Yes, I know it's been a while since I've posted on this site.  Yes, we've been busy.  Yes, we're fine.  No, I don't even know where to start to catch up.  So ...

Paul has been riding his VESPA so hard that it now needs new points and some TLC to get it back up to par.  He is smitten I tell ya!  He spends an incredible amount of time researching scooters, scooter clubs, scooter paint jobs, basically all things scooters.  I imagine there will be a completely redesigned scooter sooner than later.  I'm still waiting for his post on the matter ... aren't you?

Paul has been working in the mornings on the maintenance crew at the golf course.  Then on the weekends he has been bar tending for various events such as weddings, private celebratory type parties and Sunday brunches.  He's been one busy boy.  I woke him on Sunday and he didn't know what day it was, what time of day it was, or what he was supposed to do when he woke up.  Poor guy!  

I have been doing the art thing, going to school for photography classes, attending some "how to" workshops for art business, even attended an art show opening that was a blast.  The big thing is, I redid the studio ---- new paint, new organization, new clean space --- HEAVEN!  To update on my doings, visit here.  I update the art site more often than this one these days.

Our kids are all fine! Gosh it feels great to write that with confidence. Christian's ECMO reunion is coming up and we plan to attend.  I can't wait to see all the little miracles walking around right here on earth! There are so many things to be grateful for.  

Our building project is kind of stalled right now, once again.  I have my fingers crossed that the weather will let us pick up the pace once we get dried out! It would be lovely to have the building up for the winter's work to come.  Paul could weld and we could bake clay in the kiln ... oh, the dreams!  Trying to keep the positive energy flowing .  .   . feel free to join in!

It's cold ... about 64 degrees in the kitchen.  Going to be a lovely fall though.  I have plans to stay warmly dressed, already!  The trees are beginning to change into beautiful colors.  Won't be long until we will have "leaf lookers" traveling through Elk Park.  It will be nice for the antique store business, but it does signify the beginning of a new season ... the cold one! Ugh!  Well, I will think about that another day.  (Scarlet here)

Paul's nephew, Hayden just celebrated his birthday last Saturday.  Happy Birthday Hayden!  Hayden is a hockey player and pretty much goes all over the U.S. playing hockey, thanks to his mom Janet.  Hope you had a great day, Hayden.

Paul begins reffing soccer next Tuesday.  We're looking forward to it.  It's always fun to watch the little uns, who he will be reffing.  Perfect entertainment! :-)

Well, now you're all caught up on us!  How about letting us in on you????

Happy Trails!

Paul and Cheri

It's August!

I just can't keep up! It seems like we are going double time through summer.  It's sad because I LOVE this warmer time and am dreading going into the winter.  We can definitely feel fall in the air up here. It's been in the 50's at night!  I'm not ready, but it's here any way.  *Sigh.* See the changing of the leaves? I do love autumn, just wish it went in to spring! Wouldn't that be interesting? HA!

There have been some fun things happening though.  For those of you who read the Artsymatilda.com site, some of these things will be repetitive.  But if you haven't yet read it, here's some of the new things in our lives.

 Employee appreciation dinner at Linville for the guys who keep the golf course maintained.

Best crew ever, I hear!

Golf course maintenance guys golf tournament.

What a crew, huh?

We bought an antique potter's wheel ... lots of fun and very challenging!  It totally works and gives us a fun time ... we laugh and frown a lot ... even stick our tongues out trying to make it work.

 I think this beauty has seen some years!  She has a numbered plate of 4, so that's her name.  Meet Four!

My very first thrown pot ever.  Paul's is much nicer, but I don't have a picture of it right now, sorry.  Next time!  We are experimenting with different clays and such.  It is very hard to work the treadle and the clay at the same time ... this wheel is foot/leg powered, not electricity.  Great test in multi tasking!  Not to mention perseverance and determination!

 This guy is a pretty happy fella most days.  Summer seems to make him happy too!

