Aggie-OU Game

Bush 41

and his entourage enter the Aggie-OU game

The announcer noted how Bush was pausing for photos with Aggies

Kick Off on Kyle Field
It was a perfect autumn day, clear blue skies, and ideal temperature as the Aggies met OU.

Oklahoma made an early touchdown, followed by many more for 66 points.

The Ags made a couple of touchdowns, too. Lots of injuries, even from previous games. So many that

I wondered if they weren't going to have to call in the 12th Man. But, no. They have lots of players these days.

We had a little family time during the game. We gathered in front of the tv set, had some snacks, and watched. I had my sketchbook and did these sketches, while Ashton preferred to play with his Bucket of Slime. (It's a lime green color.)

I used my #314 Draughting Pencil to do these somewhat gestural drawings. But, I messed them up a bit. The pencil is very soft and will get very dark. However, that means that it smears easily. I realized that there were smudges when I started to scan them today. I was able to clean up some, but not all of it. There is a big smudge across the stomach on the Aggie Touchdown drawing, and one by Pluto's tail that I couldn't get rid of completely, for example.

Pluto stretched out on the carpet and enjoyed his bone while we snacked on sandwiches, chips, and cold drinks during the Aggie -Sooner Game Saturday.

Thoughts of Thanksgiving

THANKFUL
7" x 10"
Watercolors

Thanksgiving 2007 is behind us now. When I was teaching, I always had my students do a picture of something that they were thankful for before Thanksgiving. This year, I thought I would give myself the assignment, but I really didn't have time to work that out before the holiday was upon us.
Instead, I did this small watercolor.
I started thinking of being thankful for a roof overhead, a warm place to enjoy, food to eat and to share with family and friends. It isn't a picture of my family, or memories of our Thanksgiving meals, or even our Thanksgiving meal this year. My painting is a general scene of a Thanksgiving gathering. I probably had a few thoughts of holidays and family of the past as I painted this, however. This is another piece of art in my expressionistic style.
Two youngsters are watching tv on the floor, while others are outside tossing a football. More people are arriving, dressed in their Sunday best. Two couples are already seated at the dining room table, talking. The plates are set close together. A big turkey is roasted and waiting at the head of the table. Side dishes of potatoes, dressing, gravy, rolls are on the table, along with butter, cream and sugar.
Once, we had a large family, that gathered for holidays in one of several homes. That sort of rotated according to who felt like being host and hostess for that meal.
The dinette table, dining room table, a large table in the den, card tables, and a little children's table were all full of family, friends, and guests.
Now, our family has dwindled to one aunt in the nursing home, my daughter, her two sons, my sister, and I. I think we are not making enough memories for the younger generation by not having those big family dinners. But, the last time I tried to cook, I had a lot of trouble trying to lift the big turkey and dressing in the pans, and could have used some help. But, my daughter decided that she wanted to go out to eat with friends, and I just told those who my daughter had invited, not to come. We finally had turkey and dressing that night, instead of at noon, as was our custom. But, as I always have said, the best part of the turkey dinner is the sandwiches that you make later. So, that's what we did.
Last year, my sister, daughter, the boys and I went to a local cafeteria for a meal. There was a crowd, and a long line. The food was not very good.
This year, we did the same thing. A friend of my daughter's, her son, her husband, and his father, joined us. The line was very long and not good for bad knees (mine) or backs (my sister). But, the food was much better this year.
After we ate, we took pies to the nursing home, and shared with my aunt and the staff and residents, who wanted, and could have, some pie.
Sadly, by eating out, there were no leftovers to make those wonderful turkey sandwiches!
One Thanksgiving that my dad talked about, for the rest of his life, was the year that I brought home one of my friends from college. He would always talk about the year that we had a real Indian with us for Thanksgiving. And, for her, it was her first time to have Thanksgiving. That year, we had Thanksgiving across the street from my house, with the great-aunt who had the allergy problems.
Our family Thanksgiving meals consisted of two 30 pound turkeys, with corn bread dressing and gravy, a large Pikes Peak red roast with red gravy, a large baked ham, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top, cooked carrots, creamed corn, whole kernel corn, English peas, ambrosia, fruit salad, Jello salad, pears, peaches, jellied cranberries, rolls, bread, bakeless cake with whipped cream, chocolate, pumpkin, lemon meringue, coconut, pecan pies, and marble, coconut, and chocolate cake. Children got milk, with cream still in it, some adults drank iced tea, or "sky juice" (as my dad called it), and most adults drank some coffee. Most drank it with cream and sugar-lots of it! My uncle still preferred his coffee prepared by putting 1/2 cup of cream in his cup, then 4 spoons of sugar, then fillng the rest of the cup with coffee.
