Here are two more Chadds Ford incidents. The first taps into my love of animals. I was asked by the Chester County SPCA to do a painting for their main animal shelter. Chuck McDevitt, their public relations officer just sent me this image.
It is a painting full of fun - 'The Animal Party' - oil on panel approx. 6' ft x 4' - 1993.
A rather busy painting, it's a little difficult to read on a small image. The animals indoors are having a riotous time with balloons and streamers, and through the window there are more animals picnicing on the lawn.
The other incident is all about circles, interconnectedness, and serendipity.
McClure had some very good friends who had a ranch in Amish country. They had a particular love of mules and old carriages which they often showed at different festivals.
Here is a picture of us on an old ambulance driven by mules during one of these festivals. I am the one with the straw hat at front right of picture.
Garry and Helen invited us to their annual family picnic. McClure, Christie and I attended. It turned out they had two young guests staying with them from England. When introduced the young girl commented on the fact that I was wearing the perphume 'Ciara' - and that the only other person she knew who wore that fragrance was a woman by the wonderful name of Notty Hornblower.....How could I ever forget that.
Fast forward just a couple of months to when McClure and I took our trip together to the UK. When staying with my cousin in Crickhowell, Wales, we were invited to a big party given by a friend of my cousins in Gloucestershire.
It was a lovely day with much merriment. Waiting in line to retrieve some food from the buffet, I found myself standing next to a very attractive woman. Once again, I felt that certain kind of recognition and connection. Guess who it was.....Notty Hornblower.
Notty, who has a costume museum in Derbyshire, and I are still in touch.
A picture of Notty and her huaband Chris on their silver wedding anniversary in 1993 - just before we met.
I had always experienced these unusual 'coincidences' but at this time and then after my move to Crickhowell in Wales in 1994, they began to happen more and
more.
Tomorrow begins the next big chapter of my life. My return to the UK.
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The really good news is that I now have a scanner and managed to hook it up yesterday. From now on there will be more images. I will also go back and edit old posts adding new images, and replacing blurry pictures with much clearer ones.
All seems to be well in Kent. Today I am introducing my Mother to on line grocery shopping.
All thoughts are with Suzy Green Apple, the pupps and Iccle as they make begin their return journey to S. AFrica.
A Bientot
