May 6th: a new brave world?:

Statue of Liberty: New York City

New Normal Face

New York New York under seige like 9/11 again

I sometimes wonder why New York

has to deal with so many unpleasant things

Maybe because of the financial and communications sector?

Maybe it's the greatest city in the World--the French thought so

at one time--when they gave New York and the United States

the Statue of Liberty

I found this image online with the caption the new normal

I actually find this offensive

I don't consider anything about wearing a face mask to be "normal".

They act like this is permanent--it is actually a form of terrorism

and my constitutional rights  are being violated

For example, whatever your religion- our religious rights were violated

because there is a clear division between Church and State

Some would argue: well it was done for our safety etc....

However, the point is the government did not have the right to cross

this border....and the pastors could have had more services

Once you cross a certain line--good luck getting it back or not

having any of your other constitutional rights be violated

I was not brought up wearing a mask on my face nor having anything

wrapped around my face and I find this offensive when

someone considers this the "new normal"--it is not

To consider this normal is really idiotic

However, some are having fun with this--creating face masks

that are fashionable

I saw a man today who was dressed very casually and had a black 

elastic knit material bandana tied to his head

I wondered where his ugly mask was at before he entered

the local grocery store

I realized, "Oh he had elevated the ugly mask to be fashion and to fit

his casual and chic style".  It had become part of him.  So,

much so, the ugly mask was not obvious

I thought---the ugly mask had arrived--people were now creating fashion out of it

I've seen lots of face masks out there created by so many individuals who can sew and use interesting fabric to fit their fashion style--but when I saw this man dressed

with flip flops, long baggy light blue shorts and a light blue shirt and he had

his black mask tied to his forehead --I thought how creative

He had made the ugly mask his--he had control of the ugly mask

I am a very positive person who likes to create things ( I am) and I will

However, right now this is what is going on with me

I love the United States, New York City, the Statue of Liberty

and I reallllly

HATE: THE UGLY MASK

and anyone who thinks this is "the new normal" for me

or anyone else

As a  true Patriot

it couldn't be any other way

and I do understand hate is a very strong word to use

April 2020:

sampler

california zinna

Basil

tree house

modern quilt from Houston quilt show

around the city

my sewing area

project 

pop art and food bank

art which reminds me of the quilt above

pop art made by me when I was in 7th grade

Public Transportation still running-a positive sign

I'm continuing with my pop art and modern art theme

I'm also listening to NPR and Terry Gross and David Rhode 

He has a book out called In Deep--

He is interesting and so, is she

I took several classes in college dealing with Pop Art and fell in love with it

As a 7th grader in California I knew nothing of PoP Art

I created the Lysol painting above

The other students around me wanted to know, "Why are

you painting that?"  I said, "because it smells nice and my mom uses it."

I also was thinking- I like this image and want to paint it

I turned the painting in---a couple of weeks later the

teacher handed our projects back--I laid the painting down

on the table because I was busy with the new project in art class

After a few minutes I turned it around and received an A- and wondered

why the teacher had given me an "A"

I didn't think he was going to like it and thought it was dumb

Later on as an adult I realized why I had received an "A"

I had created pop art when I didn't know anything about it

I was in keeping with Andy Warhol and didn't know who

Andy Warhol was as a 7th grader

I love Andy Warhol and found out he was a magazine reader

and so, were the other pop artists

I always felt guilty about being a magazine reader 

I also like to keep my magazines, but unlike Andy Warhol (who passed away) my

magazines do not have a "room of their own"

I never felt guilty again for being a magazine reader

or following my instincts

My sampler--from Posie--I'm enjoying working on that (still)

flowers, basil-outdoors

A tree house, which sits empty, and was once used by some

little children 

It makes me wonder--where those kids are now

I wonder about myself and everyone--the past, present and the future

The quilt from the Houston Quilt show (I don't remember the artist) and the work of

art from the museum--look alike

My small project I am working on and enjoying the creation

Creating something during this pandemic time

My small collection of Pop Art things---the bookmarker

from the library, which is closed....in conjunction with the

local Food Bank....before the pandemic

Now the Food Bank is being heavily utilized

I used it once and wanted to pay it forward by

volunteering, which I did twice

the last time was somewhat sad...because

There weren't a lot of volunteers and there were a lot of people

who needed help.....small children attempting to do their

part by organizing the back of the car they were in... in order to make

room for more items....