I always thought that they were speaking some German at our family dinners as people would say, "Pass the cush, please." Or, "Please pass me the gunwadden". They asked for the "pootie" or the "sawdust". It was only in recent years that I realized that these were some Aggie terms that my dad brought home with him from his time as a student at Texas A&M University. My great-aunt and her brother, my grandfather, did speak German, but that was not it, apparently.
Pootie-turkey
Cush-dressing
Gunwadden (gun wadding?)-bread
Sawdust-sugar
Sky juice-water
Everyone pitched in to do the finishing touches, and get the food on the table. There was much talking as people arrived, and the ladies joined in the kitchen, while the men gathered in the parlor and the living room.
The male head of the table gave the prayer, as the group settled in on chairs, stools, and anything they could find to pull up to the table to sit on, and then we ate and talked.
While the grownups lingered over the table, with coffee and dessert, I would take the kids under the table, where we "decorated". I taught people their ABC's, and to write their names, with crayons on the underside of the table. That was when we were small enough for a lot of us to fit under the table.
When we got tv, we would adjourn to the room with the tv to watch the Aggie-Longhorn game. Daddy and Grandpa, especially, took those Aggie games very seriously. Woe be unto anyone who talked during a crucial play, especially if the Aggies were not doing so well.
Sometimes we would go for a walk, boys would go out and toss a football, or we might go for a drive. But only after the regular crew went into the kitchen to wash and dry dishes, put food away, and get the table ready for supper, or a snack later.
By the time the meal was over, the men were stretching back, loosening their pants, and unbuckling their belts. Some would have to have a little short nap in their parlor chair while their food went down!
Despite eating all that food, repeated trips to nibble on "just a little bite" were in order through the afternoon and even late into the night.
Our tradition, in our family, was, after eating, and resting for a while, we would go out to the pasture and pick out our Christmas tree. We would get a Cedar tree, always too large, which Daddy would have to cut down and bring home. Sometimes, he just left it tall and bending over at the top. Eventually, though, Mama would get him to take the tree out and cut it down some more. Then he would make a stand for it, with two boards, crossed over, and some bricks around it to hold the tree upright. Those would be covered with a roll of cotton from the store (Conitz Dry Goods Store-grandpa's store), to simulate snow. Mama's ornaments would come out of the linen closet, where she kept them during the year, and we would hang decorations-or were they really toys for the cats to play with!
We discovered that snow for the tree could be made from powdered washing detergent, mixed with a little water, to make a paste. Then that could be scattered on the tree. I still remember the year that Daddy brought home a box of Cheer instead of Tide, so we had blue snow on our tree. We always preferred the bought things, but, sometimes, we had to make do with whatever we could find.
Sometimes, our tree would be in a corner of the living room, other years, it would be in the center of the recessed windows in the living room. Mama's baby grand piano held the tree some years, but usually, the room was just full with the sofa, piano, and a big tree, plus smaller furniture, and a heater.
One great-aunt had serious problems with allergies, and, at one point, she couldn't come in the house with our Cedar tree. Daddy also had planted a Cedar tree at each corner of the house, and had low Cedar shrubs by the front steps. "Toot", my great-aunt, would stand out in the yard to talk to Mama. Sadly, she had to give up working in the yard she loved so much. But, eventually, she recovered and she wasn't even sure why. She came to our house for a brief visit for Christmas Eve, when she was suffering with allergies, with the rest of the family. She was covered up, wore a scarf over her face, even - like a bandit, and left quickly.
Christmas is another story.
For this year, our fall and Thanksgiving things have been put away, and Christmas things are appearing. We don't go into the woods to cut down a Cedar tree, these days. Our tree comes from a box in the store room! Not nearly as much fun. But, we will have some hot chocolate while we put on decorations. Most of the decorations, are put up around the house. We still have to get the tree up. But, it has turned cold, and rainy. At least it is beginning to feel like Christmas this year. And we can use the rain. Usually, it is warm and sunny, and it is really hard to get in the mood.
This year, I'm ready to have some hot chocolate and do Christmas cards. (Still wish I had some good left over turkey for sandwiches, though.)
Thanks for reading and sharing. I hope that your Thanksgiving was memorable, and good.
If you haven't joined my group, please consider doing so. It's really easy.
Also, don't forget to check out the things under BlogRush and my other links in my side bar. Let me know if you would like to have BlogRush on your blog. I'm just amazed when I see how many different countries are represented in my counter, these days.
Let me know if you see something that is of interest to you. Thanks for referring others to my blog.

