Gerald Harness--Artist of the Month......by Joyce Oroz

 

 

Today I am proud to announce the Dragonfly Gallery, “Artist of the Month” for January. Gerald Harness, (better known as, Jerry) is a talented painter and valuable member of the Aromas Hills Artisans. He is an artist who reaches outside his comfort zone, painting new and different subjects, honing his skills as he goes, and sharing his newest projects with AHA members.

Jerry was the “17^th Naval District Artist” in the navy—stationed in Alaska. After serving in the navy, he spent 40 years in engineering—mostly in aerospace. He stopped painting in 1970 but took it up again after his retirement in 1993. Jerry decided to try painting landscapes even though his comfort zone was painting portraits. He went on to paint many historical scenes of sailing ships, cowboys and pioneers.

What kind of guy is Jerry? In his own words … “I’m still trying to improve my scribbling.” Yes, he is a very talented, but modest artist.

I hope you will drop by the Dragonfly Gallery, 380 Blohm Ave., Aromas, and see Jerry’s wonderful work for yourself. 

After a fabulous 2012, the gallery is now bursting with new and unique items for sale.

 

Concert and Silent Auction

Brief announcement:

There is going to be a Silent Auction and Concert Fundraiser on Sunday, January 6 at 5pm at the Corralitos Cultural Center to help Randy Peyser, who has just completed chemo and radiation for breast cancer.

Many local performers are offering their help, including Alisa Fineman and Kimball Hurd, Michael Gaither, Marky Starks, Patti Lemon and The Jazz Committee, and more.

Items are needed for the Silent Auction. If any AHA members would like to donate an item for the Silent Auction, please contact Randy at 726-3153, Randy@AuthorOneStop.com.

Thank you all!

Love,
Randy
-- AUTHOR ONE STOP
Randy Peyser
P. O. Box 151
Aromas, CA 95004
(831) 726-3153
www.AuthorOneStop.com

Mark Twain said, "Always do right--this will gratify some and astonish the rest." Supporting Randy is "doing right" and a good way for us to start the new year.

Wishing You a Happy Holiday ........by Joyce Oroz

The world didn’t end … this time, but I’m sure there will be new opportunities in the future to act like fools, throw a party, spend too much, drink too much and deal with the consequences when the sun comes up bright as ever.

Not to say that Josephine did all that.

                                           Photo by Avery Laurin

Now that the world is turning again and the “season” is upon us, Josephine wants to wish you all a surreal Solstice, a simple and spirited Christmas, a happy Hanukkah and a sterling New Year.

Did Solow just roll his eyes and raise his paw?

Solow hopes you are able to find everything you buried in the back yard before the world would have ended.

         

Dear friends, I hope you live your heart’s desire, spread good cheer and meet me here on my blog in 2013. So much to say—so little time.

A Christmas Poem

As I yammer on about my dog, Sandy, her name pops up a million times all across the country. First it was the terrible storm, now it's the unthinkable tragedy on the same east coast. I am going to share with you a beautiful poem I recieved from a friend. I hope it will comfort you.

Wishing all of you a happy Christmas.

 

                                     Potery by Jane Rekedal

Twas' 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38

  when 20 beautiful children stormed through heaven's gate.

  their smiles were contagious, their laughter filled the air

  they could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there.

  they were filled with such joy, they didn't know what to say.

  they remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day.

  "where are we?" asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse.

  "this is heaven." declared a small boy. "we're spending Christmas at God's house."

  when what to their wondering eyes did appear,

  but Jesus, their savior, the children gathered near.

  He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same.

  then He opened His arms and He called them by name.

  and in that moment was joy, that only heaven can bring

  those children all flew into the arms of their King

  and as they lingered in the warmth of His embrace,

  one small girl turned and looked at Jesus' face.

  and as if He could read all the questions she had

  He gently whispered to her, "I'll take care of mom and dad."

  then He looked down on earth, the world far below

  He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe

  then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand,

  "Let My power and presence re-enter this land!"

  "may this country be delivered from the hands of fools"

  "I'm taking back my nation. I'm taking back my schools!"

  then He and the children stood up without a sound.

  "come now my children, let me show you around."

  excitement filled the space, some skipped and some ran.

  all displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.

  and i heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight,

  "in the midst of this darkness,

I AM STILL THE LIGHT.

