I Do Well...

Today is Friday, Jan. 13, the 13th day of 2006. There are 352 days left in the year.

I would be remiss if I did not mention - Paraskevidekatriaphobics - people afflicted with a morbid, irrational fear of Friday the 13th.

I realize today people will be as superstitious as they have always been, but perhaps more conscientious about it. Don't open umbrellas indoors, don't walk under a ladder, throw spilled salt over your shoulder, avoid a black cat in your path, don't break a mirror, well, I think you have the idea.



Ander looks forward to the date. He makes a great effort to make sure I know it is coming. It’s his lucky date. The 13th, that is. Not always falling on a Friday. He was born on the 13th. He was accepted to art school on the 13th. He graduated art school on the 13th. He was married on the 13th. 13 is a dominant number in his life. He lived on 1313 Flanders. He paints in a series of 13. You get the idea.…

The other day, I bumped into this quote while surfing the net.

"The whole secret of life is to be interested in one thing profoundly and in a thousand things well." - Horace Walpole, Fourth Earl of Orford, English author (1717-1797).

I pondered this and thought, “Is that all there is?” If so, then, indeed, Ander and I have a good life.

©ander Ander is a talented and gifted artist. This is the one thing profoundly innate in him. I can bet the whole farm on this. One mere look of his art and you are taken in. Sure he did a stint in LA as a commercial artist. He did pretty well for himself. Art directors were going to Ander to get them out of deep s%#*. When the economy turned, ad agencies relied on in-house talent. Ander was always an independent contractor. When the commercial art projects became disappointingly scarce, he turned his focus to Fine Arts. His corporate art accounts grew. Hotels, grand cruise ships, banks, hospitals, etc. You get the idea.…

The Lily Garden, 18x18, Oil on Paper,©ander


The Lily Garden V, 18x18, Oil on Paper, ©ander


Riverbank - Calistoga, 18x22, Oil on Canvas,©ander


Riverbank - Middletown, 18x22, Oil on Canvas,©ander


When he is not painting landscapes of the world, he tends to the organic garden and his adored “girlie-girls”.


A strong flock of 16 laying hens (although they are not laying at this time due to the cold and wet season) roam free-range in the hen yard. We have several different breeds; Rhode Island Reds, Sexlinks, and Bardrocks. We also have the ever-coveted Aracaunas, the South American breed that lays green or blue eggs. With these eggs, I prepare a delectable “green eggs and ham" in my kitchen. When there is an abundance of eggs, we spoil our family, friends and neighbors with the golden bounty. The whites are firm and the yolks are a golden orange-yellow that sits up high. In the industry, they are considered Grade AAA or Grade AA. They make the best-baked goods. Pastry chefs call as early Spring approaches to place their orders for weekly subscription delivery. I've won several ribbons for my lemon curd and cream scones using these beautiful oval gems.



The "girlie-girls” are fed organic produce diligently collected by Ander from our corner neighborhood market. The produce guys hold the refuse bags for Ander, rather than dump them in the shredder. The “girlie-girls" are given only the best of grain or scratch purchased from the local feed store.















Since we don't have a rooster, (that rank is relinquished to Ander) the eggs are considered “unfertilized”, which are deemed, to some, as being “vegetarian" and “Kosher" in quality standards. And, NO (I know you're wondering), we do not dress them for the dining table. When they die, Ander lovingly buries them in a quiet and undisturbed part of the property.




The bounty of the organic garden finds their way being "put up" for the winter or to be shared among the lucky few. We preserve or pickle as much of the garden produce we don't consume during the summer months. Through the year, I scour yard sales, tag sales, estate sales, thrift stores, (okay, you get the idea) for canning jars, glass bottles or decorative materials that meet the criteria for use. Once home, they are cleaned and sanitized. They are then sterilized immediately before use. Sometimes I break tradition and order fancy European jars for my award-winning preserves. When it comes to food development, formulation, food safety, food processing and canning - I know profoundly.

Being Ander'’s wife and partner, I do well. Being a daughter, sister, friend, I do well. Being Auntie Anni to my nieces and nephews, I do well. Being with other children, I do well. Smart, I do well. Creativity, I do well. Business, I do well. Contract Negotiation, I do well. Catering, I do well. Sewing, I do well. Knitting, I do well. Photography, I do well. Classical Piano, I do well. Antiquing, I do well. Collecting, I do well. Shoes, I do well. Hats, I do well. Books, I do well. Flowers, I do well. Crafting, I do well. Parties, I do well. Gardening, I do well. Cooking, I do VERY well. Baking, I do well. Wine, I do well. Tea, I do well. Chocolate, I do well. Eating, I do well. Dancing, I do well. Singing, I do well. Music Trivia, I do well. Movies, I do well. CD's, I do well. Shopping, I do well. Laughing, I do well. Crying, I do well. Reading, I do well. Gift-wrapping, I do well. Meditation, I do well. Yoga, I do well. Sexy, I do well. Loving, I do well. Giving, I do well. Praying, I do well. Optimism, I do well. Peace, I do well. Calm, I do well. Listen, I do well. Comfort, I do well. Kindness, I do well. Faith, I do well. Trust, I do well. HOPE, I do well.

Well, you get the idea.…

LIFE IS GOOD!