"Easter Traditions & Rodeo Queen . . . Well, good!"

Happy Easter everyone!  As I posted on facebook, I love that the Easter Bunny still comes even though my kids are big, and contrary to Doug’s belief, the kids were pretty excited too!!  See the look on Ryan's face, that's pure excitement!!  

Holidays at our house have always been somewhat of a challenge because “he-who-shall-not-be-named is somewhat of a “holiday scrooge.”  he will totally deny that!  I seriously love the holidays, and I do get sucked into all of the holiday marketing!  I make a big deal out of every holiday that comes along.  Hiding eggs throughout the house is always a good time, but our biggest tradition has been to hide plastic eggs OUTSIDE (rain, snow or shine) with “stuff” inside!  Each child would have their assigned “color” of eggs they could find. There were amazing things inside, like mini reeses peanut butter cups, or mini hershey bars, or better yet, a quarter and a dime!  I know, I am soooo clever!   I remember going through my “change” cup the night before and sorting all the change I could get my hands on, dividing it out three ways right to the penny.  As they all brought in their “goods” and dumped the ”egg contents,” they would sort out all their candy, and divide the “coinage” into quarters, dimes and nickels, when finally one would loudly announce “Eight dollars and sixty-eight cents!”  Then of course, Ryan tries to throw out the "I'm the favorite" card by declaring "I got ten dollars and fifty cents!!" Looks of despair dart my way as I confidently reply with reassurance, “No ya don’t!  Everyone's is the same!!”  Ryan grins as I give him the "evil eye!"  

We carry on many of the traditions that we grew up with, and I remember hunting for eggs out on our lawn--sometimes for months after Easter!  Remember those big ol’ easter eggs that were filled with white sugary hard stuff??  If you’re over 40, (a mature adult like me!) you may remember them!  They were nasty!  Maybe even a health hazard!  My mother would make my dad go out and help her hide eggs and on the most part, he would take his handful and give them a big toss across the lawn and say “there, I’m done!”  We would find those hard eggs buried deep in the grass long into the summer months and they would, on occasion, “argue” with the lawn mower!  We’d hear the “clunk clunk clunk” and then we’d laugh - “Ahhh, there’s another easter egg!  Hope we didn’t break a blade!”  

Okay - off the subject, but I have to throw this out there and get it off my chest!  We had a discussion this morning at breakfast over the usage of the word “good.”  Now, where I came from, someone says “How ya doin?”  We responded “Good!” or on a better day “REAL good!”  Of late, however, my sweet Wesley (bless his little heart) has been correcting me with “Don’t you mean “well” Mom?”  Now, mind you, I’ve tried to catch myself--really I have.  Being corrected by my 16-year old son SEVERAL times a day over my “bad grammar” has gotten a little, well, annoying!  yeah - annoying!  Truth is, sometimes “good” just fits better as to how I really feel!!  If my brother, Boyd, from Cleveland, Utah were to call and ask “How the hell ya doin, Nettie?”  Well, quite frankly, if I were to say “I’m well!”  He’d say, “Who is this???”  As it is, he knows it’s me if I answer with an enthusiastic “pretty damn good!!”  So yeah, Wes, I know it’s “proper” to say “well” but, just give us a break for a while, k??  Ryan and I decided to “pay back” some annoyance this morning so I asked Ryan “How’s your eggs, Ryan?”  He said “They were really WELL!!”  We both laughed hysterically as Wesley rolled his eyes.  Doug chimed in with the suggestion that as soon as Mr. Webster decides “good” is not only an adjective but could be used as an adverb, then, it’s all GOOD again!!  Well, good.  I am glad to get that off my chest!  

Wet paint, you ask?  Ahhh, Doug was working on it this morning!  Another pretty unique subject matter.  

" Ropin' "

8 x 10

Horses!  Yeah, whoda thunk?  Doug’s probably painted less than a dozen horse paintings, I would guess.  If you want to test me on that, you could go to our new website and check out the archives!  Okay - I have become a computer nerd and have redone Doug’s website.  If I don’t mind saying so myself, I think it looks, well, really good!!  hahaha used grammatically correct - in your face, Wesley!!  I will keep it updated on a weekly basis with new work and new information so feel free to “drop in” at the website and send me your feedback if you have any!!  

The rodeo painting!  Pretty sweet huh?  On a final note, it reminds me of my sister who is, quite frankly, one of Escalante’s greatest rodeo queens!  I so wish she were here to tell this story, or better yet, the story gets even better when told by my brother, Randy!!  (it doesn’t coincide with Patrice’s story, I’m sure!! haha) but suffice it to say she gave the image of “Escalante Rodeo Queen” a whole new “look!” (snowboots look almost like the real thing don’t they?  Well, you get the picture!!  Love ya Treesie!!)  Hoping you’re all well and ready for spring!  My golf clubs are still screaming at me!!  We are sooooo ready!!  

Till next week . . .

Jeanette


PS - some favorites that can be found in the "Archives" part of the new website!  Some I haven't thought about in years!  Enjoy!  Website is just www.dougbraithwaite.com.  

"Against the Wind"

14 x 16

One of  Doug's favorites painted in 2004.  This reminds me of the snowstorm that hit just last night!  

What's up with this weather??  

"Fall Colors Near Calf Creek"

32 x 30

One of my favorites of all-time.  Painted in 2006, it was one of his biggest paintings he'd done to date.  

At 30x32, it was breathtaking. 

"Evening Shift"

16 x 20

A fun little "burger stand" up in Roy, Burger Bar.  One of our favorite places.  I love the "time stamp" that these paintings create in our lives.  It's like a really amazing "journal" of our lives!