Say What?

Tammy and I have gone vegan—sort of. We've been attempting to go without meat and fish for the past five weeks with good success. I've said from the outset that I would be happy if I was maybe 80% in adherence to the diet but so far I'm closer to 95%. We're still trying to figure out what works for us as we've had our share of failed experiences with some different plant-based meat substitutes. It's important to not let those bad experiences dissuade us from pressing on and finding enough alternatives that work for us. I think we're doing pretty well. I unexpectedly took an extended break from my glass studio while piddling around with some other alternative style designs, mostly Art Nouveau, but mostly I was experiencing a designer-block of sorts. I was able to come up with several designs  (an example) but nothing fully fleshed out. I switched gears and settled on  this design instead. I liken it to a modest Japanese style contemporary home. Here's

I've been neglecting my stained glass art for the past 5 weeks as I find myself enjoying our Minnesota winter like maybe never before. It began when I studded the tires on my fat-bike and took to the trails; something I've not been able to do the past few winters because of ice and a promise to my doctor that I wouldn't get too crazy on my bike knowing that head injuries and coumadin don't play well together. It also helps that we've had some very reasonable temps for being outdoors—just a few degrees below freezing for the most part. I woke up this morning to see that we were living in a snow globe. It was beautiful! This winter finds me looking forward to snow in the forecast, whereas recent winters not so much—even the 8" (20 cm) variety of snowfalls we received overnight and today is perfectly fine with me. I waited for the snow to stop before clearing our drive and walkways then I suited up to snowshoe the river trails. I arrived to see that several

Sue, my brother's wife, and life partner passed away in their home with family at her side late this morning at 11:00 Pacific time after a nearly 5-year struggle with cancer. They were married for more than 47 years and together for more than 50. I was just a boy when she came into our family. I've added two videos at the end of this post from those early years where Sue can be seen in her early 20s. I admired her for her never-wavering faith and for her kindness toward others. Sue also had a keen eye for design and turned that into her profession. She was always such a sweet and beautiful presence to be around. Tammy and I took a trip out west to see Sue and Bryan (aka Dave) where they live near Portland in the spring of 2018 while Sue's cancer was in remission. We had such a nice time and are so thankful for having made the trip. We will miss her greatly.