Blog

Sometimes friends come into your life unexpectedly. I knew Ross Utley enough to wave or say hello when his lawn service came weekly to Fountain Place. Through casual conversations I realized him to be a young man with extensive knowledge of horticulture. Beyond the yard service, he helps clients, many of them my friends and neighbors, with designing beds and planting seasonal flowers. A talented musician, Ross also has skills in woodworking and machinery repair.

Foremost, Ross is devoted to his wife Terri and children, Katie and Blake. Painting “Terri’s Kids” was both a delight and a challenge. I hoped to capture their sweet expressions, skin tones and distinctive hair color. I know how precious these “kids” are to Terri.

The Utley family is one of the most hardworking and generous families I know. Katie and Blake helped me pack up to make my move to Forestdale. Ross continues to take care of my yard and flowers beds, and to assist with tasks I cannot manage on my own.

Unexpected friends, unexpected blessings.

A Gift for Grandpa

Ending a marriage, even amicably, is not easy. When Mike and I decided to part ways after twenty-four years, we made an agreement to stay united in what we did best: parenting. Michael was headed to Tar Heel land and Brent was in his last couple of years of high school. There would be ballgames, graduations, birthdays and other celebrations. There would be personal and professional challenges when they needed us to be both supportive of them and civil to each other. Over the years this commitment, as parents and now grandparents, has remained unquestionable and possibly unique.