The Future Ain't What it Used to Bee

Top picture:  Evie and her gang working on restoring a tail at Weeki.

 Ken, Karen, Chris, and Frank, my buddies from the 'hood.  Never stop!  Just don't.

Here is a picture of two great gals (did manysisters just say "gals"?) that I went exploring with a few weeks ago, DonnaJean and Mary/Molly 

I love to go a-wandering, along the mountain path,

and as I go, I love to sing

my  knapsack on my back.

Val dereeeeeee, Val deraahhhhhh,

Val dereeeeeee, Val der ah hah hah hah ha ha ha ha ha.  Yeah.

And speaking of the future...I am in the middle of a great read--"October the First is Too Late", by Prof Fred Hoyle.  Written in the early 60's, it is a novel about the concept of time as a spiral, of paradoxes and choices.  And British perseverance.  Arthur C. Clarke and he were contemporaries, and I have to believe their paths crossed in many ways.  Clarke wrote a variation on that theme with his Time's Eye series.  If you have seen  "2001 A Space Odyssey" note that this book is at a right angle to it...anyway, very interesting stuff, and now I am a huge fan.

  I like the hard science in Sci Fi, but also the social side, the implications, the  prophesies, the possibilities.  Jack McDevitt is a favorite because he leaves the heavy science as a given a lot of the time, instead raising questions about what our expectations are of exploration and the nature of alienness.  Is there such a word? Hope so.  He has a series with a pilot, Priscilla Hutchins,  that makes the universe even bigger!  I would get on board one of Hutch's flights any day.  Kim Stanley Robinson is another great author.  Grounded in science, reads like Tom Wolfe in some ways, always putting planetary environmental  concerns in an intriguing storyline, complete with political and social scenarios and all wrapped up in a well thought out package.  I would start  with Red Mars.  

Zenna Henderson.  If you haven't read her "People" stories, you are in for a treat.  Not like ice cream, but like something that satisfies a craving that is good for you, too.  Having evacuated a dying planet, the People are bound for a new Home when some groups and individuals fall to earth in the 1800s.  Witch hunts, separations, psychological challenges.  Like "Escape from Witch Mountain" with intelligence.  Think Quakers that can levitate, with out the Quaker thing.

So I am moving forward on the mural, getting ready for the Tom Varn Show.  Right now I am going through a dictatorship phase, where I get to be the dictator/director, possibly alienating  anyone who gets in my way.  Must be that Queen Bee thing.  Ohhhhhhh I feel a buzz coming on!

Stop me now before I get bossy again!

Your Queen thanks you.  Kindly disregard that last request.

I Have Enough

  Tax Time.  Been throwin' stuff out, uncluttering...and what I found is that I ...have...enough.  Probably to last a major catastrophie of some kind.  got lots of books, including several boy scout manuals, do it yourself stuff...homeopathic remedies, wax, candlewicks,(reading by candlelight when there is no sound but the wind through an open window...Canned foods, staples, cold and hot weather gear, dog foods and treats, more cleaning stuff than I will ever use (on principle) and don't get me started on shoes and old shampoos.  The collecting is OVER!  Matches, vitamins, old tapes, records, school supplies, boxes filled with evidence of a life moved on from.  I HAVE ENOUGH.

Quit telling me I need more to be happy,thinner,healthier,sexier, better educated, protected,fashionable, compassionate, balanced...I will judge that myself and not be manipulated into getting MORE.  I HAVE ENOUGH. But I must DO more.  YOU?

I HAVE ENOUGH FOOD IN MY PANTRY TO FEED A FAMILY OF 4 FOR A YEAR.  DO YOU?

WHY?   MANYSISTERS WANTS TO KNOW.

Say Hello To My Little Friends

So beeswax is in the air, literally.  Guess I overheated the wax pot...it is pretty strong.  I was in the zone, painting and humming and forgot my mask.  Tsk, tsk.  So now chastise myself for not wearing proper protection...Think I should do the darling bees on a smaller scale.  or maybe a stylized version that suggests bees without the, uh, bee anatomy beeing correct. I have almost finished half of the quart of honey I brought home that fateful day with the beekeepers.  There is so much to do these days.  More bee stuff to come, just thought I would share an attempt. Busy little me.

I am officially starting to sweat this mural thing.  We have a walk through tomorrow and I have a bare-bones proposal drawn up to present to the group and maybe John A.  No names, please.  I think I am on track, especially having spoken to Cindy Chinn (her I can name) who is a super genius mural master.  I look forward to getting together with everybody, my friends and I have emptied my head just to make room for all their wonderful input.   Not that anyone will notice, since I am pretty light in that department right now.  

