It’s been six years this week since the appearance of this Sunday Arlo & Janis tribute to the painter Andrew Wyeth, who had just passed away. It includes an embarrassing mistake on my part, but it must not have been too embarrassing, because I’m reminding you of it here. It wasn’t difficult to isolate several Wyeth paintings that could (roughly) be adapted to the cast of A&J. Except for Ludwig, the cat. So imagine my relief when I found, on the internet, “Kitty in the Window,” the painting in the fourth panel. In my haste, I missed a few pesky details. The problem was, “Kitty in the Window” (my title) wasn’t a Wyeth painting at all but a photograph taken in Westport, Mass., by Frieda Squires, a photographer for The Providence (RI) Journal. The cutline mentioned that the mood and colors of the photograph were very Wyeth-like, which is how I happened to find the image by searching for “Wyeth.” Not many people caught the mistake, and the kitty served its purpose. Thanks, Frieda!
For What It’s Wyeth
By Jimmy Johnson
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255 responses to “For What It’s Wyeth”
Ghost, that bothers me actually Is it because you don’t like what I say? I know I am flippant and often outlandish but I hope I counter it with sincerity and empathy at times. I really do not like to cause pain,
Mark–THANK YOU for posting Jackie’s article to share with us.
Jackie–I am putting words in Ghost’s mouth, so perhaps I am out of line, but I feel sure that he meant he knew the article was going to make him cry, as it did me, and he was going to try to prepare himself. (If Ghost admits to crying–I don’t know.) Not just Best Regards on this one–Love, Nancy Kirk
And I am glad you liked it Nancy, because that is who I really am. And who I loved for 48 years that was still too short a time. And all the other stuff I say is true too, but he loved me anyway.
David
Best of luck and prayers.
Jackie darling, I like everything you say. Nancy got it right. You are not causing me pain; I’ve just been feeling the pain you are feeling. That’s what I meant about preparing myself to read the article. I realize it was written at a happier time, but I’ll be reading it through the lens of later events. But I wouldn’t *not* read it for anything.
Love, Ghost
Jackie, and you could replace the word boats with anything your partner truly loves, besides you of course. In many marriages, the other person does not really understand how deep the commitment to the activity is. Mike was blessed in that you allowed him this dedication and willingly took part in it. And I think your lives were richer for that. Thank you for giving him that.
And I agree with NK in AZ that Ghost may find your writing an emotional experience. I get the feeling that he is still dealing with the loss of his sister, as well as the health issues of his mother and that your own stories are reminding him of what they’ve shared.
Good luck David! And to all a good night.
Jackie, I knew what Ghost meant, too. I’m not a boat builder bur I cried nonetheless.
I’ve spoken with the transplant surgeon and he “thinks” based on initial labs and antibody reports that I will pass the crossmatch. The have done all the surgery prep, tests, xray, etc. necessary. The kidney is coming from California, so we know about the crossmatch until sometime pre-dawn tomorrow.
I like to think the reason I have a lot of male fans (since males make up about 99% of our readership) is that I do “get” men. I don’t write about emotions or human nature for Small Craft Advisor and since Mike and I wrote together or I simply wrote it myself, a lot of the “build articles” are written by me or at least heavily edited.
You are right Mark, it could be cars, airplanes, horses, anything one is passionate about, what drives a person is immaterial. It always made me happy to get letters saying, “you really understand me, you know what I am going through, what I feel.” Because I often heard about their secret devils they fought, sobriety, grief, loss, frustration, whatever it was, the building let them escape as did the sailing. Or whatever, it didn’t really matter.
And sometimes I could make them laugh and they saw themselves in the humor as well, nailing a boat part to an antique dining table with a hundred nails, gluing the dog to the garage floor with the dripped epoxy or building a boat in their living room, then trying to hide it from their landlord by shoving it in a closet.
So, that is why I am a queen who can go all over the country with friends who also drag boats to a lake in Oklahoma from 3000 miles away or get on an airplane in the Philippines to come put on a program he will not be paid to do. I find that love is always a two way street and love is met with love usually.
