for FREE at Arts By the Bay and I would be happy to give you one and discuss either the interview or the art that is featured. I'd be happy to see you!

Happy Saturday!

37/365- Through Time and Space

Digital Art by Tracey Grumbach

“Whoever said that loss gets easier with time was a liar. Here's what really happens: The spaces between the times you miss them grow longer. Then, when you do remember to miss them again, it's still with a stabbing pain to the heart. And you have guilt. Guilt because it's been too long since you missed them last.”

― Kristin O'Donnell Tubb, The 13th Sign

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I turned and saw him standing there next to my brother with his arms held out to me, arms formed in a downward but wide open V, palms facing me, inviting me to him. I ran, stunned at his presence, and threw myself into his embrace. After a long hug, I looked up into his face, his countenance younger than when he left, his expression soft and calm.

"How is this possible?  How are you here?" I blurted out to him, heart pounding both with excitement and a knowing dread.
"I've been working." came his simple reply with a slight smile on his lips.  He looked around at the crowd of people milling around about us and he said, "I can't stay here. There are too many people." He patted me on the back with his huge hands as if telling me it was time to step away from his embrace

"But," I started to protest as I stepped backward from him.

He turned and without hesitation, walked away from me. He turned once, several steps into his retreat and said, "I'll see you soon."

And then he was gone and I opened my eyes.

Thank you for visiting me, Dad, through time and space. I am so thankful to have had this brief time with you. It has been a while.

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For those who don't know, my father passed away suddenly in 2014. This is the first "encounter" I've had with him since the year he died when I had two similar incidents.

xo

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About this digital art-

Flying home on the plane from Arizona I was thinking about time and space and how, when you fly west to east, it is a bit like time traveling. At least it is as close to time traveling as we will probably ever get here on earth. As I was contemplating this idea, I was staring out onto the wing of my "time machine" watching the light from the setting sun flicker on the wings. The sky turned cotton candy pink and blue and the moon reflected off the shiny silver of the wing. It was captivating. So, I created this digital art piece to remember that stunning moment, the moment I traveled through time and through space. 

36/365- Mother Mary

Digital Art by Tracey Grumbach

"Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen."
 -Traditional Catholic Prayer
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On one of our outings in Tucson, Brian and I had the privilege of visiting Mission San Xavier del Bac. It is an amazing Catholic mission that dates back in history to the 1600's and the current building dates back to the 1700's. The mission is still in operation today, serving the community that surrounds it. I will have more information and pictures about the mission building at a later date, but the reason I mention it is because next to the mission is a hill of ancient volcanic rock where, carved out of the hill, there is a shrine to Mary, Mother of God. This is the focus of today's digital art.

Before we explored the mission building, Brian and I took a walk around Grotto Hill, the volcanic outcropping to the east of the San Xavier del Bac Mission. The hill is topped with a white cross and on the north side of the hill, we discovered this replica of the Grotto of Lourdes. The shrine to the Virgin Mary was constructed in 1908 and was oversaw by Bishop Granjon.  It is a quiet and peaceful place where one is inspired to reflect. In the near distance, the beautiful desert mountains surround the hill and the amazing white mission church structure gleams in the desert sun. No wonder it is called the White Dove of the Desert.

I was honored and awed to be able to visit such a beautiful and sacred site full of history. I look forward to posting more digital art from this place soon.

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Be sure to check out the Upcoming Events page as I have added some dates where I will be showing art at the Susquehanna Symphony Orchestra in December, March, and May. It is such a fun night filled with music and art so I highly recommend y'all to mark it on your calendars and come on out to Bel Air High School.

Also, I will be working at Arts By the Bay this Saturday from 11:00AM- 2:30PM. Come on out and visit me so we can chat about art or Lyme. I will also be bringing in Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse to hang in replacement of Long Shadows of Empirical Knowledge, which has sold. If you are interested in this framed piece, please stop in early Saturday to purchase it!

35/365- Evening At the Pool

Digital Art by Tracey Grumbach

“A man who calls his kinsmen to a feast does not do so to save them from starving. They all have food in their own homes. When we gather together in the moonlit village ground it is not because of the moon. Every man can see it in his own compound. We come together because it is good for kinsmen to do so.”

― Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart 

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We come together because it is good for kinsmen to do so. Yes, it is. Especially in this current world we live where hate and misery seem to be gaining strides to smother love and tolerance.  In the next few days, gather. Round up your beloved family and friends. Break bread together...not to save your stomachs from starving but to save your souls from being hungry. Spend time listening to one another, playing with one another, laughing together. Turn off the media. Turn of the electronics. Play a board game by candlelight. Scrabble, anyone? 

Have a wonderful Wednesday.

xo

34/365- In the Shadow of the Sun King

"From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.”

― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring 

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 I'm so excited to announce that my art is featured on the cover of the October/November issue of Harford's Heart magazine. In addition, there is a short interview and additional art work inside! I am so honored to have been selected and to have the owner, Fran Johnson, chat with me about my work. If you are out and about in Harford County, please look for it and pick one up, it's free! And it is a fabulous magazine.

As always, thank you so much to everyone who continuously supports what I do! A special thank you to Fran Johnson and Sandy Kapinos for their support in making my art the face of their magazine for these two months!

xo

32/365-Papago Buttes

Papago Buttes landform as seen from The Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona

"Too much good fortune can make you smug and unaware. Happiness should be like an oasis, the greener for the desert that surrounds it." - Rachel Field


"Faith is an oasis in the heart which will never be reached by the caravan of thinking." - Khalil Gibran

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I couldn't decide on which quote to pair this creation with today, so I picked both. As I am sitting here at my Arizona Inn patio table typing this, my last full day here in Arizona, my heart is happy. I am so blessed to have had this vacation and these experiences this week. These are days I will never forget and will continue to live in my heart forever. Such beauty I've seen. It is so restorative to the soul.

I was sitting at breakfast this morning thinking about how writers will often travel to get themselves inspired to write. At least in the movies, they always seem to be holed up in a hotel room or a rented room somewhere charming, typing away at the typewriter. The older I get, the more I understand that concept. To remove yourself from your normal surroundings and get out to explore new cultures, new places, new ecosystems it just ignites the soul and one's creativity. There is so much I have wanted to write and create while I am here.  If only I could spend a week of each month traveling! My only regret this week was not taking my notebook with me as I traveled around to jot notes and ideas.

While I am not quite ready to return home, traveling also has the effect of making one appreciate going home. There is something to be said about being in your own environment, your own routines. And yet there is this burning fire of wanderlust that simmers just beneath the surface of my heart. It seems unquenchable. I come from a line of wanderers on my mother's side, so maybe it is genetic.  So, I will continue to collect my travel reward points so I can wander. I can't wait until the next trip, wherever and whenever that may be. This country, this world of ours, has so much to offer. I want to drink it all in and experience all of it.

For more information about the Papago Buttes or the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona, please visit the hyperlinks above.

xo

31/365- The Desert Moon

Mobile Art by Tracey Grumbach

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things. ― Bob Moorehead, Words Aptly Spoken

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A realization I had one evening this week-

The desert makes even the moon seem small.

We are so little on this earth of ours.  Even more reason to live big.

xo

30/365- Cactus Country

Cactus Country by Tracey Grumbach

“He'd always had a quickening of the heart when he crossed into Arizona and beheld the cactus country. This was as the desert should be, this was the desert of the picture books, with the land unrolled to the farthest distant horizon hills, with saguaro standing sentinel in their strange chessboard pattern, towering supinely above the fans of ocotillo and brushy mesquite.” ― Dorothy B. Hughes, The Expendable Man 

27/365- Fairmont Princess, Scottsdale

Digital Art by Tracey Grumbach, artist

"Mindfulness is simply being aware of what is happening right now without wishing it was different..." -James Baraz

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  While I am here on vacation in Scottsdale, Arizona, I have been focusing on being present in the moment, trying to rest my weary body and mind. I've been fighting off what I am assuming is a virus the kids brought home from the first weeks of school. While sitting outside under the cloudless azure sky, I close my eyes and concentrate on my senses. I hear the giggling of children playing in the pool. I hear the high, almost metallic, call of the rosy-faced lovebirds perched in the palms above my head. Their song mixes with the beat of the music streaming through the speakers at the bar. I smell the acidic chlorine from the pool barely overpowered by the wafting smells of grilled meats and fried potatoes from the pool grill.  I feel the hot, dry sun on my skin making it tingle as if it is close to burning.  I feel the air moving, almost undetectable, against the hairs on my arms and head, cool in nature with a lack of humidity. I breathe deep, feeling my belly expand as my chest fills with the air. I exhale slowly through my nose, imagining all the bad viruses and bacteria living in my body leaving my system and restoring my health.

