14. May 2009 by Marie Pinschmidt.

Dear friends,

Some of you have asked about the pricing for paintings in our present economy. Should prices fluctuate for art the same as for other commodities?  I have given this much thought and have come to the conclusion that asks the question: Why shouldn’t it? We all want to get the most for our dollar. You may ask, “But what about those who have paid top dollar for your art?” Let’s face it; the value of stocks and bonds, gold, automobiles, real estate, etc. goes up and down depending on the market. Although paintings and other works of art are usually considered luxuries, their value on the open market also changes. Since I, as an artist and writer, can purchase almost any item from clothing to real estate at a much reduced price, why shouldn’t I offer the same courtesy to my clients?  Therefore, the price of all paintings listed on my web site are negotiable, a number of them reduced to half price. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you have. Some of the paintings are small and make great gifts. And remember that an oil painting will not wear out like a new sofa or automobile. It withstands the test of time and continues to give joy indefinitely. Hopefully, the monetary value will increase as well.  

Anyone wishing an autographed copy of my books will also be rewarded. If you purchase “Maggie’s Retreat” or “Man on the Balcony” you will get both for the price of one ($18.00 including postage). This will apply only to books ordered through my site. So call 561-624-9003 or e-mail me at MariePin001@comcast net, with your mailing address and check.  The autographed books are suitable for all audiences and therefore make great gifts. Get a head start on birthdays or Christmas.

My third book, “Spanish Moss” is almost ready for the printer, so watch my website for the publication date.

My wish for all of you is good health and prosperity in these unsettled times.

Marie

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12. May 2009 by Marie Pinschmidt.

This is a recipe for Seafood Gumbo from Commander’s Palace in New Orleans. For those who do not eat seafood, chicken can be substituted.

• Ingredients: 6 tablespoons flour,  l/2 cup shortening (I use olive oil. Make a roux by blending the flour and oil in a heavy pot and cook until light brown). 
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1/4 cup chopped bell pepper
• l/2 cup chopped celery
• 2 pounds peeled raw shrimp (or substitute cubed chicken, whatever amount you like)
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 3 quarts water
• 1 pound claw crabmeat
• 1/4 bunch chopped parsley
• 1/2 tsp. thyme
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 can or 1 package of frozen okra (or fresh okra if you’re lucky enough to have a garden.)
• 1/2 pint oysters with juice
• salt and pepper to taste

To the prepared roux, add garlic and cook until golden brown. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery and cook until transparent. Add shrimp (or chicken) and tomato sauce, simmer 10 minutes, stir in water, and blend well. Add all other ingredients except okra and oysters. Cook 1 hour, add okra and cook 20 minutes. (If oysters are now added cook 10 minutes longer.)

Serve in a soup bowl over steamed rice. Yield: 1 gallon.  This recipe can be varied; i.e. add canned tomatoes instead of the tomato sauce. I like to add a couple dashes of hot sauce to give it an extra spark.

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2. May 2009 by Marie Pinschmidt.

                                                                                                            Word count 1253 

FAR-REACHING WORDS

 A Letter from IRAQ

 In this age of instant world-wide communication, a writer can never fully comprehend the length and breadth of his written words. Recently, this truth was revealed to me in a way that has left me stricken with awe. Recently, one of my essays (Impossible Dream or Reachable Goal) was published by Associated Content on the internet. Shortly after the article appeared, I received an e-mail from a lady in Iraq. I almost deleted it without reading since I didn’t know anyone in that far-reaching country. I’m glad I allowed my curiosity to gain control, because I wouldn’t have missed her communiqué for anything in the world. The previous day, like most writers, I was having doubts about the importance of my writing in the larger scheme of things.  Following are exact quotes from e-mails sent by this 45 year old single mother of six, an economics graduate. Her name is omitted for obvious reasons.

