SNOW DAY

Yesterday, we had the first real snow fall of the winter.

With the house – and road -- blanketed in fluffy white stuff, I spent time frolicking in the backyard with Belgium and catching up on e-mails.

An e-mail from artist Anna James came with several attachments… images of her works that capture the wonders of winter.

Anna’s photographs and Primitive Folk Art style paintings are inspired by her simple country lifestyle.
Her hand-built log home, friendly Jersey cow, boisterous flock of fowl, seasonal pumpkin patch and family of cats frequently appear in Anna’s works.


To see more, visit her online gallery at www.britewoodart.com.



*** BLOG DU JOUR ***

Matthew Kenney, one of my fellow authors at Gibbs Smith, recently posted about the First Snow in Maine. Don’t miss his gorgeous photos and wise words.

NOBAMA

On Inauguration Day, like most Americans and others all around the world, I was glued to my TV set.


On Inauguration night, like only a lucky few, I headed off for my first Inaugural Ball.

Ev and I took the metro --not a limo-- with our friends Linda and Art.

Marg Helgenberger (from the TV series Ocean Beach) and astronaut Buzz Aldrin were a few of the celebs in attendance.

Okay, it wasn't Beyonce and Bruce -- but the real celebs at the Heroes Ball were the Medal of Honor recipients, distinguished veterans and those currently serving in the military.

It was also about gowns...
And necklaces....

And hair ornaments...

And earrings...

And hats and gloves...

And dapper tuxes...
And a fabulous dessert buffet...
While not on Obama's "official" list, the Heroes Ball had always been an "unofficial official" presidential stop.

We were screened, re-screened, carefully monitored and sniffed-- and we expected both the Bidens and the Obamas to show up… eventually.As the evening wore on, it was rumored that the Obamas were very behind schedule. So the crowd continued to dance the night away.


The security dogs were catching a few z's when Ev and I headed upstairs to the lobby bar with Linda and Art in search of liquid refreshment (the ballroom bar was running dry.) The lines at the bar were mile high so we turned around to go back down the escalator.

BUT, at the security checkpoint, those trying to return to the ball were informed that we would have to wait.

The Bidens were in the ballroom and no one could go downstairs.

In the end, Obama was a no show… the the first Prez to skip it in 50- years worth of inaugurations.Despite that fact that I never saw Obama OR Biden, it’s nice to know that I will be able to look back one day and say I was part of this historic inauguration.

But all that was yesterday! Today, I can’t shake feeling like Cinderella the day after the ball.

INAUGURAL MANIA

Washington is a cynical city.

Politicians come and politicians go.

They all make promises. They all break promises. Some do more damage than others.
People who live in Washington rarely get excited about the arrival of a new administration.
Things are different in 2009.

Like most Americans, Washingtonians are obsessed with Barack Obama.

I partied when he won, but I never thought I’d be as caught up in The Inauguration as I am.

But, lately, I read every word in the newspapers about Obama, his wife, his kids, even his quest for a non-allergic dog. (FYI: According to the Washington Post, the Obamas have narrowed it down to two breeds -- labradoodles and Portuguese water dogs.)
My cousin Suzanne, who lives in London, came to town earlier this week to deliver a scientific paper. She also had a bit of free time to go sightseeing – and do some souvenir shopping.

This was the perfect excuse to check out the latest Inaugural Offerings, while I continued my search for the perfect outfit to wear to the Inaugural Ball.

Everywhere we went, you could get everything from Inaugural Dishtowels to Presidential bobble head dolls.

At Union Station, a Japanese newscaster asked a shop owner if the weak economy was hurting her sales.

Judging by the lines to buy inaugural memorabilia, my guess is that Obama has already put the economy on the track to recovery.
Tomorrow night, this Cinderella is off to her first Inaugural Ball— and you’re invited, too! I plan to take lots of photos.

What will I be wearing?

In addition to my mother's vintage rhinestone necklace and a pair of dazzling earrings, I've chosen a floor length black taffeta skirt with flounces and a flower in the same fabric. It was love at first sight.
The skirt was on a dummy and turned out to be the only one in the store.

I checked the tags and when it turned out to be the right size, I begged one of the salesclerks to undress the mannequin and let me have it!

Choosing a ball-worthy top was tougher. The top options were either too much fabric (too hot) or too skimpy.

I ended up buying two 2-piece sets because I like the satin cami from one and the lacy cover-up from the other.

While Suzanne and I were shopping for collectibles, I bought one more thing to wear tomorrow night … an Obama pin.
I have a feeling, it’s going to be VERY cold in the wee hours of the morning when I dance the last dance and head for home. The pin will come in handy to fasten my scarf!