Birthday inspiration

To celebrate my birthday, my sister Patty and I went to visit my favorite art museum today- The McNay. It's a beautiful Spanish style mansion that was originally the home of the woman whose impressive art collection remains in the museum. Many impressionist works are a part of the permanent collection, and now a huge contemporary wing has been added. These are a couple of photos of the interior courtyard. I had my white balance setting set wrong, so they're a bit blue, but maybe you can see how beautiful it is.


The McNay has my most favorite Monet waterlily painting, several good Gauguins, a gorgeous Pissaro, oh... wonderful things. The contemporary wing had an extensive exhibit of Edward Gorey's work. I got a bit of a crick in my neck (that's fancy Chiropractor terminology) tipping my head back so I could see his tiny, exquisite pen and ink work through the lower third of my tri-focals. Aging is not for sissies, my friends.
On our way out, we bought chunky bracelets in the museum gift shop. We plan to swap them back and forth every few weeks. Mine says Believe In Yourself. Patty's says Explore. Dream. Discover. Hey, it doesn't hurt to be reminded, right?
Now Patty's come over and is starting a new landscape painting at the easel next to mine. I'm going to continue working on the mother-and-daughter-at-the-beach painting I started on Wednesday. This is a good day. If you're going to get older anyway, why not look at beautiful things, try to make a few of your own, and seek out good company along the way?
Let me hear you say Amen.