Siren Song Alice C. 1973

If you confine it, you're confining a whole thing.

Alice Cooper

In between everything, I've tried to return to doing embroidery subjects on vintage linen. I've done some portraits, but am expanding to touch on things that capture my attention. Last year I came across an AP photo from 1973 of Alice Cooper. It was unusual, it showed him reaching out to tenderly touch the face of a young girl who was close to the stage (not what you would expect to see at one of his theatrical concerts). There was a resonance. Michigan was exploding with musical styles when I was growing up. However, Alice Cooper was something my parents didn't approve of (I came into his orbit later in the 1970s). Then a close male friend who was a drummer, took me to the edge of AC's world. He was my siren song. I saw in him a voice that wasn't afraid to stand out, to take on the world in his own terms, to not be confined to a certain expectation of who you should be.  So doing an interpretation of this photo on the very lady like and innocent facades of the original embroidery was a natural progression. A homage to a special moment in confining times.

I wanted to offer Detroit City or Under My Wheels, but couldn't find a good copy to share so we'll do something from recently that still reflects the energy of that time.

Alice Cooper, 'I'll Bite Your Face Off':

Purrfect....

Cats seem to go on the principle that it never does any harm to ask for what you want. 

 Joseph Wood Krutch

 

Animals love me and I love them. As you have seen in my blog I have a 12 year old English Springer Spaniel. Prior to her, cats were more in my life. But due to my roommate having allergies to cats when I moved to California, I ended up with Bella. And it's been incredible journey having her in my life.

 

Tonight an fourth month old or so kitten tried to adopt me. Given our bad weather here in California, I brought her in and tried to find out if any one here in my condo complex had lost her.  No luck. For a number of reasons I couldn't keep her even over night. So luckily events provided me with someone who was willing to take her in temporarily till either either an owner is found or a permanent placement is gained.

 

 I had placed her on my patio while I went to check in on if anyone knew anything and to borrow some cat food for her. When I came back she was objecting quite loudly to being left and my neighbors who share my patio wall were calling to her. So when I spoke to them about not being able to leave her with Bella unsupervised and having a housekeeper who was coming in who was allergic to cats, they agreed to be her temporary foster parents so to speak. They told me they have a laid back cat who they have had with other cats with no issues.

It's great to have a positive. The lights haven't been shining so bright the last several weeks and this gives me hope for better days.

 

Stray Cats, 'Stray Cat Strut':

 

 

Not in Memorium

Broken people lead to broken hearts.

Mandy Hale

My father died this week and my heart is empty. He took so much from me, from my sisters and from my brother. We tried to bring him back into our lives time after time, only to have our hearts broken with each occurrence. And then yet once more this week when we tried to give him peace in his last days. Lesson learned. He didn't believe in anything but himself.  So I will not mourn him, I will mourn that I never really had a father only the illusion of one. And I will go on, heal and my heart will be whole and full again.

Bee Gees, 'How Can You  Mend A Broken Heart':