TEXAS - Bluebonnet Venture - BURNET

I'm a native Texan. Some folks would consider that an excuse. But, me, and many (millions?) of other fellow Texans consider it an honor, a privilege, and a proud heritage.

Texans have a strange habit. When something... a word, or a thing, or a person...or anything, comes to be identified with Texas,
then Texans will attach and hold on to it with a savage tenacity...in a sense, they will "brand" it as their own. There are exceptions, of course, like Dr. Phil, Janet Reno, and J.R. Ewing. OK, J.R.s not so bad. But you mention the Alamo, jalapenos, chili, The Lone Star, roadrunners, George W ?, or Z.Z. Top...then you have a genuine Texas item...treasure or oddity. And so it is with the Texas bluebonnet...the state flower of Texas.

The Legend of the Bluebonnet

I posted this last year after I painted it. My sister had wanted a painting like this which is based on an old folklore tale called "The Legend of the Bluebonnet".
Well, The Texas Bluebonnet festival is coming up here in Burnet in April, and I am "re-producing" her painting and hoping to improve on some aspects of it. She, and several of my friends, read my poems on Every PhotoTells A Story and wanted me to write a poem telling the story of "The Legend Of the Bluebonnet." So I did. And I printed it below. They liked it, and we're working with some other folks to get note cards and prints done that incorporate both the painting and the poem, in hopes of having them ready for sale at the Bluebonnet Festival, in addition to future Texas gift shop sales...if there shows promise. What do you think?

For many months, an evil wind,
Swept across the land,
The skies held back the living rain,
And turned meadows into sand.

Antelope and buffalo,
Wandered off and died,
The tribe was deep in peril,
"Oh, help us," mothers cried.

The Shaman had a vision.
The Great Spirit from Beyond,
Sent a message for the people,
To say what must be done.

"The things that you hold precious,
The things that you hold dear,
Must fuel a fire of humility,
For your greed that's grown so clear."

The great chief's daughter heard this,
And sadly went her way,
To fetch her beloved "doll-child"
Made from feathers of the BlueJay.

The "doll-child" was a gift to her,
When she was one year old,
From Grandmother who has gone away,
That she loved with all her soul.

That night when all were sleeping,
She crept out to the blaze,
And placed the "doll-child" in it,
Tears streaking her young face.

Next morn she scooped gray ashes,
Of her bright, blue-feathered friend,
Then brought them to the mountaintop,
And let them scatter to the wind.

Sweet drops of rain began to fall,
And kiss the sun-parched earth,
Plants burst forth in showy blooms,
A celebration of re-birth.

Bluebonnets spread cross Texas,
In the meadows, growing wild,
As a reminder of that gift so great,
The love of a little child.

------James Parker


Burnet, Texas...Bluebonnet Capital of Texas

The second weekend in April, (April 9 - 11) for 3 days, is the Texas Bluebonnet Festival in Burnet. Last year, about 25,000 attended. This year's event looks to be a good one, too. Burnet is a picturesque, historical city and you can find out more about Burnet and The Bluebonnet Festival by clicking HERE. The city of Burnet was designated by the Texas legislature as "Bluebonnet Capital of Texas" so...if my little poem and painting notecards and prints have any future success...Burnet is a good birth place for that venture. And...if you find your boots walking around Burnet...stop in James Parker Art Gallery....coffee's on.

And, Finally.......

Satellite Picture of Texas from Space

Cya down the road................ James

WTTW Winners...I'm a Winner, Too...and other stuff

First,,. I've received several E-Mails from followers/visitors who have thanked me for posting the "Enjoy the Ride" video on the side bar for easy access. A few folks are making it a regular practice to click for a "lift".
I start my day with it. If the world would go by the contents of that video, then half the newspapers would belly up from lack of bad news to report.

I'm running late posting this blog. Normally I procrastinate, but this time I just put it off. :-) Actually I've been caught up with a plethora of activities that played havoc with my schedule. I sowwy .

Windows to the Words "Cats Up" challenge ended with some really nice submissions that you can view by clicking HERE. And the winners of the challenge and the details of this month's "Scary Stuff" challenge can be viewed by clicking HERE.











Normally I don't get the least excited about winning anything. Every day I open my E-Mail and see that I have won 2 million pounds in the Irish Lottery,
or been selected to distribute $500,000 from a long lost cousin in Nigeria. I have worn out two delete buttons. So when I ran across an E-Mail saying "Yippee... You've Won" my fingers crept toward that button. But I opened it up and "lo and behold".... a legitimate surprise. It was from Saundra Galloway. Her blog, Art for Life, is fascinating. In addition to being cute as a ladybug, Saundra is an exceptional artist with some neat techniques for her art and collages. She also weaves an interesting story and tidbits of info into a neat little learning braid. This ability may result from her being a teacher. Anyway, a while back, I read her blog concerning them problems in teaching, and kinda identified with it. My two daughters are teachers, married to teachers, and I've heard some horror stories. I joined her followers. And was notified by the fore-mentioned E-Mail that I was her 75th follower and would be honored by a gift of a 4x4 of my choice.


