"Dear Diary..."

Christmas letter 2009

December 9th, 2009
Dear Family and Friends,
Since we finally have the technology (we bought a printer this fall), I decided I would use the snow day we’re having here to compose a holiday letter. Granted, many of you will receive it by way of e-mail rather than the “old-fashioned” way, but know that you are all in our thoughts as we slide into Christmas and 2010.
I continued to do a lot of substitute teaching in the 2008-09 school year, and the more I did, the more I enjoyed it. I find it quite curious that I especially enjoy the days I’m called for the elementary school. When I was teaching orchestra, the LAST place I wanted to be was in the elementary schools, but I realize now that it had much more to do with the scheduling of music lessons at that level than with the children. And, I’m older. Yes, really. The amount of ibuprofen I now take proves it. The reading specialist at Southern Door Elementary says I have that “oma” quality about me. At first I was a bit put out by the reference to “grandma.” But she’s right, I could easily have been a grandma by this time in my life. And I guess all those latent maternal instincts come flooding to the surface when I’m around all those children. I’m quite addicted to their hugs, and love it when they see me, and ask, “Who are you today, Mrs. O’R?” Anyway, when school ended last June, I felt a little lost for several weeks. But I had found a summer job, working at a little bead shop in Sturgeon Bay. Unfortunately, the economy has hit the Door County tourist trade quite hard, and by July, much too late in the season, I was looking for work. It was a blessing in disguise. I truly did not want to work in retail again. Been there, done that. Patrick encouraged me to use the time to explore the possibility of getting a teaching license. I called UW-Green Bay, thinking that since I had gotten my first teaching license through them, it would be easy to get an add-on license. Not so. But after considerable internet research, and a few phone calls, I found the Accelerated Licensure program at Silver Lake College in Manitowoc. We talked a LOT about it, and I finally made an appointment with an advisor.
College is very different than it was when I enrolled in the 70’s. It’s different than when I went back and finished my degree in the 80’s. Gone are the days of long lines for registration and buying books. A few clicks of the mouse, and I’m all set, and books arrive by UPS. My accelerated program allows me to continue subbing, and I attend classes on weekends, and turn in assignments online. It took some getting used to, making sure that everything was exported and formatted properly. Many of my instructors and department administrators are nuns, and I must admit I’m a bit intimidated by some of them, being the left-wing Druid that I am! The language of Education has also changed quite a bit since I was a full-time teacher, but it’s just a matter of terminology, not philosophy. I enjoyed my one Friday night and Saturday morning per month on campus. Luckily, I finished this week, just ahead of the snowstorm that keeps me home today. I was quite pleased with my progress, I haven’t forgotten how to write a research paper, and look forward to next semester. I took three classes, and will take three more, starting in mid-January. That will leave one or two classes for summer session, and one next fall. IF I can do a long-term subbing gig of at least 6 weeks in one classroom, I may use that for my “student teaching,” and would not have to be assigned to a classroom teacher, full-time, for an entire semester - and not be paid! I’m keeping my fingers crossed, burning sage, praying for pregnancies. Whatever it takes.
I have also returned to the podium, quite by accident. Last year I noticed a young woman in the parking lot at Target, and had that I-should-know-who-that-is feeling. We’ve been in Door County ten years, so sometimes when this happens, it’s hard to pinpoint the where and when. I decided I’m too old to appear threatening, so I marched right up to her car, explained my curiosity, and asked who she was. After a bit of history exchange, we discovered that she had been one of those happy campers at UW-Green Bay summer music camp, a very promising cellist, when I was “Mrs. E,” not “Mrs. O’R.” She had gone on in music, graduating from Lawrence, and was now the Director of the Door County String Academy! Small world, indeed. We agreed to keep in touch, and Lori eventually persuaded me to come work with her students as a “guest,” and to adjudicate their spring music festival of solos and ensembles. I had a ball! I had not completely forgotten how to wave a baton, and I was hooked. Her older students did not have a large ensemble component to their program, so we made one. We rehearse one Sunday afternoon per month, mostly high school students and some local adult players (including our neighbor, Peter Sherrill, on the string bass) and will “debut” next week at a holiday concert in Sturgeon Bay. You may follow our progress online, here: http://www.doorcountystringacademy.blogspot.com/
Patrick is well, and continues to amaze and delight me, with his support, good humor, encouragement, and cooking! Although there have been changes at the mill, Patrick’s job is fairly secure. We’re just happy that he still HAS a job, and each year that goes by is another year of seniority, and another year closer to retirement. The economy forces us to stay close to home, so there haven’t been any trips to relate. Last spring and late this fall, he went to his father’s, in Fort Wayne, IN, to help with seasonal projects around their home and/or lake house. Our niece, Jessica, was married this summer, and we attended a reception they held in Milwaukee, in October. It was nice to see Patrick’s sister and her husband, and Patrick’s brother. The bride’s brother, James, is in the army, stationed in Afghanistan at the moment, and our thoughts go out to him every night when we watch the news. His wife and their two adorable children were at the reception, and it was fun to see how the kids are growing and changing. Rachael, our youngest niece, was absent. But she had a good excuse - she was studying this fall semester in Ireland, at the University College in Cork. She has really enjoyed it, if her Facebook page is any indication, and there is even talk that she will go back for graduate studies after finishing her degree at U of I, Champaign-Urbana, this spring. Finishing college! Those four years certainly flew by! About the only way I can keep track of her adventures is on Facebook, so feel free to “friend” me (Patty Calkins O’Rourke) here: http://www.facebook.com/
We worried about Snickers last Spring, when he suddenly had trouble walking, getting up and down stairs, etc. A trip to our vet, dear Dr. Neil, and x-rays confirmed that he has arthritis, and after experimenting awhile with medications, he’s doing great. He even chases and plays with Spike, the little orphan cat we took in two summers ago. Spike is very vocal, very entertaining, and although he wants to keep tabs on us and be close, he’s not the “lap cat” that Thumper was. Thumper passed away this last year, after a good, long life, and I miss her terribly. But this summer we were reminded that orphans are never very far away, and they will probably always find their way to us. Twice we were visited by sweet little kittens that were looking for love, and we scooped them up and delivered them to the Humane Society’s animal shelter in Sturgeon Bay. Both were adopted soon after. Yes, we were tempted both times, but I think we’re at capacity right now, at least until I finish school. These, and other adventures, can be found on my blog: http://paporartist.typepad.com/dear_diary/
I’ve not pursued any art in quite awhile, with the exception of projects for my Creative Arts in the Classroom methods class. So I’ve enclosed this little origami Christmas tree, complete with teacher-gold star sticker, the project I used for my final.
(I’ll be honest, I was going to do a crane. But when I finished, it looked more like an airplane that had crash-landed.) Here’s hoping this finds you all well, and with bright prospects for the new year ahead.
Love,
Patty, Patrick, Snickers and Spike O’Rourke

