Paws and Reflect

Because I needed to drop Steve's blood pressure by a few hundred points, we went to the Norton Art Museum today. We always go there in the spring because the grounds are so lovely carpeted with azaleas, water installations and woodland shade gardens. It's nice in the fall, too because the hardwood trees are gorgeous as the leaves change color.

The gallery had the "Paws and Reflect: Art of Canines" exhibit so we went inside to check it out. There were over fifty paintings and sculptures of dogs - right up our alley! One of my favorites was Louise Peterson's "High Four" - a huge, life sized Great Dane. Steve's favorite was a bronze search and rescue German Shepherd entitled "Ground Zero." We saw two George Rodrique Blue Dog paintings; I'm not sure why I like his work, but I do - I think they are fun.

Norton's is a real treasure and we always love it when we go. We always vow to go back more often and then promptly forget. I signed up for the email newsletter this time though, so maybe that will help keep it in my short attention span!

After prowling around the museum for about 45 minutes we went outside and sat on a wooden bench by a waterfall. We get sort of a kick out of the people with their cameras, tripods, and noisy kids all taking pictures. Lots of Christmas card portraits were apparently being made today and one wedding couple that looked straight out of Urban Cowboy - sort of.

Afterwards, we came home and Steve watched the Iowa Hawkeyes defeat Penn State which was exciting and then watched LSU lose to damn Alabama which was not exciting. We ate taco soup and I made a pineapple upside down cake which is wonderful and I'm going to eat the whole thing. By myself. Mostly.

So, I don't think I did a lot to lower Steve's blood pressure today but we did not talk politics at all (even though he tried) and that surely has got to help. I'm making gumbo tomorrow (The Teenager's favorite) which is pretty much an all day affair if done right! My students turned in research papers on Friday and I might muster up my energy and start getting a few of those knocked out.

All in all, so far it's what weekends are all about. Relaxation and football and food!