Chris and I had a conversation earlier about the likelihood of visitors coming to this planet that did not have some kind of hive mentality, or at least a group mind of sorts.  The whole bee thing, the success of  creatures that live in harmony with their environment and function cooperatively on a major scale, yeah.  I think we are too individually minded to pull off something interstellar without major casualties.  Unless we have a stargate.  Orson Scott Card wrote Ender's Game a while back (a long while) and addressed contact with an insectlike species.  Communication problems were just the beginning of the obstacles we would face.  Hey!  We can't even talk to members of our own mammal family!  Uncle Orson, a wonderful writer and interesting speaker, is one of my top 5 writers.  He leads you through a story and makes you ask yourself questions you did not know you were wondering about.  I love that.  He also writes an alternative America series, the  Prentice Alvin books.  I could read them all the time.  He and I share admiration for Zenna Henderson, author of the People  stories.  So many favorites! So many books! * Happy Dance*

Bee Good!

Puppies and Pot Pie

It's Easter Sunday, Passovered and Out, here in Mermaid Land.  I have had my share of events today.  Went to see a friend in the hospital, which seemed deserted (Stephen King, are you listening?) and went to Lowes to check out the plants.  I could stay in the plant section forever, it just smelled so good and the guy in the red vest was watering everybody and some plants, too.  Got some pepper plants, some flowers, seeds, soil...where the energy will come from to plant them will come from, I don't know.  Then I got ice cream to go with the Mexican stuff I will be making for dinner...to be followed by lots of tv.

Bandit has a boo boo on her nose, probably from Sasha head-butting her to the ground the other day.  Even our car has Sasha marks down the side.  She is a good girl but is heavy on greetings. We will work on this. 

 Today's paper had a good article on Temple Grandin, a woman who has given the world new insights into autism through her candid writing.  She is one of my super heroes.  She is an expert on animal behavior and has campaigned for better treatment of those destined for the food supply.  I have read two of her books and watch her on videos.   There is no "cure" for autism.  There are strategies to work with people "on the spectrum" of the disorder, and new ways for recognizing the broad range of behavior are being developed.  I just hate to see it become the disorder du jour.  After the daytime tv talkshow parties are over, there is still a lot of work to be done.  This I know.   So if you ever get a chance to see Ms Grandin, pay attention and see a truly wonderful point of view.

And for the pot pie.....I  think Just Shoot Me was one of tv's underrated comedies.  Here is a clip featuring Donnie, a purposefully misunderstood character.  Me, I could sing about just about anything, but his version of manipulation through this brief ditty just shot me.  If you never saw the episode, just ignore the clip and go get a cheap Stouffer's version.

And Have a Happy Day!

Worker Bees, Unite!

We gotta job to do!  Having nagged my way into the heart of Weeki Wachee, it appears that we will be working on THE MURAL of our lives in the entrance to the Mermaid theater!!!!  Bee still my heart! Yes!!!!  Mermaids and Turtles and Fishes, oh my! Okay, like I'm not excited or anything.  Yay!!!! and working on a plein air paint-in day, too!

Manysisters is so happy now, like, everybody hold hands and sing!

So, I don't want this to look like Surfside Six but I want it to kinda feel like it.  I envision it to look like you are walking gradually down inside the spring, lower and darker, surrounded by mermaids in different eras and costumes.  With props in the background, and eel grass, and the castle, and Mermaids on the Moon, and the original Adagio, maybe the incredible Mr. Limpet and Elvis!  WhooooooWhoooooo!!  just breathe.

This allergy season is killing me, though.  The beekeepers said to try eating honey from the season you are in to take a bite out of what you are allergic too.  Fine by me.  I think I've gained 5 pounds since I saw them.....Now I am looking for some beeswax so I can purge my waxpots and pens and begin my all bee all the time art.  I found some interesting metal stamps made for glass bead making that are honeycombs.  Would that be cheating?  hmmm.  I suppose if I make my own it would bee alright.  Hah!  I could use some chicken coop style fencing stuff and paint it with hot wax and imprint.  Yep.  original.  me. I win. In a battle of wits with ....myself.

So Mermaids!  I have lots of stuff to draw from and still, it would be great to go to one of those aquariums with the glass tunnels so I could take pictures .  Road trip??!!

Lemme know if anyone wants to go---

Still the luckiest person in the world!

Doin' That Happy, Happy Dance

I know I get carried away sometimes.  But I hope my success never comes at the cost of your enjoyment of my little tirades. 

 For you, my friends