A Month of Valentines February 1

“felt-heart thanks” -esfY2K

One each day in February!
I was told it was from my parents - Pisces and Libra, the Zodiac’s romantics. They were that! I inherited some of their loving ways and passed it on to my own children and others. Widowhood and empty-nesting have not dented me! So I must say: I think it is important to Respect the Power of Love and Celebrate it Forever!

So I am sharing valentines here - a worthy way to “make it real”!

And Valentine expressions are even good for our health!
IF we talk more about the coming together and the sharing of the good things, we won’t be oppressed by evil as we are sometimes. Do it!

Best wishes! Be my Valentines !

elle

ElleFagan.com is 20 TODAY Feb 2, 2022

My aide-de-camp, Cookie - along with others of the usual humankind, we do! Thank you Cookie! Best meetings ever!

Happy Birthday ElleFagan..com , this is your life: Since February 2, 2002,

I was Snapped suddenly out of my path one day at Y2K when a spinal injury demanded immobility - NOTHING in my life but the dead stop.  

My grown son in California found out and flew in and visited my Connecticut home -
He strode in and pronounced "My Mom's not going down from this."    Blessed is the widow with a son like that, but glad he is married now and I just call the law if something happens. He taught me website construction and set me up. He was world -class IT, and his Dad and I both science and tech and arts-friendly- and I did my first data processing for stockbrokers when he was an infant. Smiling to see the result.

The site gave me new pathways for life and work, just when I thought it was all over for me.
Laughing to be unstuck from the trauma of my disability, I was doing a thing again,  at my own son’s tutelage, and then he had to return to his west coast job.

Unlike many disabled, my active ways meant that the doctors did not feel I needed to be medicated…I was focused and fine.

Instead, I was safe, resting , taking therapies and up in the quiet , all night sometimes, with an Apple G3 PowerBook and Angelfire.com free website templates that helped me master basic coding.
Soon, hooked on code - I was coding a new life online and a venue for my honored work and life goals !    

Soon I had readiness for the option to take the training wheels off and “just do it” - on February 2, in 2002, ellefagan.com was born.
Thanks to the easy power to self-direct in my new online work, frightening pressures and fears from my accident and its traumas “Just disappeared”    Exhilarating and inspiring!  

The website and online life, while I was still in braces under my clothes let me participate as Connecticut Artisan for the 2007 White House Easter Egg Display. And a fine collection of “Antiques Roadshow-type” restorations immediately afterward, for both my church and country were quite successful - I had fine training in the processes and research. YES , yes and more.

However, when the web host sold to new people, they accidentally hacked my site  in the mess of changeover  in 2014. ouch! Hey- that’s my website you just destroyed !  Worse, the new owners felt it okay . with the site out of commission, to use MY domain name to advert THEIR business !     It is very illegal to distress someone’s domain as they did mine.

Worst of all, the new owners, no matter my pleas, would not give me the backup copy of my site. I had to manually rescue copies of EACH INDIVIDUAL file - a few hundred of them, and I had 72 hours to do it. My aging iMac fried!   Heavy sighhhhh.

I reported it to legal people  and the attorney got the naughty new host to pay for the new site for a year…and they also stopped the hacking, but online regulations somehow injured me more: the badguy’s action meant ellefagan.com had virtual crime scene tape on it and the domain would be frozen, till domain renewal time and then I’d need to buy it again, and path to a new host with it ,  if it was available.  

The iMac was NOT fixable. After quite fancy footwork, I was lucky to rescue the files to backups I had and work on my iPad till the new desktop components let me get on with things. I will always be amazed at the job that iPad did ! SuperTrooper Prize - all was running better than ever! I almost stopped crying.

NEXT: new Webhost, "Squarespace" - purchased a new - interim-  domain that could work, while ellefagan.com stayed at my call, waiting for reactivation, done on Feb. 2, 2014

 I began the task of redoing my ten-year-old site at a new location, sifting through the pile of files from the old site.   A LOT of work and only part of the legal compensation I should have enjoyed. I made no sales at this time, but did the site work.

YES , I did "Sow in tears! "  and…
YES…..reaped in laughter.
Squarespace, the new host is amazing - arts friendly and they have helped me update and upgrade with skill and I no longer need to do all my own code. This has given me time to handle other aspects of things with ease. If only they would find COOL IRIS…and add that to their amazing repertoire of arts software…ohhhhhh!

It is years later and I still cry for COOL IRIS - it let me install a thing that looked exactly like a stroll down a gallery wall. One enjoyed an overview of all the artworks, very quickly and then the controls let the visitors home in on each or any of the individual images whose size increased for easy viewing - click on the image yuo chose and the image page opens with all the details and options to buy and links to chat the details.

Well that's the story, so far, of ellefagan.com !  

It’s time to shine it up and perfect some things and then compete for a prize or two soon. 

A real Adventure-girl of a tale for the Third Millennium!  May the story inspire others to the journey as well !
Happy Birthday, ElleFagan.com !

ONE THING REMAINS - the worst of the damage of the site hacking was that my 1700 visitors/ month just disappeared…..
New promotional help has won the rebirth and it may be fine again soon. I am honored and prizewinning in my work and am enjoying a modest rebirth! ONNNN I go. Wish us luck!

 

Valentine Labyrinth feb 3

One gets lost in a maze but found in a labyrinth - it is for focus of the mine and spirit and fun to make. This one went to the Montessori people at their request, to let the children make an outdoor playspace of it. What an honor!

So then I smile - the heart is a labyrinth. Physically its chambers and pathways generating and transporting our lifeblood and pace. Romantically, and in friendship the heart of it a journey worth making to its center and outward again. Thoughtful, laughing, evolving, growing, accepting, generating - life.

Albina & Charlie Feb 4

The Zodiac’s Romantics met while working a temp job during WWII , in their hometowns. Mother was now “The Southport Belle” and beloved because she’d been double orphaned at 6 and 9, and suffered during the Great Depression, only to find she was a modest heiress in her day, when she came of age. Her many siblings and extra mommies kept things nice and she evolved into a love and family of her own. Dad’s Pride in service to the Army Air Corps as “Smitty the Flight mechanic” found him popular and longing for a love of his own. Once they met, that was it. And they were fine for many years of the very best love, and richness of homelife to share with their three children, and in good times and bad the love was a power and light.

I could write stories of our parents’ antics and delights and tragedies and sorrows and fights and wins and losses for one year. They were smart, loving, young and fun! All three of their children wanted a LIFE because of their example. And that is what counts. Each day began and ended with care and affection ! Father singing “Have I told you lately that I love you?” fixed everything, when it went off. with Mother a perfect helpmate making love an action word with smiles and work and more. Till time and partings changed them to “friends only” later in life with new spouses …still they loved and were there for us all - always.

Share your stories here of your parents..maybe one line that stays in your heart invincible!

Father out of uniform finally, wars over - and Mother in her Chantilly lace ! Yes!

Siblings feb 5

Mother, me, Rick and Lori 1959

There is the idea that, although a family with an only child or only son and only daughter might find there are issues with "lonely only" cravings for siblings, keeping the family circle "mean and lean" may be better for CLARITY in the life path and in fact be the better way.  I do not know about better...but it is different in some ways.  

Though loneliness happens, it happens anyway, and I have learned since empty-nested and widowed, that I can really like living alone:   my moments do not cause issues for myself or others.   I never suffer the feeling that I am preventing anyone from pursuing their goals and needs.   I am lucky in enjoying a fine home and family love of the most beautiful quality and top work too, both in childhood and later in life with my handsome price till his passing, and our children till it was time for them to grow and go.

Our parents hoped for four: two boys, two girls.  I was born in 1947, brother in 1949, then the second boy, baptized Kevin,  was lost in a preemie birth related to storm flooding, in 1951, and my sister born in 1953. I love my siblings now and always, though our good life paths got interesting and we have been often separated by time and space.  Love of God and Man ruled and every factoid of insight came through the love filter - my brother wished he had a brother, but did not mind his adoring sisters  like bookends, or guardian angels lest he 'dash his foot upon a stone'.    As I have seen a lot of my life in several places now, I appreciate my parents' caring ways so much and more each year. They were truly  wayyyy beyond their background limitations and put their gifts to work in this life, to world-class effect.    I grieved when they passed away, but their lives rekindled, once the grief passed.  They are wonderful and  powerful spirits in my life. Scientifically , they live IN me and I choose the best of it, as I can and share it for the love.

In fact, my issue with my siblings is that, in such a powerful loving family circle, some , maybe jealous types , will say that siblings might never stand on their own alone well.  But we do fine and lived far away from one another for years and now as older Americans, we are working to regaining that 'Washing the front porch" fun we enjoyed as children.   "King of the Mountain" , Cowboys, Indians and Schoolmarms - I did not like the look of my cowgirl suit;  the singing and praying and tag and "Fox and Geese" and  a game called "Helping Mommy and Daddy" and spying for Christmas gifts; and more singing and dancing and food and eating and parties and more parties - and church and more church.  The fun from those activities in childhood did their job and we like to cook up our part of it.

As far as self-actualization goes: the boys in our extended family of traditional ties seem to do better and we ladies working hard to win opportunities without losing our beautiful homelives.   But most of the women CARE to engage in the great campaign for human rights for ALL so we seem to win our way well enough.

We- three sang in harmony for the most part,  my sister and I shared a room in childhood and were great friends as young adults.   Some special challenges in the  midlife gave us lasting issues but we are at least enjoying "the good talk" on the subject.  I need to read and talk with others and see how they are creating and enjoying their mature years, for ideas and truth.

I want to hear more... comment welcome.

"The Goodstuff" - V.P.Fagan, Jr. feb 6

My late husband was literally a dream come true. I saw him in my minds eye one day and was committed to him from that moment on. When we met, I seemed to win the same response from him. Never a qualm, we paired better than APPLE peripherals and did well till his passing. I have that memory as food and fuel and glow and giggles and goodness in every way even when all else fails, like my angel.

He had a wonderful heart and soul and was a fine match for me - like me, he loved the serious work, so , no matter pressing he could be found always with a happy disposition about it. “The Goodstuff” was one of his favorited catchphrases when were young. In college days, he felt it spoke volumes:

Growing up in Connecticut - the goodstuff state above all.
The wonderful schools teaching "the Good Stuff" well and happily.
Then living a few "else-wheres" - the Good Stuff was put to very Good Use.
We liked, at day’s end, to survey our life and its trappings and its people - yessss the goodstuff we were making was taking hold and doing a nice job for life.

