Memory of The Good Shepherd Home IV

This post is about Lupe. I did not know Lupe, but was assigned her bed the day I arrived at Good Shepherd. She had died and was resting outside my window in the cemetery. She had spent most of her life at this home and sadly knew no other life. When I went back there some years later, the nuns had sold the home and some developer turned them into condos. When I asked about the cemetery the manager told us that it had been moved elsewhere. Strange, but true.

Deconstruction: The cemetery, Our Lady of Guadalupe, and window are all vintage images. There are six layers, with one layer mask for the window/cemetery. It is Grayscale. There was one filter, accented edges.

I've been tagged by Sue O'Kieffe
Here are THE RULES:

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.
2. Share 5 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog

• I was raised in the beautiful Pecos Valley of New Mexico
• I am recently retired (again) after a few lifetimes of writing computer programs
• I love animals, all kinds of animals!
  
• My best friend, Linda, had a liver transplant about 10 years ago and is doing great.
  
• Spring is my favorite season and I am eagerly awaiting the first violets.
  

I tag Lisa Sarsfield, Belinda (Bell's Nook), Rima (Marazine), Neda (Papiers Colles) and Nita
(Red Tin Heart)

Memory of The Good Shepherd Home III

This 3rd memory of the Good Shepherd Home represents the celebration of Feliz Navidad, the Mexican Christmas season. I wanted to post this on Christmas Day but my memory of Christmas took awhile to recall the details, after all it was over 50 years ago :)

I will be very happy to read your comments so please share! I'd also like to thank Sweet Irene for the Courageous Blogger Award which is posted in my siderbar. I really don't feel very courageous but do feel a sense of healing when I make art from these old memories.

Deconstruction:
The digital collage was made using photoshop 5.5. There were 17 layers and one "apply image, difference" was used to give the building a bluish cast. It finished out with 5 layers. The image of the building comes from dreamstime.com ($2). The little girl and the pinata came from the Library of Congress, the other girl and the nun were vintage images as is the blessed virgin who came from an old holy card.

If you want to know more about Feliz Navidad there is a good article at mexconnect.com
while you can find out about the pinata at wikipedia.com.

Abstract Apply Image I

I can't take credit for this wonderful abstract. I have to thank Debi, for pointing this out and describing how to do it in photoshop, and John for sharing your technique step-by-step. If you haven't seen John's works click here for a delight. John would call this image hand.keet.fox.tree.

Memory Of The Good Shepherd Home II

This memory is from the days I spent at Good Shepherd Home in Mesilla Park, NM in 1955-56.
One of my jobs was to fetch the meals every day. This was a job I liked very much as my friend, Maryjane, and I got to go to the kitchen and bring the food back to our dormitory's dining room where other girls would have jobs setting the table and dishing up the food. The kitchen nuns were Little People and very fun and we loved to talk to them and watch them work. They would fill our pot with pinto beans mostly, but sometimes with carne de cabeza with vegetables. For breakfast it was always oatmeal.

I'd love to hear your comments about this digital collage, or about this memory or one of yours if you would care to share.

Young Woman Memory (Hold/Value)

I can't think of a better subject for hold/value than a mother holding her darling child in her arms. There is no love which can compare to the love a mother feels for her children, it is a love that transcends all. I'd love to hear your expressions of love for your mother, or for your child.

If you haven't done an art project for for 2 things challenge, you still have until Dec. 19th to do one and get a free bonus charity donation through the generosity of two bloggers. Click here to find out more and see what it is all about!

Spring Wind Memories

When I was a child I used to love to put my pillow on the window sill and listen to the wind howl over the prairie through out the night. I still love the wind. I love the way it lifts and blows my hair, the way it feels so fresh on my skin. The sound it makes as it whistles around the house and the way the trees bow down to it. I'll be thrilled if you'd leave a comment and tell me about your memories of wind.

Doe Mandala

I had a very stress filled day. I managed to get into a small conflict at work which always upsets me when I let myself do this. Next as I left work I noticed a trash pickup truck spewing trash all over the road, so I followed him to his next stop and let him know what he was doing. He said "sorry 'bout that", but somehow I didn't feel that he was sincere. Then I went to Best-Buy to pick up a new router for my home network and they were playing the music that just thumps and hurts your ears. I complained to the manger, who justified it by saying we only do it when a customer requests it...(saying this as other customers were vacating the store, go figure!). Then I came home and installed the new router, but could not get one of the computers to recognize the wireless connection. Consequently it was late when I laid down late for my nap, then later I got up grumpy. So there...that was my day and I feel better now having complained and whined. I think I brought most of this stuff on myself.

So...I made a mandala and know what? The stress is all gone now and I feel great! Hope your day was better than mine :)

Memory Of The Good Shepherd Home

In the courtyard stood
The lonely cottonwood
Bare branches chattering in the wind

Except
For one small twig
Nestled beneath the eaves
Giving forth the first yellow green
leaves of spring

~Bobbie Wideman 1955-56
Good Shepherd Home, Mesilla Park New Mexico

Breathing Underwater Dream

This is my favorite recurring dream. I have dreamed this over the years. I am swimming and having a wonderful time. I get tired of having to stop for air and I suddenly discover that I can breathe underwater. I love to swim, I always have and so this is the best of the best :)

I dedicate this image to Hala, Rima's niece who is in London being treated for cancer. She has issued another challenge, so go to her blog and see what it is. Let's participate and have a gay old time.

As always I'll be looking forward to your comments. And please notice that I put a comment of my own on the last post (believe it or not!)