World Art Day

 

Sharing a much loved painting in honor of World Art Day.

This painting was given to us as a house warming gift when we bought

 our home in Kennesaw, GA in 1987.

 It was painted by our friend Alda Chmura, copied from a photograph I had taken while visiting Lindos, on the island of Rhodes in Greece in 1983.

The lady, known as Mama Lindos, was well known for her beautiful lace work, even recognized by National Geographic with a photo spread and interview telling her story.

The painting is very dear to me.

I fell head over heels in love with Greece during that trip; it was a dream come true.

The trip was one I took with a much loved friend, Michael Dean, long-time partner in a host of adventures.

We lost Michael to AIDS in 1986 and I will never stop missing him.

Sadly, Alda is no longer with us either.

So, so many reasons to cherish our painting of Mama Lindos.

Scanning My Way Down Memory Lane

Today I went back to a project I had started a few years back, but dropped before I finished.

Scanning old photos.

Some of these photos were taken many years before I was born.

Some when my parents were both itty bitty.

My dad's family was obviously much more into preserving family moments than my mom's family, but I do have some treasures, I must say.

The problem with this project is that I get so wrapped up in looking at the photos - albums and albums full of photos - that I have actually forgotten to scan some of the pictures.

Which means, I'll be making another sweep through them all to capture those I'm missing this round.


One of the photos I ran across today is one I had forgotten. 

I may have forgotten the photo, but I remember this day so vividly.

1983 - Me sitting at a table writing in Piraeus. Greece shortly before we boarded a boat.

We didn't know what boat, or where it might be going.

We just wandered around the docks, got on the first one that had room for us and was leaving soon.

We ended up on the island of Chios.

My traveling buddy for this trip, Michael Dean, is no longer with us.

Lost to AIDS not too many years after our trip.

He was a very close friend, dear to my heart, treated like a son by my parents and he took me on many great adventures.

I miss him every day.

This photo scanning project has been a bit of an emotional ride.

Time to stop for the day, methinks, and return to the memories tomorrow.