It's snowing, so I must be blogging. . .

It is one of those rare days in Atlanta: it is showing outside, so much so that it seems as if I am looking through rice paper as I gaze out my kitchen window. The trees are outlined in white, and the ground and building tops are beginning to look solid while. I think it was snowing like this the last time I wrote here. . . hmmmmm. . . maybe I should move to a colder climate to be a better blogger!

I have fennel roasting in the oven, with parmeson, herbes de provence, and lemon olive oil (which also seems to be one of my snow-day activities!) My little dog is beside me -- all I am missing is a roaring fire! But alas, this condominium doesn't allow even a gas fireplace.

A horse is a horse; of course, of course. . .

Last night I met some friends at the High Museum of Art, and we toured the Da Vinci exhibit (go see it! I believe this is the last week.) Very well done, and I really enjoyed it. Especially the Da Vinci's equine drawings. I remember studying them as a kid (a very horse-crazy kid!) I had a book of famous artists drawings (something I am sure my mother found at a garage sale or library sale, since that is where she bought almost everything nonessential!) The are small, and exquisite. There was something quite breathtaking about seeing the real thing. . . seeing the master's strokes on the paper. Another little surprise was who owned these little treasures: the Queen of England! There was actually quite a lot in this exhibit on loan from Her Royal Majesty. My friends and I all agreed that the High had missed a real marketing opportunity in not publicizing this: there are quite a few people that might not be that interested in seeing an exhibit on "Da Vinci and Sculpture", but who would make it a point to see something belonging to the Queen!

As much as I loved the little drawings of horses, my favorite thing was OUTSIDE the exhibit: the reproduction of Leonardo's horse sculpure, long since destroyed. It fills one end of the piazza with its powerful looming presence. It is so exquisitely EQUINE-- the proportions, the sensuality, the strength . . . it just filled me with joy. I wish we (Atlanta) could keep it! I would enjoy sitting outside sketching it (but not in the snow!) Unfortunately, I believe it travels next to the Getty in L.A. (it will look spectacular there, too.) Magnifico, and bravo to the person who thought to put it there!


A Life Lesson
One of my things I resolved to do is to try to make sure I use this blog to share "lessons learned". So I'll end this post with my new "motto". I can't take credit for it, although the paraphrasing is mine. Let me give you the background, before the motto.

I enjoy doing cryptograms. (I admit I only seem to do them on planes, in waiting rooms, and (ahem) in the bathroom. I was working in a new book my cousin had given me for Christmas, and when I solved it, discovered it was quote from Mary Pickford (the silent film actress who went on to become a powerful Hollywood business executive.) I don't remember what her quote was exactly, but it was quite lengthy, so I shortend it and paraphrased it to be this:

Failure isn't falling down . . . it is getting back up after you fall.

Man, does that hit close to home for me! Literally and figuratively. I'm going to keep that close to my heart from now on. I have a feeling I'll need it again and again in the future!