I open my eyes to release the bright orange under my closed lids and I find myself squinting from the powerful brightness. I sheild my eyes and look above me at the stucco architecture, the ceramic barell tiles and I am drawn to the neutral colors of the style in a viceral way. It's like the buildings have sprung from the earth itself, a part of the natural landscape created from the same particles God used to create me, dirt, ashes, minerals. I think about how grateful I am to have this time to be still, to recover, to focus on myself and rest. I say a prayer of thanksgiving to the others who made this trip possible for me...my husband, my goddaughter, my son. Because of their love for me I can have this week to focus on myself. I am so thankful.

xo

Out of the Fog- Digital Art by Tracey Grumbach

Out of the Fog-Digital Art-Mobile Art-Tracey Grumbach

I was planning on sharing some awesome career news with you all today, but instead I am devastated to change the theme of this post to just how unpredictable life really is. In the long run my career won't mean much in the wide scheme of the world, but the lives of two young people do make a difference and when they are lost, the entire community grieves.

In the last week both of my oldest children have lost childhood friends, one to unspeakable violence and the other in a car accident. My heart is aching with the weight and heaviness of imagining the hell the parents and siblings of these two young people are in right now. My heart aches at the injustice of it. It aches for the young, tender age at which both of these young men died, one 20 years old and one 18 years old. My heart aches for the communities that are grieving right along with the parents and siblings. My heart aches at the quickness and randomness of the deaths. My heart aches because I simply cannot imagine burying one of my children. My heart aches for my kids and all the other friends of these young men out there for having to experience and deal with loss at such a tender age. My heart just aches.

In the last few days I have turned to prayer in a desperate attempt to somehow help these two families cope with losing their sons in such a sudden and unexpected way. I don't have any words or meals or gifts that could possible ease their pain and so prayer is the only remedy I can offer. I pray for their strength to get through losing a child. I pray for the Lord to comfort them in this unimaginable pain. I pray for their peace of mind knowing that one day they will be reunited with their beloved children.

Last night at dinner it did not escape me that I was sitting there having a meal with my husband and four children while these two families will never be able to do that again. The incredible feeling of thankfulness overwhelmed me because truth be told, none of us are guaranteed that...ever. Not one of us is ever guaranteed the day. So, hug your loved ones tighter and longer NOW. Spend time talking NOW. Pray together NOW. Tell them you love them NOW.  As I was driving yesterday the song Last Time For Everything by Brad Paisley came on. I NEVER listen to the radio, but weirdly, I had it on yesterday just after I heard the news about Brenna's friend passing and that song came on. It made sense like never before and spoke directly to my heart. There is a last time for EVERYTHING so be thankful for EVERYTHING NOW.

Please, would you add your prayers for the Pizanis family and the Berrell family? Truly, it is the best thing we can offer them right now. Thank you.

xo

I Heard the Fog Horn Sound- Digital Art by Tracey Grumbach

Bass-Harbor-Head-Lighthouse-Maine

Taking the old and making it new again. I've been falling in love again with photographs I took in Maine years ago and reworking them using some methods and apps I've learned over the last few years. The morning of this excursion to the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse in Maine is forever sketched into my mind. The mist hitting on my face, the sound of the seagulls, the fog horns in the distance, scrambling over the huge rocks...it is like it was yesterday.   I'd love to go back one day. I have such wanderlust in my soul to see and experience all the amazing things this country has to offer and it seems like I can't get out of this house even for a weekend.

I'm feeling trapped and sad lately. It feels like groundhog's day over here. All the fun plans I had for me and the kids have not come to fruition. The summer is almost over and here we sit...in the house. So frustrating and lonely.