Whoop Te Do! Another Big Saturday Night!

Whoop Te Do!
Another Big Saturday Night!
18" x 24"
Mixed Media: China Markers, markers, & watercolors
There was a time when Saturday night meant going out-dancing, out to eat, on a date, to a movie, riding around, or even out with other girls, hoping to meet some suitable guys.
Time passes, however, and, while there are still things going on in the world, Saturday night might mean doing something mundane, watching tv, eating supper in front of the tv with the British comedies, washing clothes, ironing, taking a nap on the couch before going to bed.
The above self portrait was done at my kitchen sink after supper was finished and dishes had been done. Dressed in my housecoat, I looked out the window over the sink at the full moon outside. Light from the moon reflected off a few clouds that drifted past. A pottery windchime dangled in the window.
To do this picture, I placed a drawing board with 80# drawing paper on the sink, where I had been washing dishes, and worked from the reflection in the window. I could still see a bit of the night sky with the full moon, as well as myself.
I thought, "Whoop te do! Here's another big Saturday night!" as I looked toward the university and city. In times past, I would have taken my little car, and been out there having a good time with everyone else.
I selected china markers for a loose drawing medium, with some use of markers, and tried to work in an energetic way with lots of searching lines. Light washes of watercolors were used to complete the picture. Standing, and working with larger materials, seems to allow for more energy as well as a loose technique. I limited my colors to browns and blues-a neutral and one primary color.
Hopefully, those of you who need rain are getting some relief this weekend. (We're having clouds, a little sprinkling of rain, and thunder. It's dry here again with burn bans that have put a stop to the big Thanksgiving game bonfire, for now. Several counties have put a burn ban in place again, after we had caught up with our rain deficit during the summer.) I hope that everyone is able to "kick up your heels" and have a good time .
Let me know if you see something that particularly appeals to you. I do appreciate your comments and your support.
Thanks for reading and passing this along to others. Have a nice weekend.
On a personal note, our youngest family artist went to his first U.I.L. (University Interscholastic League) meet for his school district today. He was scared, but came home beaming, with a medal and a certificate. He elected to try for Picture Memory. We've been looking at small cards with famous fine art paintings for several weeks, studying titles, artists, and information about each work. The thing that we didn't work enough on was actually writing out the titles and the artists' names, which is what they ended up having to do. I thought that was a little hard for elementary school! He didn't win a top place, but I'm thrilled that he stayed with it, faced his fears and anxiety, represented his school, and participated. Now we know what it is all about and he can be better prepared for next year. His art teacher, and another teacher who helped coach the students, did an outstanding job with the youngsters. He made the comment, "At least now I really know a lot about those paintings!" And he does!