Love, Jackie
I had comments and did not put the on PAPER and they are gone.
Dumb computer – and dumb doorway memory eraser (you go through a door
and it erases memory.
David – If they ask tell them you have a new breed of 2 legged dog.
True love like hugs does not add or detract it multiplies.
A Prayer for those in need, A Prayer for those in pain, A Prayer for those uplifted,
A Prayer for the misunderstood.
A Prayer of Supplication and A Prayer of Thanksgiving (at least one).
OB
Good morning Villagers….
Denise and David…..Happy Valentine’s Day, such good news that you two shared with us. Oh, the power of prayer. I keep in my old, tattered purse a copy of the “Warrior’s Prayer”. I get it out now and then and read. If anyone is interested, I can post it here, if not, maybe one can Google it.
Running late…this time tomorrow the temp will be 3 degrees with wind gusts up to 40 mph today.
And I think and hope Brooklynne Rose is coming to spend the night with us…griddle cakes tomorrow. I bought her the cutest pink cap with little fairies on it, made by Disney of course.
Didn’t read the link yet that Mark posted, ’cause I know I will cry, but I will later.
Happy Caturday
GR 😉
Jackie, that was a wonderful article and tribute to Mike, and Mark, thank you for posting it. You are right, Jackie; you can insert just about any passion one’s husband has, and it applies! My husband is a runner – I am not; however, I have been to numerous marathons and am always happy to cheer him on as he crosses the finish line! And David, hoping for good news for you today.
Crossmatch passed. Unless there is a problem with donor kidney I am a go!
David, be strong and triumph, like your namesake. I hope with all my heart the new kidney gives you a new life. What a wonderful, wonderful gift to receive on a day that honors love.
Love, Jackie
David
Wonderful news!!!!!
Love, it makes the world go round. Were we all truly lovers we would know peace, not war. It reminds me that I need to go hug a Vietnamese and a Russian lady today because they will be concerned not to have seen me lately. one prays for me to Buddhist gods and the other to Christian. Both are emigrants to our country, seeking freedom.
On a day that celebrates a rather silly version of love with teddy bears, hoodie pajamas, not so good chocolate, and often over priced flowers, think about real love.
Love, Jackie
Great news, David! Prayers continue!
David, good luck.
On the Emoji topic http://www.gocomics.com/moderately-confused/2015/02/14
Woke up early, staggered in to run brush through my hair. Had forgotten I had cut it short and did not recognize myself in mirror! Who was this person? Ghost, I had my English muffin with Smuckers sugar free peach jam, which I hate. I make hundreds of flavors of homemade jams, all natural, just fruit and sugar. I have red raspberry, blackberry, blueberry, strawberry, peach on shelves along with four berry but I ate that repulsive stuff.
However, like Paula Deen, I cannot give up real butter. Fridge has all the looks like butter stuff but there is nothing like butter. Unless it is real cheese. Even the 10# dog will not eat looks like cheese. He wants real Havarti from happy California or Wisconsin cows.
Love, Jackie
David: More prayers!
David: Here’s hoping we DON’T hear from you for a while – during your recuperation from successful surgery. Blessings upon you….
Very nice, Jackie. And thanks to Mark for finding it for us!
Jackie, perhaps without giving away any proprietary WW information, I’ll tell you that light butter and I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter (Original) have the same point count per Tbsp. Regular salted butter has a 50% higher point value.
As always with the WW plan, there are options and tradeoffs. I don’t think I mentioned it, but they even have a plan option now that doesn’t require point tracking. (Although I’ve done tracking long enough that it’s second nature to me, and as you can probably tell, that works very well for me.)
I have a personal policy of never using I Can’t Believe It’s Not Pastrami. 🙂
From my house to yours, Happy Day Before Half-Priced Chocolate Day!!
David, good news! Good luck, and prayers that all goes well.
Denise, good to hear all is well for you and your husband!
Ghost, 😉
Ursen, I’ll keep good thoughts for your Herman, too.
A dear friend just lost her kittie companion of some 20 years. Mowzer was a gentle, loving girl who will be missed by all.