I hope those of you celebrating Thanksgiving had a lovely holiday, whether you were solo, with family or, as we did, enjoying a Friendsgiving.
Our holiday weekend began a couple of days earlier when Rick got me along-awaited new toilet and installed it. Two trips to the hardware store later, it's a beauty (everything going down all right!). Now, what to do with the old toilet, presently sitting by the garage? I am contemplating decorating it for Christmas. We shall see. I don't have the energy to actually figure out how to get rid of it right now!
My little squirrel buddy, Black Bushy (not to be confused with the original Brown Bushy) has been sampling delicacies from the bird feeder. I lost the cap to this one long ago, and it wouldn't matter because the squirrels would take it off anyway.
As long as he doesn't get stuck, I'm fine with it. He has to eat too.
And, Rick and I enjoyed a good lunch on Thanksgiving day of leftover chili!
I am so grateful to my friends Kate and Mike for hosting us for Thanksgiving dinner. We had a most delightful afternoon and evening and the cooking was easy. Kate had some fabulous appetizers and I brought deviled eggs.
Then she made some delicious Reuben sandwiches with a crunchy cole slaw for dinner and cranberries. They were huge sandwiches and no one left the table hungry!
We were joined by Kate's brother. Like Rick, he was an Eagle Scout and both brought their memorabilia to share. I know how important scouting was to Rick and he had a kindred spirit in John.
After dinner, Rick entertained us with a piece or two that he's been working on. I love hearing live music in a home.
And now the holidays have officially begun. I'm in a decorating mode and powering through, though there is much to be done (photos soon!). My goal is to finish by Sunday evening. On Monday I'm having a pacemaker implanted and there are some restrictions after the procedure so I want to be able to settle myself in with lights and color when I get home.
Today is also the day that blogger Nicole is having her self-portrait challenge. These portraits could be newly done or (fortunately) done in the past, as long as we shared a photo from which the portrait evolved. I have three and as you can see, they are different styles, done in different years, some decades apart.
The first was a self-portrait done around 1969 or 1970 when I played Lucy in a production of "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown." Here is the original.
.jpg)
And here is the self-portrait, done in acrylics.
Skip ahead to 2020. Here's the photo...
... and here is the portrait.
And finally, skip to 2025. The photo was taken in Bath, England in October 2024.
The self-portrait is part of my England journal. As you can see, my art style has seriously regressed, at least when it comes to self-portraits!
It was a fun challenge. To see the work of lots of others, check out her link HERE.
I may be a little slow getting around the next few days, or answering comments. But I'll be back!
Meanwhile, have a good weekend and celebrate every day!
Sharing with: Friday Face-Off / Love Your Creativity
57 comments:
The portraits are an interesting timeline! Good luck with the pacemaker and getting used to it. HP had one and there was little adaptation needed, so let's hope you do likewise.
Ohhhh, I don't see you linked up so I didn't think you entered the challenge. I'm reading your post about the toilet, and company and cooking and THEN!!!!! A master piece. I am very impressed with this painting. The rendering of the shadows is exquisite. With dark shadows likes this one can lose the face. You didn't. I'm taken with it. Completely different style for the second and third paintings. Truly brilliant. You manage to include so much detail both in the people and the background. Very impressive my friend. Thank you for sharing with FFO and have the best weekend. P.S. don't forget to link up.
Oh yes! Being able to come home from your surgery and have the lights and decorations up will be uplifting!
I love your self portraits!! Looks like a wonderful Thanksgiving. Your after-meal of chili is just perfect in this kind of weather, too.
I'll be thinking of you on Monday! *love and hugs*
...Jeanie, you are much braver than I am when it comes to selfies. Take care and have a wonderful weekend.
I like all three of your self-portraits, each one in a different artistic style. The covid masks brought back a lot of memories!
Jeanie! I hope all goes well for you Monday.
I'd say decorate the toilet! You are amazingly creative and it'd be fun.
Happy Thanksgiving to you both!
Your art is wonderful. It must give you such joy.
All the best! Big hugs!
Well done on the self-portraits! Happy birthday, happy thanksgiving - happy decorating and all the best for Monday.
Dear Jeanie, your photos are gorgeous and heartwarming! And I love the self-portraits! You have such a beautiful smile and lovely heart! I love tea. Would you believe that at the age of 69 I have never been for a "fancy tea" anywhere? And here in Montreal we do have several places. One is the Queen Elizabeth Hotel! It is pricey, but apparently their teas and trays are absolutely amazing! My favourite tea is Earl Grey, I always drink this at home.
Your posts are such a joy to read, your photos are stunning and touching. Thank you so much for your blog...and for being you!
She casually mentions that she is having a pacemaker put in on Monday. If you've written it before it went in one eye and out the other. I wish you well. Meanwhile your art was good then and it is good now.
I wouldn't use the word "regressed" but "changed" instead - and isn't that a natural process? I like all of your self-portraits. You also had a lovely Thanksgiving, and chili always sounds good to me. Good luck with the pacemaker.
