Rest In Peace, George Jones

Today, we lost one of country music's biggest stars... the amazing George Jones.

One of my absolute favorite songs of his, is this one;
 George Jones - LIVE "He Stopped Loving Her Today" (Courtesy of "The Ronnie Prophet Show".)
I'm listening to it while writing this and getting emotional. Which I always do, when I hear this song.
But now it has a much deeper meaning.

I met George in the late 70's and was fortunate enough to hang-out with him a few times.

Here we are in front of his bus, going into the Palomino Club, in North Hollywood, where he was performing. The other man is our friend, a Kenny Rodgers look-alike.

A bunch of people piled into the bus and drove to Vegas after the show, to hang-out with Johnny Paycheck and Willie Nelson, but I had stuff to do and couldn't go. Dang it!

Looking at this picture, I realized that I still have those boots!! Since 1978! Man, they don't make footwear like they used to.

This picture looks kind of artsy, but it's just a screw-up. My scanner has a mind of it's own and keeps wanting to scan it as an "illustration" instead of a photograph. Grrr!
I love this picture, because I can still hear him saying, "You're not gonna blackmail me with this, are you?" :) Such a funny and great guy! A true country gentleman.

His nickname, "Possum" was because his eyes were so close together and his nose was pointy. :)
One of my favorite stories about him, is that his wife hid his car keys from him, because she didn't want him to go out drinking. He showed her! He got on his John Deere tractor and drove to the bar!!

I guess he's singing with Tammy now. She also left us much too soon.

Rest In Peace, George and Tammy. You will be missed by many. But your music will live on and on. You are loved. ~ ~


George Jones and Tammy Wynette, "Golden Rings". (Courtesy of, "MyJustified".)



There are SO many things to love!
I love "Followers" and comments too!
Thank you.



Signing off for now,
gabriele

We Love Wrestling

I asked the grandbrats to pose for me, so that I could get a cute picture.

That didn't last long.

When you've got two Jiu Jitsu champions in the house, things can turn on a dime.

                                                                                 



                                                 
                                  Sometimes even the three year old wants to get in on the act.



                                                   


                                                                  I love these brats!!!!
                                                         
                                                     (And my other two, if you're reading this!!)

                                                                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~





There are SO many things to love!
I love "Followers" and comments too! Thank you.
What I DON'T love, is how the last picture, etc. lined up!
Can't figure out how to fix it and It's driving me a little nuts.
(And I can't afford that.)



Signing off for now,
gabriele

Bokeh, Baklava And Super Raw Life Magazine

This "Apple Baklava" was made for three reasons. #1. I wanted some. #2. I wanted my new buddy, the fabulous photographer, Shawn Carrasco to taste it. (He'd never had a raw dessert before.) #3. I wanted to learn how to photograph using the 'bokeh' technique (out-of-focus areas).


                                        

Shawn gave me a photography lesson and this was my first attempt.

Heeere we go...

 Bokeh, baby!!




                                        
                                      Gimme some!




                                        
 Oh, yeaaah!!

    

 

    

   

    

 Wheeeee.

    

    Please bear with me here...

      

 I couldn't decide which photos to choose.

     

So I pretty much chose them all.

      

      

      

     

Shawn showed me how to use a different setting to make the photos lighter. SO much to learn!!

      

By the way, this thing was SOOO dang good!!!!

 This is my favorite magazine of its kind, "Super Raw Life Magazine".  I'm in this issue! (Yay me!!)

                                                     
Here's the silk scarf I painted for, Founder/Editor in Chief of "Super Raw Life Magazine", my friend, Michele Marie Jeppson. I looove that magazine! (And her!!)
Here she's wearing the scarf at the "Sundance Film Festival". How cool is that?!! :)




                                            
I'm in this issue too!! :)

Here's a link to the magazine.

You can download the current and past issue of Super Raw Life magazine for
free at www.superrawlife.com

This issue features friend, Chef BeLive, the awesome raw food chef!!!!

 Don't know this dude, but if I wasn't happily married and older than dirt, I'd probably like to.

This is the issue that has the "Apple Baklava" recipe in it. That delicious recipe is by, Cherie Soria.

I love that I know all of these wonderful people and that I'm learning so much from their talents! Raw food recipes, photography techniques, how to be great friends long-distance... and so much more!