And we did not defer from Celebrating the rewards won by proper application of the Good Stuff in every scenario!

"The Right Stuff" about early super-aero and NASA breakthroughs, was similar. But it was more than fanship - he used it a lot: according to him, The Good Stuff was a classification and praise from the heart - for his people, his class, his scouts, his USACE/Black Diamonds team, his Wellcome team, the good wine and good friends, at a good table,  and ...me. 

 
But it was later that the importance of “the Good Stuff” was made clear:    

when widowed way too young with two teens at home and the recession of the 80s destroying our money more violently than I could win over, in a broken-hearted state, and scrabbling about to help the children thru to their majority, anyway, without harm to them, at least.  

Lost without him, but filled with the years of “The good stuff” created together, the the children and I achieved fine recovery!   

In later scenarios, we were able to be saved over and over, remembering “the Good Stuff” from parents, teachers and friends and most of all , our fallen hero.

 And once again it is Time to share “The Good Stuff” and make plenty for colder days ahead.  

And this Valentines Day I remember him in my life and whisper , “ Peter you ARE the Good Stuff” !

Lucky me…..you have similar stories or sentiments - NOW is the time to share them….Share them here or among your own, but do not remain silent till it’s too late!

Comment welcome.

E.

Art With Heart - feb 7

"ART WITH HEART" ~ THIS FINE WAY WITH FINE ART SAFELY HELPS: 

• ART WITH HEART at Elle Fagan Art makes OUTRIGHT DONATIONS OF ARTWORK FOR YOUR FUNDRAISER, CHARITY OR CAUSE. I am lifelong arts, but also used to do response and compassionate and pioneer work and now, I donate art outright for full or part benefit.

• Art With Heart does happy 50/50s with charitable events for top images, for a good cause - Contact for details.

• Art With Heart helps you to own the painting you want here, AND help your favorite cause, as well.

• How? I donate artworks outright to selected organizations. For all others the donation works like this: At time of purchase of art at this site: find the painting you like, then donate to your favorite charity and email a copy of the donation receipt. Amount of donation is deducted from your purchase : up to 50% ! Scroll down for more ways to make fine art work for the Seller, Buyer and the world's causes, as well.

PARTIAL LIST OF PAST RECIPIENTS OF ELLE FAGAN "ART WITH HEART" FUNDS-GENERATING DONATIONS:   Some of the recipients prefer anonymity, and some were lost in a data-hack at my old website (199-2014 RIP) I hope to find them among the rescued files and restore them here.  If you belong on this list and are not here, find me and let's fix it, with true gratitude for the opportunity to help with my art:

• Connecticut Visiting Nurses

• Hockanum Falls Restoration Art

• Mark Twain House & Museum

• Greater Hartford Arts Council

• The American Red Cross - Hartford

• The American Red Cross - New York City

• Food for the Poor

• Several Churches - list on request

• Humane Society - award-winner

• "Art With Heart" - a namesake group for family crisis help in North Carolina

• Andrea Soter Simonson Ovarian Cancer Memorial Benefit

• American Cancer Society

• PLAN - Catholic response group

• ... and maybe, YOU ? ~ Perhaps ~ if you'd like to be added to this list enjoying art manipulated to win for any good cause.

Some recipients are not mentioned here. I respect donor and recipient preference on this point.

 

• Art With Heart to Gift - My art not to your taste? That is fine - If you buy one and "PASS IT ON" as gift or donation, you can deduct your purchase price at tax time.

• Art With Heart to Keep or Share - use it to promote your cause, for events or when friends ask. Also, just to share and not deduct, makes a lovely holiday or anytime gift - especially small works - so easy to enjoy and/or pass on.

• Art With Heart wants YOUR ideas of ways that ARTS CAN HELP ! Get in the spirit and find me.

• Special: Elle Fagan Art With Heart helps create your fundraiser. So good to put together an event that helps. Ask me. If my schedule won't allow me to do it, I know others who can.

• Art With Heart CREATES CUSTOM ART for special events - if you have an image in mind for yours, here I am.

Money Note: MOST, not all,  images at this site are potential donations. Ask me.  After transaction,  all normal guarantees still apply - repair/restore/replace, but NO REFUNDS on charity items, since the funds are gone to the charity. 
~ I hope you agree that this idea is a grand opportunity for all of us to show our best! 

RECENT RECIPIENTS OF ELLE FAGAN "ART WITH HEART" FUNDS-GENERATING DONATIONS:

THE LATEST:  

JULY 2016   Fun fee gifts to those who caught me "en plein air" - the Sidewalk Artist sometimes gives free gifts. Lucky you!

JUNE 2016      CONGRATULATIONS ON THE SPECTACULAR SUCCESS of "Art For AIDS" on Saturday night - held at"ARTSPACE HARTFORD" in Connecticut USA, it won lots in every way!

MAY 2016    Close to my Heart - this year's favorite:

TAAF The Aneurysm AVM Foundation Run did very well in California again this year.   My "made for this event"  California Poppy art was part of the success of this , my favorite cause - to get the thing that got my husband delights me.   Full Story and links so that you can help, too

Again: ~ some recipients are not mentioned here. I respect donor and recipient preference on this point.

Te

The Saga of Rick-Pa-Tick - feb 8

February 8, 2016 - A poem to my only brother Richard Charles Augustine Smith -  "Rick" -  on his day - created 1995
Catch the meter and let it flow along quickly or it's too long and no fun:

The Saga of Rick-Pa-Tick

The newscast promised terrorism, as we planned to end our schism,
air flight bringing Rick-pa-tick to brighten February!
So, I, tonight instead of sleep, With snowfall lovely, cold and deep,
write of him upon a whim - the concept's much less scary!

The odds, you see, still favor me: His plane will not be hijacked
Besides, I think the badguy would be more than likely ransacked.
If Rick -pa-tick is on the plane, The badguys better run!
My Brother was a Red Beret, he'd " take 'em out" for fun!

In fact, he'd make a super spy, Though tall, his looks are affable;
At midlife, showed them off for cash, la! la! - so photographable!
This visit, soon, would be the first, since his move out West
I dreamed and planned as best I could to make it 'just the BEST' ! 

Since I was only two years old, when brother Rick-pa-tick was born,
First memories are hazy ones, how are such nicknames worn?
Still, as a babe, he still was born the classic-type Aquarius,
Whose sneeze became high fevers till the whole house was precarious.

His soul was kind and loving, and I liked his friendship bright.
"BigSis" a favorite role for me: to help would bring delight!
Somehow, we never seemed to grouse or fight with one another,
but shared the grand adventure life delivered, with no bother.

Hmmmmm.......I am sorry, readers, dears - that's not EXACTLY true: 

There was that time we'd thrash and yell 'til hoarse and black-and -blue! 
For that, our parents, horrified, soon offered boxing gloves
To keep the fighting fighting and the loving, loves. 

It worked like magic, on the spot, but not the way they thought: 
Boxing gloves for at-home use left Rick and I distraught
We blushed and shuffled, full of shame for our bad behavior
That day, the local sports supply served as the family Savior! 

And once, at cowboy game, Wild West the game we'd play. 
Rick and Bill and Tommy playing "shoot'em up" that day
The awful accident occurred and "School Marm", ME, was slugged
Or the time that it was HE who certainly was mugged: 

My 3" heels were by my bed, from which I would not wake - 
"If you do not go away, your neck I'll surely break", 
But my Brother, Rick-pa-tick, giggling, still would pester - 
That 3" heel made quite a dent, but no, it did not fester. 

But that was later

In his early childhood days, he gave the telling signs
And grew up true to destiny, ferocious, yet benign
All boys must be ferocious, or risk unhappy fate! 
But February-ians are humantarians! Conflict to create! 

His tastes were thought a bit outre, in re: the culinary -
Though "the white meat tale" is one he might prefer to bury. 
A natural "vegan" long before the term itself was used,
His dietary prefs were such that left us all confused.

When two hours after dinner things were washed and put away
Our Rick-Pa-Tick was struggling - a thing just would not stay
When Mother checked her Rick, age four, the sight brought on her frown: 
The meat, gone white from gnawing, in his mouth, not taken down. 

Another day, mid-morning, "Oh! Rick's whereabouts!"
No search-success, then true distress, and full of anxious doubts.
When, from the kitchen cupboards came distinctly, sounds of crunching.
And Mother found him seated in the cupboard - dogfood-munching!

Milk Bone biscuits looked to him a perfect midday snack,
His teeth, today, are white for it, tho' Mother's jaw went slack!
Another day, 'twas I, at six, at play at "Mommy prep",
And with my friends we'd play "pretends" and do a dainty step.

If we were good, my best friend's Mom would treat us, in those days,
to real china dolly plates to practice teatime ways!
But blue-paint shiny tinny ones for mudpies served with pride,
Would make the day a sunny one, a party held outside!

"Come and have some mudpies, please! Look! They have red berries!" 
And tea to drink as well, and so our party will be merry!"
And Rick-pa-tick, of course would be our guest our social "practice case",
And try the tea and mudpies, with a smile upon his face!

My friend and I thought "guys are cool" to be so dumb gallante! 
To munch with glee, at offerings, that no one else would want! 
All too soon, our Mother's call would mark the party's end,
But happily, since morning would begin it all again.
"Let's wash up for dinner, now, twin clown jammies neat!
And Father's singing, home from work, our table is complete."

But that was not the truth of it, with one more chair to fill,
A brand-new baby sister soon arrived, to fill the bill!
With sister AND a brother now, I had "the whole shebang"!
Three makes a corporation, and so the household sang ! 

And truly so, since now Tide Mill Equipment Service shone
Our brand new family enterprise; the house, next door, our own.
The real estate, our Mother's, first, then parents' starter place,
No longer Rented out, but ours again, a grace. 

We missed our friends on Redding Road, but made adjustments well
Work and school and new old friends gave happy tales tales to tell
And with Southport Harbor just a block away
This relocation not so bad - a dawn of brand new day! 

"Rick, take your Father's lessons, and soon you'll be a man
For now, Scouts, Sports and mischiefing aplenty wis the plan." 
Snowball fights, and front-porch fun with soap and hose for scrubbing
And comic antics imitating Dick Van Dyke , with dubbing! 

HE may have been a "Banjo-eyes" and wiry, fragile boy, 
Losing "Rassling" contests his brains not brawn the ploy
But His growth at teenage growth-spurt time is on the public record -
He used to trash his sandwiches, now gulped them double-deckered !

And not for fat. New height and power seemed to be his path !
His "Clark-Kent-into-Superman" gave all a joyful laugh !
At breakfast WE were banjo-eyed, when Rick's morning "needies"
Involved the 3-quart mixing bowls with most of all the Wheaties...