 

-- 

Honk if you love my dog...........by Joyce Oroz

 

 

 

Does this blog make me look fat? Do I sound a little touchy today? You would be too if someone unplugged your cell phone charger and you thought you were charging it and in the middle of the night your dog walks into your bedroom and indicates fervently that she needs to go “out.” After you let her go outside, you hear a weak beep coming from your cell phone—the noise that drives the dog crazy. Call me insensitive, but my dog is way too sensitive. Standing barefoot on the freezing deck in the moonlight, I was unable to convince my dog that it was safe to come back inside the house, that my phone was off and the world would not end in five days. She has a stubborn attitude that pops up occasionally, like at two o’clock in the morning. For two hours I lay in bed staring at the ceiling, imagining bears, mountain lions, giant salamanders and all sorts of wild animals preying on my poor little pup. Finally, at 4:00 am she barked the bark I had been waiting for. With mixed feelings (grumpy joyfulness) I opened the door and let her in. Even a lab can get cold, but it takes at least two hours. She brings us the newspaper in the morning and the mail in the afternoon. How can we not forgive her for a few hours of lost sleep?

 

Is Sruggle a good thing?.......by Jim Strigler

STR/AFP/Getty Images

 

 

In 1979, when Jim Stigler was still a graduate student at the University of Michigan, he went to Japan to research teaching methods and found himself sitting in the back row of a crowded fourth-grade math class.
"The teacher was trying to teach the class how to draw three-dimensional cubes on paper," Stigler explains, "and one kid was just totally having trouble with it. His cube looked all cockeyed, so the teacher said to him, 'Why don't you go put yours on the board?' So right there I thought, 'That's interesting! He took the one who can't do it and told him to go and put it on the board.' "
Stigler knew that in American classrooms, it was usually the best kid in the class who was invited to the board. And so he watched with interest as the Japanese student dutifully came to the board and started drawing, but still couldn't complete the cube. Every few minutes, the teacher would ask the rest of the class whether the kid had gotten it right, and the class would look up from their work, and shake their heads no. And as the period progressed, Stigler noticed that he — Stigler — was getting more and more anxious.
"I realized that I was sitting there starting to perspire," he says, "because I was really empathizing with this kid. I thought, 'This kid is going to break into tears!' "
But the kid didn't break into tears. Stigler says the child continued to draw his cube with equanimity. "And at the end of the class, he did make his cube look right! And the teacher said to the class, 'How does that look, class?' And they all looked up and said, 'He did it!' And they broke into applause." The kid smiled a huge smile and sat down, clearly proud of himself.
Stigler is now a professor of psychology at UCLA who studies teaching and learning around the world, and he says it was this small experience that first got him thinking about how differently East and West approach the experience of intellectual struggle.
"I think that from very early ages we [in America] see struggle as an indicator that you're just not very smart," Stigler says. "It's a sign of low ability — people who are smart don't struggle, they just naturally get it, that's our folk theory. Whereas in Asian cultures they tend to see struggle more as an opportunity."
In Eastern cultures, Stigler says, it's just assumed that struggle is a predictable part of the learning process. Everyone is expected to struggle in the process of learning, and so struggling becomes a chance to show that you, the student, have what it takes emotionally to resolve the problem by persisting through that struggle.
"They've taught them that suffering can be a good thing," Stigler says. "I mean it sounds bad, but I think that's what they've taught them."
Granting that there is a lot of cultural diversity within East and West and it's possible to point to counterexamples in each, Stigler still sums up the difference this way: For the most part in American culture, intellectual struggle in schoolchildren is seen as an indicator of weakness, while in Eastern cultures it is not only tolerated but is often used to measure emotional strength.
It's a small difference in approach that Stigler believes has some very big implications.

 

Dragonfly meet and greet.........by Joyce Oroz

Getting back to Barbara Scoles and her hand carved Santas..... she is planning a demonstration of carving techniques at the Dragonfly Gallery, Saturday, December 15th from 2:00 to 4:00 pm.

The gallery is showing a variety of Scole's work, including Santa earrings and ornaments plus Santas and green men plaques.
Rereshments will be served at the meet and greet.
Hope I see you there!

Trees or Trucks?......by Joyce Oroz

So, I’m sitting around with a gimpy left hand, thinking I should get in the spirit and shop for presents and write Christmas cards. All my excuses are gone—can’t stall much longer. I’m driving again, I write with my right hand and a credit works very well with a right-handed swipe. What am I waiting for? And then it hits me.

The Tree!

That is the first step into the season of joy. My husband will accompany me to the local hardware store parking lot (dragging both feet) where the trees are thick and nicely shaped into unnatural cones. Once we begin looking, the looking never stops—even though I spotted the one I want in the first two minutes. He looks for things like size, price and freshness. I rely on my intuition. It’s the emotional attachment between me and the tree that counts.

