Wild Blue

Wild Blue has almost all the colors for the Fourth of July! Count the white background, and we look patriotic. Actually, I always dread this week, because Cassie is terrified of fireworks. Two years ago she got physically ill from the stress from one of our neighbors' two-hour extravaganzas. Last year I dreaded it so much that I got sick from the stress of trying to keep her away from the noise. We wound up having a good time anyway, walking around Davidson, NC, and visiting Ben and Jerry's while the neighbors had their blast. Got to come up with a plan quick for Friday (and Saturday).

Cassie didn't use to be such a jellyfish about noise, until 2003 when we took a terrifying hit from lightning. It struck a tree, jumped to the barn and set it on fire, then traveled through the wiring to the house and knocked everything out here. It was so loud I could feel it in my dental work! We had to get out of the house until the fire department got here since there was electrical smoke (from a blown switch, it turned out). It was sort of funny: the volunteer FD got here fast and were checking the attic and house, and one of them asked if we had a crawlspace. I told him it was around back, so he went to check it and came tearing back yelling, "The barn's on fire!" Fortunately there was no occupant at the time. The guys got it under control so the damage wasn't too bad, but Cassie was really traumatized (me, too!). I'm supposed to reassure her now that storms are OK: not easy to do when I want to curl up in a fetal position in a dark place and suck my thumb until it goes away. Two jellyfish, here.

For the record (anyone listening out there?), fireworks are illegal in NC!!! Yeah, I know, there aren't enough cops to arrest everyone - but there's a stiff fine if you do get caught. Something to think about.

Primary Colors 2

This is one of those images that won't come across on the web anywhere near what I'm seeing on paper here. I am well aware that anyone with the right technology can make a passable version of anything I post here, but keep in mind the concept of "artistic vision". You won't actually get the real thing unless it comes from me. So there. Oh, yeah, while I'm on my soapbox - since each of my prints are done individually on demand, even though there may be 50 "copies", there are bound to be variations which give them uniqueness. Lose a pixel here, change a color there, but each is lovely to look at! Trust my eyes to give you the absolute best.

Cassie is back at work on the windows again. It's been so hot here that most of the wildlife is hiding, but last night a lone deer strolled around the edge of the woods and she went into full-blown red alert, roaring through the house from window to window and really raising Cain, while my mom was on the phone. Bad timing.