{Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real}~ March 6, 2016

Hello, all!  I'm a little short on pictures this week because I left my camera in another state.  I've been reduced to using Dave's phone camera, not that it makes that much difference with the quality of pictures I usually take, but still.  Nevertheless, here's my contribution to this week's {phfr} link-up.

{Pretty}

We finally got these watercolors hung up!  Every stage went in fits and spurts (shop for frames and dither; buy the frames, wait a month to put the paintings in them; decide to have that room painted; wait for the painters to come~ you get the picture), but they are finally hung.  Our choice of locations was limited, what with all the windows and doors in this house, so we settled on this short hallway (hence the odd angles of the pics) as the only place big enough for all eight (barely big enough!).  I think Dave and I did a good job spacing them all evenly and nary a cross word passed between us.

These paintings have an interesting origin.  When Dave's mother was very young, her family went on vacation in the Virgin Islands only to have World War II break out in the meantime, making it impossible for them to get home.  So they stayed for two years.  Just like that~ two years in the Virgin Islands!  Both parents were artists, and Dave's grandfather, Luman P. Kelsey, painted these watercolors of local life.  These remind me of storybook illustrations and I'm convinced there is a story to go with them somewhere, just waiting to be born.

Here are a couple in detail~

Harvesting Sugar Cane

Wash Day

I'm thrilled Dave had such talented relatives, and I'm thrilled to finally have these on display!

{Happy} and {Funny}

Last week, we took a few Nigerian friends to see some sights in St. Louis, including the Gateway Arch and the fabulous zoo!

Photo credit: Dave

Elephants always look like they're smiling and having a good time!