Even though I love Charlie Brown, as an adult, I could never settle for a Charlie Brown Tree. I have too many ornaments.

I grew up in the middle of a forest with a family of wolves—I mean hunters. My family loved to hunt for the perfect Christmas tree. After a refreshing hike through damp, rotting leaves, we would see our pray, a humble, trembling little redwood tree that looked anemic on one side and pathetic on the other.

As proud hunters, my brother and sister and I would tug-a-war with the cut tree as we tried to be the one to bravely drag it home.

I think Josephine would handle Christmas in a different way. She would let the little tree live. Why waste decorations on the tree when you have a red truck?

I’m starting to feel joy—hope you are too!

Rebuilding With Love........by Joyce Riley

Presenting another beautiful poem by Joyce Riley, written after 9-11

In the wake of disaster, in the face of despair
Let us rebuild our faith prayer upon prayer.
Let us clear away anger with the strength of a squad
For, happy are those, whose help is of God.
Though great walls have crumbled, our foundation is there.
Even now we are building, prayer upon prayer.
Standing firm on a rock beneath shadows of
The heros of autumn, we are building with love.
In the wake of our love, we will find peace is there,
So, let us keep loving and living each prayer.
Happy the heart, where love does not cease;
And, happy the mind, which comes forth in peace.

Just G's Boutique lights up the town........by Joyce Oroz

 

 

Are you ready for an immersion into glitzy-edgy apparel from planet Morgan Hill? You know, the little burg south of San Jose that used to be a one-horse, one-dog, too-chicken to be a real town, place. Anyway, it turned into a beautiful bustling city a few years ago when I wasn’t looking, and is the perfect spot for Gina Andrade’s new Boutique.

ginaorozandrade@yahoo.com

“Just G’s Boutique” is open Tuesday through Saturday.
You’ll find it in the center of town at 17367 Monterey Street,
      Morgan Hill.

 Keep your sunglasses handy until you have had time to acclimate into the glitz.

Yes, shopping can be fun. Bring your friends, try on some bling and ask Gina to sing—I mean, show you around. Start with a new hat, jacket, jeans, boots or a purse. Maybe some jewelry for you or for someone on your Christmas list?        

Don't forget Ladies Night Out,   December 6, 5pm to 9pm,

                                                  Morgan Hill

Dragonfly Artist for December......by Joyce Oroz

 

 

It is only natural that Barbara Scoles is our “Dragonfly Gallery Artist of the Month” for December, even though we love and admire her Santas all year round. Barb and I grew up together in the woodsy San Lorenzo Valley. Who knew that she would one day turn trees into Santas and green men? I asked her how she creates such beautiful Santas. Here is her answer.

 

I have been carving for over 15 years and showing my work at woodcarving shows and galleries for the past six years. I have always loved Santa and my goal is to combine a loving face and wonderful beard with a rich gown or costume. The animals that gather by Santa and his gifts reflect his loving and whimsical nature.
Each piece takes about 40 to 60 hours. The primary wood I use is Basswood from the Linden tree and the paint is acrylic. Once the drawing is done, the real work starts. This is great fun to have chips flying and the Santa personality taking shape in solid form. The wood is band sawed to the proper size and then the large chisel's and mallet come into play. This is time-consuming and hard work. I am usually able to complete the entire piece out of a single piece of wood, and hide things in the carving for people to find later...  

My husband has become involved with Sea Otters in the Monterey Bay. He has become an expert as he studies, photographs, and talks about the otters. It seemed natural that I would start adding them to my Santas. I love the result.

My favorite comment is when people say they never put their Santas away after the holidays. They become a part of the family and their home. My pieces are in private collections throughout the U.S. and Canada.

I love the 'Green man'. He is the original gift giver as he brought spring. He is one of the most frequently recurring and beautiful motifs of medieval art. Also known as God of the Woodlands, some think he represents the spirit of the trees and the green and growing things of the earth. Common among the oldest churches and cathedrals in Europe he is also referred to as the foliated mask.

Thank you Barbara.

Barbara is a true master of her craft. She researches, designs, carves and paints beautiful Santas—each one uniquely dressed, bearing gifts such as kittens, puppies, otters, birds, bears and toys.

Scoles invites you to visit the Dragonfly Gallery, 389 Blohm in Aromas, where you can see her creations on display, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, 10:00 to 4:00. The gallery will be open Fridays from 1:00 to 6:00 until December 21^st for your shopping convenience.