..."The Cheerios , the Lucky Charms, Shredded Wheat and Raisin Bran
And Mother eyes and mine agog, our Rick-pa-tick a Man !
Shall we call you Richard, now? or would you rather , Rich ?
He, Shuffling now , like Dick Van Dyke, resisting awkward itch !

We suffered such anxiety in his fragile days !
So now we asked his autograph, and sang "hip, hip, hoorays!"
Though war was looking for him, he golfed, ran, swam, ski-ed, fenced!
When grumpy teachers tried to tease, he no longer tense.

He just walked out the door on them and did his Army duty. 
Again our household open-mouthed! Green/Red Beret a beauty! 
Studied elsewhere, all these years and counsels what he learned.
Stay fit, eat smart, and share your heart, and life won't leave you burned !

This poem has just been updated by his big sis, Ellie
To celebrate his natal day - and skip the boring telly.
May you find the love and fun intended as I write
For history, this all-true tale, and so, my friends, goodnight!

LoriStory - feb 9

September 18th 1953 birthday, she’s ready!

"Chance made us Sisters, Love made us friends" 
I have one Sister, and love her very much! She earns it - USUALLY.
I know she remains an early and enduring valentine.

La Vierge, Virgo, her Storge, "best friends" love style tells her truth. I was firstborn, and bigsis…
She had just become a teenager when I married and moved away, We have been loving and interactive, and helped one another in work and play, and she is Godmother to our firstborn, and a fine Auntie to our second.

But since life changes, and sometimes against our own will,I found, to my horror, that we have not been as good with another and that I have huge gaps in my knowledge of basic statistics about my only sister!

The "Lori Story", might be a way to gather missing things - and even fun!

A new Baby Sister! Long-leggety, with hair lighter than mine, and though not fat, a healthy nine pounds+, on arrival! I brought my Kindergarten class, in entirety, home from Timothy Dwight School having made my new baby sister my "Show and Tell" that year...feeling very much the show woman about it.

I found my baby sister "interesting"...I loved her, but I was six years older, and almost scientific in my interest in her...I must be cautious ...she is a baby.. and felt odd that we could not be play-peers, especially till later, but then a special joy.

She grew up well - 1970s

Sibling rivalry doesn’t  feel good and our musical Libra Father preferred to enjoy our singing in three-voice harmony as we did our household tasks, with him grinning, playing the conductor of our mini-choir: I sang soprano, Lori sang Alto, and Mother Sang that beautiful Polish woman’s contralto - and looking beautiful doing it! 

In the fifties, our Father often called my sister "Sputnik" for love and said it was .."because she is "out of this world!". meaning superlative, super-duper, extraordinary !  His hands were already doing NASA things at DuPont, so Space Exploration was correct.

She neglects me, still, though it was I who did her hair, sewed for her dolly wardrobe and later, for her prom dress, and it was I who prayed and rocked her if she had a cold, wrapping the vicks and towel with a pin over her chest as our Mother had done for me and my brother earlier on.

We sailed along in childhood with few squabbles , we really didn't ... fear of the Lord?
I know I loved her and she loved me. We shared a room and affection daily - helped our Mother and made fun and food and beauty and parties and prayer and good work.

Fine success and happiness in every way made it easy to gather for all the best times! The photos would fill a separate site and do! But we lost it at midlife when death and divorce and the recession struck us a bitter blow.

But I KNOW it is right to rekindle the Good - all the good we can find and make!
And now, that we are getting older, and it seems to be necessary to chat some things back into the real world, I am sharing my valentine here for her and the good things we have made and shared lifelong.

TodayLori - peace and new adventures!

Happy Valentines Day Lori and her world ! Wherever you are - there you are :-D

Mothers Day 2018 - Glowing Feb 10

Funny Mothers Day this year - the first since the passing of our Mother, joyfully, at 92.   But I am May-born and a believer, and so I prayed and got busy and, at day's end today, I am glad I did.  A  day - even one day- is worth saving!    Able to think and remember all the Mothers Days, so far, along my timeline and looking for many more.

Grateful beyond words for the sunny days with two parents who cared and were bright and "up to something" all the time.  They had suffered and made it thru, so now, no bells and whistles should be omitted, to rejoice in the triumph and re-store ourselves, making good memories, to sustain us for the inevitable challenges ahead.   Their example made it possible for me to do really fine things as a mother later on. So many ways to be inspired in my girlhood and I am thankful for all of them

I remember Mama - the popular tv show with Peggy Wood in my littlegirl days, comes to mind:

• Mothers Day, late 40s - Dad and I bringing breakfast in bed and dinner out, and flowers and treats to my Mother.

• Mother and I visiting her Mother's gravesite and praying and placing flowers and then treats of comfort as we'd listen to Mother's story of Gram's life and passing.

• Mothers Days in the 50s were more: First Communions were done on Mothers Days and first me and then my brother and later our sister filled the day in those years with God's special graces and excuses for fun and parties...and easy prayers.

• Mother-Daughter dresses and maybe a bowtie to match for our brother made the other years as much fun or better, as we'd enjoy Church and special dinners and family gatherings at the homestead of my Dad and his many siblings, regaling the aging Gram and Gramps with true hearts. LIFE...this is what is about - all we do supports life.

• Mothers Days in the 60s got tense - health fixes on all sides created money setbacks and worse at times, but , especially when challenged, we were sure to mark Mothers Day well...and soon...

• My Handsome Prince and I married and off to war and back and our first , a son, born at Fort Knox, Kentucky, (where all the gold sources, but not as golden as his hair, then). And our party for the men's return from war ran so long into the night, that the Mothers Day visit to Gram's was surreal, with my first Mothers Day finding me in very dark sunglasses, blushing in shame for the over-party the night before.

• Then in the 70s, off again to Corporate work in NY and North Carolina and into our stride as parents, with a pioneer BirthingRoom baby sister for our son. Once over the transplant shock, alll holidays were Heaven - we were so grateful to have survived wars and childbirth and jockeying for good work paths, that we gave every bit of us we could with hearts full of powerful love and gratitude! Each year we'd create for our little family, one more tradition to celebrate the modest happy us! Breakfast in bed, flowers, our favorite scent, dinner out and an outing "en famille" and singing "Yes - we're a perfectly ordinary, ordinarily perfect fammm-i- leeee!" from "Sesame Street" on the ride home.

• Endless summer, followed by sudden winter found the children and myself on our own and grieving the loss of their Father, now in Heaven. We were so good all those years and I was powerfully proud of the children and twice-committed to their complete recovery because they earned it with their loving and feisty approach and cooperation in winning thru the challenge. We made every holiday a bit special with one idea or other , while holding onto each beloved tradition TWOTIMES for the setback, to be sure to restore it all. Mothers Days in the 80s-90s were a miracle - and easier every year, as the grief gave way to our waters running clear and strong again....and with the good fun never omitted.

• Mothers Days at Y2K got confusing - we felt we were on an even keel again when life brought some new challenges and me disabled in an accident. From that point on, the relationship between me and our children seemed to veer from one extreme to another for some time, but still the feeling of bonding and more was easily there. All was soon made much better and fine again, but not for forever - again.

• The unexpected happened: I recovered from injuries family politics and slander on a lady without a sin to her name, let alone any abuse or worse.....all things fine on all paths once more and the sun shining so nicely! Wow - great , came in, in all directions, including our children but soon after, they both married, with no word to me , living distantly and are currently honeymooning.

I am so very pleased at their finding a love for their lives, after the usual  "growth experiences" in dating and relationships!    After a lot of disorientation at their NON-traditional style, I went jogging again and am enjoying my life in many new ways and restoring business and income, with restored heart and soul, and fine friends who made the day JUST as special as ever! 

I think NEXT Mothers Day may see them showing up to show off their new selves and, though they are part of the trend to later marriages, I do hope they retained their great love for family and children and, if they cannot become parents in the traditional path, perhaps surrogate or adoption would work?  I know their way is grand. I know our challenges leave touchy spots, but for every loss there was recuperation and triumph, so I do believe in their future riches in heart and health, MY GIFT TO THEM ALWAYS - as their Dad would call it - "the good stuff".   

Mothers Day 1976 - Proud BiCentennials
Peter and Amanda being noble and good!

Saga of a Little WhiteHouse - page one- feb 11

Smith Family Fairfield Connecticut - Love Story

The watercolor here is one of  the little house that gramps bought for gram when they married - she was 4'10" and he 6'4" and for all 50 years there, gramps exulted in the fact that his arms and legs went out the doors and windows...couldn't care less... the little dolly house charmed him like the dolly he bought it for , and with additions to the family , additions to house happened in all directions - and so the poem and I hope you enjoy the read !   elle  

The moon was full, the hour late, When the phone call came

Your Father's family homestead Has been consumed by flame! 

The folks are safe, the fire put out;  but don't,  just yet, come 'round - 

Since we're all adjusting To the house done down to ground. 

Not quite a hundred years ago, On a finer day, 

Jim Smith, "The Chief", had brought his "Else" To live and love and stay! 

His six-foot-four, her four-foot-six, Borne lightly in his arms, 

Would work, and bear, and laugh and fight And farm the little farm. 

For fifty years and more 'tis known, For love of God and Man; 

For one fair daughter, eight fine sons, Who helped to till the land. 

For fifty years and more 'tis known, The house a family forum 

For joy and woes unnumbered, And often quite a quorum! 

So much so, in later days, Each morn the flag was raised 

At the "Little Whitehouse", And all about it praised. 

But that skips the story, So let's resume the tale, 

And take it back to early days Such memories don't pale: 

The house was small; times were hard, Days it fair would quake, 

Oh! the din and doin's that such a brood could make! 

The Homestead’s still, a palace - Since from Eire came he, 

To training first, in Sheffield per America's entry fee! 

Immigration laws had changed, the streets were lined with hordes 

Of unskilled starving workers, And so they said, "No more!" 

It isn't fair to them or us, A new rule must be made! 

From now on, new arrivals must have a decent trade! 

Young and brave and work-proud! New goals and free from want! 

New home in fair Connecticut; New work with grand DuPont 

The Fairfield Coated Fabrics plant Was part Big Jim's construction. 

His finely trained steamfitter's skills Enabled grand production 

Not one weak joint, not one down day At Fairfield's plant, for sure! 

He steamed and worked and wrought, until Becoming too mature 

And Big Jim Smith, a work-proud man, was called upon once more 

"It's just the new addition, Chief - They're tearin' up the floor!" 