Anyway, I am sure I will be feeling better emotionally in a day or two. It is just frustrating to see all of my hopes and plans for the summer go down the drain. But you know me, the ultimate optimist, so I will get over it soon.

Everyone has been asking about Brenna...she was still very very sick yesterday for most of the day but once I pulled her off pain meds and switched her to milder anti-inflammatories and alternate pain control methods, she began improving. Those drugs are nasty! She actually was able to get up and shower last night. I didn't hear from her all last night so I am hoping that means she had a great night's sleep. I think she is finally turning the corner. Thanks again for all of the prayers and well wishes. 

Individually, We Are One Drop

We Are One Drop- Photo by Brenna Grumbach; Edited by Tracey Grumbach

Individually, we are one drop.

Together, we are an ocean.

-Ryunosuke Satoro

It was a bright, perfectly warm day, about 75 degrees, when we stood together on this California beach. We stood in awe as the Pacific waves crashed terribly, forcibly into the rocky cliffs surrounding the sand. The noise was an unrelenting cycle of pounding surf punctuated with the high pitched squawks of seagulls nearby. It was too loud to talk comfortably, so we stood in silence, observing. Our bare feet sunk slowly into the cold, wet sand, eventually lost beneath the ever transforming earth. We squinted, despite wearing sunglasses, as the sun reflected off of the water like a million diamonds floating in the sea, the color of the water so turquoise that we wondered if it were real. The spray and mist from the salty water permeated the air and clung to our skin and hair in micro-droplets, surrounding us in a moisture filled hug from the sea. Negataive ions of crashing water swirled around us, luring us closer to this undulating, breathing giant. We were there together, but separate, lost in our own thoughts and sensory experiences yet united in this common experience, this common place. 

I will never forget this moment I shared with my daughter and my husband on a trip we took west to explore colleges back in September. As we were driving along the coast, north to Los Angeles, we spontaneously pulled off at a parking area and got out to explore this beach. This moment is engrained in my mind, which is why this altered photo means so much to me. It was a collaboration of her photograph and my editing, used with her permission and blessing. As she is getting ready to leave for college in less than two months, I want to capture, memorialize, and remember these individual memories I've shared with her. Her absence will be felt deeply here when she is gone, but I am so thrilled for her to spread her wings. A bittersweet dichotomy...

Have a blessed day.

xo

Millennium- St. Louis, Missouri

A great many people experience the movement 

from one century to the next, 

but a minuscule number of people experience the movement 

from one millennium to the next. 

~Neale Donald Walsch

Burnside's Bridge- Antietam

It has been so rainy and grey around here and I have been very busy dealing with life with 4 kids and a Lyme/co-infection relapse of some sort, that I have not been out to collect photographs lately. So, I found this to be the perfect opportunity to look back into the old files and find some treasures to work with. I found this one, an old photo I took back in 2010, I believe, that inspired me to digitally paint it. I loved the beautiful colors and the fantastic shapes present in this scene, so it was perfect to work with. I hope you like this digital paintings of one of the most historic bridges in the United States, Burnside's Bridge in Antietam National Battlefield.

On another note, this Friday...two days from now, will be the official opening of the spring show at Arts By the Bay Gallery in Havre de Grace. I will be the Featured Artist and have 32 pieces hanging and additional prints in a print bin. The reception is from 7PM-9PM this Friday and I would love to see you there. (see flier below)

If you can't make it Friday night, please mark your calendar for the following Friday, May 5th, when I will be hosting the Ticked Off-Lyme Disease Awareness Event at the same location! I will still be showing my art but also discussing my continuing journey battling Lyme Disease and co-infections. Stop in for a chance to win a fabulous prize basket that contains wine, artwork, stationary, jewelry, etc! Also, you can help us raise money for the amazing organization National Capital Lyme Disease Association by making a small donation, taking a bite out of a real lime, video yourself doing it, and then posting it on social media challenging your friends to do the same at home. I will have video of me and my family doing that soon, so keep your eyes open for that!  We also will have an informational table set up to help you understand the risks of this disease and how to safeguard yourself the best you can from becoming infected. It is going to be a great night, so please join us! (see flyer below)

