Mail Order Glasses Guys

Same style, different colors: just for fun!

Beatrice Carlson Miller 1927-2014

So, it's been one month since my mother died. She'd been sick for a long time but still at the end, we were all surprised how it went faster than expected. She was on her own path, clearly.

This was in March, Mom was fading but still present to some degree

She had very loving carers. This was the day before she died.

Pall bearers of all sizes

It was the most beautiful spring day imaginable

Many kind friends brought us food which helped so much

She was an unusual and wonderful woman, intelligent, compassionate, appreciative and incredibly modest despite being hugely talented in many areas. She was a wonderful mother, a fond aunt and truly devoted wife. We were all of us so blessed, so lucky, to have her in our lives for as long as we did, but I greedily wish we could have had more time together. Maybe that's always how it goes. ♡♡♡ Mom's obituary can be read here: http://www.tributes.com/show/101315092

Visiting my Parents

Paul and I drove up to CT to see my parents today. Mom was put on hospice care about two months ago, but I naively hoped that this might have been more about changing her type of care rather than a real harbinger of what was coming. That did seem to be the case at first, but she has been declining suddenly just lately. I spoke with hospice people twice this past week, and a little with Mom herself, and decided I could not wait till next month for my next visit. I'm in the last few weeks of a graduate degree program, and we were/are planning to celebrate with my parents on Mother's Day in May, two days after I graduate. Was/am hoping to show Mom my diploma and tell her I am grateful to be following in her footsteps. (Always a hard worker, she got a Master's from Columbia when she was a brand-new mother!)

We stopped and picked up Dad first. 

Dad asked me to bring him toothpaste. He couldn't recall the kind he liked so Paul got him a variety.

Saw this old photo of my parents in my Dad's apartment.

Mom loves flowers

Mom was asleep and slept heavily throughout our entire visit. Dad was being very brave.

Even though Mom was sleeping we got some snuggling in

She loves cats: I hope she enjoys the company of a few furry friends when she wakes up!

This is a natural phase in existence, but it is incredibly painful. Driving home we were listening to a talk by Edward Hirsch and he quoted this beautiful poem:

Life flows to death as rivers to the sea /And life is fresh and death is salt to me. (J.V. Cunningham)
Of course, everyone is hoping she will pull up out of this recent nose-dive, and she could! She's always been so strong. Keep the river flowing Mom... ♡☼♡

The Three Brothers

Everybody is home for a little while anyway. There's something about having all three fledglings back in the nest again however briefly...says Mama Bird with a contented little chirp!  That really is all I wanted for Christmas. ~♡♫♡♡~

Personal Best

I love the sport of Cross Country Running (more commonly referred to as X-C.) It's like life, both solitary and communal. You're a member of a team but you are also running your own race. I'm so happy two of my boys have gotten into it. Our area's District Championships were held last Friday and son H did a wonderful job, finishing high overall but more importantly, achieving his own personal best! We are all really proud of H's hard work, talent and dedication!

Here comes the thundering horde!

Fleet feet flying past

Me being a typical X-C mom, hugging the ropes...

Proud Dad congratulating H!

Cooling down with teammates

Coach was pleased with H's performance!

It was a great day! Congratulations H!

EASTER 2013

Fragrant Easter!

That darn Easter Bunny never knows when to call it quits!

Sixteen year old H is learning to drive!

Brunch at Camphill Special School, Beaver Farm. Henry was so glad to see us. and vice-versa.

Henry posing with cows. Unfortunately someone has taught him to make this "CHEESE" face every time he notices a photo is being taken! ;-D

It's definitely a real farmhouse; there's real mud in the mudroom!

The drive home passed in a blur! Two weeks of Henry vacation, coming at us!

An Easter nap!

What came first? The chocolate chicken or the chocolate egg?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Last night the house smelled divine as Paul and I took turns at the oven, preparing special treats for today's holiday. I was struck by the glorious colors on the kitchen counter as I put together a butternut squash and apple casserole that is in great demand at family gatherings. I got the recipe years ago from one of my sister-in-laws, and I was preparing it to bring to my other sister-in-law's kitchen today. Thoughts of family, the heady fragrance of cinnamon, nutmeg and mace intermingling, and the bright colors of the ingredients sent me into a happy little cooking trance.

May everyone everywhere have a peaceful and happy day today, filled with blessings and gratitude. ☆¸.••*¨*•♫♪♡♥♡♪♫•*¨*•.¸☆

Friends, Family, Fun and Art Galore!

