She trudged up the hill. The windows were so filthy she couldn't see anything inside. She walked slowly around and around the house; walked to the front door, tried the handle, but just couldn't bring herself to push and open. With a sigh she stepped back and whispered, "let it be", and turned away. Next year she would return, and again come to this area, "just to see if it was still there".

The art and the people are great, and I sincerely recommend attending whatever outdoor art festivals/shows are in your bailiwick. I have some solo shows coming up in the near future, and I'd love to meet you at one of them if at all possible. These solo shows are listed below.

All summer she returned to see if this strange effect was still happening, and it did, every day. She decided not to tell anyone or bring anyone to this magical place for fear of being made fun of. She kept it to herself, and when the summer was over and she had to return to school in the city; she knew she would keep this secret forever in her heart.

"There they are all right", he muttered to himself. He picked one up from the ground and cut it open. It was a strange looking fruit, like a cross between a grapefruit and an orange, and maybe another something, he thought. Then he bit into it, and suddenly the world changed into bazaar colors and sounds and rhythms. He fell onto the grass, delirious with strange and wonderful dreams. He was finally awakened with a gruff nudge. He opened his eyes to see a strange man standing above him. "You all right?" he said. "Yes, yes, I'm O.K." and he struggled to his feet, groggy and stiff but otherwise in good shape. "I guess I ate something that didn't agree with me", he said, brushing his clothes off. "Thank you, for helping me". John took one last look at the trees before grabbing his backpack and walking away. His grandfather had played one last joke on him. "I guess I deserved it", he thought resolving not to tell anyone in the family what had happened to him.

She sat down on a patch of grass and with her binoculars scoured the earth that lay before her. She could make out the vegetation that formed the various colorations. It was so interesting to her; she sat there for hours ruminating on life, love and all the universal questions of man. The hours drifted before her until she realized she should move on with her hike and her life. She would come back tomorrow. There was always "tomorrow".

The will would be read and she hoped her father hadn't cut her out. She wanted something for being born, something for all the hardships she endured, something for the life that was so tormented. Possibly some of his millions would gloss over the past and she could forgive him. The will would be read after the funeral. Until then she had to put up with everything and everyone. She said a silent prayer as she traveled "Long Road Home".

"Repulse Bay" - I had the opportunity to visit Hong Kong last year and took many photographs with the idea of preserving my visions in oil on canvas, and "Repulse Bay" was one of my many lovely memories. I hope you like seeing it through my eyes.

"Cherry Blossom TIme" - Japan was a fabulous trip. Full of history, mystery and sushi. I loved visiting the temples, the mountain hide-a-ways, wandering through the myriad of shops in Tokyo, and, of course, this scene of Mt. Fuji was one of my major delights. I could never capture it with the wonder of first experience, but I hope you can imagine the beauty of this part of the world. The only thing I would not recommend is the Japanese breakfasts. They eat the same thing for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Rice, Fish and Soup. I need my Cheerios in the morning!

"Ballooning" - I had a disturbing dream where I was on a mountain top with my family and we were trying to grab the strings of the balloons which were floating above our heads. We wanted to get off the mountain top and we knew if we could grab onto the balloon strings they would take us to safety. They were all around us, but we couldn't quite grab their strings. Try as we might, we just couldn't connect. I don't know if we ever got off the mountain top, 'cause the alarm rang and I woke up.

In the light of the full moon it is said that their ghosts are seen on opposite cliffs of the waterfall, arms outstretched in yearning.

I didn't have to look at a photograph to paint this picture. The memories are so riveted in my sub-conscious that I just began painting and improvising and after much trial and error...out came "The Falls"! Amazing what you can squeeze out of your memories/imagination when you open the gate and let them out and then play with them.

"Spring Thaw" - Painting is a pilgrimage - a journey into the mystery of creation and, through that sacred path, ultimately a journey into the deepest reaches of my soul. If in my painting I am successful in reaching my goal, then I see it as a bridge into you. Do you feel cold looking at "Spring Thaw"?

Some of the photographs were quite pretty, and she would print them out as note cards on her computer. They became gifts and trade-offs with her friends. It was no panacea, but it kept her busy. Kept her mind off the "accident" that took the life of her family along with her legs. Clicking away, she sighed. She felt exhausted from the few hours of touring around and taking photographs. She needed her medicine and a nap, and began her struggle home.