another rescue

there I was, Saturday night, sitting on my porch, having a glass of wine, minding my own business.
suddenly, there she was.
we're used to farm and/or feral cats cutting across the property, watching us from a safe distance.
what I wasn't expecting was this sweetie, climbing up the steps to the back door, begging to go in!
Patrick picked her up, and there was instant purr, no fussing, no scratching.
he handed her to me, while he went in the house to get some food and water.
she has one "bad" eye, looks as though it was an injury, and not an infection.
but she was young, and thin, and coughing a bit, and definitely wanted help.
came to the right place.
I don't know how they know, but they know.
anyway, I called the Door Co. Humane Society, just to check their hours, thinking we would have to quarantine her somehow until Sunday or Monday.
luckily, there was someone there, taking care of orphans, and she said we could bring her in.
I braced myself as we got into the car, but she settled down on a blanket on my lap, and seemed to enjoy the ride.
never made a sound, except for that wonderful purr.
there was one empty cage in the "incoming" room of cats and adorable kittens - cage number 7.
lucky, I'd say.
if we didn't already have Snickers and Spike, I'd keep her.
will have to check back later in the week, find out how she's doing.
I love where we live...

baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and...

cars on the lawn.
one of the quirky, endearing, but sometimes frustrating parts of living where we live is the baseball games.
we live in a house, next to a church (and there are stories to be told about that, as well!), on a fairly large lot.
just shy of an acre.
and most of that acre is on the east side of the house.
behind that portion of our yard is a baseball diamond, used by the county baseball league.
and although we've lived here for nearly ten years now, there are still many people who come to the games, and assume that our yard is a public park.
the first few years were the worst - people parking in the middle of the yard, or driving across the yard to the park entrance, kids climbing in our trees, garbage strewn about, and noisy parties late into the evening after a game.
it took some "training," but now most people are respectful of the fact that this is private property.
most.
but, if I'm home on the afternoon of a home game, I do park myself on the porch early, and try to catch the first offenders from parking on the grass.
if one person pulls up onto the lawn, the rest follow suit.
one of the attractions for them are our huge maple trees along this parking area, and they like to pull under the trees for the shade.
what they don't realize is that the ground is becoming so compacted around the trees that it is causing stress for the maples, and I'm afraid we will lose them, in time.
and trees are pretty important when you're a Druid.
today, our Kolberg Braves are playing the other first place team in the league, the Egg Harbor Indians, and there's sure to be a huge, enthusiastic crowd.
I love it!
it's one of the reasons I always wanted to live in the country.
the quiet, the closeness to nature, small town, rural values, and all that.
I want the Braves to win today.
I just don't want them to park on the lawn.

