A new blog makes its debut!   http://www.artfultales.com/

Artful Tales is a site to be devoted to art and the stories children of all ages (5-105!) see in art.  The original idea came from a discussion with a friend who is an artist.  As we walked through a local gallery where her art was exhibited, we were wondering casually, “Why do we like certain things?” and also talking about her question of why the particular piece of hers had been chosen.  My response was “It is the story that comes to mind when I look at the art.”  That got me to wondering how the story I saw might be different from the story someone else would see… and then I thought about children who have fresh, unfettered, unhibited and wild imaginations - what would their stories be like? 

The art in the header banner of “Artful Tales” is hers as well as the first piece of art.  She has chosen to remain anonymous at present.

I would like to invite all who read and enjoy “From the Front Porch” to take a look at Artful Tales…and if you “see” a story or have children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, friends, spouses, partners - ANYONE! - who love art and love to write - send them!  The more the merrier and the more fun to see the different stories that a piece of art may inspire.   

***The idea for Artful Tales lay dormant for several years - it has come to life with the support and encouragement of a special person with whom I am now sharing my life - William G. P. Booker - Bill…  Artful Tales is dedicated to our adventurous spirit willing to dream big together and step into a story not yet written.

I have been asked - “What is it that you do that allows you to move 2500 plus miles diagonally across the country at what appears to be the ‘drop of a hat’”?  First, not as “drop of the hat” as it may seem - some personal and private information was kept private until we were ready to share it.

Back to topic… I have been self employed as a computer programming consultant for just over 22 years.  I develop custom software, i.e. software for business “problems” that require something not doable by existing software packages.   I started 22 years ago with dBase II - then Paradox and then into SQLServer with Delphi front end.  The new and current platform is .NET with SQLServer using VisualStudio.  I also work with Dreamweaver-HTML/CSS/JAVA/Php/MySQL for web and blog work.

I’ve worked with a department of UCLA since 1991 through 5 or 6 or 7 iterations of software that manages data for UCLA Capital Programs department, a department that oversees construction and renovation on the Los Angeles campus.  I started working with UCLA when I lived in Los Angeles and continued when I moved to Montana in 1994 and also during the 7 months I lived and travelled in my motorhome in 2005.  Some of the time the UCLA work has been enough to be my only work, but much of the time I also do work for other clients - smaller projects and currently some web and blog work.  My love and expertise, though is database: design, flow of data, programming the front end for data entry, querying and reporting.

The work is transportable.  With the internet, Wi-Fi, cell phones, aircards, group meeting software - it has become easier to work from anywhere.  I’ve worked primarily from a home office since I started so I’ve developed a routine for working on my own.  Even more important, I truly love what I do and feel fortunate to have been able to do this type of work from my “home” - wherever it is!

Who’d a thought I’d need 4wd in North Florida???  But I did! - this morning… yesterday, several strong squalls passed through with drenching rain and wind blowing the rain sideways, dark skies and NOAA alerts on the weather radio - VERY exciting except for Karl who retreated to a corner of a bathroom.   There are a few pieces of “dirt road” between the house and the paved road - actually it is “sand road”.  When it dries out it has a teeth rattling washboard affect - after a “normal” rain and some work by the graders, it is perfect.  This morning it was like driving in slush so I grinned and put the Jeep in 4wd - YES!!!

After the squalls yesterday, it dried out and was a beautiful, clear, star filled night.

This morning the air was clean, crisp and cool from the cold front behind the squalls.  While no mountains here, the sky is also not blocked by deep woods as in Montana.  Both spots certainly have their  beauty, but I’ve been enjoying the view of lots of sky and the option of a covered front porch or open back deck.

I mentioned yesterday the volume of “stuff” that we have - I came to Florida in my motorhome and it was not jam-packed… I brought warm weather clothes and a small amount of cool weather clothes, computers and electronics, one box of important papers - but the kicker is the pantry items, toiletries, dishes, pots and pans, DVD’s - those were jam-packed as I didn’t want to leave food or toiletries for who knows how long and I had a house and motorhome stock of those items.  Bill is also a cook so his pantry and kitchen in both house and motorhome were well stocked - both of us believing in the “buy in bulk when on sale” method….  It has been a massive reorganization of stuff which included buying a new shelf system.  We have a lifetime supply of a few items in both the house and the bus. 

But, in the midst of unpacking, getting settled, enjoying the holiday - there is still time to enjoy a beautiful morning - from the back porch…

And coffee with Karl…