Great portraits, Jeanie! The Covid one cracked me up. It's lovely that you pent Thanksgiving with friend. I will be thinking of you on Monday. May your surgery go very well! ❤️
The portraits are a fun project!
Prayers for your health
May
Best wishes for your health.
That has to be the fluffiest tail I've seen on a black squirrel! In Maryland people think of them as a Takoma Park thing. The species was native, went extinct, was missed and has been replaced with surplus black squirrels from Canada. They're usually smaller and much less fluffy than gray squirrels though.
The squirrel made me smilie
Your holiday updates brim with warmth and humour, and that early Lucy self-portrait is such a charming glimpse into a vibrant moment from your past
Lovely self portraits!
What fun creating portraits of memories...not so much the covid one, but memories are made with them. Janice
Well done on the self portraits.
I hope all goes well for you on Monday.
Sending lots of good wishes.
All the best Jan
Sounds like a wonderful time was had by all at your friend's Thanksgiving table. It really made me laugh when you said you might just decorate the old toilet for Christmas rather than deal with getting rid of it right now..bravo on your self portraits!
Hope everything goes smoothly with the pacemaker. Keep us posted as you can. Winging good wishes and positive energy your way. The light will be left on for you. Loved your self-portraits. Hugs
I wish I still had a photo of the self-portraits I did back in my college days. One of them would scare little kids and dogs today. I still managed to do 'scary eyes in a painting of my great-niece's grand-daughter. When she hung it up her dog wouldn't stop barking at it.
Love your portraits and your style which is so free and fun. I've been experimenting with water colors pens this week.
Will keep you in my thoughts for smooth surgery and easy recovery.
What a lovely thanksgiving you shared with friends! Good food, good friends, good music.... it doesn't get much better than that!
Your self portraits are AMAZING -- thanks for sharing these.
And best wishes for the pacemaker procedure on Monday -- your home has a great healing glow about it, here's hoping for a quick recovery and more ease in your life.
What a creative idea for Thanksgiving dinner! Larry would love that, aa he orders a Reuben whenever he can.
And a new toilet--- i hope it's a tall one? So much more comfortable as we get older.
Now, that pacemaker---that surprised me! I hope you dont overwork yourself trying to get ready for it. Here's to an easy, comfortable procedure and supernatural healing, Jeanie.
Jeanie I wish you the best with the pacemaker. My mother had one and she had a week or two to recover but she felt good after. sending you prayers and hugs your way. I adore your drawings and paintings so much. You capture the beautiful emotions all around. Wonderful work. Have a lovely weekend my friend.
It looks and sounds like you had a wonderful Friendsgiving/Thanksgiving. I'm impressed that you'll be getting your Christmas decorating done soon. Despite my best efforts I'm no where near ready. I still have to wash the carpets. All the best with your pacemaker procedure. I pray it all goes smoothly and that you will feel great thereafter and ready to soak in the hyggeley atmosphere with your Christmas decor.
Good luck with the pacemaker installation, Jeanie. I suspect that’s a pretty routine procedure so all should go well. And yes, a new toilet is something to be thankful for!
Friendsgiving sounds like a great alternative!
To romance and toilets! This made me laugh, really. We are the same.
Your squirrel lis very cute.
Good luck with the pacemaker. Hoh, ,sounds a bit scary to me.
Very, very great and meaningful self-portraits!!! Big thumbs up!!!
I love your self portraits! They are all so different and unique! I love them! I am glad you had a great Thanksgiving with friends. We had a really great holiday, too. It was peaceful and the food was wonderful. Our boys had a blast with their cousins. We barely saw them as they were in the basement most of the time so it was a nice break for Phil and me. We are kind of turning the corner on holidays being more enjoyable than they were in the little kid years (they were still enjoyable of course - just kind of extra exhausting!!).
I am sending you all the prayers and good luck vibes for an uneventful procedure on Monday!!
That first self-portrait is wonderful. It's interesting that despite my preference for color photos over black and white, it's the black and white self-portrait that most appealed to me, and the black squirrel in your yard that appealed as much as the colorful, decorative turkeys! Best wishes for Monday. Just don't overstress or overdo this weekend. Whatever you do will be fine, although the thought of recuperating in the midst of Christmas lights is pretty darned good!
I love that first self portrait.So impressed! The covid one is so cute too..Well done on the sps! I agree come home to ambiance:) Take care Jeanie:)Glad you had a nice TG.I love making open face reubens:)
Love the portraits and every bit of your Friendsgiving as described! Keeping you in prayer for an unremarkable procedure and recovery afterward, Jeanie. I hope you can thoroughly enjoy the quietude in your home afterward.