summer blues

it has been an odd summer, so far.
I began a "summer job" at a cute little bead shop in May, before school ended, school ended in June, and about a week later, so did my summer job!
I may get called back in August, but that didn't help my bank balance for July.
so, I have been fighting the blues.
and, being the Queen of Making Do, I'm doing.
painting steps, gardening, cleaning, organizing, life goes on.
time at home has been nice, especially after the hectic spring, subbing almost every day those last weeks of the semester.
and it looks as if fall will be busy, whether I get called back to Acme Bead, or not.
I will sub, of course, anywhere, anything, if called.
AND, I've just been hired to conduct a string ensemble for the Door County String Academy.
it's comprised of mostly high school students, and I'm very excited.
we'll rehearse 4 or 5 times, then perform a few pieces at their December concert.
it's a trial basis, and as is the case with all non-profits, it's all about "funding."
so, now I have to dust off the baton case, start thinking about repertoire, and update not only the blog, but my Facebook page, and check to see if I still have pages on Twitter and MySpace.
need to get the word out, and drum up (no musical pun intended) support.
later,
Mrs. O'R

do you love auctions?

I especially love silent auctions, and I am participating in one right now.

the Fairfield Art Center in Sturgeon Bay, WI will be having their annual holiday fundraising gala on November 20th, from 6:30 to 9:00 pm.

besides fabulous food and wine and music (provided by my friend, Brenda!),

the evening will also feature a silent auction, with artwork donated by many Door County (and other) artists.

I created and donated a collage with the quote from my banner, "Art is not..." but I forgot to take a picture of it before I dropped it off last week!

crap.

but those of you in this area can see it (and start bidding!) NOW.

the show of auction items, in the main gallery, opened last Friday, and you may enter a bid on anything that strikes your artistic fancy anytime between now and the end of the auction on November 20th.

so even if you cannot attend the gala, you have a chance to see all the wonderful donations, and put in your bid.

gallery hours are Tuesdays through Fridays, 10 am to 5 pm, and Saturdays, 10 am to 4 pm.

hope you have a chance to stop by.

later,

Patty

my article in the Fairfield newsletter

the online newsletter for the museum came out today, so I thought I would share my article:

Latest News & Views from the Fairfield Staff:

Dear Friends,
Since starting this adventure as summer docent, I've been asked by many just exactly what a docent is, or does. In my "vintage" dictionary, the ones with all the pages that have been sacrificed for my collage pieces, the definition of "docent" is "teacher, lecturer." In more modern versions, I know it usually includes references to one who works in a museum, educating visitors about, in this case, the artwork they will see. But I'm discovering that my job goes beyond waiting for the door to open, and an opportunity to explain about the current and upcoming exhibits.

One of the most enjoyable experiences I've had during this first month is working with our youngest visitors as they explore the artwork in completion of their "Find It!" scavenger-hunt list for the monthly gift certificate drawing. It has been fun to give them hints, watch their faces light up when they know they have found another one and observe the interaction with their parents and grandparents as they talk about the colors, the textures and what they see when they look at the art. One grandmother recently told me she thought this was a delightful way to get children to "stand still for a minute and really look at something." I agree, and hope we will have more young detectives visiting in July and August. (I give really good hints, too!)

Another aspect of this job is that of travel guide. Because many of our visitors are from out of town/state/country, I am often asked directions to specific places, or if I could suggest a good place to have lunch or dinner or to shop for specific items. Since moving to Door County eight years ago, my husband and I have done a lot of exploring, and now I am pleased to be able to share those discoveries with those who ask. And there's always something new happening, or opening. I have an even better excuse now to go out for dinner; I'm doing reconnaissance for my summer job!

The remainder of my time is spent at any number of assorted tasks, pretty much whatever needs to be done at the moment. And there is always a lot to be done. I've set up chairs and tables and made coffee for special events, put labels on postcards, painted walls in the new Henry Moore Gallery, spackled, patched, dusted, sorted, proofread, stacked and counted. And the best part: I've met some wonderful people, all connected in some way with "art."

I look forward to meeting you this summer. If I'm not sitting at that little desk in the main gallery, I'll be right back. And if you, too, would like to be a docent, or volunteer in some other capacity, we need you. Just let us know, and we'll get your adventure started.

Best wishes,

Patty O'Rourke
Summer Docent

Artwork: Patricia O'Rourke, Docent Diary (work in progress)

now, I have to get to work.
later,
Patty

Mr. Toad's wild ride

well, although everything I make is crap (I say this annually, right before this show, but I get past it, don't worry), I'm feeling pretty good about the packing progress I've made.
usually, I'm up half the night before we leave, making price tags and packing up all the little odds & ends you need when you do a show, and basically live in your tent for two days.
instead, I was up half the night LAST night, doing that.
but it's done, a day ahead of my usual time, gold star for me.
and Patrick packed the car yesterday with all the tent stuff, panels, poles, weights, etc.
today will be kind of a mad dash to the finish line with everything else.
Patrick has a dental appt. in Green Bay this afternoon, and from there we go directly to Weathered Goods, for the gallery night event.
I better go finish packing, and double-check my list.
later,
Patty

what are you doing Thursday night?

