A Year Ago…

Marion E. Glennon – October 28, 1930 – August 15, 2021

Remembering my beloved mom on this day, the first anniversary of her passing. 

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve reached for my phone to ask her advice, get her take on the latest political news, fill her in on some interesting tidbit or send a photo of a doe with her fawns in my yard. (She would have gotten such a kick out of the deer.) There are still times I grab something while shopping because I think she might like it. I don’t mind these quirks because it makes me feel close to her still. 

Although I may be feeling a bit unmoored by her physical absence I do also feel absolutely grateful to have had her in my life as long as I did. It was such a gift and as many kind folks have wished for me and my family, her memory is truly a blessing.

Ethel Mermaid

A MerMay from a few years ago.

Younger folks may not remember or even know who Ethel Merman is. Take a gander at this for some old timey goodness! You’re welcome!!!

Mer-worker

Sometimes, things just get away from you.

Another late MerMay.

Coiffure-maid

I know, MerMay is officially over, but I still have a couple merms in the works.

Connoisseur-maid

Drawing mermaids… and mermen is addicting. Thought I’d squeak another one in before MerMay is over!

Blur-maid

Because of all the terrible news I’m sad, so I did a drawring. It’s of a mermaid, because it’s MerMay. Actually it’s a blur-maid, because I have new glasses and while getting used to them things are blurry sometimes… or maybe it’s because I’m sad. Hope this helps to cheer you and I up a bit.

Mother’s Day

First one without her.

Happy Spring Holidays!

Happy Easter and a Joyous Passover!!!

April Fools!!!

A little Prankenstein action for your April Fool’s Day pleasure.

A New Chapter

I know, it’s been a while!

April is right around the corner and this particular April not only brings with it a beautiful, fragrant spring, it will mark the end of a particularly challenging year. A year of loss which includes two precious members of my family, my mom and my nephew, Ryder.

Grief took the place of creativity, comfort and happiness for a while. However, it was also a time of positive change. My husband Thom and I, during this 365 day chunk of time, started the daunting task of selling our beloved house in Southern California, packed up ourselves, the kitties and a truckload of our belongings and moved to Salem, Oregon. It seemed nutty to pile on more challenges at this time but it paid off.

We now find ourselves in what feels like a wonderland of moisture and friendliness. A wonderland full of coffee, hiking trails, rain, deer, birds, coffee (did I mention coffee), wild daffodils, a city-wide explosion of cherry blossoms, coffee and a llama. A no drama llama named Caesar.

We met Caesar at the State Capitol mall, where over 100 luminous Akebono cherry trees were blooming in unison and being celebrated by the city. People would take breaks from picnicking and gawking at the delicate pink flowers by lining up to get a snuggle and selfie with this emotional support llama.

I mean, pretty magical, right? A wonderland… complete with llama. I think I like it here.

Remembering

My dearest, lovely mother shuffled off this mortal coil, Sunday, August 15, 2021. There is so much I’d like to write about her, and I will in time, but right now my mind is full of sweet little memories I’d like to share, if I may.

My mom was so many things to me. She, of course, was the one who brought me into this world. Although I did let it be known that I did not ask to be born, during many a childhood snit. But that would get me nothing but a serious side-eye. 

She taught me many things but one thing I cherish most is her sharing with me a fascination with words. She had an impressive vocabulary and would often stump me with a turn of phrase. “Look it up in the dictionary,” she would say whenever I asked her what something meant. I would look it up, begrudgingly at first. But after a while it became routine and even fun. Words. Good.

About fifteen years ago I decided to move away from my anemic graphic design career and more toward illustration. Mom was my biggest cheerleader then. It was before Facebook and Instagram when I started this blog as a way to practice sketching and putting myself out there. My blog was being viewed by possibly three people at most. But every time I posted a sketch or an essay I could count on her to leave a little comment of encouragement or wit. Even after I began to build a bit of a community and started getting plenty of comments I was never really satisfied until I saw that Artsea Fartsea (her blog handle) had commented. 

My mom loved attending writing and art classes at Ventura Community College. During that time she started her own blog where she would post short stories, based on experiences from her childhood and her young life in the 40’s and 50’s. She also posted her wonderful acrylic paintings on the blog as well. A couple of bloggers we were and became a mutual admiration society for each other. Those were good days.