As for the commode, I'd probably leave it under a tarp for the time being, Otherwise, there's always the opportunity to play on Christmas Vacation's cousin Eddie's remark, "Merry Christmas, Sh!##@r was full!" 😜
A new toilet, how nice! I hope it is a Japanese model, with a heated seat. You always get great animal pictures. The black squirrel is so cute ! You have such good friends and good food.The self portrait challenge is interesting. Yours turned out wonderfully. I don’t know what’s involved with implanting a pacemaker, but I’m sure you need to rest and recover. A purring cat might help with that.
Oh, that squirrel! In my house we had many squirrels constantly after the birdseed. None now. I love, love your self portraits. What a fun project. Your Thanksgiving sounds just lovely and peaceful. I will be thinking of you on Monday as you have the pacemaker procedure done. Take care and rest. In Quaker words we say, "I will hold you in the light".
I love the Squirrel. Self portraits are great. Looks like you had a marvelous Thanksgiving. Good luck on Monday. I will be thinking about you.
I forgot to sign my comment. Missy.
WOW! Love your several self portraits! You did excellent.
Sounds like you had a lovely Thanksgiving. A new toilet is a must sometimes. When my granddaughter recently visited and she was using the bathroom, the lid slipped out of her hand and she broke the top toilet seat. We did not want to hurt her feelings because our toilets are from Germany and wall hung. Paul had quite the time finding it. Your self portraits are lovely Jeanie. Happy weekend.
It sounded like a lovely Thanksgiving. And in some ways better than the traditional one because it was less prep and after cleaning. :) And your self portraits are fantastic. I started my post for yesterday with a terrible self-portrait, since I didn't finish my other one, and then the holiday weekend got ahead of me and I just decided to delete the post because I never got to finish it. Next week, but then I'm always behind the curve. :)
Most importantly good luck on Monday. Health is the most important thing, so I'm sending good energy your way and hope the recovery goes well and happens quickly. hugs-Erika
Good strength to you, Jeanie, to accomplish all your Christmas plans and festivities with peace and joy. I am blessed by your self-portraits, something I would never attempt! My children and grandchildren have drawn pictures of me over the years so there's that ;-)
Will hold you in my thoughts for your pacemaker procedure. Love your black squirrel, we don't have those here. But we do have white ones. Yes, everybody needs to eat, I'll bet he'd love a peanut butter sandwich. Put a poinsettia in your broken toilet, instant outdoor Christmas!
Fun post, really love the self portraits...it will be fun to see more in the future! Sandi
The self portraits are great! I'm so glad you had such a great Thanksgiving--it looked like a delightful day. I'm sending good vibes for your pacemaker procedure on Monday. I hope all goes smoothly and you'll be back home sitting amidst your festive decorations and twinkly lights in no time!
It sounds like you had a nice Friendsgiving. You did a great job with the self portraits. I hope everything goes well with your procedure and you have a speedy recovery.
Love seeing your self portraits, lovely. Maintaining houses is a must but having ourselves taken care of is always top priority. Wishing you a speedy recovery after your pace maker procedure. Take care Jeanie........
I hope all goes well with the pacemaker. I love the self portraits! As always, take care of yourself Jeanie!
i enjoyed seeing your self portraits, all are so good and i am happy you shared them. i love the idea of friendsgiving...we enjoyed dinner on thursday, 25 of us, both family and friends!! my niece hosts every holiday and she is the best. the food was so good...we brought all of the deserts and they were so good. i got everything from a local, small bakery we love to support. good luck with the pacemaker. let rick take good care of you!!
What a jam-packed post! I love hearing about your fantastic Thanksgiving weekend, and thank you for sharing such a personal and fun self-portrait challenge.
It's fun seeing the self-portraits, not to mention the photo of you as Lucy! Let us know how it goes tomorrow. Maybe you can plant up some poinsettias in the old toilet? Ha!
How wonderful to spend the holiday with friends. Looks like you had a great meal.
Beautiful portraits, what a good idea.
Hello Jeanie :)
I hope all goes well with the pacemaker. I will be thinking about you and wishing you well-
Best wishes and thanks for this enjoyable post.
Take care
Sonjia.
Squirrels are always resourceful.
Your Thanksgiving sounds lovely.
Blessing for a quick recovery on your pacemaker.
Cathy
I love all the self-portraits.
I saw a squirrel like that in Chicago. Off to iNat to find out what species it is.
I see your life is as exciting as ever. A pacemaker! Is that something to do with your heart? Love the portraits! Our Thanksgiving was healthy & cozy- quiet, just the 2 of us, as the song says. Wishing you a good. recovery. Sketchbook Wandering.
Oh my gosh Jeanie! I hope that you are recovering well. My MIL just got one of those not too long ago as well, and my dad was told he is in the zone where they are considering it. I am glad that you had a wonderful celebration with friends. :)
wow! Jeanie a new toilet! The Captain tells me I am so easy to please when I get excited over something as simple as a new toilet lid that closes on its own slowly. LOL. Take care my friend and know that I am praying that all goes well in your surgery and you will soon be home and enjoying the Holidays.🥰🐿️🍂
The art is very, very good.
Post a Comment