First Norther

First Norther
Image Size 9"x13"
Paper Size 10"x 14"
watercolor
Early Monday afternoon, the summer-like skies turned to gray. We heard reports of heavy rain and flooding to the north as a cold front rushed across Texas. I haven't heard this particular front designated as a Norther, but the wind did come from the north, and the temperature dropped considerably. However, there were storms as the front raced south and I'm not sure that there is rain, thunder and lightning with a true Norther. They may just include those fronts that are dry with strong winds and a big temperature drop.
We kept the news and weather on tv and the computer, to watch the progress of the storms.
I've been wanting to paint a Blue Norther for about 20 years now, but we haven't had one, that I've seen. I even asked the local weatherman, "Whatever happened to Blue Northers?". It seems that we now have fronts come in, but they either happen at night, with storms, or, in the daytime, they arrive as storms. (That doesn't happen with a Blue Norther) I think that we have had maybe 3 Blue Northers since I got the idea, but I was in class and couldn't paint then. I thought that, surely, one would come along on a day when I didn't have to teach. After all, I've been seeing them all my life. It hasn't happened, so I guess that I will just have to paint this as one of my memories, if I am going to do it. I really wanted to paint one, and get the colors and the feeling, as it happens.
Through the north side windows yesterday, there were gray clouds, then spots of rain. I took my clipboard to the south side windows and sketched the interesting clouds that were forming there. As fronts from the north go over us and head south toward Houston and the Texas Gulf Coast, the cold air, hitting the warm coastal air probably create these boiling clouds. When there are storms and floods in the Houston area, 100 miles away, we can usually see big thunderheads from our south windows.
I wanted to paint a Blue Norther, still, but this looked like the closest thing I was going to get to one, for now. I took my paper to my drawing table, and did the watercolor above.
Of course, as I started to paint, the electricity went off. I opened the blinds to my wide , north windows and kept painting. So this one was painted, basically, in the dark.
I like to paint when it rains. I seem to have more energy in bad weather. I think it has something to do with the barometric pressure, or it's just the way I am. I get sleepy when it is sunny, wide awake at night and in bad weather. Or maybe it has something to do with the need to be alert for self-preservation.
I may have painted the tag that hung from the bottom cloud a bit heavier than it actually was. My grandson thought it looks like a tornado. It wasn't a tornado, but it was a part of the cloud that looked like one, with little puffs trailing .
"First Norther" shows that time when the cold air from the north, collided with the warm air to the south, with hints of thunderheads and blue skies above the distant trees. Cold, yellow light peeked through the dark clouds. The security light shone through the darkened trees around the neighbor's house and shed. The weeds and grass were still light green and brown. The rain had not started.
Once the heavy rain started, however, the ditch in front of the house filled quickly.
You can't help but be a little on edge about nature when you live in a mobile home. After the lightning strike nearby a couple of weeks ago, we're still a little more nervous than usual when bad weather threatens.
With that big crash, one of my windows cracked and the shelves in my closet, next to the window, fell. We were watching tv when that lightning bolt hit. I saw all the pictures on the wall, fly out from the wall. The hooks held them, but every picture in the house was crooked. I'm just so glad that it didn't hit the house. The family thought it had and went outside to look for damage. My poor, elderly cat, Bitsy, was scared to death, as she always is when it rains. (My weatherforecaster!)
Hope you enjoy this one. "First Norther" was painted with Winsor Newton watercolors on 140 pound Arches watercolor paper.

To see more of my posts on Macular Degeneration, look in the Archives or under Older Posts. Those are all prefaced with the word "Vision".
Also, check out http://www.gretawire.com where there was a conversation on Macular Degeneration. She has an interesting blog, anyway, but I was glad to see the comments on AMD. That would be in the older posts, now.
Enjoy the links on my sidebar.

Some things coming up:
Brazos Valley Art League Show College Station, Texas Entries due Friday Oct. 19
Calhoun County County Fair Art Show Port Lavaca, Texas (entries were due yesterday)
"Last Year On The Farm" show of Virginia Vaughan's recent works Manor, Texas Oct. 20
Chemistry Department Open House and Demos Texas A&M University Oct. 20
(That should be fun and educational for the family)
Downtown Art Auction Bryan, Texas Entries due by Oct 19 Auction Nov. 2
Arts for the Parks National Competition Entries due by Nov. 30

Thank you for your comments and support. Let me know if you see something of interest to you. And thanks for sharing my work with others who might be interested.