Don't forget also, to sign up soon for the May 20th Havre de Grace Photowalk Photography Workshop!  I will be teaching a mini workshop on composition and then guiding a tour to photograph the beautiful Havre de Grace! Many are signed up already, so be sure to sign up before the class is filled! (see flier below)

The Pell Gardens- Digital Art by Harford County Artist

Walk with me among the gardens
Where the river murmurs our names.
Tell me about the first time we met
Even though I can tell the same tale.
Somehow it rings different from your lips.
Come, sit in the shadows of coolness
With me; my body tired and weary.
Tell me of the future when
Silence and slowness will rule our world.
Lie with me in the field of wildflowers
Remind me how to breathe.
My energy drains.
Stay with me here forever
Our fingers entwined with love.

Deo Uni Et Trino- St. Louis Missouri

About this image: Taken in St. Louis, this image reminds me of my fascination with the concept of trinity. God the father, God the son, and God the Holy Spirit. I have recently embarked on a new spiritual journey yearning to be closer to God. I am searching for a new church home and visited a church last Sunday (not the one pictured here, obviously, since this one is in St. Louis) that I really liked. I look forward to visiting again in the future to find out if this is the right place for me and my family. I am searching for health and contentment in all aspects of my life, physical, mental, and spiritual. I'm working on the physical continuously, I've recently had a mental health tune up with my favorite therapist, and now am looking for some spiritual growth. I'm learning to let go and let God, which for me, a lifelong control freak, is a huge undertaking requiring lots of faith.

In what areas of your life are you seeking growth and contentment?

Have a wonderful Thursday.

xo

Dana Point Sunset- by Harford County Artist

Please click for a larger view of this scene

About this image- It is about this time of year when I start yearning for the sea. The salty water, the rhythmic waves, the cycle of water meeting land. The sun rising or setting over the horizon. There is something about returning to the very basic elements, earth, wind, water, and fire. All of those can be absorbed when standing on the shore. This panoramic was taken in California at Dana Point. If anywhere can be close to heaven on earth, this place, with its almost perfect weather, has to be it. One day I will go back and put my feet on this rock again. One day.

Things are moving along with the planning of the May 5th Ticked Off- Lyme Disease Awareness Event. I received over 50 prints yesterday from the art printer. Now starts the selection process of which ones will be hanging and which ones will be matted for the print bin. I was thrilled with how most turned out, however there are a few I'd like to have reprinted with corrections.

In addition to getting the prints in, I also am beginning to get the word out...I contacted WAMD, 970AM, a local radio station broadcasting out of Aberdeen and they have promised to announce some PSAs about the event. They told me they know several people with chronic Lyme and would be happy to help out in any way they can. Also, the event has been added to Harford's Heart calendar of events. I've handed out fliers, posted fliers in local shops and libraries, and am working on local newspapers to advertise as well. Everywhere I turn people are saying they know someone or are someone who are suffering from this terrible disease (we live in an epidemic area). It is shocking and startling that with so many people suffering it seems hardly anyone is talking about it. It's like it has a stigma or shame integrated with it. That is what I am working to remove. Education, legislation, and support, for families who are struggling through this debilitating disease.

I am excited to announce that the organization I am working to collect funds for, NatCapLyme, has added our event to their fundraising list. If you are out of town and won't be able to make the event, please consider make a monetary donation to this amazing organization! My local chapter, Harford Lyme Advocates, will directly benefit from any donations. Everything is helpful! My local group has been a lifeline for me and they have worked tirelessly to bring hope and comfort and Lyme education to our community.  Here are the directions to make sure your donation gets accounted for the May 5th Fundraiser (which will run through the month of May). **All donations are tax deductible!

1.  Visit NatCapLyme's donation page by clicking here.
2.  Under the words MAKE A DONATION click the tab that says FUNDRAISING EVENT.
3.  In the Dropdown Menu, Please scroll to ARTS BY THE BAY GALLERY TICKED OFF LYME DISEASE AWARENESS EVENT.
4.  Complete the form and submit the donation.

Thank you!  At the end of the May I will let you know how much in total we are able to collect.

Have a wonderful Tuesday.

xo