Hand Carved Wooden Santas

831-726-2457

www.BarbaraScoles.com

www.reasonstobelieve.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flinging Flaming Nuts........by Joyce Oroz

 

Thought I would share a letter I wrote this morning.

 

Hi AR,

I hope your Thanksgiving went well. You would have acquired a few grey hairs at ours—I’m sure I did. Thank goodness Cindy and Mindy were here. Wendy decided to toast her pecans in the toaster oven for a casserole she was working on. The kitchen was stuffed with people making mashed potatoes, gravy and salads.

Wendy checked on her pecans and discovered they were on fire. She opened the little glass door, grabbed the hot metal tray and threw it on the floor. Flaming nuts went in all directions.

Mindy began stomping them out with her shoes. I grabbed my good (for company only) hand towel and whapped the rest of the flames out while twenty-something people laughed and talked on the back deck—oblivious. The wood floor is OK and Wendy insists her three fingers are not too badly burned. She put honey on them—great cure!

Wendy said that the first thing she thought of when she saw fire was that the cabinets would catch and then everything would go.

Flinging flaming nuts on the floor is probably one of those instinctive impulses that are exacerbated by too much holiday fun in a crowded kitchen.

Art’s new toaster-toy will probably make it’s shameful way to the dump—unless we learn how to use it safely. I wonder what we did with the directions?

It’s another beautiful day, hope you enjoy it.

We woke up this morning to a sink full of ants. We were too exhausted last night to finish the dishes and clean up. We had a lot of help but still left a mess in the sink.

Hugs from a harried grandmother,

Joyce  

 

 

Thanks for the ride...........by Joyce Oroz

                              

 

 

When I was a young mother of three I told myself that life would be easier, later. When the children were teenagers I told myself life would be quieter, later.

When the children had children of their own I told myself life would be simpler, later.

Now that I am older and wiser, life is easier, quieter and simpler—except on the holidays and I’m thankful for that. This Thanksgiving every inch of my house will be covered in babies, kids and teenagers—not to mention their parents and friends. The walls will quiver but the foundation will hold.      

Another poem by Joyce Riley

 

September
There’s a touch of autumn in the air,
Not much but it is there,
Soothing a sun parched land.
There’s a ripple in the trees.
Tired leaves are touched
And tinted by a gold tipped hand.
October
The painter’s hand is crimson, now.
Transforming leaves and boughs
From a dusty green to gold and umber.
Frost turns the landscape into flame
And game obeys an urge
Awakened from its slumber.
November
There’s a touch of winter in the air,
Not much, but the trees are bare
And geese have flown from sight
Now, where the picnic table stood
Fire wood is stacked and ready
To give us warmth and fire light.
December
Autumn’s story, now completed,
Will, in time, be repeated.

                              

 

 

 

 

 

Holiday Art Festival.....by Joyce Oroz

 

Saturday, Nov. 17 and Sunday, Nov. 18 -10am to 4pm

with special preview priviledges for
AHA members only at 9:30 both days.

A wonderful sampling of original art,
created by Aromas Hills Artisans,
will be displayed under one roof at the
Aromas Grange, corner of Rose and Blohm.
It is the perfect opportunity to

fill your gift list with artistic treasures.

The AHA Guild will be offering a wide variety
of mediums; paintings, prints, photography,
ceramics, jewelry, quilts,
wooden products and much more, all there
to help you choose that special holiday gift!

No matter what the weather, you can stroll through this
wonderful selection of local artists’ work and then take time
out to sit by the fire and talk to the artists themselves, have
a cup of hot cider and learn how the art was created.
Homemade cookies and other goodies will also be for sale.
What a wonderful, enjoyable way to support your AHA friends
and neighbors and fill your Christmas list at the same time.

The Aromas Hills Artisans numbers are growing. The group
meets at the Aromas Grange the first Wednesday night of each month 7pm to 9pm. Folks who
appreciate art are encouraged to join the group. Membership is only $25.00 per year.

