Endings...

Good Morning Friends:

Today’s post will be my last post here at Garden Painter Art. I will keep this blog up as a reference for myself, and because many people will still look for me here for quite some time.

I have finally taken the plunge and changed my business name. Along with the change comes a new blog, a new Etsy shop and a new world…Gerushia’s New World.

I would like to extend my thanks to all of my devoted readers and friends. You have all helped pull me through some dark hours over the last year. Your emails and “mail box notes” have been so appreciated.

I hope to put the darkness of my mom’s long and ugly illness behind me. My intentions are to open up a new blog filled with color, curiosity and goodness. So, if you would like to enter my new world and hear Gerushia’s story, please accept my invitation to visit my new blog...

Gerushia's New World


Sincerely and With Appreciation
Kim
Gerushia’s New World

NEW BLOG UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Good Afternoon Everyone:

Just a little note to let you know that, soon, my new blog will be up and running. In a few days I will enter one last post here at Garden Painter Art explaining the change, then I will from that point on, be posting on my new blog with my new business name: "Gerushia's New World".

Right now, there's nothing at the new blog other than the banner, but I am in the process of building the blog. The banner art is my newest piece and the first piece I've made in almost 2 years! It feels so good to be back to work.

Have a sneak peek if you like:

http://gerushiasnewworld.blogspot.com

Thanks so much for stopping by. I'll have more in a few days.
Kim

The Blessing

Good Morning All:

After a very long and lingering illness, my mom has peacefully passed away. She went to sleep last night and was gone this morning.

Although it is always a sad and melancholy time when a parent passes away, it is a blessing when death comes after so much suffering and lingering.

After seeing my mom yesterday, I knew that today would be the day, and when the phone call came at 7:30 a.m. I was ready.

She was a strong woman, raised during the Great Depression. She had a fabulous and positive outlook on life and was always kind to anyone and everyone she met. She always smiled. Even in the last few hours of her life, she found it in her heart to smile.

I will be busy this week with mortuary details and out of state phone calls. In between the busy-ness, there will be times of sadness, but I know that she has gone onward to a far better place and her pain has disappeared.

Thank you for all of your concerned emails and caring thoughts and prayers.

Until Next Time:
Kim
Garden Painter Art

Impending Death and the Business at Hand

Good Morning:

It's been such a very long time since I've been to my blog. I really have only a wee few minutes to check in today.

Over the last few days, my mom has fallen into her last stage of life. She is still breathing and eating her small portion, but her disease has progressed to the point of constant sleepiness and confusion. Her blood pressure is very low and her breathing is shallow.

I am the only child that has taken responsibility for her care, so I have ever so much paper work and business to take care. Today, I am on my way to the mortuary to finalize her arrangements. As a hospice patient, all of her arrangements must be in place before she actually passes away.

Obviously this is not a bright and cheerful post, but ~ it is a hopeful post. My mom has lingered for so very long, and her misery has held steady for over two years now. Her passing is now only a matter of time, and I am praying that God can find his way to take her quickly so her suffering can end.

My mom is no longer at my home, as I can't take care of her myself. She is at a local "Board and Care" just about 5 minutes from my house. Unfortunately, the Board and Care is closing as of June 27th. The current economy has made it impossible for them to stay open. If she is still with us at that time, she will have to suffer through a move to a new facility. This time, she will have to go into a "Skilled Nursing Facility". My hopes and prayers are that she will quietly pass on before she has to be moved.

So...as you can see, I've been quite busy. I miss blogging, as it's truly one of the only ways that I communicate with people. It's nice to enter my world of other artists and talk about things other than "diapers, sickness and death". It is my escape.

Thanks to all who have emailed me concerned with my absence. I truly appreciate your kindness and thoughtfulness.

Until Next Time:
Kim
Garden Painter Art

Thank You Suzanne

Hello There:

I thought I would take a moment to post a "Thank You" to Suzanne of Unique Nurses for doing a fabulous feature on my Vintage Photo Shop on Etsy ~ as well as my Art Shop.

She took quite a bit of time to put these pieces together and I am so humbled to have been chosen as her feature.

I hope you can take a moment to stop by Unique Nurses and have a look.

Until Next Time:
Kim
Garden Painter Art

Ghost on the Gravestone

Hello:

Just a quick blog entry today, as I wanted to share this photo with you that I've just listed in My Vintage Photo Shop. The photo fascinates me and spooks me all at once ~

Ooopsie...no longer for sale


I'm not exactly sure what I believe regarding ghosts, but if there's anything that can convince me that they exist, it's this photo. Have a close look to the right of the headstone, just above the M in the name SCHWAM. I'm telling you, there is an image of a tiny woman wearing a white scoop-neck dress sitting on the middle ledge of the headstone. You can't make out a face, but you can see the dress ~



The headstone was for the Schwam family. The husband, Ferdinand, was still alive at the time of the photo. However, his wife, Margaret and his 2 year old daughter, Annie, were both already buried at the time of the photo.

What do you think?

Kim
Garden Painter Art

Colors of Spring....

A simple PINK rose


Ruby RED cherries


PURPLE Sweet Peas in a lovely pink vase


Even more PURPLE Sweet Peas


Chartreuse Praying Mantis