"The plant you built so long ago - Well, Chief, they've lost the plans, 

Drawn to show the fittings set, Installed by Jim Smith's hands! 

And now they can't connect the pipes from older wing to new, 

And since your work installed them, We thought we'd come to you!" 

And so, at age of eighty-five, With hair of snow, and cane, 

He led a workman's entourage, To save the day again! 

"Start your workmen, here!", he points, "And fifty feet due west, 

but there you'll find an angle joint, Turns South for all the rest!" 

And strolling through the plant that day, Each steam pipe mapped anew! 

And when the men went by his word, Each bit of it went true! 

Each fitting where he said it was, And so the job completed 

The new addition - and the boss - no longer overheated! 

If Big Jim Smith felt too retired and obsolete till then, 

From that day on 'twas not the case - His memory served his men! 

His Irish barrel-chestedness Now swelled about the house 

Bringing smiles of pride and joy To his adoring spouse! 

To run the show at work that day, Took Chief's good mem'ry back 

To years of sweat and labor, Time of awful lack! 

"The Roaring Twenties’ " promises inspired large investments 

And even larger families - Then came the Big Depression! 

Work alone was not enough To keep his family thriving, 

So make the garden large enough To earn some extra living. 

And so, with home-farm underway, Jim could work his trade, 

And, even at the worst of it, A week's pay honest wage. 

And now, "meanwhile, back at the ranch", Was industry as well, 

And quite a crew came running - Elsie rang the dinner bell! 

Jim from work, and daughter, Em, near seven sons at table, 

The seventh, grown, would join them, too, whene'er he might be able! 

Good corned beef and cabbage Tho' sometimes lean of that! 

But grace o'er all, all the same, 'And please remove your hat.' 

And, in the evening, such a brood Was Grandpa's built in choir! 

To sing the holy lyrics And best you never tire! 

Picnics in the summertime, Father in at Christmas, 

Years flew past, the children grew, And a change in business. 

Hitler to be put to route, And later on, Korea: 

Jim and Elsie's sons, a Patriotic panacea!

Eldest of Jim's early days, was Tom,  too old to serve.

Joe was ill and stayed at home, and youngest, Bob, reserved-

For Korea later on;  but that still left five sons ! 

With those Smith boys marching, our flag not tread upon!

 Army heroes, three would march;  and one  USMC,  

Dad, the one air corpsman, and so proud to be !

And home again with grateful hearts,  And hearts aburst with pride! 

And little Elsie waiting there, And Big Jim at her side! 

The joyful vets homecoming, though, had come at awful cost! 

Famous fighting Sullivan Brothers Had recently been lost: 

In Patriotic Brotherhood, They'd asked to serve together- 

A happy, fighting Irish show they'd made,  in finer weather! 

But then the game went serious, Their ship under attack- 

The bomb barrage so brutal, Not one of five came back! 

Their parents stunned forever, A grieving country ceded, 

"Such a tragic happening Must never be repeated!" 

 Siblings nevermore would serve same field of combat duty, 

The new  law for large families, Saved many, absolutely! 

The five fighting Smith Brothers home at last, To study war no more! 

They left home boys, but came home men, From the work of war! 

Full of new maturity To make their grownup lives 

And work for peace and plenty, And all in need of wives! 

Fairfield girls, look out this year! Our boys are back and fine! 

Elsie's rose and lilacs, And love this year, divine! 

Our bachelor heroes laughed, In search of love and marriage 

A driveway full of 'hot-rods' Replacing Big Jim's carriage! 

Postwar weddings in a row, And livings to be made 

And life was on to grand new work, Hitler's plan unmade! 

Gram's  eldest, Em, now on her own, a wife and mom to four- 

at summer trips to "Auntie Em's" No day was a bore! 

Gail, "theGolden Pipe-curls Girl",   "52-pick-up"Billy, 

And Donna "Midge",   with beauty that was cool, and not too frilly... 

And, still there was their Lynn to come, like Gail, a valentine! 

Come pitch in and help with chores; Let's get this place to shine! 

Then out to games with Ginger-pup, Or help to feed the sheep 

And fun with roadside veggie stands - We earned an angel's sleep! 

So, Em was "set for life",they'd say, And getting in her stride, 

Her seven younger brothers near and Working side-by-side: 

Bill Smith did construction In the Battle of the Bulge 

Sarge, he brought 'em back alive - A grateful tear indulge! 

Next, the AlCan Highway Got his workman's hand 

New roads and worlds and lives - This country's getting grand! 

Young Jim had ways with critters, so the game preserve was his 

And Animal Control, as well, at local and state biz. 

His gardens and their produce became a second focus 

He's got so famed for all of it! It must be "hocus- pocus!" 

"Charlie" found his stride in work, behind "The Chief's" fine start 

At DuPont's coated fabric plant And brought it up to art 

American involvement,now, In space exploration 

Was in the headlines every day, To fascinate the nation. 

E.I.DuPont, with science strength, Was honored and invited 

To manufacture spacecraft parts The whole town was excited! 

And NASA's work for Charlie Smith? The Gold Mylar production: 

"Lunar Landing Module Wrap Stops hurtful heat conduction!" 

"One small step for Man" took place, We shared a private pride, 

Good and simple folk rejoiced At so profound a stride! 

Tho',"Don't be makin' such a fuss!", Was Charlie's stock reaction, 

Forever after, memory Brought secret satisfaction! 

Henry, Army MP Veteran, found his finest place 

in Fairfield's Police Force And Sunday Cycle Race! 

He grew to fine Detective work and civic work in town. 

There doesn't live the man who could ever do him down! 

Joe's the one we pray for, Born with health so frail- 

Leukemia took him from us Too young to leave a tale. 

But not before he married, So there were children three 

To say he'd graced this earth awhile Before eternity! 

Al, with All-American Entrepreneurial inclinations 

Does success and failure Without exasperation! 

He's good at family conscience - Lest, busy, we forget 

Who shored us up when times were hard And made us better, yet! 

Youngest, Bob, was gifted with a fine mechanic's hand 

On any point of logic, He'll talk "to beat the band"! 

Rain or shine, each Sunday found A quorum of the brood 

At the Turnpike homestead For ball and talk and food. 

The front-porch overflowing with the casual convention - 

Rocking chairs to charm the way through all "bones of contention!" 

We were just rapscallions, then The grownups such a din! 

"Good Talk", a world of wonder where our stars had popped us in! 

"And who's up next for Governor?" "And the city mayor?" 

"Is it prince or crook we're voting In to boss the players?" 

"And who's the Home-run leader, now, In our New York Yankees?" 

"Will they beat 'dem bums' again Or send us for our hankies?" 

In summertime we'd take our turn At Grandma's house to stay 

Creating summer memories That warm us till this day. 

The rooster's crow alarm clock And feet on icy floor... 

A warm and smiling breakfast And soon right out the door. 

My morning walk with Grandpa White-haired and with cane 

Along the flagstone backyard path That led to wooded lane. 

The special-ness of morning! Grandpa's hand for mine! 

How blessed and graced to know it ! A special trusting time. 

"Where we going, Grandpa?" " Off to Praying Rock. 

There we'll say the Rosary And with our God we'll talk." 

Uphill, the winding pathways Led to a Grampa's tree, 

And "Praying Rock" placed at its foot...A help for bended knee. 

A simple cross carved on it's trunk, A prayerful perfect place! 

To know the Lord's own sweet delight And thank Him for His grace! 

The Holy moment passing, Once more we'd take the path 

Away from woodsy silence, To Grandma's welcome laugh!

End page one -

Imageclick for the conclusion of the Saga of a Little WhiteHouse

Saga of a Little WhiteHouse - page two-feb 11

Smith Family Fairfield Connecticut - Love Story

Hot tea, corned beef and cabbage, A boiled potato pile, 

And lots of bread and butter To make Grandfather smile. 

"We'll bow our head in blessing For these gifts of food, 

We knew a day without them And rocked a famished brood." 

A bit of pie or cake To follow, made the fete

A simple home-cooked meal A thing we'd not forget. 

Lace curtains at the window;  Oilcloth on kitchen board

Blue Onion English China So proudly used and stored

In Grandma's china closet, On doilies she'd crochet. 

"Come on, our Elle, I'll wash them up! You dry and put away!" 

And then, into the parlor Or front porch for the rest

And lap chores done by suppertime " Let's see who does them best!" 

"Sing the old songs, would you, While we snap the beans? 

Make the list for shopping... I'd better mend the jeans!" 

My favorite time with Grandma,  For stories she would tell

Of days before my memory, When she was quite the belle! 

And dances were life's heaven!  Feathers for the hair! 

Beaus in line on dancefloors, To woo a Lady Fair

Her Father's consternation was Her secret, happy goal, 

He'd fuss and fret and fluster, And care about her soul; 

Forbid one dance too many, Insist she get her rest; 

So out the backyard window,  Elsie danced - said she knew best, 

What lively occupation Would keep her in the pink... 

Fathers!  Such a bother!  Dear! What he must think! 

Among the handsome fellas, One did win her hand

But marriage did not suit him - He left to join a band. 

The wedding ring - their baby - Neither lasted long... 

Happy days at dancing, But now a sadder song! 

A sadder lass, and wiser, Less eager for the guys- 

And mem'ries of the baby, Would tear her hazel eyes. 

On her own, she 'plied her trade, And sewed fine leather seams, 

Feeling all was over, Her life bereft of dreams. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

A days ride off, by buggy, Big Jim had woe as well; 

The lass he loved had left him!  His youthful spirits fell! 

Only in his twenties! His tears went all the night! 

His legs would not sustain him! HIs black hair turned to white! 

Back to folks in England, He took his aching heart! 

And soon back to the USA, To make a brand new start! 

His soul was a romantic's,  but, this time, to this land, 

He brought a healed head and heart,  And a well-trained hand! 

At sight of Emily Robinson,  He knew he'd met his fate! 

He loved her and He won her!  They soon would set the date. 

His tiny doll to carry Through their own front door, 

To start new life together, Alone and sad, no more! 

Being Irish Catholic  t'was painful for them tho' 

Took time and and tears and trouble To clear from former beaus. 

But more than fifty years from then, Jim and Elsie stood- 

Time and toil and trouble Had only done them good! 

Grandma's eyes, still smiling At Grandpa's "blarney" talk : 

"My dear, my queen, my honeybee! It 's time to take my walk." 

A child's eyes, learning wisdom, My memory is clear: 

"Marriage gets more "worth it", with each succeeding year" 

The small considerations, Affections true and fine, 

The special, simple moments 'Tween two of such long time! 