 

See you at this year’s Holiday Art Festival       
for more information, call – Linda- 7261786

 

 

 

Abby, the Abert's Squirrel..............by Joyce Riley

 

When Abby, the Abert’s Squirrel,
Knocked at the kitchen door,
Grandma gave her a peanut.
Soon, Abby was begging for more.
“One peanut, two peanuts, three peanuts, four.
“You’ve had enough,”
But Abby still begged for more.
Grandma sighed and said, “Oh, well,”
And, soon, the porch was covered with shells.
One morning, while Grandma was sleeping,
Abby knocked on her window to say,
“Get up, get up, you sleepy head
“It’s time to feed me today.”
So, Grandma went out on her two bare feet,
To give little Abby her morning treat.
But, out on the porch,
Right before her eyes,
There were three baby squirrels,
What a big surprise.
One peanut, two peanuts, three peanuts, four.
“I’ll have to go out and buy some more.

 

Abert’s squirrels live in the mountains of Arizona.
Peanuts are not their natural diet
But, as Grandma found out, they do love them.
Their main diet comes from ponderosa pine trees.
Abert’s squirrels eat seeds from the cones, bark from tender branches
And pollen from dried cones.
They also sleep and their nests in the ponderosa pines.

What Our Pets Know............by Joyce Oroz

 

Animals have it made. Their people make the rules, but if a rule is broken—such as a puddle on the floor, claw marks on the drapes or a chewed-up slipper—all is soon forgiven. After all, how much does a little dog or cat understand about the great big world?

As up-right, up-tight thumb-toting creatures, people are the only ones capable of figuring out how to survive in a complex world, and we have gobs of electronic apps to prove it. We motorize, harmonize, polarize, synchronize and subsidize. We fuss, stress and overreact on a regular basis while our pets keep a cool head.

Ironically, it’s our pets who make us smile, bring our blood pressure down and teach us the real laws of nature—respect, thankfulness, joy and peace. They have it, we want it. Just by being around our pets, we learn how to be better people.

If you don’t have a pet to love, just contact your local SPCA. They have a variety of dogs and cats who are willing and able to give you their respect, thankfulness and unconditional love.

 

 

Shelter Art Foundation photos from 11/3/2012 of some of the adoptable animals at Monterey County Animal Services.  Save a life – adopt!

 

Interested in an animal? Please contact MCAS directly at 769.8850.  Need more info about the animal? Go to MCAS animal search page   http://mtyhd.org/manager/animalSearch/

These great photos and others like them may be viewed, commented on, liked and shared at the www.facebook.com/shelterartfoundation page.

 Interested in helping? We would love to have you! Photographers, editors, animal wranglers, public relations and marketing.

 Thank you to our WONDERFUL volunteers!!!

 Photographer/ Editor/Wrangler: Peggy Harris Cardona (MC Environmental Health)

Photographer: David Graham (MC Probation)

A Poem by Joyce Riley

 

 

AUTUMN MUSINGS
By Joyce Riley
I am sorry to see October go,
To look ahead at rain and snow,
To see another red leaf falling
And hear the last, late bluebird calling.
I’m sorry for our garden bed,
For frost on roses and pumpkin heads,
For shorter days and longer nights,
Our stove’s voracious appetite.
Still, there is much to be grateful for:
A cord of wood outside our door,
A fire in the fire place,
A cozy bed, a warm embrace,
Soon, the silence of snowflakes falling,
The telephone, a neighbor calling.
When November slips from sight
I will settle down to read and write,
Remembering that winter brings,
The promise of another spring.

 

Spooky!...........by Joyce Oroz

Thrill the World Dance

 

These days, when you tell someone they look like a zombie it is usually taken as a compliment—unless it’s Myrtle in the morning before she colors her cheeks.

Many of our youth want to look ragged, pale, sad and desperately tired—or even dead, while older folks strive to look perky, well-dressed and good for a few rounds of golf.

 

Did the zombie-look start because of Michael Jackson and his Thriller dance?

 

Our local children swarm into Santa Cruz each year around Halloween, dressed in rags and made up like hideous zombies. Cooper Street is closed to traffic, the music starts and all ages of youth dance to Jackson’s “Thriller” in the middle of the street. Obviously they have practiced the moves everyday for years—probably at Myrtle’s house. The event is over in six minutes—time to go to the Saturn Café and become a flash-mob doing another six minutes of dancing to “Thriller.”

Artist of the Month--November..........by Joyce Oroz

The Dragonfly Gallery in Aromas is proud to announce the “Artist of the Month” for November, Kay Walters, a distinguished fuser of glass and jewelry maker. As an exceptionally talented AHA member and very nice lady, Kay answered my questions with enthusiasm.

 

Joyce: “Kay, please tell us about yourself and your lovely work.”

I moved from Big Sur to North Monterey County 20 years ago. I live with my miniature horses, and rescued dogs and cats.