Sunday Drive-Radio

Sunday Drive
Radio
8.5" x 11"
pencil
A warm box of fresh, Shipley doughnuts in my lap. Musn't open, though, until we got home. And, even then, I wouldn't get one as this dozen was destined for Grandpa's house. We each got one from a sack to eat while we rode around on Sunday afternoon.
I sat in the front so that I could listen to the radio. "Would you like to swing on a star, carry moonbeams home in a jar". My favorite song at that time. I could just imagine being out on a lawn as the stars filled the skies, holding a large fruit jar of moonbeams and lightning bugs. I could even swing on a pointed, golden star, if I wanted to, or slide down a beam from the moon.
I hoped I would not be a monkey, in the song, or even a donkey or a pig, as they sang about different animals, who weren't all in the zoo.
Along with popular songs, the speaker on the radio provided us with laughs in "Henry Aldrich", "Blondie and Dagowood", "Amos 'n Andy", and dance music from a rooftop dancefloor. It kept me from wiggling and complaining.
I couldn't see where we were riding, over the dashboard. I could only make out sky and treetops. But, I knew about where we were, just from the treetops. My feet dangled off the seat, beside the heater under the dash. I was scrunched up between two large adults. In this drawing, I've shown Grandpa driving and Uncle Tom in the passenger seat.
I don't remember riding with Grandpa driving, much. Usually, Uncle Tom would drive the family in his wife's Chrysler. Or Daddy would drive while Irvin, his brother, was in the Army. Irvin usually drove after the war.
In the back seat, there would be Mama, Daddy, Grandma, "Pappy", (Uncle Tom's wife), and Daddy's sister, Thelma-unless she was out with friends or off somewhere teaching. On some occasions, we also had "Toot" and "Honey", although they often opted for a nap on Sunday afternoon, and then a short drive on their own. Sometimes, we would take two or even three cars, but those cars were large and could carry a lot of people. The grown-ups could even wear their hats inside.
Daddy had a Ford sedan, Irvin had a Buick and, later, a Chevy sedan, "Honey" had a big Nash sedan, and Uncle Tom had a big Chrysler. There were other cars in the family, but those were the ones that we seemed to use for family drives and trips.
After my sister was born, my mother could hold her, until she was big enough that we could both climb back and forth over the seats, pinching everyone who we happened to step on, or we would stand up and look out the back window as we drove. No such thing as seatbelts or car seats, then. We wouldn't have room for them in our sedans. Vehicles like station wagons and mini vans were not available to most people in those days, either. The family sedan or a pickup truck or delivery truck were all that we knew of, except for the convertables, sports cars, and wooden paneled station wagons that were in the movies.
After the whole family went to the Methodist church to Sunday School and church, we usually gathered in one home for a big Sunday dinner of red roast, red gravy, mashed potatoes, ambrosia, spiced peaches, or a pear half, English peas, sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top, rolls, cake or pie, coffee, for the grown ups, milk for the kids. People would sit around the table and talk for a while, as the hostess and a few helpers took care of the dishes. Kids would spread the funny papers and catalogues out on the floor to read. The grownups would adjourn to their homes for a short nap and a change of clothes from church clothes. Then we would gather for the Sunday afternoon drive.
During War time, ration coupons were saved so that people could have gas, tires, and even the big family dinners and parties. I can remember my great aunt doing things like boiling one egg and making one piece of toast, then cutting it in half for a meal for the two of them. He had to use his panel delivery truck for his grocery store, but the Nash stayed in the garage, unless they just had to go somewhere in it. Waxed paper was washed and reused until it fell apart. Socks were darned and clothes were patched and reworked. But, come Sunday, there would be a huge roast on the table, with all the trimmings.
The large farms in the Brazos River Bottom were home to many families and farm workers. The area was dependent on those crops of cotton, corn, and grain for income. When the crops were plentiful and prices were high, the economy for the whole area was good. So, our drives often were planned so that Grandpa could see how the crops were doing. He kept careful watch on those crops and ordered for his store accordingly.
We rode through the Bottom to Bryan and College Station. We had to ride around the campus of Texas A&M University so that Grandpa and Daddy could get a look at "the boys". A&M was an all male, military college then. And Grandpa and Daddy were big fans.
Daddy started to A&M and even played football a while, after high school. But he started to college in 1929, when the Great Depression hit. His plans of being a cotton classifier were dashed when the bottom fell out of the cotton market. He was crazy about A&M all his life, but he quit school and went to work.