(click on image to view larger version)

when pigs fly...

happened to wander over to the Flying Pig's blog this morning, and I was so thrilled to see that they have new work by one of my favorite artists, Jen Worden!
included in the post is a great explanation of the terms "mixed media," "collage" and "assemblage."
and they even mentioned me!
I am so pleased to have my artwork there, it's an incredible place.
they also have work by another new mixed media artist, Cindy Wunsch, and I'm looking forward to seeing it.
which reminds me, I need to get some new work of my own to them soon...

I was going to post more yesterday, but I just didn't have the energy for it, I guess.
it has been an odd few days here in Kolberg.
warmer temps for a couple of days caused major melting, and the huge puddle that forms every year in the middle of the yard seemed to magically appear in a matter of hours.
I call it "Lake Kolberg," and every year I say I'm going to make a sign, maybe something about no motorized watercraft, and stick it at the edge of the road, just for giggles.
haven't done it yet, but someday...
then yesterday, we awoke to - yes, believe it or not - more snow!
more frickin' snow!
Mother Nature's cruel April Fool's joke.
we were lucky that it was only about a half inch here, compared to the foot-and-a-half in the northern part of the state!
most of that has melted now, and it's supposed to hit 50 degrees in the next few days.
so strange.
and I feel as if I'm doing an emotional and physical roller-coaster thing, right along with the weather.
I had my clothes selected, the alarm set, the coffee pot ready to perk for the past three days, but no sub call came.
rather disappointing.
and I'll not be available tomorrow, we have to go to Green Bay, Patrick has a dental appt., and I may have to be the designated driver after they do whatever they're going to do to him.
Friday night, though, big-time fun.
my friend, Brenda, will be coming for a visit, staying overnight and judging a music festival event up here on Saturday.
hope we'll have some time to play, but we always have a good time, even if it's just sitting around, talking smart, drinking wine, and eating pizza.
sounds really good, right about now.
later,
Patty

"...well, it was a bit more involved than we originally thought..."

I've heard this before.
and I've heard it from Dr. Neil before.
and it always makes my heart sink a bit.
the NMS (Nervous Mommy Syndrome) kicks in.
but Spike is ok.
we drove in horrible, nasty, icy CRAP to Green Bay Monday morning, with a crying kitten and an anxious dog.
in normal weather, it would have been a bit stressful.
but when I saw the UPS truck in the ditch, I just wanted to turn around and go home.
we made it, and dropped Spike off at the vet's office for surgery, and Snickers at Golrusk, for his day at the "puppy spa."
rather than drive back home, and back again to pick them up, we opted to spend the day in town.
Patrick got a hair cut, and had an appointment with the optometrist.
we did a little shopping, mostly window shopping, including an extended visit to Barnes and Noble.
I could get lost for days in most book stores, and I always find something to add to my Wish List.
the newest entry is How to Make Books: Fold, Cut & Stitch Your Way to a One-of-a-Kind Book.
this looks like one I will have to add to my growing collection, at some point.
lots of fabulous examples and photos, with very user-friendly, fun instructions.
my kind of book.
after lunch (fantastic pizza at Cranky Pat's!), I called the animal hospital to check on Spike.
when the receptionist put me right through to Dr. Neil, I knew something must be wrong.
well, not exactly wrong, just different.
typical.
our animals always seem to be "special" in some weird (and often expensive) way.
Neil proceeded to explain that Spike's hernia was the largest one he'd ever seen - I believe he said, "largest on record."
AND, when he neutered the little guy, he could only find one testicle.
he searched all over, but couldn't find a second one.
it may make an appearance later, or perhaps not.
so, what should have been a teenie, tiny quarter-inch incision is a five-inch scar, from stem to stern, you might say.
poor baby!
we'll have to go back in 10 days to have the stitches removed, and we've had to keep him quiet, and give him pain medication every 12 hours.
it breaks my heart, but our bathroom makes a nice isolation ward, and it's only for another day or two.
Snickers (who looks and smells so much better!) and Thumper do not understand what's going on, and they don't like it one little bit.
but all will return to our version of normal soon enough.
thanks to all of you who have kept the little guy in your thoughts.
otherwise, life in Kolberg is about the same.
I put the rest of my cards on Etsy, and have gotten some more orders - gotta love that!
and although it's still cold, the sun is shining.
makes me think spring will actually arrive.
later,
Patty