Paint the Town Red… Coral… Tangerine… Persimmon

Here’s a dirty little secret: I am super unproductive as a creator of fabulous things when Husband goes out of town. I do not paint the town red. I kind of get in a funk and only do the bare minimum–laundry, dishes, shower. Last night, I went to an HOA meeting and then got completely engrossed in the Walt Disney American Experience on PBS. Also eating ice cream in my pajamas. My original plan was to write thank you notes and do some design work… Fail.

So to remedy this, I’ve made a To Do list full of mostly left-brained tasks that can easily be completed and checked off. At the top I’ve written:

“Pick out pretty paint chips.”

Tonight, I’m hoping for my own Mrs. Blandings moment… because my bedroom is currently beige. Beige! And that’s not a color I choose to recognize.

If you’re in a painting mood, here are a few posts I wrote about painting our first house:

Picking an Exterior Color Palette

Then, Hannah Went Over to the Dark Side

Meet Nancy Kerr

Portrait of Nancy Kerr by Elizabeth Kerr-Rike at Rivermont | Hannah & Husband

Meet Nancy Kerr, the previous matriarch of Rivermont. There are so many things about this house that I love, but, without a doubt, its good spirit is the thing for which I am most thankful. And, from what I gather, we have this lady to thank for that.

A plucky war bride from England, Nancy and her husband Jim raised four boys within these walls. Nancy was an impressive being; she was a nurse during WWII and was the first hospice nurse in the state of Tennessee. I’m sure I’ll share more about the Kerrs’ tenure in this house at some point as we have so enjoyed getting to know their family. But for today, I just couldn’t resist sharing this portrait.

It was painted by Nancy’s sister-in-law Elizabeth Kerr-Rike who was the preeminent portrait painter in Knoxville in the forties and fifties. In fact, James saw some of her work hanging in a local country club recently! In the words of Nancy’s third, Christopher, “She could catch the essence of a person in her drawings.” This portrait carries such a presence that the first night she was here, Dexter walked right up to her and growled. (I’m happy to report that relations have warmed since.)

There is just something about her expression and that gleam in her eye that I can’t seem to get over–powerful, confident, and perhaps a little mischievous. Anyway, she’s staying at Rivermont until her granddaughter (who shares her striking features) has a place of her own. For now, we couldn’t be happier that she’s here for a bit longer.

Full Moon

Anniversary 2009, detail | Full Moon on  Hannah & Husband

A detail from “Anniversary”

Are you leery of the full moon? I never was until I worked in a preschool for a year. I swear, you can tell the phases of the moon just by watching the level of crazy in those little boogers’ eyes. (You know what I’m talking about. This trait is not limited to children.)

Anyway, last night I was feeling a little crazy myself and looked up to see the waxing crescent. The full moon will be here on Thursday. It made me think of this painting I did several years ago while dreaming of wintry nights and the full moon. It made me smile. 

Anniversary 2009 | Full Moon on  Hannah & Husband

“Anniversary” a painting I did for Husband in 2009

 So tell me, do you believe in the power of the full moon? Husband thinks it’s a bunch of hokum, but I can’t help thinking there’s something to it.