Fall in the Air!

Autumn is not quite the same in Central FL as it was in the NW mountains of NC! It's hotter, by about 30 or 40 degrees, for one thing.  High today is supposed to be 93 degrees. But you can still feel the change in the air.  Summer is fading into autumn, at long last.  I love the changing of the seasons, and truly miss actually seeing that happen.  But feeling it happen is worthy of its own celebration, so I've put a lonely 🎃 on the door stoop and decorated the mantle with fall colored garland.  Until we drop below 90 degrees, that'll have to do! :-)  Perhaps wreath making will commence this time next month? Paul and I attended Dragon Con in Atlanta over the Labor Day weekend.  It was a CosPlay event  rivaled by none other.  I will always remember the amazing creativity that was evident every place you looked!  IT was great for my creative soul and inspired me to the depth of my soul.  So much so that I've been buzzing with inspiration yet I can't seem to focus the energy into anything productive yet!  I'm hoping this unsettling is just a part of the season changing!  Phew!  Photos of our cosplay experience are up on our social media sites.  If you look on Facebook, Paul Glover has posted gobs of photos.  I have some also, mostly on IG (Cheri Glover).  We attended with Paul's Daughter, Nina and her friends Anna and Kate; Josiah and Tom.    This photo was from our "Pan Squad", taken with John Barryman (Captain Jack from Doctor Who) l to r, Anna, Nina, John, Paul, Cheri Smee, Pan, Whoever, Captain Hook & Tinkerbell We really, really had fun. 😁 l to r Paul, Cheri, Anna, Nina Paul a.k.a. Captain Jean Luc Picard It was in the BIG FUN category.  I'm working on my Fun Factor.   So far, very efficiently.  :-). Thank to #Oola While I was in Atlanta, I was able to visit my daughter Jenn and my handsome grandson Chris ~ even had a meal with a 15 year old Chris-formerly known as Christian (which is a sweet treasure chest of savored time); my daughter-in-law Melissa and my beautiful 5 year old granddaughter, Tessa; my wonderful 'decades long' friend, Teresa and her beautiful horse,  Dakota.  Those photos are also on social media. :-)
But my sweet Jenn was collided into by a big old SUV whilst stopped at a stop light and she's suffering multiple levels of injuries. 😩 If you are so inclined and can offer her some good thoughts, best wishes, prayers or whatever you do, I would be so grateful.  Jenn has had a lot on her plate.  To see this happen on the heels of her finally healing from her last traumatic event has been heartbreaking.  She is headed to Thailand for work at the end of the month and really needs some major healing by then.  Any positive energy you have to put toward that would be so appreciated! 
❤️❤️❤️❤️ My son and his family are moving to Charlotte, NC. He's accepted a new position with Jim n' Nicks BBQ Restaurants to be the Regional Coordinator for that market.  We're so excited for him and know he'll just be amazing at that endeavor.  And our beautiful Tessa just turned 5 years old!  Such fun!  Austin is successfully attending Georgia Southern and Cade is enrolled and happily engaged in his Junior Year of High School.  Hooray for all!  The grace I which these "kids" handle life and the challenges, opportunities and changes it offers is simply astounding to me.  I'm so proud of all of our kids!  They make me want to be a better human being every day.  And a better adult.  But that's another story for another time.  North Georgia (metro Atlanta area, Canton) is still so magnificently beautiful and lush.  I lived in metro Atlanta from '78 through '98, and  a big piece of that time in that gorgeous Canton (Hickory Flat) area.  It was just exquisite to visit again and open up my heart.  Thank you for your hospitality, everyone.  I so very much appreciate it! Now that we're back in Orlando, life carries on with our normal seasonal things.  I'm teaching dance, a little less this year than last (12 classes/week plus competition choreography this year; as opposed to 17 last year).  Paul is working in the metal industry again.  There are always hills to climb, but we're healthy enough to do that and happy to follow the sunshine along the path.  We are GRATEFUL to have blessings to count.  Our three fat cats are still with us and we're all happily aging together! 😂😂😍 Nina has been back in the area since late May, and is on her way to Korea for a month long adventure of her own.  We were lucky enough to see her for a bon voyage dinner last night.  Thanks for bringing joy to the table, Nina.  We love you.  Happy trails! I've been involved in an art course that has taken me to some insightful places.  That's a good thing, because the course is entitled "Insight".  It's a painting course by Shiloh Sophia.  I'm not quite ready to reveal my painting, but I'm certainly ready to talk about how happy it makes me to do the course!  I'm hoping for bigger and deeper courses to come soon. Fingers are crossed!  Transitioning from Performing Art to Visual Art is just not an easy task.  Apparently I cannot figure out a smooth and graceful way to cross over.  So, I'm doing both for now.  Let's see how that works out! 🙈 I'm also involved with a HUGE mosaic project, although not as deeply involved as I wanted to be.  Cherie Bosela of Luna Mosaics is spearheading and amazingly directing a Diversity Mural here in Orlando.  There have been close to 1,000 mosaic hearts donated from around the world to the project.  It's been a year in the making and Cherie has done a tremendous job getting out the call to art for donations.  It is now being installed on the "Lamp building" on the corner of Virginia and Mills Rd.  They've (the installation fairies) been working tirelessly since Wednesday (in this crazy heat) installing it!  Drop by to witness it!  It's a REAL BEAUT!  Here's a great shot of it from yesterday's efforts on Cherie's Instagram feed.    So very Awesome! Visit Cherie's "Diversity Mural in Orlando" page on FB or Cherie Bosela and Luna Mosaics on FB and IG for more information. ❤️   Paul is out playing Pickleball.  No surprise there.  I'm planning my week because it's Sunday and that's when I plan.  I have a boatload of work to do in the bamboo garden and try my best to begin each and every morning out there.  It's peaceful, I can meditate, bask in Mother Nature's miracles and enjoy the beginning of each day in the company of living, breathing, functioning energetic beings.  Life really is good y'all.  Even when there are hurdles.  Stay the course.  Until next time! 💕 Blessings,  Cheri

