Natural Bridge

Less than an hour from where we live is a natural bridge over a lazy stream. The area is a gorgeous oasis in the plains. Red rocks, green grass, water. What more do you need? We packed a picnic and headed a bit south to eat some lunch and soak in a little Wyoming beauty with Charlotte and Jake.

Company

Our friends Charlotte and Jake are visiting this week and we are trying to show them a good time in Wyoming. Yesterday Eric took them for a hike while I took the girls to Sadie's birthday party.

Stuffing their faces with vegan birthday cupcakes.

Later we took Charlotte and Jake floating on the river while my parents watched the girls.

We had a fantastic day!

When we made it home we had dinner, put the girls to bed, and played Farkle until it was time to sleep.

Another fun filled day ahead. How have you been?

Friends

Yesterday my friend Anne came to town. She arrived shortly before dinner on a beautiful July day. We hung out and chatted through dinner. The girls were all over her as she is pretty much just family at this point. It was casual and easy and lovely.

Once the girls went to bed we sat on the back porch. Sarah came over, Eric was there (obviously) and the four of us sat out back for hours just talking and laughing and reveling in each other's company.

I am so very thankful to have a spouse who is my best friend and strong and smart women friends. What a gift it is to have even a small handful of people who I care for and who care for me. 

Friendship is one of the true joys of life. Too often I think friendships are neglected, or undervalued. The truth is that having a circle of meaningful friendships (near or far) can make a good life great.

Copeland Weekend Part 1

Thursday was Eric's birthday, but it also marked the first day of a much anticipated weekend for us and for our loved ones. Michael Copeland is an artist whom I have mentioned here on this blog more times than I can count. Eric and I have known Michael and his talented artist wife Victoria for almost two decades. We have watched Copeland's art for just as long.

Eric has always maintained that if he were ever a curator he'd really like to show Copeland's work. Cope (as we sometimes call him) is on the cusp of breaking out big time and it was something special for Eric to be put in a position to "discover" (in a curatorial sense) Copeland. Eric passed the show idea by the staff and they were all so into his work. Eric, along with the amazing museum staff, set up a four decade retrospective! So this was Copeland's first solo museum exhibition, curated by Eric.

Thursday afternoon people began arriving in our small town. The exciting part was that Copeland was completely in the dark, not expecting anyone to come from out of town. Instead he had friends, family, and former students coming in from coast to coast! I think that speaks to the caliber of person we are dealing with here. We took a quick look at the exhibit before the reception.

Thursday Sean (Victoria's genius son, whom Eric and I have known since high school) and Scott (Copeland's awesome brother-in-law) flew in and totally surprised Copeland at his hotel. His amazing wife Victoria orchestrated all of this by the way.


Victoria and Scott looking at a piece.

Don't worry, we still got in plenty of birthday goodness for Eric too!


The girls, waiting for Heather's plane to arrive

Friday was when everything came together. The girls and I went to the airport to grab Heather (she is a former student of his and now good friend---I have known her since 1995). We returned to our house and invited everyone over to meet up. Heather surprised Copeland and a short time later another former student turned friend, Kendra arrived with her friend, again flooring Copeland. So our little group had people from NM, CA, IL, CT, WY---- that is not at all typical for an artist reception, but Copeland is not a typical artist.

We all sat around talking and laughing and marveling, it was a time that I cannot properly capture in words, but one I will treasure for all of my life.

Eventually the group dispersed to prepare for the evening festivities. The museum reception was Friday night. It was completely amazing. Surrounded by friends, family, great art---as life should be! Here are a bunch of pictures of our group. I am not showing the crowd who showed up for the event as they may not like their photo on some stranger's blog.

Some of our crew chatting after the reception


Some of the gallery


Eric, Victoria and Michael


Kendra and Michael


Scott, Sean, Rick


Talking in a group


More talking in a group!!

My mother left with the girls when it was time for them to go to bed. Our group completed the reception and then went out for a late dinner. We talked and laughed and thoroughly enjoyed each other.


Our crew!!!!