Grandpa had been an outstanding baseball player, when he was young. He was offered a scholarship to play baseball at A&M, and they offered him all kinds of things to get him to go to college there. His father had other ideas however. He thought it would be best for Grandpa to go to business school and then have his own store in our hometown. Great-grandpa had his own grocery store, and he set up his son in business on that same block. The store was there for almost 100 years, although Grandpa lived to be 96. His son, then his daughter took over after Grandpa died. Great Grandpa also set up his daughter's husband, "Honey", in a grocery store next to his own, and two more sons worked for him, and one opened his own grocery store later, just down the street. Another son was a painter, one farmed, and two died.
During our rides to A&M, among the Corps dorms, I was embarrassed at being a girl among all those boys. I had heard tales of the things they did at that school. I thought I might see something that I shouldn't, so I hid on the floorboard of the car until we were safely down the street. It didn't help that one great aunt was always lecturing about what ladies should and should not do. (Ladies shouldn't expose their limbs, ladies must walk on the opposite side of the street if they should be walking downtown and encounter a place where beer was sold, ladies should only accept gentlemen callers, with their calling cards, at a certain time, with her parents' permission.) I thought that dorms in an all male school were no place for ladies. But no one else seemed to bother about that.
I felt safe again once we were down the street by the country club lake with its small dam. During drought years, especially, we looked at that little dam and hoped that water would be pouring over it. How exciting it was to see that water spilling over the concrete. That meant that we had had some rain. We had about a 7 year drought when we thought that dam would never have water over it again. That was a sad time as cows were dying or being sold, crops withered in the fields, except where there was irrigation, and people were having to come into town to get water in barrels from the fire department. I still get excited when we drive past that little dam, and I still look for water pouring over the dam. It's one of my favorite places.
A special treat, if I had been good, was to stop at the doughnut shop and pick up doughnuts to eat and a box to take home. Those are still the best doughnuts. In fact, I had one this morning for breakfast. Wonderful, soft, yeast, glazed doughnuts. Grandpa usually got a box to take home, and, sometimes, Daddy would buy one too. Uncle Tom seemed to prefer the doughnuts that "Pappy" made from scratch. Those were more like cake dougnuts, to me, fried in her deep fryer or the iron skillet.
And, then we took Highway 6 home. The radio kept us company. Most of the family were not big talkers. Grandma was deaf, so she didn't talk. My mother was quiet. "Pappy" talked some. "Toot" was the fun one and, if she was along, she kept things lively. Thelma would talk, at times, if she was with us. Grandpa might tell stories, but, usually he was pretty quiet, except in telling the driver where he wanted to ride that day, or something about the cows or business. "Honey" and Uncle Tom were very quiet. And I was a pesky little girl, when I talked.
"I don't have enough room! I'm getting smushed! I want to go home! I'm hungry! I want a drink! I can't see anything! I don't want to go there! I want to go to the picture show! I want to go swimming! I want to go play with ........" But, I stayed busy listening to the radio and dreaming. And dreading having any homework that I hadn't done at that late hour.
After the ride, we would feast on roast sandwiches on toast for supper at the home where we had dinner that morning. Those roasts lasted for several days. And, some of us could eat more than one sandwich. We couldn't get enough! By Tuesday, the roasts were usually turned into hash, with some of it added to soup ,later.
There were other rides, to other places, but this is one that the family took for many years. I can feel those warm dougnuts in my lap, still, hear the radio programs, feel the strain of not being able to see over the dashboard, and feel squashed between two big men in their heavy suits.
Most of the family is gone, now, but sometimes, my sister takes my aunt and me on a drive through the Bottom, and we still notice how the crops are doing. But, now, I am big enough to see where I am going, and we look for things to paint as we drive. Clouds, the play of light, perspective, colors, texture, shapes are part of what we notice now.
I hope that you have had a good Sunday, today, maybe with a family drive, or whatever you enjoy doing.
Notice the additions I have made to the sidebar of my blog. I have added quite a few links to blogs, other artists, and some new artists to my sections. These are some artists' blogs that I receive and enjoy. When you look at the blogs, you may also find the artist's websites. And, some that I have added, are links to the website.
I was pleasantly surprised when, after I contacted one artist, to learn that she had gone to my university and that I have at least two of her prints. I had not looked at the signatures, but just liked her work. She is another Texas artist, Kay Lamb Shannon.
If you are an artist over 60 years of age, check out "The Artist's" magazine for call for entries to artists over 60. Deadline for that is Oct. 1 so there isn't much time left. You can find more information on their blog on their website.
If you have a blog and are considering adding BlogRush to it, I got a message that they are working on it when I went in to change my colors. So, if you can't get in, try again later.
Please share my work with others. And let me know if there is something that you are particularly interested in. Comments, and support, are important. Thanks for reading.