The decision was a booger, because she had such neat artworks displayed to choose from. At first I was drawn to the "Night Aspens" pictured on the left. But when I spotted the "Snow Bunnies" pictured on the right I was blown away and fell in love with em. I don't get overly excited about much, but I am really looking forward to receiving these little furballs. Incidentally, Saundra is the snow bunny in the center...from Colorado. Please visit her delightful blog by clicking her photo or HERE.

Next, Sheila Tajima fussed at me last blog for only including FEMALES on my humor comments and pictures of aging ungracefully and overweight over-the-hillers. To make amends, I present the photo below....the statue of David in recent times. I was told that this happened over a period of time following the introduction of MacDonald's into Europe.



I've recently had my shoulder "cried on" by a couple of fellow artists/artisans who have been having very little success in marketing their work.... even to the point of considering themselves failures. I told them to cheer up...things will get better. And showed them a few photos of real failure. I share them with you, below:




After a brief respite from mud daubing, I'm back at the canvas with some little small stuff like the "Wrangler" Wraccoon shown below. I am working some larger items, one of which I hope to enter in the Wet Canvas competition that ends October 31.
AND .... One of my favoritest blogs is Every Photo Tells A Story. I submit my little poem every post. If I'm unable to get to a Internet location to post it, I get to Jonesing and shaking, and pouting, and actually very hard to live with. Nancy, of EPTAS was gracious enough to present another of my paintings this last post....Two Frogs. This one was from my earlier Costa Rican days, when I painted as Yimi. I had chosen Yimi, because that's what folks called me, and I thought a one word painting name would be a cool gimmick....like Rembrandt or Michaelangelo. Nope. Click HERE to check out Every Photo Tells a Story.


Thought for the Blog.... Money is like rainfall. Sometimes there's too much of it in the wrong places, and not enough of it in others.

Cya down the road........................... James

The Lighter Side of Edward Burton and Artist 'sMagazine Entries

One day I'm gonna put up a blog analyzing why we blog. For now, I'll just say I blog to show off my art and share art tips and ideas, of course. BUT...I think the REAL reason I blog is to try to entertain. I have a weird sense of humor, and I like to inflict it on others. So, let's start off with the good stuff first.

This blog is kinda about aging, which I'm doing. I'm trying to eat better...more fruits and veggies, etc. Well...ED BURTON (an exceptionally talented artist and my buddy by the bay...visit his site for awe and inspiration by clicking HERE) seems to have a friend who likes fruits and veggies too.....as "disturbed art creations"....makes me want to grab an avocado and an Exacto knife. Ed shared these with me, and now I'm sharing em with you.

Extremely rare Butterfly.....Lepedoptera Appleicus

Watering the Melon

Remember that old B-Movie, Killer Tomatoes? Well..............

Next, I'm addicted to writing poems for "Every Photo Tells A Story"...a delightful blog site that features great artwork and writing....check it out by clicking the photo on the right. Today's photo was of three old geezers sitting on a park bench reminiscing about old times. I wrote my poem "I Remember What I almost Forgot" and then reflected some more on getting older. So when I picked up my E-Mail, there was ED BURTON sharing some more with me. Others are aging also....which makes me feel better? Hmmmm. Anyway, let me share with you a few others who are adding on the years (and pounds?)

Barbie Turns 50...... (and 250)

"Puddy Tat? Puddy Tat? Who Cares? Tweetie at 60

Linda Carter? Calling Linda Carter. We need you, Linda Carter.

Speaking of old geezers....Artist's Magazine has just sponsored a competition for artists over 60 years of age....which excludes most of you all. The deadline was September 30 and the top ten chosen by the jury will receive $100 and a feature in the March issue. I submitted 4 for the competition....wish me luck.

"Moon Dog on the Streets of Granada, Nicaragua"
MoonDog was a sweet old dog that kinda attached himself to Me and Pokey and TacoBelle. Totally useless, but rather endearing. I visited Granada, Nicaragua quite often, and took a lot of pictures of the neat streets and scenery there. I plan on using more of those backgrounds and add elements to them.

"TacoBelle at the Door In Granada, Nicaragua"
This is the third version of this painting. I had posted a larger version of it several months ago. I sold both previous paintings and this one I just finished (12 x 16 acrylic on canvas) for another customer.