This came to live with us in honor of a certain some one's 50th birthday on October 1st.  But I promised to let him blog about it on his blog.  So ... when he gets around to that, you'll know everything about it!  I just want to say that when you are riding on this scooter, it makes you giggle out loud!  When Paul is on it he grins from ear to ear non stop.  It's proving to be very good for the soul.  Who knew!?!

The grandchildren have all started back to school.  A bunch of my dancer friends on facebook have gone away to college and their moms and dads are going through the emotions of all of that.  The circle just keeps on circling.  Guess we can't ask for more than that?!?

Happy Trails to all!

Paul and Cheri

Where to begin?

 The sunflowers are in full bloom now

The neighbors are having plenty of baby goats

 Mark & Janine still have the best view in the High Country.  Isn't it gorgeous in the summer?  WOW!

Spartacus!

Artemis!

And Sulu!

All the boys are doing just fine and enjoying the warm weather.

This girl came up to hang out with her dad --- they built some corn hole game boards and continued to stay occupied... and then some!

And Nina celebrated her 25th birthday while she was here ...

This young man turned EIGHT years old on August 6th!  His mom and dad took him to the NIC Hotel with a buddy of his! Lucky little boy, eh?   Happy Birthday, Christian Hall!  We love you.

We had an art show in Burnsville, NC at the Mt. Mitchell Crafts Festival and we honestly sold stuff!  It was awesome! And I am newly excited!

I now officially look like my mom.  WHEN did that happen?

Our building is progressing ... this is the way we left it.  I'll post after this week, the new look!

This sweet lady, Debbie stayed with us whilst doing an art show in Banner Elk.  What a lovely house guest!  She is definitely invited back!

Mark had a birthday!  Here are the brothers ... aren't they adorable?

They played corn hole - BIG surprise!

NOW, you're all caught up! 

Although I'm quite sure there are more details to unfold for you.

I  LOVE summer!

Happy Trails!

Paul and Cheri

Did you know??

Did you know that a seven year old boy can fill your heart with joy to the edge of bursting? 

We just had Christian here for 9 days!  He represented the final guest in a 3rd week of house guests for the Glover house.  Now, we get ready for the art show in two (GULP!) days.  There is a lot happening, and we have a lot to catch you up on.  But we will save it for the next post, as there is little time to spare as we enjoy the warm weather, celebrate the miracle of life, and get ready for all the next phases we are anticipating!

Happy Trails to you all!

Paul and Cheri

Off and running .....

We've had a house guest around here ....

NINA ... turned 25 on Saturday!  So, of course we had a bit of a birthday dinner ...

 Black and white sesame encrusted sashimi tuna by Chef Mark

 Daddy's little girl ...

matching dimples :-)

 Nuts, I tell you!

 The beautiful Janine with the Nut Job, Paul.

 The rest of the spread ... fruit salad, green salad, steamed green beans, butter and parsley potatoes, curried chicken salad with croissants. 

And the boys .... !!! Sir Paul & Chef Mark

 Red Velvet cake with to-die-for cream icing ...

And, yes, she managed to blow out ALL the candles! 

And because Mark's 52nd birthday is next Monday, we were conserving the candle purchasing and honoring his big day!  We had fun, even if we are old fogies.  Nina giggled ... a lot.  It was a good day for all of us.

Nina and I managed to visit a great art show.  (see http://www.artsymatilda.com/ for our day!)  We also lunched at the Owl and the Monkey in Banner Elk.  It's a new veggie restaurant and it was quite good.  Give it a try if you're in Banner Elk!  It's right next door to where the theater used to be on the side street by the Post Office.  We have seen Harry Potter (Nina is a HUGE ~ understatement ~ Potter fan), we've eaten sushi at Miso in Johnson City.  We played spades one night and I WON!  (First time E.V.E.R. and I am SO proud!)  Nina and her dad have played tennis, golfed, shopped at thrift and antique stores, helped move stuff around in the shoppe, helped moved stuff around in the Glover House, and have had all kinds of ridiculous and other types of discussions.  Those two are making corn hole game boards and bean bags now.  Paul has been mourning the loss of the corn hole game since our neighbors moved out last August.  SO ... as you can tell, lots of activity and bustling around here!  We've been having dinner on the veranda because it's cooler outside than inside in the evening.  Summer!  AHHHHHHHH.  *LOVE*

I love this photo:

It looks more fun in person ... our friend, hairdresser and housekeeper, Beckye has this green bug.  She parks it by Paul's green Saab.  It stops traffic on our street - literally!  (small town, you know) FUN!