Recalibrating!

*Flashback - mountain lakes and little boys learning to canoe and kayak*
I took a pause from blogging, but had no idea it was going to be for so long.   Please excuse that.  There were rehearsals and recitals, a studio move, some travel and some art deadlines in there.  I'll get to all of that.  I have photographic evidence on my IG and FB pages if you need to know sooner.  But honestly, I've not been posting as much.  So, it isn't just this place I've been neglectful.  Sometimes technology can be overwhelming.  Sometimes I'm busy digesting life. So, I guess it's the Summer Solstice that put the awareness is my brain.  I feel like I'm "recalibrating".    I was moving in a direction  that was no longer the "right road" for me and now I've been re-routed.  I'm loving that it is happening.  I've been waiting for it! 😉
In March I signed up for an art course that was called The Apothecary, offered by Shiloh Sophia McCloud and her husband Jonathan McCloud.  It was amazing.  It was deep and it was hard work.  And basically it was all about taking your past "issues" working them out, gleaning and "bottling" what medicine it provides for you into a receptacle of your imagination and choice, and a symbol to label it.  There was writing and processing and drawing and painting and thinking and mourning and grieving and celebrating and reminiscing and when all was said and done, there was an ending.   Real closure!  But the "issue" didn't just disappear, it became a piece of the quilt of life that you could still use to stay covered and warm with, because the issue had been transformed into a healing elixir and put into a vessel for you to use any time at all. It was heavy.  It was awesome.  Stuff I've carried around for half of a century, I've finally put to rest.  If you are interested,  check out the website here www.shilohsophiastudios.com.  You should check out her artwork just because it's beautiful, even if you are not interested in doing a class.  She's amazing.  So after a few months of hard work, I'm through the portal (that particular one, anyway) and am heading in a bit of a different direction in some respects.  Recalibrated.  It's so freeing!  I'm so grateful!  Oh, here's the painting.

So, in the conversation about the actual art:  Each piece has a different story.  It has hand sewing, 3 dimensional buttons on the shirt, drawer handles, some charms and a big old key to the treasure chest.  All that beautiful light coming out of the treasure chest is the goodness I've found processing all the old stuff.   AND now there are many paths to investigate and pursue.  So exciting!
Meanwhile, Paul is doing fabulous.  Still loving pickleball, coaching and playing as hard as he can because that's just how he is!  We went canoeing down the Wekiva River on Father's Day.  We are obviously out of practice in the paddling department.  We ran into everything we could.  That has never happened to us before.  We had a lot of opportunities to giggle and regroup!  That hurricane really changed the river run as we knew it.  It was like a first time outing.  I love that we are both just shaking our heads (even still!) and wondering what in the world happened to our paddling skills, which we really thought we had!  Keeping it real, trying to be humble, and laughing through the process!  It's working for us so far! 

 

 Yep, that's an alligator!  There were lots out and about.  It's Florida.

  I've been busy with lots of art and dance stuff, as usual.  The Dancer's Pointe dance company, Pointe of Impact is leaving for National Competition in Charleston next week.  It's getting real up in here now.  Lots of rehearsals and excitement about heading out of FL.  We're currently accepting all good wishes and happy thoughts for a fabulous experience.  There are always so many life lessons on these trips, for ALL of us.  Here we are (most of us, anyway) at our annual pool party to celebrate our year of successes kick off the Nationals Season.  Many thanks to Ms. Mandy who always makes this happen for the company girls. 