Love's fires honed through trials; Life's share of good and bad! 

But Jim and Elsie made it... And now the fun they had! 

Proudly side by side, still,  Scores of fine descendents! 

The "Little Whitehouse" busier Than ever with dependents. 

And on the porch, one Sunday, While rocking in the breeze, 

Grandpa, "Chief","Big Jim" Had words for me like these: 

"Now, Elle, we'll soon be "passing", but I will not leave this earth, 

Till you've found your Irishman To love for all yer' worth

And brought him here to see me, And proper' beg your hand, 

For, with my will and blessing , The marriage will be grand !" 

To each of near a score of us, Such words, I'm sure he found - 

To each of near a score of us, Such words, we felt, profound ! 

Destiny is funny- It did work out that way! 

My Irishman, he  won me, Before Grandpa's last day... 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

For more than half a century, The Front-porch occupations

Included observation time, Of passing population. 

Of course, the scene before them Changed with passing days, 

From horse-and-buggy-rutted dirt, To streamlined cars and ways. 

Jim 'n' Else, young parents- They knew each passing soul, 

And joyed in observations As each life would unfold! 

"There's this one and there's that one, Out for Sunday air

And isn't this one growing fine, And that one growing fair ?" 

Each passing soul identified, And each one's story told: 

The Story of a Century In time, did true unfold! 

Time and population growth Were bound to have their way. 

So no one was at all surprised 'Tho sad, when came the day, 

Chief pronounced most solemly, He'd no longer thrive: 

"Just can't watch these cars go by!" - His last words said alive. 

Ten steps over from his chair We heard his figure drop, 

His heart as big as Heaven, Came to final stop. 

First Selectman Sullivan Head the long cortege

Of mourners' cars lined up for miles To lay Jim to his rest. 

But not without a plenty To carry on his life

Ninety years on God's Green Earth, And Elsie for his wife! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

The fire that struck the homestead occurred one February

The feelings running 'way too high -To dare the literary

Photos of the home today Would not be ones to charm

The fire gutted much of it. In order to disarm

The raging of the flames that night The lilacs standing near

Were chopped away near' totally As sense dictates, I hear.

And finally the land was sold and buildings soon removed.

But by an old-days neighbor with resources loved.

The site is lovely once again - although much too serene.

But at the front and center yard there grows an evergreen

So tall, I had to write this poem with verses tall enough

To make a garland for her boughs and all that sort of stuff.

And in 1911, Grandpa bought the home- 

from one of Southport's seamen who much preferred to roam

And so, the house a shack, at best, From little use and care

But with the shack came property Whose worth could well compare

In fact Big Jim took pleasure, sure, That the house was small

Tiny Else felt fine in it, And Big Jim felt so tall! 

With all his skills and talent He feared not o'er the thought

Of home improvement labors And proud of all he wrought! 

A woodsy wagontrack was all The road there was before it

And path for wagon on the right And a barn to store it

Grandpa's old days tales to me, 'times involved his horse

Several worthy animals in all those years, of course! 

He'd call all  them "Dobbin" to keep the telling plain

But honored faithful service- Each one earned their grain! 

At one time the lot next door was a shallow pond

Now in nearby reservoirs, the floody pond is gone.

Sturdy black rock ledges that gave the road its name

North and West about the house, Provide a natural frame

Grandma's rambler roses, at southwest aspect, 

Still love to climb the rock edge And thrive right through neglect

When the road got busy, East and South were placed

Trees creating privacy The view was surely graced

And land once used for farm crops, And bantam rooster coops

Bore my Father's shop; And bunkhouse where Scout troops

Enjoyed the camp experience; now houses Smith descendents- 

The youngest of "the boys" And house pet dependents! 

Lilies, mums, peonies, Rose of Sharon, too! 

Bring us back to Elsie's house, With its folks, it grew. 

In time, "The Chief's" additions to the Captain's shanty

included airy sunporch, parlor, bath and pantry! 

Big Jim built the chimney, teaching sons the art

of placing brick and mortar- A box for chimney form was smart- 

It helped with sound construction, beauty and good flue, 

The sons surrounding father- a fascinated crew! 

Several days'production, a few feet every day

The form slid up along each time, Until it made its way

to the rooftop level, then its mortar seal

They told the story better - They made it seem so real! 

Gas and then electric replaced the coal and wood

The mantle, left "for looks" alone But still the chimney stood. 

A dormer for the upstairs, And for the porch, new floor

Failing white birch trees replaced, that once had graced the door

But Jim and Else were older When they became a pair

And their age was motive To their many heirs

Who came in love and duty To effect repairs

But, sometimes, now the fixups Only added to their cares! 

Their children were perplexed at this, With no AARP

To help with helping seniors With needed remedies

And so they did their best To deal with true compassion

And stopped with home improvements And updates in the fashions

To stop time from passing, -the house kept in the style

of Jim and Else's heyday And ease their days awhile

Big trouble with that logic showed up later, though

When there was real need for change, They couldn't make it go! 

The place became first "charming", Then "a bit run down", 

Then "just plain eccentric"! At odds with all the town! 

But just then, grown grandchildren Learned of the situation

Arrived with reinforcements, of work and love and patience. 

We seemed to be a vitamin, Good order was renewed, 

For needs of health and safety And some beauty,too! 

I myself was able due to relocation

to spend some helpful time onsite- nostalgic work/vacation! 

We cleaned, and fixed and hauled away- replaced, restored, renewed! 

By "quittin' time" in fixup days, We really earned our food! 

Ladies love a makover, And so, though inconvenienced, 

The project was a big success And earned us all some lenience! 

And at days' end we did it As in days of yore : 

Sang Jim Smith's old favorites And tucked down wanting more! 

More work to be done yet, But a break was needed

Some would have no more for now And so the rest conceded

Talk of late was leaning toward project renewal... 

Time had passed, neglect was feared, a state which would be cruel

My work had taken me away; I felt it not my right

To impose myself on them, and stay again onsite. 

And just a few weeks later The housefire did its worst! 

The feelings of its residents are still now being nursed... 

But all were safe and sound Who resided at the place

We calmed, and counted blessings, And thanked Him for His Grace! 

And at this writing, study of plans for restoration, 

may ,in the final tally, bring the devil consternation! 

To hold a hand marked "loser" And turn it into winner, 

Builds character they say, and so we still just "earn our dinner". 

These lines are just a portion of The Little Whitehouse tale, 

But I'd better stop for now Or find myself in jail! 

A promise, or a warning ? There's much more to come... 

A tale so rich in telling, The writer's overcome! 

Originally shared at Dad's funeral May 13th 1999. I like to share it at the patriotic holidays.

ImageClick to Go Back to "Saga of A Little WhiteHouse - PageOne"
Thank you so much for the reading! Comment below!

. 

Accidental Activist - feb 12

I have made this entry part of the Valentines Blog. If it does not say LOVE, nothing does.

Realizing I’d been “busy” , I thought to put the list here, for my own reference and to share for the good talk with friends.

Believing my life to be neat and lively and nice, and happy-medium ordinary, at midlife, I had many awakenings:
Nearly all the items in my list of things done, were considered activist by some, and some even carried real risk in those days; half of them were pioneer projects.

And except for the redcross work, NONE of it was entirely my choice, but there to do and I could do it easily and the world where we were would be better for it, and I could afford the low pay in most of it, due to my late husband’s fine career. Half of it backfired on me, even tragically, later, but being a May-born American Girl, I merely stood on a chair , and banged a wooden spoon on a pan-bottom and promised a visit by federal agents if there was not some sort of RESPECTFUL response ASAP. Easy.

At no time in my girlhood, not for a moment, did I dream such a day could ever come. And I am still not nicely enough compensated for my injuries. And not thankful enough for the privilege of participation.
Neither may ever get there.

We all grew up loving our town and our Country and would help as we could, but NO ONE would want to get into activism - so wild and too much! NO. Then adult life showed us good ways to help and if there was some activist behavior in it……welll…..so be it. And so, this IS a Valentine to my country, my town and my neighborhood.

"Peace is not made at the Council Tables, or by Treaties, but in the Hearts of Men" - Herbert Hoover  

Mother would have said she never did any activism. The projects and activities that helped were just part of being a good American as she was taught, being alert to any act that would serve in perfecting the American Experience. NEVER once was it about disrupting the status-quo, - even when it did, as it must. I am proud of both sister and brother, but "I may be the most activist", as both insist, as well, in all modesty and laughter.  I loved patriotism and Nancy Drew - artist and mystery lover and "redcrosslady" very young. 

I just planned to "go to town in a gown" and  make a nice life, and yet this  list - yes - 'there's a story there" for each. If there is interest, I will do them up. Ask me.

• First poem read in public at age ten was a compassionate healing effort at an unusually sad family funeral.

• WANTING and winning a certain school for me

• Paying for Gas for my Hillman , Gwendolyn with riders -Teen drivers win.

• Pioneer understudy girl on an all-male campus while in High School did it again.

• Army Fort Knox Red Cross with Medivac work

• Army Fort Knox - Smoke show installation demonstration to improve relations between civilians and military

• Connecticut’s Saint Vincent Hospital Birthing Room with our Daughter

• Corporate in North Carolina RTP/Greenville- Pioneer crew with a thing called DayCare

• Back to campus - pioneer married corporate move at the time - honors.

• “The Greenville Daily Reflector” - first “yankee” Miss Circulation and friend of writers.

• “Over the Back Fence” - my neighborhood newspaper

• Communications for our Area School Redistricting Project, to achieve balance in social , economic and racial demographic

• Children’s Summer Olympics in our Neighborhood - team project

• NCAA Children's Swim meet timer

• Children’s Tennis lessons and Boy and Girl Scouts.

• First Garden Club, first Bridge Club, first Couples Bridge Club. First Batman Birthday and Holly Hobby weekend.

• First Building Permit

• First Latchkey Project - second banana and loving it under the first Director of the original daycare

• Title III Reading Tutorials for Disabled Students to win thru to Literacy for Special Students

• Grief recovery classes for our children - a new idea and routine today

• Back in the Metropolitan area, roots, life in general was pioneering for a bit but not activist.

• People were on the sidewalk for the first time since 1929, Nanny rescue at a celebrity agency

• ARC response work during the recession and ODS - Fort Sam Houston Texas

• Community Garden Fairfield

• Shelter work

• Y2K study materials collation and study updates with Red Cross.

• My own disability ended on-site activism with risk to me

• Art events parts of “Rockville Renaissance”

• Founding fan and participant of RGH hospital gallery- painting prizewinner

• Breast Cancer Awareness Traveling Arts Exhibitfor more than one year

• Today I am thrilled to be agedup - and Ioffer my“Art With Heart” and enjoy success in manipulating my art to raise funds for “the kids behind me” in the good work.

 - all are part of our normal way today, but when we stood up and walked out to do it, it was called Activist. Soon my amazing husband and siblings and now children found time to help, as well, doing parallel acts. …and today there are still two or three small things I want to do , still, or help get done …but that’s another story.

'Preciate it! FEB 13

LOVE OF COMMUNITY - Injuries healed, grief recovery successful, time to go off hiatus for Elle Smith Fagan and her Art = so I joined the local Chamber of Commerce to get out a bit more normally and it’s a miracle of goodness - thank you all so much, so far!

Connecticut is home, family roots, and current home-base, but during the years in North Carolina with my late husband's Wellcome Foundation people, the expression "  'Preciate it! " was very popular.  

To be sure to “Appreciate it” is a vitamin - if we allow for that moment of appreciation for ourselves and others, or for the thing at hand.   It is actually a basic in the human equation but one that gets brushed over at times.

Added to the  many daily thank yous, bye for nows or goodbyes, most of us are left , at day’s end, with really nice food for thought.   To appreciate one another and our moment and the actions in those moments - YES.  All such moments tally up.

Today   " 'Preciate it"   is for my local Connecticut River Valley Chamber of Commerce.

After a hiatus in my lifelong  arts business , sharing and selling the art take restart work and promotion.  CRV Chamber is really doing the magic trick for me, with a fine ribbon cutting today at its office steps - the area media attended and made it a lovely event and one of those who came to view it, bought some art!  Wow!   Thanks to the Chamber, pathway to the new dealer I need and active show/sell activity is falling into place as it should.

So I feel a good shoutout  "  'Preciate it ! " is truly deserved.   We are all busy and working well and beautifully, but we do NOT appreciate as we should if we fail to take that moment to do so.

Thank you so much CRV Chamber friends - your enthusiasm for me at meeting, your suggestions fo how we might work together for the good of the community and my business success was very quickly followed by meetings to give me the feeling of "team" and then this event with more on the agenda.   This Chamber is "All top stuff ! "    Thank you very much and I look forward to more and better!  

IN May here, there will be a nice "Glastonbury En Plein Air"  lead by me at a special wildly reduced price , to say "hello"  Click over for details and form and checkout for your buy in.
This is a fine town and our work with a show afterward if you like, will show it.

Thank you again - " 'Preciate it!"

Connecticut River Valley Chamber of Commerce TEAM - Elle Fagan Art Ribbon Cutting 4-2018

elle

RESTORATION AMERICA feb 14

Do not have a new superhero this Valentines, but all those grand years with the love of my life and others after his passing keep me fine for this HUGE Valentine for the World on Valentines Day.

Parable:
Website building , I took a break from a task that that would NOT give me what I needed - then "BINGO !" - I found the issue and fixed it easily.  As usual with site-building code, I told it to do the thing it was doing; the page had done what I TOLD it to do! I told it to do the wrong thing and so it could not do the right thing. But fresh eyes at it after a short break worked:  I quickly spotted my the misdirection, and fixed it!  Ding! done! 

And that's America!   - At age 243, America is doing what we TOLD it to do, to a great extent, wherever it is not governed by other laws and UNlaw.

So Think What is good and what works, but THINK.  RE: the issues that have us ranting in the street probably made the headlines because we sent it there, but that is beyond help now. What matters now is finding the error and fixing it. And praise all the powers you respect that we CAN, in our amazing America, and in every decent place on earth!

Sans souci! Without anxiety! Simply fix it, though fixes are seldom simple. But if we told it to do the LESS desirable thing we can tell it to do the MORE desirable thing and WIN !
Complications always always arise, and immediately, and beyond what is fair.
The powers almost always say We WILL NOT , or we CAN NOT.  

Manipulation, this be, of course, to make nuts and bolts for the assembly if it is to work and last.
We dig down and provide more EMPOWERMENT for this good goal, whatever it may be, in the classic recipe for things: State the goal for approval, get cooking, generate "the right stuff" to win it, organize the response and ACT well and win it. Make it great , make it last. Give it room to bend and not break. Room to celebrate.

I smiled at restoration - MAGA - Make America Great Again - the most glorious restoration project in our lives. My arts restoration skills from parents and teachers, thru college studies and family and community and arts-related projects made me feel right at home in this administration. No one wants the evil of old days to return, but some of the good that was lost must be restored or will die or least lose any understanding of the good goals and why we pursued them.

We all wailed when the surge of growth at the turn of the 21st century made as many messes as miracles…OKAY…we figured it out and got it going, now let’s clean it up. We must not throw away resources but when we jumped to ground to serve , we dropped this, broke that, and dented and wrinkled a lot more. This needs to be cleared a bit or the focus will not be possible.

And there is where the real evil moved in: The MOMENT we moved to do tidy it up and regroup for even finer success, equal powers arose to argue the point with an equal volley of mess and anti-social actions, unhealthy ideas, and outright disrespect for human life.

And so we are making a LOT of noise, we builders, traditionalists, redcrossladies, life people and even those who thought that, in our modern times, we would never need to get activist again.

I need a separate Facebook page for my causes!

• Occupant Safety and Escape Tech for tall buildings and air vehicles - this MINE since girlhood. It has a small page of its own and a fine goal.

• Safe streets via putting deadly weapons in their place, andd non-deadly ones for routine use and ALL responders bulletproofed before they are asked to put their lives on the line in days when even the simplest crook shows up with weaponry enough to wipe out a town

• THE WALL - the statistics rise daily about the sheer numbers literally raiding our country with outspoken motives to dominate and destroy our land, and no respect for its laws and with no desire or motive to EARN a DECENT place.

• ABORTION - my background is perfectly gifted for this one: church, state, science in great detail. I KNOW. IF they want to pass laws about it the law should require EDUCATION and commitment of ALL of childbearing age to be RESPONSIBLE re: pregnancy. Medicine and education and counseling and literacy levels and tons of PSAs mean that we no longer need to abort - today that is theory and STILL not practice…..and THERE is our sin, now…..When I was a girl one could not reliably be responsible for pregnancy at all, and so we were forgiven, but that is no longer so. WE NEED TO GROW on this point and in our hearts we know that is true….but when will we?

• We are playing in space like a fancy toy and we need to grow up in this way too….the public still does not get the message delivered except in scary doomsday terms, instead of the ways that empower us to learn and grow and be ready for what lies ahead.

• Health causes : better testing and efficient diagnostic and MORE MORE MORE noninvasive and nonsurgical and non-narcotic ways in health and wellness and triumph over deadly scenarios. My own favorites: preemie defects, aneurysm and avm, women’s medicine and allergic reactions in drug combining.
  
  Again to be effective; never stress goodguy/badguy dynamics - that only makes it worse  -  we stay powerful AND peaceful and focused and objective to get it done.   
  
  THEREFORE:  My prayer is this:   BRAVO for the achievements, so far...now THINK and focus and WIN - we did - you will !    WE CAN !    Do not be afraid to be inspired and do a new thing well and EFFECTIVELY. IT may be the third millennium but it must remain all about LIFE. In every way , every day we must support life - RESPONSIBLE life. If we can get the percentages of evil down in things in the past, we can truly conquer them in the present and future.
  
  WE CAN WIN FOR THE GOOD - WE MUST WIN FOR THE GOOD - WE WILL - TOGETHER!
  
  
  
  
   

1976 - My late husband and myself , a steady team, helping like good spouses and parents and good citizens, we earned an easy moment relaxing with friends and family on a summer day, cool indoors for moment. Such fine days! and part of me - and our children forever!

A President Born on Flag Day feb 15

After one busy day, I came in from our son's  Scouts meeting, putting away the folded flag for the day and to my husband smiled wearily:  
"Old Den Mothers never die...they just always know when Flag Day is ! "    Today's NYTimes Flag Day story updates us on the subject.
... and now, I  will always know when it is President Donald John Trump's Birthday as well - since they share the June 14th  day !     Former Presdient Bush, a.k.a , "43" , celebrates his birthday on July 6th during the Independence Day Celebration.  

"Shirt off his back" - paper, water media, plexiglass 9x12in. 2017 © elle fagan

Wow!   If nothing else, the American Sprit draws some worthy leaders with fun coincidences !

My Godfather was a soldier with Corps of Engineers in the Battle of the Bulge in WWII. Sarge " Brought 'em home alive", they said, about him and his men.   He hated all war, but "If we must fight, we must WIN!" was the slogan.   Till their last days, the American Flag flew at "The Little White House" family homestead.   I can see them, smiling , raIsing and lowering the flag as the "order of the day" commanded.   Uncle Bill in USACE veterean, in Connecticut,  from Dad's side of the family and Uncle Mike USMC WWII in Maryland,  from Mother's side would regale us with their repartee about whose flagpole was higher and who was "working too hard" at it all, or not.    When praised for their patriotism, they would often reply with the famous quote from General MacArthur: "Old Soldiers Never Die - they just fade away...."    and when my husband served Corps of Engineers as a commissioned officer with USACE as well, special ops, Black Diamonds, Viet Nam,  getting rid of Agent Orange,  they felt so honored and proud of him, and me, since  I saw my first wartime red cross work at that time.
   
God Bless President Trump and ALL our Presidents, in deep appreciation of their work for us.

  And one more flag-folding demo from me.   Please let's appreciate the miracle we are and share it in every good way!

My Nineleven Story

We love our proud and passionate land and strive to be heroes for her when called upon! God Bless Beloved America !
Praise for all who helped on September 11, 2001 - that day of darkness in our land!

God Bless America and God Bless you!   

The call was beyond the normal range, but you won through anyway!   

My story follows the message at this post.

In the days after the attacks, on my daily walk, I sidetracked to the plant whose ancestors made the first American fabrics, using the little waterfall I could hear from my home, to power the mill.
I suggested to the mill's office receptionist that we make a flag and share it on the building - just dazed and determined - and they did it....my proudest art yet, I guess!
It hung there until it frayed, lit at night by the Amerbelle Mill, now sold on to developers.
Heart. Since those days, it is nice to see that the flag spirit has remained. We are one bit better at least.

 More than 5,000 dead.
"The September 11 attacks killed 2,997 people and injured more than 6,000 others. ...   Another 2500+ have died from related toxins on that day, including a dozen miscarriages of unborn.   Wikipedia     I cannot find an accurate tally of ANIMALS who died at WTC or later from toxic exposure diseases.    But this story about the few surviving  Search and Rescue Dogs there for days is helpful.         

WHY no one needed to die in the terrorism on September 11, 2001

NO ONE NEEDED TO DIE on Nineleven BECAUSE Earlier terrorism - 1996 - was to have initiated top-level preventions against repetition.   NOTHING WAS DONE.

We missed it badly, in terrorist prevention and preparedness in EVERY WAY - 

1. intelligence

2. security

3. air traffic control

4. military armed jet interception

5. equipment and training for first responders

6. quick air response for fire and escape

7. occupant safety and escape technology

 ( see generalized explanations of each of these items below )

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We had been attacked similarly a few years before and did NOTHING to prevent a repetition. So we got a HUGE repetition.  And it is our fault:  "Fool me once, shame on you - fool me twice, shame on me".  OUR burden to bear, in addition to our losses!

SOME DETAILS about the topics, above, follow here in the same order:  

1.  intelligence

We were under-informed in every way. Under-vigilant.    AND there have been way too few improvements in the system.    These sensors are  "orga and mecha" = men and technology, put to work in many ways.....IF they are put to work at all.   We are able to do better than "Gee whattaya think is going on?"

2.  security

 We did get the Department of Homeland Security - to filter out possible terrorists. We are doing better - More on that later. But as the story unfolded, we seem to have invited and trained the nineleven killers - yikes, Sandy!  We co-ordinated what we DID know incorrectly and so it did not give the picture it should have.

3.  air traffic control

just once:   listen to the saved air traffic control tapes ...they are right at YouTube in the list of videos that follow President Bush's message link , above on this page.    It is humiliating how slow, how UNinformed, misinformed, totally nothing to anticipate or prevent!

 4.  military armed jet interception

there is a system of top level national defense armed jets whose job it is to intercept any attack in our boundaries, and act if need be - at the first sign of suspicious.  They are the BEST !    But not the way they were positioned or failed be postitioned - NOT strategically.   HOWEVER, even after the early WTC attack NONE of the planes were nearby to intercept.   After the first hit was determined to be a terrorist attack , armed jets, from the nearest hi-level center, mentioned above, WERE deployed but not in time to prevent the subsequent attacks -  not even going at their top speed. The pilot of that top level jet collapsed himself, later, in futility.   AND there have been way too few improvements in the system.

5.  equipment and training for first responders

no need for major research....Just watch the movie , "World Trade Center" - the Nicolas Cage biopic - time after time, he and others mention a long list of PREPAREDNESS errors that cost lives of civilians and responders - old or dysfunctional equipment, poor or outdated training, lack of medics among them, no moonsuits to protect against extreme toxic exposure....it's sickening.....And "whadddabout now?" to quote a Cage co-star in one of his later films....WE HAVE A VALID NEED AND RIGHT TO SEE THE FIXES IN THE HEADLINES...not just DHS...all of it.

6.  no quick air response for fire and escape

Responders have been a miracle in our lives for so long- we love them - they are our heroes -  but THEY wailed at their lack of modern updates and training and up-to-date tech that would have had them in the air and putting out the fire and saving people FAST.    Aerial firefighting equipment , instantly deployed, might have prevented some of the loss....NOTHING was there.  Better communications - both equipment and the channels they  use etc.   Where was  A sky barrage of water hoses or chemical retardants?? - something should have been there.  Look at the videos at YouTube ....all the major news channels constantly photographed NOTHING there squirting water or bailing out people.

7.  occupant safety and escape technology   

MY PART - there was - and still is -  nothing the right side of the middle ages to first aid people,  put out the fires and eject the occupants to safety on the ground and it is  do-able and affordable.   It is my interest becuase it is my childhood memory, the effort and squelching of the effort to set these things in place fifty years ago.  Full story in MY Story below, but , generally speaking,  today any MIT sophomore could design  it all before lunch - and they won't - When My dad and techsperts did them up , they were way ahead of their time, but the RESPONSIBLE PREPAREDNESS, INTERNAL SUPPORTS AND OCCUPANT ESCAPE TECHNOLOGY should have been in place as a showpiece of our bi-centennial.  IT SHOULD HAVE been there in 1976; and there is much more fact for backup - ask me.  I hate those paranoid activists suggesting all the time, an insidious evil...but gee....EVEN THIS WONDERS.   You won't even see a small article in the news and yet, any leader who takes up this project will win his election in a heartbeat.  

ABOUT ME in this:
Why me?  The story of my aero tech Dad is true and Dad died just before NINELEVEN  He was quite the American head heart and soul!  And I am eldest.  That is part of why.     My late husband is with me in spirit I am sure as he led me with courage and goodness and supported my own efforts in church, School , community an red cross and research.  When I remarry, it will be to one of similar integrity and grownupness and fun - or not at all.  I lost him suddenly and way too young from aneurysm and so I feel some understanding of those who suffer such sudden and stunning shock grief and if I can help I do.

I  remain non-violent - not obscene or profane, but not a coward either and call on others to be better - it would take so little to win the remedies - the enumerated real goals.  What a proud project. Let's   

So why I am doing this,  when people PAID to do it are not doing it?

A friend running for Congress says the word "ACCOUNTABILITY" to me a lot.  This is government by the people and the burden is ours. We must go to our leaders and  we must hold our leaders accountable - we must engage and achieve.   AM I MY BROTHER'S KEEPER?   It goes that far back.  At least to get our word in, when they ask for ideas, and send letters and petitions.  Ask your leaders  for FULL DISCLOSURE of "WHAT HAS BEEN DONE?"  "WHAT IS BEING DONE?"   Send in my list above and ask for the reply that is your right as an American.   I am doing it - all my details are out of date, so I am updating them. I will add them here in an UPDATES list. SOME of the magnificent seven here , above, must have been CLEARLY WON. But one never sees it in the headlines and that is wrong.  WE can
Could we do that?  NOW.

elle

Scroll down for the Dan George and Bill original image that has travelled to educate and inspire in California schools.

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My personal part of The story:

 I'd gotten busy after sudden and early widowhood and empty-nesting and the recession undid me,  and it helped, till the accident.  Injured, hot-flashing, bereaved of my Father, now, as well, I was thrilled to stay put in my sunny bungalow -  and maybe permanently.

 I was out of pain and safe and quiet - no more danger or response work for a bit:  lifelong art and redcross work,  I could now stick to my art, as soon as I could draw a straight line again, and heal ME and donate some of my art to help the redcrossers behind me.  

I even bought a  Tv/DVD/VHS combo - white and ladylike - a total treat to set its alarm and wake to hot coffee and morning news!  I had not wanted a television since 1987, but immobile, it would be a help.   I happily smelled the coffee, basked in the morning sun and the news - when suddenly the image was of the Twin Towers injured and in smoke!    I began to change the channel.  Whatever it was, it was certainly nothing real.  Then the newscasters made it clear that it WAS real - surreal - and nothing would be the same after that.

l do not remember dressing that morning, but there were calls in to see if I'd heard the news and was okay - our children, I think.  And then I was dressed and in braces and out the door.   Neighbors and  Friends were speechless, somber, and supportive - we prayed and prayed.   The President spoke to calm and comfort and assure us that our defenses were involved and at alert.   Unreal and aiming at routine tasks for some sanity happened next.  On a work break in my little garden patio, the first of the trucks with huge flags waving proudly drove by.  As the early autumn sun began to set, I looked up and there were our military planes, flying low and kindly, strong, protective - low enough so we could SEE they were there - for us.  I loved my America at that moment like a corny forties movie lady... just me - humbled - and grateful to be safe.  Calming down a bit since the shocks of the morning.

But as I returned to my kitchen to find dinner, I was so overwhelmed by a very old memory suddenly invading the present, that my legs went out from under me, and I reached out for the edge of the counter to stay on my feet.   And I knew:  "Dear Lord - NO ONE needed to die today!"   See my list of WHY at the foot of this entry.  The tragedy was enough - to know it was unnecessary was pathetic - profoundly sorrowful.

I remembered a thing I'd been firmly warned to forget,  nearly fifty years earlier.  I skipped thru Mother's kitchen on another sunny day, my Dad and Doc Adenstedt of the Sikorsky team were at the table, talking hi-tech news!  They were celebrating the pilot ejection seats, and on the table were the words and pictures for the upcoming escape pods for planes and tall buildings.   I was interested in their animated conversation and the pictures they referenced - the two men smiled and hugged me and explained it all to me and promised that pods would make planes and skyscrapers "safe as home" soon for me and all the children growing up.  and off I skipped back to my dolls.   Happy if clueless.  A better world.  Soon.

NOT soon enough.

And then I was, once again, back in the present, fifty years later, and horrified with this fact:  NONE of those people needed to die.  No one had made ANY real effort to update the promised OCCUPANT SAFETY AND ESCAPE TECHNOLOGY FOR PLANES AND TALL BUILDINGS in all those years and the triumph in it remains undone and un-won!

I looked into it further and thought about it and then to my library that week, and told them my story:  I told them about the returning memory and why I had forgotten it so thoroughly:  back in my girlhood days, after the wonderful talks with Father and Doc Adenstedt,  I asked about developments in it and  Mother warned: "do NOT bring it up to your Father" when I asked about it, because he was upset.  The escape tech projects, except for pilot ejection seats were now blocked,  dropped, buried, suppressed  - the mainstream was not ready and technology was immature and high-priced!   Like the Edsel at that time, never seen or heard of again!   I took Mother's words seriously and forgot the entire matter.  Till 7 pm on Nineleven.

When the tech was proposed, in the late 50s and early 60s - the idea was a bit advanced.   But twenty years later - NO - in the seventies, it was time and the breakthrough tech for it was supposed to be done.  Amazing Occupant Safety and Escape Tech would be a shiny star to light America's Bi-Centennial - what happened?  The tech was THERE and IS THERE - "do-able" - relatively AFFORDABLE - the entire cost much much less than damages paid for the lives lost and much less than the cost of all this PAIN.

 On September 11th, 2001, where were the ejection pods, like elevator cars, for the skyscrapers?   Where were the passenger areas of planes constructed to break away and safely land on the ground or on the water with GPS to aid rescuers and survival supplies for those in the passenger pods ??  Most of it is simple mechanics! Yikes!  Every one of us is remiss on this point and we won't be forgiven till we fix it

 Doing my part, my friends from the library understood my story and supported me - two were formerly from the library at United Technologies and urged me to act: they sent me to UT in nearby Hartford.  I went and the receptionist said "Go right up" - suddenly I was one small soul in the middle of nowhere and I realized I was a madwoman and, if I persisted that day, it would only hurt my cause.  People were upset and doing crazy things.   And this suddenly seemed to be one of them.  For the moment, I backed down.

I went home and prayed again - one rosary bead for each life lost - I finished at Thanksgiving, saying one or two full rosaries per day.  It taught my mind the meaning of casualty statistics.  

And,  in the days after the attacks, on my daily walk, I sidetracked to the plant whose ancestors made the first American fabrics, using the little waterfall I could hear from my home to power the mill.  I suggested to the mill's office receptionist that we make a flag and share it on the building - just dazed and determined - and they did it....my proudest art yet, I guess!   It hung there until it frayed, lit at night by the Amerbelle Mill, now sold on to developers.  Heart.  Since those days, it is nice to see that the flag spirit has remained. We are one bit better at least.

Next, I went back online about Nineleven, this time with the Safety and Escape Technology things in mind.  I found and called the NINELEVEN SURVIVORS support group when I found their notes there about the same topic - and they said they KNEW - they knew what I was talking about- others had reached them first with my story and they went to Government, but war hype was up and the representatives would NOT even talk to them - one hid behind a door and, still disabled myself, my life was often online, anyway, so I made my story into a web page and, when my strength would allow it, I sent it around and promoted it as best I could.  NO ONE REALLY CARED, except some MIT guys, who hung their heads, in an email, and said, sympathetically " Yeahhhh we make games and stuff....." feeling rotten that they lacked the focus for achieving the Escape tech.

And, using my art again, I did a diorama of the famous Dan, George, and Bill Story - the three who raised the American Flag at Ground Zero immediately after the attacks - and it showed in the schools in California near the buyer, an old friend, and neighbor.

And that's where I had to leave it - my injuries healed and that meant a reworking of my own life basics!   So now it is FIFTEEN YEARS LATER and I have not connected with the world, EFFECTIVELY,  on this point.  But now I can again and I will.   Pass it on - if I make a petition on it, will you sign it?  Will anyone take this up WITH me, to be wiser and more successful?  Pass it on, please, if you can.

God Bless America!
e.

 Please comment - do petitions and talk it up on your block..."God & Country" both need our witness to win!

happy Sunday Nineleven 2016

elle

People Over 70 a Valentine feb 17

A Facebook Friend inspired this - you know who you are - thank you so much!
For those who feel intimidated by their first gray hairs, fear not:

on my soapbox

Yes Brittany McCann, this is wonderful but only halfway there - have some:

People are living to be over 100 years old again - they buy a rocker like good darlings; then they feel silly and stupid , look around and see this:

• people over 70 are working every day and thanks to today's health

• people over 70 are remarrying like DECENT folk, thanks to prenups - no more junk shackups or crying alone for decency's sake.

• people over 70 are taking up community responsibilities, thanks to wisdom and experience in their youth

• people over 70 and being fosters like crazy, of children, properties, and puppies and birds of prey and safari creatures

• people over 70 are making the best money they ever made- ever! Thanks to finally human rights law

• people over 70 are picking up ONE issue in the world and FIXING it - because they CAN

• people over 70 are running in road races, raising the children of working children because they ARE up to it, educated on proper childcare and love it

• people over 70 are throwing badguys in jail - we love whistleblowing....so nor do this part unless protected properly against reprisals

ANDDDD.....most of all, people over 70 are out there doing it to leave a better legacy and and an easier path for it for PEOPLE over 50 , i.e., YOU!

Paul 1 Corinthians 15:26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 
maybe this is part of what he meant - elle

George Washington and Abraham Lincoln feb 18

study for A. Lincoln portrait ellefagan19

Presidents Day works - we did not like it, at first. George Washington’s actual birthday was not able to determined anyway, due to the major change in calendars at the time, and might have been on February 11th , or 22nd, so we set it at the 22nd and of course, his successor Abraham Lincoln, earlier in the month, on February 12th. So the Presidents Day resolution works https://www.livescience.com/33022-when-is-george-washingtons-real-birthday.html

The thing about George Washington that I am enjoying this year is that he was the only president acclaimed - no campaign or question - universally nominated and made our first President. Kind of nice to think that our first official head of state was so special in every way. That he took his ethics seriously and respected the skills and talents and genius of others.

With both these Presidents I am looking at them not as icons but as men and I see their faces not as those on Mount Rushmore, but as those on our 6 o’clock news. People. Men. Good men. They just happened to be there and were ready and able to do the world changing job for us and do it well and with steady hands.

I think this will help with the new art. I was famous for my Lincoln portrait as a girl - just a pencil drawing but it was fine likeness. The latest from me is not really in finished form….fancier … aqua medium on claybord It till be nice when it’s done. The image here is a work in progress.

Not be left out, this one found me too……
Ten years ago, my local art dealer of a sort would bring me restorative work too….and he brought me a reverse-glass painting of George Washington, much like the Gilbert Stewart version.

Eglomise paintings, as they are called, can be very valuable because they don’t last, so if yours is fine, that is something of value. Painting on the back of glass makes a fast easy show at first, but is vulnerable to being destroyed when the glass breaks or it often peels off from excessive heat or dampness, or just poor care. And that was this one. But the painting and its beautiful frame NEEDED me…I said yes, I’d restore it.

I began setting out the parts of the frame as I took off the back to access the paint. Then I stopped - the picture did not only seem old, it was old. Triangular nails sent me to my computer and Holy Antiques Roadshow time followed.

This was quite possibly one of the famous ones from America’s first big arts fraud lawsuits. Gilbert Stewart had lots of children to support with his work and so obtained permission to make and sell copies of his most famous paintings. It was not unsual when he sold a copy of his Washington to an entrepreneur on the condition that the man not exploit it.

Washington had recently passed away and so his images were top popularity. The entrepreneur, of course, immediately sent the painting to China where a large number of reverse glass paintings were done, sealed shut to dry en route back to America and so , by the measure of the day, quickly available to to customers who wished to have a portrait of the Hero to remember him by.

When the trick was learned , Steward sued and many of the copies were destroyed and Stewart won his case. But some got by and one is at Mount Vernon and one is here at Connecticut’s New Britain Museum of American Art ….and one is in hiding at my old dealer’s house till they decide what to do with it.

Its value won’t be certain until tests are done - a chip is taken to compare the DNA to authentic others of the paintings. I did a nice job, well-researched, on the restoration , after the owner insisted that I be the one to do it. And I did it carefully so that, authenticity could be proven, and if true, a fancier restorer could easily remove my work and replace it with his/her own.

But what fun it was to do that work, and enjoy the beauty of the finished picture and lovely frame , glowing like new. The photo here is not a good one. I will try to find a better one. But what adventure. Think of all the life created by one painting! The original and its subjects , artist, promoters , newsfolk, and then the copies and the fuss that followed. And Stewart’s children fed on the proceeds!
The famous quote, “Art is life is art is life is art…..” seems to be the one in this case, certainly.

I wonder , years later, what the owners will do with it, and think I may invite them to do the DNA proof journey with me one day soon. Or should the mystery just remain a mystery? Fun.

About the Sitemaking - an Artist's Process feb 19th

Both parents and children are Sci-Arts folk - with very nice and occasionally world class honors in it.   It was not so unusual for me to find solutions to my issues with technology.  I had done my first data processing before our daughter was born.

So when an accident disabled me suddenly, it just "happened"  - my son flew in and tossed me the renowned Apple G3 PowerBook - non-bronze.   And a world-class IT fellow, he was one of the best teachers a girl could want for basic code.    Not long ago his Dad and I attached and then removed  training wheels on his first bicycle.  And now he showed me Angelfire free templates to use and then remove the templates, like training wheels of another sort - and do my own code when I was ready.   And soon ellefagan.com was purchased and on February 2nd 2018 ellefagan.com celebrated its 16th birthday !      

My sorrow about my out of work and injured status disappeared - new focus kept me from obsessing on my injuries.

Annnnd…I was  hooked on code!   

I was doing new things and meeting the international art world and receiving tons of get well and don't give up wishes from all over the world!    

A few weeks before, I was looking at a wall, my life stopped and shocked that I could accept my injuries and their demands of me.  

Life online restored a lot of “normal” to my life and wildly so - others similarly injured were truly invalid-ed and without a life and on heavy meds.

Not me - Therapy and a better approach to my care happened offline and a new world of art promotion happened online and virtual fun with friends during the home a lot part of the disability.

There were lots of prayers and the old literary term, "Deus ex machina" , we learned in school , described a literary action, invented by a writer to rescue his hero in a bad moment.
took on a whole new meaning for me...and for millions of others at Y2K
"God from a machine" indeed!

The site work healed the complications of the injury - burnout, and the confusion from the hotflashes that arrived at the same time...each day there was plenty to keep me focused and achieving things online. Organizing my site, restored my mind and spirit and brought new insights and inspiration for new art works.
New venues for the art appeared locally offline, as well. Yes - I rescued me “ with a little help from my friends”.

Ten years later, I have a following, my art at the White House and though I could no longer do the on site response work, I could help still and maybe better, donating the artwork for fundraising for "the kidz behind me" in the good work.

I cannot say "thank you" enough!  Instead of a wheelchair, the roadrace and a dance and world wide awards.  And best of all, healing and power to regain financial health in progress now.

And so down to work at the website left me laughing at its lessons :

• BACKUP - do it

• CODE TRUTH if it does the wrong thing, it means that YOU TOLD IT to do the wrong thing.

• MENTAL HEALTH workout - data loss happens

• EMPOWERING - your site is yours and you charm - visitors find you as they wish, unpressured.

• LEGAL fixes - intellectual property online - do it and update it.

Thanks to ellefagan.com I am, every day - 

1. Sharing the art and stories in a purely aesthetic sense

2. Making the art available for purchase, online and off.

3. Doing "Art with Heart" and helping the world with it

4. Sharing related arts services.

These early lessons served, when some years later, just as I was upgrading to "UNdisabled status" my webhost sold to new owners who fried my site and my rescue fried my iMac!
So all was lost for some months as the entire thing had to be redone with new happy host  Squarespace.  And now after delays and setbacks I am able to restart the site promotion and sales.  What an adventure!

• I am not an IT expert like my son, or graphics art genius like my daughter, but I am lifelong apt and honored and available to counsel you for your own growth in it, per the site contact links. It is great good fun!
  
  Thanksomuch
  Elle

• p.s. To take you into the moment, some random notes from those days in 2003...fun