Maybe this is where the kids from the tree house have disappeared

to--instead of running and playing they are now having to become

aware of things, which I wish they didn't need to deal with

at an early age

When I left the Food Bank-after volunteering- I saw the long line of vehicles still waiting

for help---I found it disturbing and I realized again

this truly was real

Like 9/11 and the economic meltdown of 2008

the World and the United States is taking a hit again

and so, is New York

Our economy is suffering and so, are the people

but we will rise again

Be positive, create, read, listen, embrace and be safe

-Rebeca

new life:

public art

home architecture of the past (art)

kid art gallery

lone star iron of the past (art)

quilt show (fabric art)

glass art at library

fashion designer (art)(shop now closed)

graffiti art on unused building

museum art at the mcnay

more museum art at the mcnay

paint by numbers art and cross-stitch art 

art created by mother nature and God

vw automobile design from the past (art)


I've been listening to the radio a lot especially since we are suppose to be staying at home
Attempting to keep busy with this and that and I am

I took these photos awhile back not too long ago before all of this happened world wide
When I think back not too long ago while looking at these photos--I still can't believe
what is happening with people getting ill
However, if I go to get this and that or fresh air it makes me happy to see
people walking and speaking to one another

I majored in art history with a minor in history so, I love art of all types
I find art everywhere including the museum
The VW I found while driving and I love it
I wish I was like Carmen Diaz in the film Knight and Day and could re-do this car
The top needs to be replaced--same color only new
I wonder why VW hasn't re-made this car?
I wouldn't change the design

I love all these photos as well as the art gallery made by some talented kids

The designer's shop closed. She designed clothes at one time before fashion runway existed
I never went in, but was sad when I saw the shop was closed
The building is beautiful and I hope the next owner keeps it intact
She was an artist...and was successful because she tried

At times there are some individuals out there somewhere who take everything literal
and want to tinker in people's lives......they don't seem to understand
that playing god in a human life is.....not a good thing....because I said above
the designer was an artist and was successful because she tried.....hopefully
the tinkers don't attempt to play god with ones life
and wouldn't allow one to fail or succeed on their own...because it isn't
up to them...

All the above is art......

what do you think? do you create art?

keep safe and remain positive

-rebeca

maker: saturday

too many books too little time: but I love the library

my americana quilt

sewing my quilt

bread making day

making sure the yeast will work

bread: mission accomplished


Today I decided to make and bake bread because I ran out
and I didn't want to run out to the grocery store to replenish this item
I know how to make bread thanks to my former mother-in-law
who taught me this skill a very long time ago
I wanted to save money because of what is going on in the world
and US and I also thought, "hey that would be two less loaves
off the grocery shelf that possibly someone else can use".
So, it was a win-win situation for me and someone else

It wasn't difficult making this bread there are lots of recipes out
there and youtube.
I only used the following ingredients:
7 cups of bread flour. two yeast packets. 2 1/4 cups of water
3 tablespoons of olive oil. 1/4 teaspoon of vinegar. 1 tablespoon of salt. 3 tablespoons of sugar

I decided to use olive oil because I thought it was healthier than butter and because of the
milk shortage and the expense of butter-I thought let me substitute the ingredients
plus it maybe more flavorful

I decided to add the quilt even though I completed this project about three years ago-it seems like
it was yesterday--I am very proud of this quilt because it was my second quilt and
the first one created with a sewing machine--the first one was a sampler created
completely by hand---Someone in American Fork, Utah quilted this for me
and there are other reasons why I'm very proud of this quilt--plus it came out great
I love using it--even when I go to the park---it is very useful--and the time I put into
it was worth it