It was great to have a visit this past weekend from Amer Olson and his lovely family!  (photo credit: Jon Redmond )

It's been a busy month, so halfway through, I am going to somewhat randomly focus on some of the more obvious points, in no particular order, just to keep up!

 

Part of the the old art school gang: Jon Redmond, me and Amer Olson (photo credit: Paul Downs )

Son H running in a X-C race two weeks ago

Well done all!

A couple of weeks ago the Wilburn cousins came up from Maryland to see the William Trost Richards show at PAFA. Friend and artist Eliza Auth joined us for lunch and small masterpiece viewing. I highly recommend this show, A Mine of Beauty, it's simply amazing! And there are magnifying glasses!

My wonderful MIL Darian came to Philly from DC for a day to lend her expertise and support in a medical matter (but we had fun, too!)

Darian came to Philly by train: the view at 30th Sreet Station was fantastic!

The first PAFA Aumni Gathering took place earlier this month. This was something the Alumni Association Council has worked very hard to pull off, so we were all thrilled that it turned out to be such a great night (many thanks to all who helped make it so memorable, most especially Patty Castner!)

Liz Wilson and I joking around in the cast hall (Fred Danziger took this shot!)

Liz drove me home and we just by chance happened upon this visually stunning art happening, Open Air,  as we wended our way past the art museum later that night!

This past Saturday was yet another PAFA event, a panel for Family Weekend on "Life After Art School." I was the moderator and here I am with two of the panelists, old friend Clarity Haynes and Sterling Shaw. This was the first time I was a moderator, an unexpectedly interesting role! (photo credit: David Sigman)

Happy Birthday Dad!

Something to be glad about: 84 Big Ones! ♡ Yay for William D. Miller !

Mom was glad too! 

Dad still hast the sharpest eye in the art business. He wanted me to take a look at a very well-done portrait, and it turned out to be a  piece by William F. Draper!

We had a successful board meeting, I mean, fun family party!

A grateful kind of day! ♡♡♡

The Lord, the Almighty: Henry Downs

Thus saith Henry...

It was incredible.

Last weekend was Henry's graduation from the 12th grade program at Camphill Special School. (He will be continuing his schooling there for a further three years in the Transition Program so we are not completely through with Camphill yet, thank goodness!) We were told that graduation would have three parts; a class play, a celebratory luncheon, and a graduation ceremony. I somehow did not realize how complex and how long the whole event would be, and I would never have expected that Henry could take quite such a sustained and integral part in it if I had. I am filled with awe and gratitude.

Anna and Henry display heretofore unsuspected acting talent!

The play was a full two hours long, a full-scale production of Goethe's Faust, modernized by Henry's classroom teacher Andreas Schuske. It involved speeches and singing and dancing and dialogue and a kind of poetic "movement art" called eurythmy. The performance was so long, and with so many scene changes that there had to be an intermission to give everyone a break. But wow...I can't express how intense, serious and joyful it was.  Immensely cathartic, which I suppose was the point. Did I mention already that Henry played the part of The Lord, the Almighty? Oh, I did? Well, I can't help being astonished. And proud. And humbled. He did an incredible job. Who would ever have thought such a thing possible? The folks at Camphill, obviously.

Hearken unto me... 

Then came the massive luncheon in a huge fancy tent, with tablecloths and silverware nice enough for a wedding. Henry waited patiently, eyeing the long buffet groaning with delectable home-made foods. A few speeches and then came the all clear for the meal to commence. It was a joyfull feast!

After an long and intense performance followed by such a huge and resplendent meal, a few hours of rest were in order. Then came the graduation ceremony itself. It was a moving and complex ceremony, one that lasted two and half hours! Henry processed with his class, sat in his chair listening to speeches, stood to participate in various ceremonies, presented his first teacher with a rose, accepted a gift and tribute from his house parents, waited patiently through to the end and then recessed with dignity. Two and half hours. I could almost not believe it was possible. Except that's what my watch (and my numb behind) told me.

Andreas gave us a full Waldorf Lesson on the history of this graduating class!

The handshake and diploma moment

Henry's incredibly wonderful Housemother Anna Schmidt reads a poem in his honor

The family, proud but a tad limp at the end of a very long day!

What was especially astonishing to me was how this entire day embodied the Camphill philosophy that these special children be treated with respectful expectations of what they can do. HIGH expectations that is! It is amazing how often people of all kinds will obediently fulfill our ideas of how they will act. I am deeply grateful to Henry's teachers, houseparents, helpers and the entire Camphill community for holding fast to their principles and showing us what is possible.

Henry sporting his graduation hat...very cool!

Henry is going to miss his roommate, who is still a junior. They really were good for each other. Hats off to Camphill!