Mom was great at lending an ear and giving wise and caring advice, along with a nice, hot cup of tea. Although I didn’t appreciate this in my younger days, being the know-it-all I was, I eventually recognized the valuable counsel she was bestowing upon me. Nothing like tea and sympathy from your mom.

Her name was Marion but those closest to her, if you didn’t call her mom, referred to her as Mame, including herself. Myself, I called her Madre. It started in the 80’s for some unknown reason. I’m sure I thought I was being quite witty. Well, it stuck and she began signing birthday and Christmas cards as well as emails to me with the moniker. 

Madre and I never got together without going out for lattes before, after or during, (sometimes all three) any event. Her’s was a tall, extra foamy, breve latte, mine was a double short, non-fat cappuccino, but we just called it getting lattes. Every now and then we’d go to Palermo’s, our favorite cafe in downtown Ventura and order ourselves gelato. Nothing could put a smile on her lovely face faster than the notion of walking down the street, sitting in the little patio, people-watching and polishing off some of that yummy, frozen Italian dessert. In fact, the last time we spoke I had promised her we’d go get a gelato in a couple of days.

Sadly we were unable to. I did however head straight to Palermo’s on Sunday and ordered myself her current favorite flavor, half pistachio and half raspberry sorbet. You know, it never tasted so sweet. I was eating it for two I suppose. 

It’s Been a while

This may be the longest I’ve gone without posting. Allow me to remedy that with some bugs.

HoHoDooDa Day 3 or 9?

Puns, like life, are a matter of perspective.

HoHoDooDA 2020 Day 2

Oh hey!

Announcing (a day late and a drawing short) the beginning of HoHoDooDa 2020 (or Holiday Doodle A Day!)

Here’s a little something I did back in HoHoDooDa 2017. You didn’t thing I’d be organized enough to have a brand new sketch, did you?

So, what is HoHoDooDa?

Why, thanks for asking.

Back in December 2011, in order to create a shot of creative, mojo-inducing stress to the already jam packed holidays, my fellow illustrator pals, the talented Marion Eldridgeand Laura Jacobson along with myself, engaged in a month-long sketch-a-thon. We dubbed it HoHoDooDa, short for Holiday Doodle a Day (maybe not that much shorter.) We did our best to create a holiday-themed drawing a day… or even every other day… or as often as humanly possible, from December 1 to December 31.

Fast forward to (insert expletive-filled descriptor here) 2020. It would have been easy to just put it off this year, but perhaps some holiday immersion therapy is in order. There may be some gnashing of teeth and it might all end in tears but in the end I’m pretty sure a good time will be had. It may even be as rewarding as it was in years past. So, what the actual hell? Doin’ it again this year! Who’s with me?

Hello? What’s that…? Bueller…?

Alright, it is entirely possible I may be the only participant this year, but anyone who would like to join in is more than welcome, no matter what winter holiday you celebrate! Don’t let the HoHo throw you. This is an all-the-winter-holidays doodle challenge!

Rules for HoHoDooDa:

“What are the rules for HoHoDooDa?” You may ask…

1. THERE ARE NO RULES! NO SIGN UP! NO REGISTRATION! NO GIVEAWAYS OR GUEST POSTERS!  No regulations, themes, daily words, Facebook pages or anything else resembling organization. Just lots of holiday doodling, maybe some commenting back and forth amongst doodlers and hopefully lots of inspiration and craft honing!

We HoHoDooDa Doodlers are scoff-laws and rebels! (Well the truth is, I’m just not that organized.) The only code we live by this month is Doodle! Doodle! and doodle some more, every day from December 1 to December 31. At least try to.

You may not Doodle every single day, but dude, you will have tried and you may have more doodles in your sketchbook at the end of December than you might have otherwise.

So, there’s that!

2. If you are posting to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., it helps to add #HoHoDooDa and/or #HoHoDooDa2020

If you post to a blog it helps if you tag your illustrations HoHoDooDa 2020 or create a HoHoDooDa category.

3. Smile, this is fun!

Doodle on my fellow HoHoDooDa Doodlers, (should there be any!)

Fowl Play

I don’t eat them, but I like to draw them… and puns, I love puns.