Thank you for allowing me to feature you in my blog!!

~~~~

                                     



                                             
Hey!! Hands off the Baklava, Shawn!!!! ~





There are SO many things to love!
I love "Followers" and comments too!
Thank you.




Signing off for now,
gabriele

The Blue Bathing Suit

Many, many years ago, I lived in a place that didn't have air conditioning. In the summer months and the sweltering heat, the only way I could keep cool and semi-comfortable, was to wear a bathing suit all day.

On one such day, my little girls were at their father's house and I had a date that night. In late afternoon I was really uncomfortable from the heat, so I laid down on the couch, with a little fan pointed at me... and promptly fell asleep.

When I woke up it was already dark, but I could see the little orange light from my boyfriend's cigarette, glowing in the kitchen. I found my way over to him and gave him a kiss. His mustache grazed my upper lip.
My boyfriend did not have a mustache.
To this day I don't know why I didn't panic. Here I was, in the dark, with a stranger... but I was calm.

When he started talking, it was obvious that he was drunk, or high, or both. I can't remember what he said, but he talked for a long time. Just babbling, slurring his words. I answered when I could. But the words I will never forget him saying are, "Girls like you shouldn't live.".
It was time for me to make a move!

I told him that I wished I had a drink, but that I didn't even have any beer, hoping I could talk him into offering to go and buy some! As luck (and his drunken stupor) would have it, he said that he had some bourbon in his car and did I want him to go get it. Yes please!!
As soon as he went outside, I locked the door behind him...
And for the first time, I turned on the light.

Now I was shaking and my heart was racing! I called the operator to please connect me to the police, it was an emergency! She gave me the number and said I had to dial it myself. I called the number, but it was busy! There was no 911 in those days, and if the line was busy, it was busy. When I finally did get through, she had to transfer me!!
By then he was banging on the door and yelling! The door had a big glass window and I was afraid he would break it and force his way in!

The police finally came and took him into custody. I didn't see it, I heard it. I stayed inside.
I didn't want to see his face.

One of the police officers came inside and and told me that the guy thought he was at his ex girlfriend's house and that I was her roommate. He said that I really shouldn't press charges against him, since it was just a mistake.

Then, as he was leaving, he turned around, pointed at my bathing suit and said,
"You shouldn't dress like that."

Seriously?! In my own house?! With closed curtains?! Are you kidding me?!
Lucky for him I was meek & mild in those days and hadn't found my "voice".  ;)
Or lucky for me!! Had it been today, I'd probably be sitting in the back of that squad car!

I still think of that sometimes. I'm very proud of myself for staying so calm under pressure,
but mad for not telling that cop what he could do with his finger.


I loved that blue bathing suit.  ~ ~




There are SO many things to love!
I love Followers and comments too!
Thank you.



Signing off for now,
gabriele

Footsteps In The Snow

 I love this ethereal photograph. It's of my father's and grandfather's final resting place.

It was taken on a rainy day. With a phone. With a wet phone.

And this is my paternal grandmother's grave.

 They're in a cemetery in Europe, so I can't visit them.

But this wonderful man does! Our "angel-on-earth"!
Here he is tending to my grandmother's new grave.
We found each other years ago, on a genealogy site, when I was looking for information about my European family. (He's also the guy taking pictures with the wet phone.)

He's taken it upon himself to visit the graves... leaving flowers, candles and prayers, in my name.
Here he is tending to my father's and grandfather's grave.
(His beautiful wife goes along sometimes and takes the pictures of him. Thank you!)

This was my grandmothers grave, forgotten and hidden for many, many years.
Until our angel-on-earth found it!! He searched that huge cemetery from all sides, looking for the correct number. There was nothing! But he didn't give up! He rolled up his sleeves... and on his knees, began moving shrubbery and weeds around. And there it was!!!! 
I cried my eyes out when he sent me this picture and the great news!!
(She's since been moved to that other location.)

My father passed away before my grandfather, at the too, too young age of thirty-seven.
I can't even tell you how that breaks my heart.
My grandfather commissioned a sculptor to create that beautiful piece... a head of a weeping angel.

 I'm fascinated with the way the elements have changed its look.

 Getting darker and darker with age.

But it's all well taken care of. And they're not forgotten by me.

 I send him little love-notes to put on their graves. On those pink, paper hearts. :)





Thank you for all that you do, for my family and myself!!!! 
You have changed our lives!!!!

(He even translated all of their letters, which I couldn't read!! But that's another story for another day.)

May the angels watch over us all. ~





There are SO many things to love!
I love comments and Followers too!
Thank you.



Signing off for now,
gabriele