All is well, don't send the St. Bernard

I have not died, nor have I been raptured and left you behind, nor have I become Amish. I have, however, moved to North Carolina, and now live in a house without an internet connection. When you're unpacking a whole house, driving out to find one of only 4 (Alas!) coffee shops in town is rather low on the list of priorities. Today I am camping out at Joe Van Gogh catching up on many emails, connecting with people to find a job, and finishing this blog, which I started last week.

Some things are different in this land of Norte Carolinia, and I have made a little list to organize a few of the more entertaining differences. If you make it to the end of the list you will also find some images from my show at the Laity lodge, which I hung one week before the big moving truck came to our door. I have been dying to share the images with you, but it seemed more important to unpack the dishes first.

Our carito rojo driving under the Durham sign

Things to know about living in the home of The Mountain Goats (listen here):

1. It rains a lot. Almost every day right now. Sometimes all day, sometimes right in the middle of the day for an hour. Regardless of when it rains it's fabulous after the drought of Texas.

2. The grey squirrel is the state mammal. No Texas red squirrels here.

3. Humidity is a real and tangible force to be reckoned with. It deserves personification.

4. Per number three my hair is curlier and a bit more frizzy.

5. Southern hospitality is alive a well. Two complete strangers stopped by this week to invite us to church.

6. Street lights are few.

7. Street signs are low and small.

8. Street names change frequently.

9. Per numbers six, seven and eight, it's pretty hard to get around. Goggle maps can't even help.

10. Limes are really expensive.

11. A Texas accent aint nothin' on a North Carolina accent. Charlotte is "Shaw-lit", tower is "tar". Hearing it makes me want to slow right on down.

12. Don't wear light blue.

13. People still smoke inside buildings.

14. Spiders are huge! HUGE!

15. Food on a biscuit is a pretty big deal roun' here.

All joking aside, I quite like Durham and all its quirkiness. Adjusting to a new place is always rather fun for me. Getting our lives in order just takes a long time. So, until the studio is up and running again, here are some promised images from the show. I was quite happy with the way it turned out. It's always so satisfying to look at all the pieces hanging together with their big fat mats and plain black frames. Thank you so much to Ginger Geyer for inviting me out, for all her work hanging, writing up statements, and making title cards.

These images are just a taste. As soon as we have internet at the house I plan on blogging on each new piece. I'll explain some of what I was thinking when I made them, and a bit about the themes of this new series. I am working on getting all the images onto my flicker, with sizes and prices for those of you interested in purchasing. The work will be on display at the Laity Lodge until the end of October. Any pieces not sold will come to North Carolina where I am looking for a space to show them.

With Gladness and Singleness of Heart

All the pieces in the new series have to do with actual memories or memories of feelings from childhood. The show is titled: "Adventurers and Adventuresses".

Help Appears to the Kingfisher Unexpectedly

Bears! No, Small Horses.