I love reading----and I have a little personal library---but I love the public library--the photo above was
before the shutdown

I'm listening to NPR and heard a man being interviewed--he and his wife are washing their
clothes in the tub--I thought that was interesting and funny because I was doing this
before all this shutdown business occurred

I don't have a washer or dryer, attempting to save money and the laundry mats don't have hot
water even though it is an option on the machine---I guess it costs the owner extra for
hot water----and sometimes the machines barely have water inside them--and the
clothes don't come out very clean, but the same when I put them in the wash
me and the tub do a better job
I was going to take a photo of this---in case it helps or inspires someone else out there
but I thought--well it may be TMI (too much information) and overkill

and sometimes using your imagination is better----like a good book above

Hope everyone is well----I pray for world peace

from rebeca

new life:march 27, 2020

at the mcnay museum

austin book festival

little empire state building:san antonio:former sears building

9.11

downtown flowers

quilting artist from spain at the houston quilt festival

memorial day

driving by an older neighborhood with beautiful old homes

walking somewhere in the downtown area

I had another blog and got locked out of it
so, I am beginning another blog
My blog will be my journal where I post about lots of different things
which I am interested in......I am one of those individuals
And because of the corona virus and so many things being shut down
I decided to begin this new blog
I love books/reading, art, history, politics, cooking/baking, pets/animals/nature,
art and crafts, artist, magazines, technology, music, science, law, photography, films and life...
hopefully I didn't leave anything out
I'm getting to read, study, listen to the news and listen to podcasts
Like everyone I find what is happening world wide astonishing
I worry about myself, but others out there who are living paycheck to paycheck
and the homeless and domestic violence victims who have to remain in their homes
and the elderly who may not be able to make it out to re-stock or are short on funds
and can't get their meals delivered.....here in the United States we are
conditioned a certain way and don't have the same problems as another country
who does not have running water and/or are battling another disease called ebola, such
as, Africa. However, I believe we should do our part to help those in need in the
United States who may not have all the basic essentials....like the homeless etc..
Like other individuals I dislike the hoarding, which is taking place--it is
wrong...not right.  In school they teach students about the Holocaust and about
Anne Frank who perished during World War II and we ask ourselves, "how
could this have possibly occurred"?  "How could an Adolf Hitler have risen
to great heights"?  It begins in small stages with small actions, such as, this
hoarding, which is taking place.  It is beneath us as citizens of the United States.
We should look to the past...to history....during World War II and see how
the citizens of this great country and others made things happen during that period.  They used
rationing coupons...for example.  At the end everyone was fine
with the rationing coupons.  And so, everyone should be fine and
should not hoard.  The products are there available...when you are
almost about to run out of a product....then do what you did before
and replenish it.  The grocery stores are having to mark everything
up in order to control customers from purchasing more than they should.
At the end you are hurting yourself not only with your pocketbook, but
as a human being as well.  I was almost running out of toilet paper
and so, I replenished just as I had before.  I found paper...there wasn't
a problem.  And I've even told a few persons whom I know that I am
willing to share....if they can't find paper.  I did this before, but
now I am having to pay a little more for a little less because of the
hoarding.  What is funny about my situation is the following: Before
we were told to stay in this was like two weeks ago I went to a local
store to buy toilet paper and the aisles were full.  My great concern was
choosing what toilet paper I could afford, which was of better quality
since I am on a budget.  Now the aisles are empty.....but
one can still find toilet paper like I did the other day when it was
time to replenish as I have done in the past.
I wish others would deal with this in the same manner and not
hurt themselves by being a hoarder, which is a negative and
not a positive. After all you don't want to wonder if you
would have blindly followed an Adolf Hitler and
gone along with the Holocaust and not done the
right thing.  This is the time to rise above all
this.....and test yourselves....and ask yourselves..
can we do the right thing and not the wrong thing
as citizens of the United States and as true human beings.

I hope you enjoy the photos and I do have a flicker account
that you can visit.  I would love for you to comment
Be safe..... from rebeca