Tomorrow I will finish up the rest of a jam packed weekend!
If you are interested in Copeland's work check here.
To purchase a catalog from the show, with an essay by yours truly, click here.

Andy and Anne Visit

Andy and Elise select a book to read

 
Anne and Cordelia read. 


Andy, Anne, Sarah (behind the plant), Ari and Elise


Cordelia (in white) and her BFF Sadie


Dinner


Sarah with the kids. Our friends all take childhood literacy very seriously.


Ari, just cruisin'


Dinner party. Chocolate on my teeth


Eric and Andy

 
The next day, waiting for Andy's concert. My dad with Elise, Anne and Andy


This is what Elise did during the show, oh and run around like a crazy person. Cordelia sat with her friends and I suspect that their parents don't want me to post their children's photos without permission. Also, why I am not showing Andy perform.


My dad and I at lunch with the crew


Anne and Cordelia


Trying to get a group photo


We did!

Andy and Anne were only really here for one day so we tried to pack as much as we could into this visit. They are moving to Mexico next month and it may, or may not, be a while until we see each other again. The great thing about old friendships is how naturally and smoothly everything goes, things just fall into a wonderful rhythm. Elise, who'd only met them once before seemed to know them already. She took to them pretty instantly. Wednesday night we had the Wolfpack join us for dinner as Sarah and Anne have become online friends. It was nice. The kids played, the adults chatted, there was some chocolate. Thursday morning Andy put on a show for Cordelia's preschool. She was mighty proud to introduce the star to her friends! We also had a quick mall lunch with my parents before Andy and Anne hit the road. Since they left Elise keeps asking "Ananan? (Andy and Anne)" and throwing her hands up in the air.

Have fun in Mexico!

Family Photos

Family photos are great, no? I love looking back at cherished moments. Smiling faces set into paper, hanging on the wall in the hallway for all time. They say, "I was there and I was happy about it." Although that doesn't really fit in with the whole history of photography does it?

Let's travel through time shall we? Hop into my time modulator and let's journey back to the early days of photography. When photography was first developed people didn't really know what to do with photos. For portraits there was painting, duh, and for Facebook pics there were...oh wait, no Facebook! How did these people live? HOW? WHY? WHAT WAS THE POINT?

Oh, I digress. Anyway, early photography (did I mention I have an MA in art history? It's pretty obvious right, wink) was a strange phenomenon.There was no standard. Before then I think people were mostly living in caves and eating bugs, that's how it went right? The point is that people really had no idea what/ why they should take photos. Sure it was a novelty, but what was the point? Early on they did creepy things like photographing their dead. Then, thankfully, someone had the bright idea for family portraits that were more affordable than royal paintings. No, we're not talking laser background studio portraits at Kmart, not yet anyway.  Obviously the average Joe couldn't afford to hire a painter to capture that certain je ne sais quois that their family possessed and so Joe began to think about family photos.

The early camera did not fit into your pocket (unless you were a giant, then perhaps) and the process of getting your family portrait was no small ordeal. You had to go to a professional, wear your Sunday best, sometimes people brought props. Most importantly you had to sit very still while you had your portrait taken lest you look like a blurry headed demon as the exposure time was S_L_O_W. So, early photos were generally not of smiling families. You did not want to hold a smile while you waited for that exposure. Your cheeks would cave under the pressure and your head would probably just fall off, better to keep a straight face.

Anyway, as technology progressed and people stopped living in caves eating bugs (I think the year was 1974) they also began smiling in photographs. The new standard was set. We now smile. We must smile. We can't not (double negative anyone?) smile.

I am just saying that is a lot of pressure. What if you're not feeling it? What if you happen to...oh say be at a corn maze with two families? How can you expect everyone to smile and freeze at the same moment? It is impossible. Don't believe me? I have proof. Feast your eyes on these puppies....













I wish I had a happy photo where we got it right in the end, but it didn't happen and I am pretty OK with that. These photos are way more real, this is what it is like to be in your 30s---to have kids and go to a corn maze with your friends who are in the same boat. It is funny, weird, embarrassing, wild, fun, all in one.