      “As you know my country Iraq is a bloody one, but thanks to God I have discovered my secret pure wonderful world made of my imagination. Every time I get sick from those bad and ugly people who fill our streets with blood and died bodies I run away by writing fantasy stories. I believe that every one of us has a magical finger to color this world. Some people like to paint it black others prefer a bloody one but the good hearts can paint our earth with colors of love.  “I have read your words about the Impossible Dream or Reachable Goal from the internet and I thought maybe I can ask you something; I wonder how a woman like me can have a chanse to publish only one of her books. I tried so hard in my country but the only word I get is NO. This song is from one of my fantasy books, The White Wings

.I am lonely and the darkness of the night is fearful

The winds blow roaring severely

 The light of dawn seems far away

My pure dreams will illuminate the way

 They will rise to go through the white clouds

 They will bring love to the whole wide world

I will smell the odor of the green fields

 I will race the gulls and the sea waves

Winds whisper to me: “Evil cannot quench love inside noble hearts.” 

              So touched was I by the beautiful words of this stranger from a foreign land, for three days I couldn’t think about anything else. The war in the Far East suddenly became very personal to me. I knew I had to do something, so I called my publisher and he agreed to contact her about publishing her work. I wrote an e-mail telling her what I had done and since then we have been corresponding.  

      In a later e-mail, at my request, she revealed more about herself (and I’m not correcting her broken English or her usage). “You never believe whats your words done to me they make me fly from happiness. Thank you so much. My dad was such a great man. When I was a little kid he made me and my three brothers study in private Christian school. He said to us that will help you to love all the people every day. In his wonderful library we could see all the books of all the religions standing side by side on the shelf. He used to say the secret from all these god’s love letters is in one word LOVE he just want from us to live like brothers and sisters. On my 16 birthday that ugly man called Saddam Husain send his men to take my dad away because he stand against his bloody politics. After 4 years he set him free. I still remember the bad signs on his body they torture him in savage way. Writing fantasy stories was my gate to run away towards my magical world, the one I never have it in my real life.  One of my children became very sick when she saw terrorists killing somebody near our home. Dear friend, I tried so hard to publish my book but they said “your thoughts are a strange ones its look like a Christians.”  I dream to have someday a chance to make my words reach the people hearts and I will never stop till I make it true. I don’t care about all the pains. I will be just like the little wild flower when it said to the hard Iraqi summer sun: “Fool, if you think you can kill me I will be born again when the spring touches me.”   

  In another letter she told me “The foolish political parties are still ruling my country. Just a few days ago, men attacked a college and beat the teachers with strong sticks in front of their students, do you believe that? It’s very sad to see all those beautiful minds have been beating like a dogs. I felt so sad and in the night I bury my face between the papers of the wonderful book Jonathan Livingston Seagull by the great author Richard Bach. When the life turned to be like a bad nightmare we must forget it in something or we will surely be mad. Thank you for being my friend. God bless you.”  

     My mouth dropped open when I saw her reference to Jonathan Livingston Seagull – another book of words that apparently has reached the entire world. Today, I sent her a copy of my first novel and she is transcribing her manuscript into English to send to me. I can’t wait to read more of her lovely writing.    

 In spite of the unrest and uncertainty we are now experiencing here in America, we are so blessed to be Americans. Few of us live in perpetual fear for our lives and that of our loved ones. Our freedoms are our most valuable assets. My new friend is an educated woman with lovely children and an utmost desire to make a safe and free future for them; the same as parents worldwide. However, she lives in a country where teachers are tortured in front of the students, bombs explode in the marketplaces, and one has to escape into fantasy in order to maintain sanity. She was taught to love everyone, and embrace all religions, but in her country she is not free to enjoy the freedoms we take for granted.  Prior to receiving her awe-inspiring letter, I admit the turmoil in the Far East was beyond my full comprehension. I was disturbed by the often gruesome and unsettling pictures on television, but did not feel the gut-wrenching compassion I should have felt or continue to feel for those unfortunate people. The letter brought the war on terror up close and personal. I have a deeper compassion for the loved ones of our military personnel who put their lives on the line every moment for those wonderful and deserving people who cannot enjoy the freedoms as do we here in America. Now, when I hear of, or see on the news yet another useless act of terror, I think of my new friend and wonder if she, as well as her beautiful words of love for all mankind have been lost forever in a rubble of hate.

“““““““

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