Nina has to go home on Thursday.  Our Christian arrives Friday.  Then our play list for the next week will look entirely different, I'm sure.  However, we will be celebrating yet another birthday.  Mark turns 52 on Monday, which we will celebrate on Sunday I bet.  Christian will be turning 8 years old! His birthday is actually August 6, but we will celebrate here before he leaves.  Can't wait!  Bet we don't have red velvet cake for this one! HAHA!

I'm still volunteering at the weaving room on the Crossnore School campus.  It is great! And it keeps me around weaving so I won't forget how to do it!  I'm still in progress on painting the furniture in the bathroom.  I will certainly post it when I finally finish the task.  Chalk Paint is awesome, in case you don't know.  There is a photo of the beginning of the project on the artsymatilda site.  Amazing stuff, I tell you!

Wrapping it up for now.  Too much to do to continue babbling on!  Have two shows coming up and company continuously this month!  Wwwwwwwwwweeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

Happy Trails!

Paul and Cheri

Amendment to Paul's Pottery

Apparently Sir Paul had an exclusive determination for this teapot that I was not aware of ... therefore, let me correct this post haste.

 This side is for tea with cinnamon rolls

And this side is for tea with pie :-)

And now you know!

Cheers!

Paul (written by Cheri)

Paul's Pottery

Our teacher (Patti Conner Greene) says pottery, as it stands, has not changed in about 10,000 years.  That is, until Paul began pottery.  His creations are clever, unique, unusual and fabulous.  Here are a couple of his newer pieces.  FABULOUS!

 Hand built tea pot.

And some of the more unique creations from Paul ...

 A scuba diving fish! Brilliant!

A box tortoise! such detail!

So, now you know about Paul's pottery!  Right now with his work schedule he only gets to attend class every other week.  It's not as much fun in the class without him ... and the ladies who we take class with (and the one fella) miss him always and ask about him without fail.  Paul's work is proof positive that the outcome of a 10,000 year old tradition can be approached from all directions!

As for me, I am in the "same ole, same ole" category. But I have fun and enjoy the whimsy of no boundaries.  In all my years as a dancer, there was only one RIGHT way to do anything.  Now my instructor is constantly saying "it's really up to you", "you can do it anyway you'd like" ... stuff like that.  It's freeing in a way I've never known in art!  And it has seriously broadened my horizons!  Thanks, Patti!

There are a go-zillion things going on around here ... we are busy with life.  It's lovely.  As far as I know, our kids and their kids are fine.  Everyone is healthy.  Everyone has work and a home with transportation and food and faith.  The cats are all healthy ... there are brand new baby goats in the field next door (gosh, they are CUTE!) The flowers are blooming and the weather is typically summer here, with sun and rain and mist and fog.  There are cherries on the trees!  The garden is coming along and we should have some things to harvest soon.  The high country mountains are crawling with tourists this weekend as the Highland Games are here.  It is a much anticipated event and the county needs the revenue.  So we just kind of stay in our little corner and say grace for every one's opportunity at making some money!

Mark and Janine were kind enough to donate this massive umbrella to the Glover House and we are thrilled to have it!  Now I will need to mosaic the table top so we can do the umbrella proud!

Nina arrives Thursday coming up! It will be delightful to have her around.  I'm continuing to work on inventory for the upcoming art shows.  We are adding another lady to the Clayzaics roster and there will be an update on that on the artsymatilda.com site this weekend.  We are trying our very best to move forward with the building on the side of our house.  It will be wonderful to finally get that accomplished. 

We're all good.  I can't say enough to give you a hint as to our countless blessings.  Life is good!

Happy Trails!

Paul and Cheri