"Back Steps Beggar"

I have posted this one previously. It is a pezote, or coati mundi on the back steps of MINAE (Costa Rica's Environment Agency). I painted it last year and OTS (Organization for Tropical Studies) used it for their Holiday greeting cards.

"Egret on the Rocks"
I have posted this one earlier, too. Caught this photo of an egret on the Sarapiqui River in Costa Rica a year and a half ago.

And finally....3 more days for WTTW "Cats Up" challenge. I've had some delightful submissions (see em HERE), but there's still plenty of kitty litter left undisturbed, so send me your art. Next month's challenge will be "SCARY STUFF", and I'll post those reference photos Sunday on Windows to the Words.

Thought for the Blog....It seems the more timesaving devices you accumulate, the less leisure time you have. Have a good weekend & CYA down the road.

WOW..Empty Easel, ADDICTIONary, and some CatchUp

The past couple of weeks or so, with the move from Costa Rica, shipping Pokey and TacoBelle and what belongings I have, relocating artwork, juggling finances, visiting friends and family, struggling to connect with the internet, and 16,000 other things have left me grasping for some semblance of sanity. I think I've almost got it together in Marble Falls, Texas, but there's probably a few fragments of that sanity still missing...wandering around Interstate 10 somewhere. Pokey and Tacobelle are out looking for it, so bear with me, and thanks for your patience.

First off....WOW!!! Some time back I had told you that I had submitted an article to Empty Easel concerning the blog community/camaraderie that sprang up around Karin Jurick's Different Strokes From Different Folks challenge...and how it grew and matured from there. I had hoped Dan would print it. Well, he is...on Friday, May 8....on Empty Easel. I invite you to check it out, and if you want an advanced copy of the article...EMail me.

Taking a short sabbatical from my paints for a few more days, I've been dabbling a bit into another of my "Loves"...writing. I have written a small dissertation on the inter-relation of coincidence to the universality of creation, but I won't plague you with that. But I love to write and I've become addicted to Nancy's Every Photo Tells A Story. On February 20, I stumbled onto EPTAS and noticed this painting of a gargoyle. I studied the object and purpose of the blog..that a photo or painting was displayed each day as a reference for visitors to comment on or write a piece of poetry/prose relating to it. So I wrote a little gargoyle poem that day. And was back the next day. And the next. And the next. ADDICTED....BAM!!!! My March 18 contribution below illustrates this....

"A Happy, Healthy Addiction"

"Addiction" @ El Elviana "The Enigma"

I know the hour's late, but there's stuff that just can't wait

I have to end each day with the things I have to say.

Anticipation starts each morning, reading wonders that's been said,

Wisdom, prose and poetry, are whirling in my head

Addicted? Maybe so. That's why I'm always in a hurry,

To get my poems on line, for Every Photo Tells A Story

One of the most important things I had to do while visiting in Louisiana was to visit Glen and Wendy. Gwen (Wendy) is my "OnceWife"'s younger sister. Glen is her husband of 40 years. They come as close to having a perfect mariage as I think I've ever seen of two people. They have also come to be as close friends as a person could ever be blessed with. You will hear more from me about them in the future, but for now, Glen developed esophagial cancer some months back. He has undergone surgery and chemo/radiation and the doctors say the cancer is gone. But he lost a lot of weight and is on a long road to recovery. I spent five days with them visiting, talking and a lot of praying. I wrote this poem for Every Photo Tells A Story just for them....

"TOUCH"

@ Ken Flett

We've traveled this world's highways...Its winding roads and paths

Stumbled in the rocks and briars, Found splendor in the grass

Side by side, we walked together...Shared the laughter and the tears

Two as one,,,, amid the twilight, We have reached the golden years.

Of all my fondest memories, The ones that mean so much,

Are the ones with words unspoken, Just your kind and gentle touch.

After years of drinking and partying and being an all-around typically selfish, stupid and insensitive "Man", my wife, Sharon, finally got enough and kicked my bozo butt out the door. Our two oldest children (12 and 14) chose to live with me. By the miracle of grace, they turned out super,...teacher and engineer, each with a fine family. Our youngest daughter stayed with her Momma and is now a teacher, married to a teacher. After the kids grew up and moved out, I increased my drinking habit so much that Smirnoff and Seagram stock went up 30 points. Well, the bottom fell out, but that's another story. The real story for now, is that I came to The Light. And remained there. Without getting in anyone's face or shoving stuff down their throats and leaving a bad taste, I look for opportunities to spread a little joy and share a bit of light. When Every Photo Tells A Story (March 4) came along with this painting by my treasured blogfriend, Theresa Rankin, I was led to offer this little writing...

http://theresarankin.blogspot.com/

"The Greatest Church"

Cathedrals, temples, shrines, Have abounded all the while

Mighty works of grandeur, In every shape and style

But all Man's pride and efforts, Consistently fall short,

Of the wonders of the Greatest Church,..the one inside your heart.