September Song

September Song
8.5"x 11"
pencil
Saturday night in a dorm room on the campus of a small college, Sam Houston State, in Texas. A night for dates, parties, dancing, celebration of a win of the big football game in the afternoon. There is bustling activity as girls put on their formals for a big dance, anticipating a perfect evening. Others meet their dates in the lobby/dining area. One young man slips his date's wrap over her shoulders as they leave for a party.
There has been much primping, borrowing, changing clothes, asking for opinions and help from other girls as the young women work for the perfect look. They hope that their dates from Texas A&M University will show up in their uniforms, especially if they are seniors and can wear the prized senior boots. But, if they are not in the Corps, or even if they are from the local college, the girls hope that their dates will arrive, dressed up and using their best manners. They hope that they can go where they can show off their dates, as well as their outfits. And, they hope that this date will be the best ever, and something that will be permanent.
Spirits are high around the town after a football win, so everyone prepares for the big night with lots of energy.
And, then, there are those without dates. There's casual dress, jeans and a large shirt, shorts, or even a housecoat and slippers around the dorm. Books might be brought out, and some might make a trip to the library, or a few might go with another group of girls, to a movie and out to eat. Those would be the ones who still had money left, and whose boyfriends were too far away to come here and take them out. It might be time to catch up on laundry, cleaning, homework, or a group might get together for a card game.
On this Saturday night, late in September, in the 1950s, she sits alone in her dorm room while activity goes on outside of her little world. She has on jeans and a shirt, she is barefoot, and sits at her desk with books on the shelf, unopened. The little 45 record player is ready with some popular selections. A Coke sits ready to be sipped on during the evening. She has pulled out a couple of sheets of blue stationary from a box on the shelf. Fountain pen and a bottle of blue ink wait to be used. She will write a long letter as she listens to the record player and the radio. She hopes that the boy won't mind getting a letter from her. She really likes him, and he has asked her out several times. But, when he gets away from her, is she just a joke to him? After all, he is older, going to a big university, he's smart, and oh-so-good- looking. She writes a guarded letter, in her best handwriting, hoping that maybe he will ask her to one of those big football games at his school, to a dance, or, even, that he will ask her to go anywhere again. Before the letter is mailed, she will ask her friends to read it, to be sure that it is alright and that there are no mistakes. After all, like other girls, she came to college to meet her Prince Charming and live happily ever after. To her, he was that one. She had turned down dates with other boys she knew. And, so, here she was, on a Saturday night, listening, and writing, with tears in her eyes, while others went out to celebrate the big victory.
It was September, and, as "September Song" played, she envisioned a landscape outside of her window, with colorful leaves drifting down to fill the parking lot below. The weather would be cool and all those fall clothes she had brought to school would be comfortable. There would be the fragance of apples and sugar cane in the air. She would wear a soft, cashmere sweater, a felt circle skirt with lots of petticoats, a wide belt, a neckerchief or a cashmere collar, pearl earbobs, and ballerina shoes, and she would carry a matching cashmere sweater or poodle cloth jacket in case it got cooler. She would wear red lipstick and a hint of mascara on her eyebrows. She would have liked to have a long pony tail that would swing when she danced, but she lacked the patience it takes to let her hair grow that long. Instead she had ducktails and swept the top in a soft swirl. When her dream date would come to take her out, she would be ready for dancing, a movie, going out to eat, or even just riding or walking around.
But, this was Texas. It was still hot in September, so it was more practical to wear cotton clothing, although girls did wear layers of clothes and those tight merry widows. The leaves didn't change or flutter to the ground. Apples didn't grow in that part of the country. You would have to go to a store or fruit stand to find them. Sugar cane was brought in to the stores. Music didn't play all the time, and Prince Charming never did arrive on his big white horse to whisk her away to an enchanted life.
The only time she got to go to one of those big football games was when she went with her grandfather and her father. She never got to go to a dance at the big school.
The boy did come back, a few times, but he moved on, and so did she. But, she still remembered. And, one day not long ago, she wondered where the time had gone and knew that her dream never would come true.
She did go out, and go dancing, and to other big dances, with other boys, over the years, and went on with life.
Back then, it did truly seem like a long, long time, from May to December, and through the rest of the year. The days have grown short, now that it is Semptember. Time to watch the young ones, and remember. As I watched the A&M-Baylor football game today, I couldn't help but remember.
"September Song" is done in pencil and shows a memory of college days. Except for football and tv programs and ads, and the stores decorated with pumpkins and Halloween objects, it's a bit hard to get in the mood for what we think of as traditional autumn around here. Often, what happens is that leaves on some trees start to change, then a norther comes through and knocks all the leaves to the ground. So, we go from summer, to a few days that look like we are going to have autumn, then we go directly to winter-for a few days. Soon, it's hot again, and summer-like.
As September comes to a close, I hope that it has been a good, memorable month for you. We look forward to the promise of October.
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