Christmas/Winter Solstice 2023

 Portraits: Mama and me (Nashville), Anne, Ace, and Bob (Waterloo), Mikey, Sophie, and Ruby (San Antonio), and Aunt Brenda and Cousin Rodney (Lebanon).

 

 Home decorations with a tribute to George.

 

Treats: Hurts Donuts (Cedar Falls) and gifts from Matt and Kimber (Buffalo).

 

At the Williams-Frazer home in Joelton, TN (friends of Mama, Shannon, and Ross). Great folks!

 

Adopted momentarily by Rottweiler Sami.

 

A Solstice Salute with Ace and Bev at Singlespeed Brewery (Waterloo).

 

Thoughts:

Aunt Tibby died December 27.

Missing Troy this year.

Thanksgiving 2023

 With the McCusker clan in Center Point, Iowa.

Halloween 2023

 Halloween north and south: Mark (Ace) in Coralville and me in Waterloo.

Breder Retrospective and Artists' Reunion

On Friday, October 6, I had the honor and pleasure of attending the Fort Madison Area Arts Association exhibition Hans Breder: Intermedia Retrospective. Executive Director Lori Illner Greene was organizer and host and produced a lovely exhibition catalogue that included a quote by me about my mentor and professor Hans Breder (1935-2017). Mark (Ace) and I met up with artists and old friends Cherie Sampson and Jill Brown and lingered in Fort Madison afterwards for a meal at Simple Table.

 

L to R (Ace, me, Cherie, Jill)

 

 

 

L to R (me, Doreen Nidey, and Lori).

Goodbye sweet man

Our dear friend George Stratton died this week just shy of his 77th birthday. George was a highly-regarded and beloved actor, singer, and artist in the Iowa City and Coralville, Iowa community. George will be best remembered for his theatrical roles including Orsino from Twelfth Night, King Richard II from King Richard, and King Henry II from Lion in Winter. He is also remembered for his mellifluous baritone voice, his natural stage presence, and his facility in building and painting sets for theatre and opera. We love and miss you, George!

 

 

Ole Buddies

An opening at the Hearst Center for the Arts (HCA). Chatting with artist Jack Miller.

 My buddy at HCA, curator Emily Drennan.

 My sweetheart of the Pride Fest.

 2023 Cedar Valley Pride Fest. Clockwise from upper left: fabulous queens, rainbow mannequin, buddy Jess Cruz, Leslie and the LYs, buddy Anastasia Parsons.

2023 Trip to Nashville

 

 Mama in the Krispie Kreme. 

 

With Aunt Brenda and cousin Rodney in Lebanon.

Opera & Art & Horticulture

As in years past, I spent a weekend in Des Moines to attend the Des Moines Metro Opera, see art exhibitions, and visit the city's lovely arboretum.

 

DMMO has installed banks of prairie plantings, and in July it's in high bloom. So gorgeous and fragrant! I was lucky to see the final performances of these new productions: Prokofiev's The Love for Three Oranges and Bartok's Bluebeard's Castle. Spectacular!

 

The John Pappajohn Sculpture Park. Notice the bird's nest in the abdomen of Louise Bourgeois' Spider.

 

 The Des Moines Art Center. Below is a little collage featuring 3 moments from a digital movie by Yorame Mevorach, who coincidentally designed the set from DMMO's Bluebeard's Castle.

 

A hot day at the Des Moines Botanical Gardens.

Joyous July

 2023 Birthdays, Matt and Kimber. This is part of my little family picture nook.

 

 

 Cedar Falls, Iowa public art.

 

I've gone green.

 

Iowa Irish Fest 2023 has posted a commercial featuring me, Ace, and Bev (shot in 2021).

 

 

The 2023 fruit harvest from Adams Street. I modified a recipe from a Buffalo, NY publication to make a custard pie with tart cherries from the backyard.

Final Thoughts: June 2023

 

This year's cherry harvest. Tart and delicious!

 

"What the Fun" exhibition opening at the Waterloo Center for the Arts. Director Kent Shankle is retiring. Kent (left), Curator Chawne Paige and his lovely family (upper right), and a selfie with Kent.

 

"What the Fun." C. Allyn Slack (left) and an installation view (right).

 

Some beard shots from February to June 2023. The many shades of blue courtesy of Ace and his deft touch.

 

2023 Trip to Buffalo

June 2023 Trip to Buffalo. Matt and Kimber welcomed me back into their home, their city, and their culinary expertise. I had such a wonderful time!

Outside the MusicalFare Theatre at Daemen University in Buffalo. "Sondheim on Sondheim" was Matt's Father's Day gift to me. An excellent production.

Wings of Iowa

My Waterloo Days image courtesy of "Live the Valley" mural project and a new Cecropia Moth found by Ace in the NW corner of the yard. A wing'ed June 2023. Happy Pride!

Putting My Back Into It

Here are some images of new retaining walls I constructed over the last several weeks. Oh, my back!

 

 

The Campanile Restoration

Watching the last of the big bells being hoisted into the Campanile at UNI. Such a beautiful day in Cedar Falls!

Day Trip to Waverly

 I took a day trip to Waverly, IA on April 18. Such a lovely city! Retirement has afforded a little time for exploration.

 

 

"Shades of Rhythm," an amphitheatre on the Cedar River in Kohlmannn Park by Ann Cashman (Waverly, IA) and Darian Lu (Shanghai, China).

The Waverly Dam on the Cedar River.

An ancient redbud (getting a little lift here and there).