Uncaged

I’m so loving trying more of this new style of painting! I love the freedom to not be precise and picture-like, the whimsy, the challenge to capture a feeling, the mixing of real and fun and of color and shadow, etc. Just fun! Here’s my latest and, yes, it reminds me of a story. A long time ago when our girls were small (Faithy was about 9, Breezy was 6, and Miss T was 3), a friend of mine asked me if I would be willing to care for her birds while she was on an extended vacation for several weeks. I happily agreed to do that and these beautiful parakeets took up residence in our larger hallway bathroom. They thrived. Well, one morning Faithy and Breezy asked if they could let the birds out of the cage and stay with them for awhile as long as the door was closed. We agreed on some ground rules and a good time was had by all until Miss T decided she wanted to join them. Well, the big girls didn’t like that idea but I prevailed on them and they let their sister in with them. Soon they booted her out and she banged on the door wanting back in. I heard the commotion and when I arrived on scene, poor Miss T was sobbing and banging on the door. I picked her up and hugged her and we went and snuggled a minute and finally I said to her, “Miss T – don’t let those big girls get your goat.” She immediately stopped crying and inquired, “I have a goat?“ I replied, “of course you have a goat, Miss T. It’s a beautiful little white goat with a brown and black T on its forehead. I went on for a few minutes further describing this imaginary goat and all the fun we’ve had with it in the past. Soon we were having a lively discussion about other things and the crisis had been averted. So, after that, every time there was some type of issue with her big sisters I would remind Miss T not to let them get her goat. It was our secret. So miss those days …