[L, diary, ephēmeris] 1) BLOG

Donalie, (artist mother of my twin nieces who are astoundingly creative artists, too),  is the second of my family's four daughters.  She is only thirteen months younger than I am, which caused terrible anguish for us both when younger ("MOM! WHY DOES SHE ALWAYS HAVE TO HANG AROUND ME AND MY FRIENDS??) and great humor when older ("Diane, I hope I look just like you when I'm your age...")  I was thirty at the time she made that last comment.

All my sisters are enormously talented artists, but Donalie is tenacious about her life's work of producing Art.  In the sixties she began with macrame hangings and stained glass exhibits in local parks, evolving quickly to glass and metal sculptures shown in galleries.  Thirty-two years ago, when the father of her eight-year old daughters died in a plane crash, she was already capable of providing financially for herself and the girls with her art.  No mean feat, as we all know.

Is my sister famous?  I don't know.  I'd never really thought about it until I began this website.  Donalie was simply my sister. I loved her,  appreciated her talents, but after leaving home we didn't live close or keep in touch to share much of our lives. For years I was focused on  building our boat, then when we launched and left California, the distances grew even farther...only now, when recalling her exasperated statement and finally having an appropriate response, have I begin to discover and appreciate the extent of her artistic achievements.  I am more than a little impressed.  Especially since she looks twice as good now, as I did at thirty....Mommmm...why did she get all the good genes??