There's still a couple of Every Photo submissions I want to post, and 14 kazillion things to tell ya about, but I'll take a pause here and continue on the next blog, tomorrow.

Blog thought: "Want less. Have more"

Following the Masters...A Bruno...and Some Spotlights

Michelle Burnett is a very talented artist. Michelle Burnett is a very smart, industrious young lady. Michelle Burnett is also a big sweetie. A few months back. she introduced me to an art challenge that posted a work of art from a Master painter and asked participating artists to render a painting from that post. She had done a superb piece (see her blog of January 30) based on a work by Alphonse Mucha. I went to that site to try my hand at the challenge, but it had bellied up. I told Michelle about it and joked that she should start a challenge herself, since she didn't have anything to do but sit around and paint all day. Michelle never knows when I'm joking, but she went and put together a SUPER challenge site called Following the Masters. The first challenge is "Narcissus" by John William Waterhouse. My rendering is above...and when you go to the FTM site, you'll notice that my painting looks suspiciously like Deb Kierce's. Deb's features a wolverine...my features a fox. Or it's supposed to be a fox. I had a cute fox kit picture, but through the magic of acrylics and worn out detail brushes, I have miraculously transformed the cute fox into a mutant wombat. And, if you noticed, I removed the large bouquet in her hand and replaced it with a smaller box of McDonald's fries. I patriotically did this in honor of National Bountiful Bosom Week.







Now we have my first Bruno Torf painting. I plan on doing a series of ten 5 x 7's of some of Bruno's sculptures. I have sorta adopted his cause, and if you want to know more, click his name. These are not for sale now, of course, but I hope to try to find a means to auction them off when I get finished with the proceeds going to help him rebuild.

You community of little "artful bloggers" are sure busy painting and caring. Two of you, namely Sheila Tajima and Carrie Jacobson have started a really meaningful project to help our furry friends. Operating currently under the name of Artists for the Animals, and developing a logo that caring artists can stick like a Post-it note on their blog, they are already steam-rolling along. In lieu of a logo, I have posted Sheila's "Bingo" as a poster kitty. Bingo is the firehouse's "guinea pig" to test the reactions of potential pooch pets and see if they're hungry for feline hors d'ouvres. Punch bingo for more details.


Spotlight Blog....Meandering Michael. Several weeks ago, I started participating in another great blog...Every Photo Tells A Story. After my morning "pep prayer, coffee, and dance with Matt, I wander over to EPTAS and see what Nancy has posted to write about for the day. And I write something. It's usually humorous, but often it's dead serious. Michael has usually already meandered there and left his droppings. He has a sense of humor that is almost as warped as mine...but he also has a serious side...and a heart of gold. I have been keeping up with his misadventures and ramblings...his delights and his problems...I almost feel like I'm part of the family....Him, Fawn, Jade and Halia.
But he's in the Yukon..a little too chilly for my taste as his photo shows. Michael wrote a neat poem on today's subject for EPTAS, William Moore's "Invalido". But the post of March 12 "Looking Through The Window" is posted on Windows to the Words Writing. Check it out...it's a tribute to his daughter, Jade, and her struggle with epilepsy...written in the language of EEG. If you visit his blog, be warned...he rambles 84% more than I do.

Windows to the Words Photo has a couple of new photos, including one from Maggie, and another from a friend in Panama. Need more...the kids wanna have a party. And Windows to Words Art could use a few more portraits.

SPECIAL NOTE...I don't like the term "Followers"...sounds like a cult...I use "blogalongs". And when I open my blog and see that list, my heart sings. Each and every blogalong is so very dear to me, and I try to visit and comment as much as possible. And I love to mention and praise and promote the blogs of others. ..that is really more important to me than whatever success I may achieve with my blog. I mean that. Sincerely. When I do plug another blog I call it a "Blog Hug". I hope more folks will do that...sharing is caring. And caring is what it's all about..the "whole enchilada".

And with that in mind, here's a great "Blog Hug". Visit "Every Photo Tells A Story" and view Edward Burton's Painting "Going Home" or ||March 16. (When you're there, you could read my poem "Tweedles" for that painting).

That's it for now. I won't post again till Tuesday. I have got to catch up on stuff and do some housecleaning. My dirty clothes are so bad that Pokey and TacoBelle are wearing clothespins on their noses. And my refrigerator....have you ever seen lettuce in its liquid state? I need a wife. Or at least a live-in maid. Or something. Cya....your buddy in the rainforest....James