SECRETS TO READING MY BLOG POSTS

Not everyone follows Blogs so I thought perhaps you'd be interested in SEVEN "Blog-Reading-Tips"........

YES, YES, YES, you can certainly just read it and be done with it, but there is so much more!!  

Check it out.......

1.  HIGHLIGHTED WORD(S) (not just bolded) - 

• If you click on it/them, you will be taken directly to the website referenced. Go ahead and try it now ----> "The Lake House"

2.  "LIKE" THE POST - 

• If you enjoyed what you read, just check the box next to the "I LIKED THIS POST" button at the bottom. 
• You can also let me know if you didn't like it. But keep in mind, I'm sensitive......

3.  "COMMENT" ON THE POST - 

• Sometimes you just can't resist, right?  At the bottom of the post you can leave a comment or ask a question.  
• Click on the word "COMMENTS" (it may say "No Comments" or "2 Comments" etc.). 
• If you DO comment, be sure to FIRST (so you don't forget) click "NOTIFY ME" in the bottom right corner of the comment box, and when I or someone else responds, you'll be "notified" by email, so you don't have to check back on your own. 
• DO NOT click on the "SIGN OUT" button.  
• When you're finished your comment, click "PUBLISH". 
• Oh, and sign your name if you're registered as ANONYMOUS, if you want me to know who commented. 
• Of course, there is NO need for you to leave a "Comment" for the world to see, but if you feel compelled, there you go!

4.  FOLLOW MY POSTS - 

• You DON'T want to miss anything, right? 
• On the right side of the page, a little below my photo, you'll see a tiny, rectangular open box that says "email address".  Type yours in, click on "SUBMIT" and VOILA! 
• VERY IMPORTANT - You'll receive an email within moments (check your spam folder) asking you to VERIFY that you're a real person and not a robot trying to sign up. There will be a link to click in the email and then a few letters/numbers to retype AND submit. 
• I don't think you can do this from a cell phone, but you certainly can on the computer or iPad. 

5.  READ MY EARLIER POSTS - 

• Scroll down the right hand side to "BLOG ARCHIVE", below which you can pick any month/year to locate and read posts that were previously published, which you may have missed.

6.  SEARCH BY KEY WORD - 

• Below the "BLOG ARCHIVE" is a space to type in a word(s) to search my Posts.  For instance, if you type in the word "Lavender" today, 4 posts will be listed that include that word in it.

7.  EMAIL THE POST TO A FRIEND (FEEL FREE!!) - 

• If I happened to share something that you feel would be meaningful or entertaining to one of your friends or family members, you can email it to them.
• At the bottom of the post is small ENVELOPE with an arrow in it.  Click on the envelope. OR there is a small box with an M in it, to the right of the Pencil. This is an additional email option.
• You'll be prompted to fill in the email address to whom you want to send it.
• The other boxes to the right of the Pencil give you the ability to share the post(s) on Blogger, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and/or Google+.

I hope you picked up at least one little nugget. Yeah, I know, I have so many SMART friends, you probably knew all of this already.....

OK, OK, on to my next Post......

JOAN

ANDY SMITH - WATERCOLOR ARTIST AND FRIEND

I was asked to write something for my artist friend, ANDY SMITH's Blog.  He has an extraordinary talent for watercolor realism and he is inspired everywhere he goes. We traveled last year to Europe together - this photo was taken outside of Amsterdam (duh!).

In 1976 LINDA and I met. We were both recently separated, became immediate friends and then roommates the following year. Shortly thereafter she started dating ANDY. His personality then, as it is now, was engaging, warm, honest and thoughtful. He also had impeccable manners (and still does), which really impressed me.

ANDY'S natural skill for realistic watercolor painting always fascinated me. I was an Art Education major in college and then taught HS Art for 4 years. I had the appreciation for ART and was a born teacher, but watercolor painting was one skill I could never even wrap my mind around. Andy made it look so easy but I simply couldn't understand how he did it. His "thumbnail" sketches, in themselves are each a work of art - just as you'll notice from many of the Great Masters' thumbnails housed in museums around the world.

At first I could only afford ONE of Andy's PRINTS here and there, and then finally a larger print "THE STAR BARN", purchased at the MT GRETNA ART SHOW. What a marvelous building and ANDY really captured its essence for me. My niece inherited it not long after I started to collect A originals and it continues to proudly hand in their home.

My first ORIGINAL was "SUNNY SIDE". It pained me to pay the price for an original, BUT I've never looked back nor been disappointed in any of my purchases. My love for "windows" continues to this day and attracts me when taking photographs during my travels. Andy's unobstructed window made me want to climb in there and see what was inside (still does). Perhaps ANDY was also wondering what was inside and his intent was to draw the observer in. I'll have to ask him....

One of my next ORIGINALS was also a window (of course), surrounded by a brick wall. His brickwork astounds me. Who can have the patience? ANDY. And the shadows.... I love his shadows...... (sorry for the glare on the photo).

Most recently I've been mesmerized by ANDY'S MINIATURES and all of the detail he can share in such a small space. An avid reader, my favorite author, JULIAN BARNES has my heart because he can tell a full, very detailed, engaging story, bringing the reader into his world in under 200 pages. Succinct yet an abundance of detail. ANDY and Julian Barnes BOTH have this gift.

EVERY DAY I stop and look at ANDY'S paintings placed throughout my home. They bring me great JOY. They make me SMILE. They make me appreciate the God-given talent that ANDY is committed to perfect every single day. His dedication to his work is part of his soul. 

ANDY has my total RESPECT for his work-ethic, his talent, his Christian belief, his love and devotion to his daughter ABBEY and to my best friend, LINDA. I feel quite blessed to have been a part of their lives for the past 40 YEARS and to have had the opportunity to watch both ANDY grow and perfect his talent and LINDA creatively and tirelessly run their business, while allowing ANDY the freedom to follow his dream. Does it get any better than that?!

JOAN