Christmas in July

I've been feeling a little uninspired and overwhelmed by papers and stuff, torn by needing to clear the decks and get rid of everything that fails to spark joy, and then saying oh no, what if I need that some day? It's a paralyzing dilemma.  I threw a pile of stuff into a shopping bag with a sign that says, 

"Stuff that I can't use but I can't throw away.  If you can use it, help yourself." I'll put it in the building's mailroom when nobody's looking.  Then I tidied my pencil drawer, and that was invigorating; maybe not life changing but it's very satisfying to look at the newly created order.

Still stuck in the doldrums, I thought of that song, "We Need a Little Christmas" and I remembered this broken Christmas tree ornament that hangs on a shelf in my studio.

It used to say "JOY" with a little train on top but the "J" fell off.  So now it says "OY", and when I first saw it I thought, "Well, that's not inappropriate," and I hung it on the tree.  

Oy, or Oy veh, is a Yiddish expression of grief and dismay but I like to keep on the sunny side.  Instead of Oh, woe is me, I say, What am I gonna do now?  

I had one of those moments last week.

My work is going to be in a show titled Women Celebrate Women at El Barrio's Artspace PS109 on East 99th Street.  I asked some of my artist friends who also live downtown if I could deliver their work for them.  My car has a big trunk, I thought.  When I arrived at the door of my friend Diana she brought out a painting that was bigger than her.  It didn't fit and as we stood there thinking Oy Veh, two very handsome men descended upon us.  In the twinkling of an eye they opened both backdoors, unhooked and lowered the backseat, which I've never figured out how to do, slid in the painting  and voila! We were all set.

 These handsome fellows told us they were visiting from Italy, staying in a hotel across the street.  Arthur is irked that I keep saying they were handsome but I'm just being observant.  Really, they could have modeled for Raphael. 

 It was an oy veh moment that turned into joy.

I could also turn my little ornament around...

 so that it says YO, which the google dictionary defines as an informal expression used to greet someone, attract their attention or express excitement. 

Yo!  How are you doing?  Are things getting you down like they're getting me down? Do you feel like you need a little Christmas?  If so, you could go to

https://www.barbaraswansonsherman.com/christmas-videos

and listen to the choir of the First Presbyterian Church in the City of New York singing nine of the carols from 

This is my book of Christmas carols.  As I did last year, I'm offering what I would have had to charge thirty dollars for, for the price of postage.  I'm able to do so because of all the help I received from old friends and friends I haven't yet met, on my Kickstarter project.   So, if you would like  a copy, go to

https://www.barbaraswansonsherman.com/shop

and I'll send you 12 Carols in plenty of time for Christmas.  Or I'll send it directly to anyone you like.

Plan ahead-get ready for Christmas-send a book as a gift or a Holiday greeting.  

YO!  thank you all so much!

Am I pushing the season? Sorry, here's a picture of the Morning Glory vines blooming on our terrace!