So, I suppose you can hear the popping as I crack my virtual knuckles sitting in front of this keyboard wondering what in the Big Blog Universe I might be able to write to captivate and entice you.  Standing on the ledge of today, I can only look back on what was and dream of what will be.  Whatever the case, we shall enter into this journey together.  At times, it may be like your flesh is being virtually ripped from your skeleton as we fly at warp speed.  Sometimes, you may actually hear the waves lapping at the bow as we calmly sail into the vast unkown.  Finally, you may find you are white knuckle gripping the handles feeling the cold spray as we raft through the rapids.  Life is like that. 

So, standing on the ledge of today, if we take one giant leap backward, we are sitting quietly with two sticks and a piece of paper.  What to do?  Well, as we know today, rubbing the two sticks together at a rapid pace can create friction which creates heat which can ignite the paper creating a small flame.  Well, my friends that is what it was like when I first held a pencil!  A flame was lit when I rubbed that "stick" on the paper and saw things happening. 

I can see a picture in my mind of trying to write the letter d.  It looked more like a crocus coming to full bloom in early spring than a letter of the alphabet.  I was trying to "write" lefthanded while the one showing me was "writing" right-handed.  OK so I was a little confused.  But I don't think I was more than 4 years old. That small ember became a roaring fire within me that had to be shared! 

I do hope that as we journey together the fire within me will warm you and maybe catch a flame within yourself!  I would like to continue to parle back to the past from time to time to give you a taste of how I came to where I am today.  For now, I must get on to what this flame is all about!  Painting in my studio!  I am currently working on a still life from a photo I took a few years ago while in Florida for a family Christmas.  I will begin sharing pics as the painting has progressed pretty far by now.