Brave heart (see daffodil at right) is droopy. We had a frost last night. Such optimism crushed!

We went to a UK game last week (Kentucky vs. Arkansas) with two members of our family. I hadn't been to a game since I was a freshman at UK--fifty years. What a rush AND what a different "show" in Rupp Arena. When I went as a freshman, Rupp was the actual coach.

One of my good friends has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Such a bright, lively, college teacher, mother--I could go on and on about her. I'm wishing her a good recovery. She had surgery 2 weeks ago in Houston.

Above is the portrait I did for Paul McCormick in a class at Raleigh. I like it fairly well (it IS a likeness). Otherwise I'm catching up on art projects I've started and laid aside. AND doing crazy art with my old friend (who was with me at those games when Rupp was coach).

In the New Year . . .

I was very busy in 2011. In fact, I would say it was one of my busiest and most "well-rounded" years. It started with drawing sessions in Louisville from January through April, one of the results you see here in my painting of the gypsy. As I compare them now, of course, I can see all kinds of things that are not accurate. After all, art is NOT a photograph. But still, I have such "a good eye"-- you'd think I could have done a little better.

Lots of bucket list stuff done.

• my 50th HS Reunion,

• every-other-saturday drawing classes in Louisville from January

through March;

• a week-long workshop in Kilmarnock, VA with a master artist I

really, really like;

• finding an old HS classmate that had been "lost" for 45 years;

• finding out I could lose 35 pounds all by myself;

• going to New York just to see plays and eat well . . . with two very

good friends;

• going to Dublin, London, and Edinburgh with Gary;

• participating in Art of the Carolinas by myself;

• hosting Thanksgiving Dinner for my family;

• making art at least once-a-week with my old friend;

• having at least monthly lunches with interesting women . . .

Pretty neat stuff . . .