Saturday, May 22, 2010

My Immigrant Mother loved this country.

'I recognize you in my dreams' by Diane Wagner

This is a mixed media piece I did to honor my mother on Mothers Day this year.


When I was growing up, I never thought much about patriotism. I just went along, taking this American way of life for granted. I learned about the Constitution, The Declaration of Independence, and the Bill of Rights in school, but did not pay much attention, maybe just enough to cover my ass in case of a quiz or test.
As I got older, I went about my life, at times happy and at other times not so happy. I've been dirt poor, and at times pretty well off. I lived most of my "under 18" life as a ward of the state. Tangled in a system that gave me a number, a social worker, court dates, foster homes and I thought, not much else.
School was a blessing to me. Something that I could excel in. I loved learning about some things. I felt that it was something constant in my life when not much else was.
I even got accepted on a paid scholarship to a private boarding school. I never did graduate though. I went back to my old stomping grounds on a school break, and never went back. I often wonder how things would have turned out if I had.
I took some college classes, at a community college that accepted me without a GED, saying they would help me acquire one. But I never did. I left because I was raising two small children without much help from anyone. I made some good decisions and plenty of bad. But I look at it as a life. We all have one, and this one is mine.
I also look at my life in this country now. The other day some friends were talking over on facebook about how people define themselves by their race. And that your heritage should never be forgotten but that once you are born here or become a citizen here, you are an American. I am happy to live in this country where our fore fathers had the wisdom to pen the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence. Where I can be free to live as I want, say what I want and worship as I choose.
I am made of multi-cultural stock, 1/2 Cuban, 1/4 English and 1/4 Irish. But I am 100 % American.
My mother came here from a Communist country. She was able to marry my father and come here. Just in the nick of time, or she would not have gotten out. She came with the promise to bring my sister here, leaving her with her father, my mothers first husband. But then things shut down. No one else was allowed to leave, and my mother never saw her first daughter again. my sister was 7 when my mother left her, and I was 7 when my mother left this earth. I have never been able to find my sister. As far as I know, she is still in Cuba.
My mother loved this country. And even though I was young, I knew this.
She studied and took the test to become a citizen, she struggled with the language, she took the Oath of Allegiance. She was so proud. I know very little of her language as she wanted to only speak English in our house. Except when her Cuban girlfriends would come over to play Canasta. Then she would make an exception. I would sit and listen to them. Strange sounding words and sounds flying off their tongues at it seemed 90 miles an hour.
I know a song, how to count a bit, and a few phrases. I took some Spanish in high school but I left school early that year.
When I was little I would not eat the Cuban dishes she would make. My dad liked Cuban food so she would cook black bean soup, Cuban pork sandwiches, and every once in a while she would take a whole day and make tamales. She would stock the freezer with little foil packets. Inside would be the meat and ground corn wrapped in a corn husk. I refused to eat any of it.
Now, I can't get enough.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Blog Scam going around. DO NOT open links.

I received two of these emails today. At first I was not sure what it was so I wrote to Shannon, and then I got another one saying it was from another blogger. I looked up the group sending it and it is indeed a scam.
Apparantly they are going around to blogs and getting emails from comments left then mailing you with an offer and saying the blogger who owns the blog where you left a comment recommended you.
See below:

Hello D W,

Your contact Shannon Steen-Larsen invites you to participate in an iPad review program.
Marketing research companies are looking for individuals who are interested in reviewing the new Apple iPad. The testing period lasts one month, after which reviewers can keep the device as a reward.
To see more details or to register to our program, follow the link below:
http ; // www. btinc group . com

Thanks,

The Beta Testing Inc Group
___
This message was intended for ( they put my email addy here) then gave Shannons fake email here.

Please be careful and if you get any of these send them on to your spam folder or delete.
Why oh why can't people leave other people the hell alone?

Friday, May 14, 2010

Still Alive



Oh Internet, I am so sorry for not being around lately. A lot is going on this time of year and we have a new member of the family, so I have not been typing much.

I do have some pictures to show you and that will have to do for now, but I promise to return soon.





Teddy .



Teddy, Ricky Pickles and Mikey in their poopin' pen, they have a pet door
on the screened porch to go to their pen so they can go out at night to do
their thing.

Ricky Pickles posing.


These two big leafed plants are wild rhubarb. I did not plant them, a birdie
did it for me.


That Brown door goes into my studio, we will be building a small deck
next week in front of that door so I can paint outside.


These are leeks left from last winter.


Foxgloves and hyssop.


Iris I planted last year.


Potatoes I grow in bags.


Columbine.



The Clematis has totally covered St. Francis.


Poppy, I planted this 4 years ago.


Poppy plant.


Teddy loves his new Dad.


Just plain wore each other out.


Teddy is happy to be home.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Ricky Pickles gherkins removed. Getting ANOTHER JRT !




Last Monday Ricky Pickles went under the knife and they took out his little gherkins. He wasn't happy about being at the vets. After thoroughly giving the nurse Holly all the Hell he could muster (wagging his tail the whole time) he allowed her to take him to "the back".
I hate the sound of that. You know back where all the "stuff" happens.

We dropped him off at 8 am. and I called at noon to check on him. He was awake and Holly told me she had never seen a dog look sadder than when he woke up and we were not there. She said we could pick him up after 3:30.

We both went in to get him, although I am the only one who did the dropping off. I think it was a guy thing. Larry did not want to be in on sending Ricky to "the back".

When we went into the "sleeping it off" area, there he was, in a cage, sitting on a blanket. Looking like he did not have a friend in the world. Then he looked over and saw us and his little face lit up.
He slept the whole way home just about and Jack and Mikey were very glad to see him.

Yesterday was a bad day though, he threw up the night before and laid around all day. I called the vet and she said it might be some gas buildup as he was crying a little when he would go up and down stairs and when I went to put him down off my lap. So we gave hime a tiny bit of pepto and he is a lot better today. Ran after his teddy bear about 10 times through the house.

So while I was talking to the vet I mentioned that we have the 3 of these guys and she asked if we would want one more......ACKKKK!!!!!
I said "my husband would kill me, tell me more". She said "Teddy" is a short legged JRT that has a little problemo with small children. And is 10 months old, White with red hair on his head, neutered, short haired, a total sweetie that loves to give kisses. His owners have a small child and just did not have time to help him get over the jealousy thing.
I said I would mention it to Larry but I could make no promises.
I kiddingly said to Larry "well, the vet tried to pawn another dog on us, but I said you would kill me if I said we would take it". And I started to walk away......
"what kind of dog"?
"oh, a jack russell, very sweet she said, I'm starting dinner now".
"wait a minute, how old is the dog"?

Well it went on from there, and we are picking him up tomorrow. Good thing we just bought 250 feet of new fence.
These are pictures of Teddy from the rescue site. His owners brought him in and asked that he be put down if the vet could not find a home for him.