My interest in glass started when I was a glazier in San Diego. I replaced the glass in broken windows and doors on new housing projects. I cut many sheets of glass in those days.
Around 10 years ago, I started fusing glass. I purchased a small kiln and fused up a storm. Of course, that led to a larger kiln; for awhile. Now I have 4 kilns of various sizes and shapes.
I have played with pottery and sculpting, painted on silk, painted with encaustics (wax), among other arts, but am passionate about fusing glass.
The colors pull me in and I never know exactly how a glass project will turn out. That makes it fun. I start with sheets of fusing glass, frit (various sizes and small pieces, from powder to small chunks), stringer (strings of glass), and dichroic glass (the most expensive glass, derived from space technology and made in a vacuum).
I lay out the combinations of glass and heat it in a kiln up to 1700 degrees. (Usually 1500 degrees is plenty. Some pieces are heated more than once to created depth. Some pieces are heated again to slump them into molds for bowls, etc.
Nature gives me endless ideas for fusing glass: trees, oceans, creatures.
Yes! I am Mad For Glass!!!

Glass Madness!

What is this Glass Madness that has captured my soul?
It is the myriad of colors: reds, yellows, greens, cobalt blue, mauve, violet, that light up my spirit.

It is the joyous process of combining translucents, opaques, dichroics, iridescents, frits, and stringers for my inspirations.

It is the magic of the glowing, flowing, fusing process. The kiln melting the glass into a white-hot taffy-like material, the molecules connecting.

Then! After each individual artwork ever so slowly cools, it presents itself to me; inspiration for new visions that beg to be brought into the world.

Yes! Yes! Yes! Glass Madness guides my spirit and passion of creating!

Kay Walters has worked as a massage therapist for twenty-four years.

Right now she has a fine display of glass creations at the Dragonfly Gallery, 

380 Blohm Ave., Aromas, CA 95004

 Open10:00 to 4:00 Tues. thru Sat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Fall Story........by Myles Laurin

 

 

Intentional Friends

 

The leaves are starting to fall off the trees.

On this tree there is one leaf left.

All of the other trees are evergreen trees.

So they tease the balding trees.

This tree wants to keep it's last leaf.

Then the wind starts to blow!

So the leaf hangs on to the tree so it wont blow away.

The leaf and tree become good friends, they tell jokes all winter long

like;.... 'make like a tree and leaf!'

but the jokes could not be too funny or the leaf would fall off.

At the end of winter the leaf started to get old and crackly.

On the first day of spring the leaf fell, it started to twirl in the air.

The wind took the leaf and carried it all the way around the world and then the leaf came back to the tree.

The tree was overjoyed to see the leaf again!

When the leaf saw the tree again, it became green and then the leaf grabbed the tree and never let go.

The end.

 

By Myles Laurin.

A Community Celebrates..........by Joyce Oroz

 

Please join us in celebration
November 3^rd

A very special community has supported its library by coming together and producing an attractive mural on the outside walls of the historic building. Aromas is the community and the Aromas Hills Artisans are the painters who created the lovely country scene. Characters from five favorite children’s books float on imaginary clouds above golden hills, a meandering river, fields and trees and two children reading in the shade of an apricot tree. Leading up to the library entrance are colorful flowers painted by local children, patrons of the library.

The work is finally finished—all that is left is to celebrate the coming together of library patrons, painters, donors, Monterey Free Library officials, property owners and art-lovers.

The celebration will be on November 3^rd, first Saturday of the month, 1pm to 3pm and includes refreshments. We came together for the planning, supporting and painting—now let’s celebrate the completion of our successful library project.

Why do girls like horses?..........by Joyce Oroz

 

My question for today is: do all girls love horses? Dah! Even my own personal survey says, yes, but it might be slanted since I was once a girl who loved horses. When I try to sort this out, it seems like with our cowboy—cowgirl history, it’s an American tradition to love horses. We grew up watching westerns. We grew up watching Dale Evans, and we passed the horse-loving gene to our daughters and granddaughters.

 

Dale Evans, the singing cowgirl, is an American icon, a woman who rode horses, sang with horses and inspired little girls with her movies and TV show. She was an author, a movie star, a singer a song-writer and an advocate for children.

Dale was born on Halloween, 1912 and died February 7, 2001. She married Roy Rogers in 1947 after working with him in movies for three years.

 

Dale Evans was California Mother of the Year 1967

Texan of the Year 1970

Cowgirl Hall of Fame 1995

Cardinal Terrence Cook Humanities Award 1995

And has 3 stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

16 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren