"Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you. You may give them your love but not your thoughts. For they have their own thoughts. You may house their bodies but not their souls, For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams." Kahlil Gabran

I could paint a rainbow I could do it just for you, And share with you its beauty The days you’re feeling blue. I have painted those I love And show just for you.. A place to find serenity, A place to be alone. But I wont paint for you a mountain Or paint a rainbow fair, So let me paint what I do best, I'll paint my love of people, Their sadness and their cares. Right here I'll build a heart space for everyone to share.

This gallery is to remember the bold people who settled the Western U.S. After 1840 people came West in droves. Soldiers Miners,farmers,shopkeepers, gamblers, gun slingers all pushed across the hostile land. Women and lastly families folowed Dreams were big on the frontier. The men hoped for fortunes, but for those early women the avenues were very limited. On the frontier the ratio of women to men in 1840 was 2 to 100. The only lucrative industry for women was prostitution, alcholic beverages or laundry. The new businesmen served community needs The original residents at the time were native people (Indians) They were were killed or driven from their homes to make way for European migrants in our own version of Ethnic cleansing. After the Civil War (1865)many displaced soldiers came west to seek fortunes by honest and some in not such honest ways. I'd like to introduce you to some of these people and a few off their current offspring. This may becone a massive album. Perhaps as big as Western history/ or maybe not.

Homelessness is partialy defined by the U.S. congress as sleeping in a place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings. "Hunger is defined as not having enough food to provide fuel for the body. In American we have both conditions. My disabled son became homeless and came to live with us even living here he still is defined as homeless by law. His complication is needing medical care. Unfortunatly homeless and hungry People seem to become easily invisible in our society. Yet they are human beings our brothers and sisters who we should, but do not care for. It is difficult to understand how a nation that considers itself a first class country and based on Christian principles can stand by and see these unfortunate people denied medical or dental care or just the basic necessity of life food and shelter. Private groups as the Salvation army and other religious organizations do the best they can. Our government has shrugged. needs are not met. We often hear people blame the unfortunate. We can all hang our heads in shame over this.

These 'SCAPES' Landscapes, City-scapes, Seascapes and possibly a few escapes too These are my paintings of some wonderful places we have seen and enjoyed. Wouldn't it be nice, I said, to return to the wonderful places we have visited. But the places of our memories are most likely gone or very different now. We cant go back. But hubby suggested I could go back in my art. And indeed I can. These happenings of yesterday now belong to history. I'll try to use this moment wisely, for it soon too will pass away, I'll share these Places of happy visits or events I've seen throughout my long lifetime. These paintings are the way I recall these locations and occasions, my wonderful places of yesteryear done my way. I hope you enjoy my memories as much I have enjoyed painting them. Here is a poem I rather like: Once, I heard distant thunderstorms and walked among spring showers My eyes saw happy sun-drenched days on Mountains Plains and towns I've also looked upon the works of man with wonder and with awe. Some took my breath away, brought joy to my heart, or a smile to my face. These were Precious moments that live in my memory, soon enough they too may disappear for now my mind is veiled with autumn haze, old leaves swirl through the air. But once I strolled down country roads and city streets and felt God's presence there.