  A group of our dancers are Seniors this year.  Rather, they were seniors. They've now graduated and are in the preparation stages for college.  I've been mentoring them this season through their "senior dance" and I couldn't be more proud of them!  They've also been over to the bamboo house trying their hand at mosaics.  We've had a good time with new things.  They are lovely young ladies.  It's been a delight to be in their energy for a bit!

  Apparently I forgot to finish and publish this blog! So, I'm going to close out here and publish because the next one is almost ready!
Blessings! Cheri 

A Week of this Life!!

The Tree of Life

Epcot

Orlando, FL

This. is. Beautiful.  My sweet friend Shara and I went to Epcot for the Flower Festival last week.  It was the best day out I've spent in ages!  We had the best time just "being" ... and we saw some amazing things!  Like, a mama tiger with her babies.  And flowers and butterflies beyond description.  And a mosaic that was about 1/4 of a mile long and magnificent.  And I met Goofy!  And Minnie & Mickey Mouse ... all three for the first time ever in real life!  There are not enough words to describe how amazing the whole entire day was.  And there are not enough words for me to express my gratitude to Shara and Brett for making it happen.  But Photos!  There are lots of those. 

 So here you go!

For those of you who've never been to Epcot, or any Disney park, the magic is indescribable.  You should go once in your life!  It's truly amazing.  💕

My son and his beautiful wife had their wonderful Managing Partner finale in San Diego last week.  No doubt they had an "amazing beyond words" time. I'm so proud of them!  And what a beautiful couple!  Did I mention how proud I am?

And their first son, a graduating senior off to his senior prom!  That is a little hard for me to swallow. Was not too long ago that he was just a little guy learning to canoe and kayak in a mountain lake.  .Austin has an amazing future ahead as he begins his college career in the fall at Georgia Southern, studying mechanical engineering.  I'm sure it goes without saying, we're so proud of him!

My Oola buddy, Kris and I graduated from the Oola University system on Saturday!  It was an amazing experience to know WE FINISHED and have lots of things in "our house" in order because of it.  We're are going to rock our futures.  I am so proud of us!  And so grateful to Kris for being my Oola partner and hanging in there.  We are wearing our Oola rings (and made by the amazing Lisa Hamilton of Pebble and Ore) with pride and passion! 

I'm still working on my Apothecary Painting.  I'm probably somewhere around half way finished.  I'm in absolute love with the process.  Once I get this apothecary cabinet stocked with these amazing elixirs, I'm going to have a healing beyond all others.  I'm half way ... it feels amazing!

Before I began yesterday's painting session.

At the end of the session ... ☺️

Can't wait for the next block of time so I can further the process!

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I should probably create a complete post about the following.  But I'm going to condense it for now and leave it here.  Tap dancing is, has been and will always be a big deal part of my life.  I'm just going to drop this little video here ... it's an instructional piece I made for one of my little guys' classes.  But it'll give you an idea of what tap dancing sounds like.  And also, I made it on "Pajama Day" at the studio, so don't judge! 😁

Looks like the video isn't working - I'll try to fix it soon

The choreography was created by my long time tap teacher, Tommy Sutton.  And he also created the music score.  I teach it whenever I can because I believe in carrying on tradition.  The kids in the class who are learning it are TOTALLY nailing it.  One of them just did it in her school talent show!  (Kids constantly amaze me with their brilliance, their talent and their love of dance).

On Saturday we celebrated the coming of our friend and co-worker's little boy, Rhodes. At Nikki's baby shower one of our students gave her tap shoes for the little fella.  All the feels!

Following the baby shower, I went to visit my good friend, mentor and teacher, Ms. Patti.  I've written here about her lots.  She was the teacher who was the June Taylor dancer.  She's always been so generous and gracious to accept me as a student.  Ms. Patti has now been placed in Hospice care.  I was honored to visit her and so grateful to the family for opening her home and inviting us all to go by and give Patti (and the family) our love.  That beautiful woman has given so many people so much joy!  Blessings to you, Ms. Patti.  I love you so.

While Shara and I were at Epcot, we went to see the Lion King show. (The 20th anniversary of  Animal Kingdom).  When the cast began singing and drumming  "the Circle of Life" song, it was much more than just watching a performance this time.  It was a complete celebration of heart and soul all around the entire auditorium.  And I got chills and tears, of course.  

And so did Shara. 😉

Until next time

Blessings,

Cheri 😘