Tag Archives: #frankdelgado

Thinking Of You Dad

Mingus Moonlit Night. SMD 2020
Mingus Moonlit Night. SMD 2020

December 10th. The date of my last post. Ay caramba! Time continues to be a steamroller. Hijole!

The winter weather has given us some beautiful views. We had an afternoon of snow, our first of the year. On December 28th. Haha. Lovely, big fluffy flakes floating down. It was fairly heavy for a while but it did not stick. Mingus disappeared behind a veil of white and reemerged powder-coated. It was heaven while it lasted.

Shrinking Snow Storm. SMD 12.28.20
Shrinking Snow Storm. SMD 12.28.20

We have had gorgeous pink sunsets.

Cotton Candy Clouds. SMD 2020
Cotton Candy Clouds. SMD 2020
Blushing. SMD 2020
Blushing. SMD 2020

My birthday week was filled with appointments. Blood tests, breathing test, bone test. Mostly standard bi-annual stuff, just all happened to land in the same week. Eesh! And here we are, in the middle of the month already. You know what that means. The February 30-Day Creative Gathering will soon be here! Oh my!

After another mini organizing binge, I made three starts. Art supplies and papers are at the ready! Paint pens and pencils. Scribbles to ease the intimidation of a fresh clean sheet of paper. I plan to add a few more layers to these backgrounds. And I hope to have 6 to 12 starts ready before next month. Knock on wood.

Our trees are still holding on to their leaves. I keep meaning to look up the reason why. I am sure it has something to do with how dry the past year has been. This photo is a few weeks old, but the tree looks pretty much the same.

Won’t Let Go.

I ordered a pad of Strathmore watercolor paper after watching an artist use it online. Cold Press, 140 lb., acid-free, 100% cotton. 12 – 8 x 10 sheets. It was about $10 on Amazon. I did see it later at Walmart, for a few dollars more. It has a grey cover. I played just to get a feel for it. This is a tiny sketch. I like the paper, the tooth is nice. I’ll talk more about it in another post.

Green Gold Tree. SMD 2020
Green Gold Tree. SMD 2020

Thinking of my father today. Missing him on his birthday. Truth be told, I think of him every day. We are still in limbo due to COVID. My best friend in high school lost her father the day before mine passed (on July 14th). He was our high school principal.

My dear friend from California lost her dad the Saturday before Christmas. We also lost my Dad’s elder brother Willie, the Sunday before Christmas. Heartbreaking.
Horrible, heartbreaking six months.

Frank Delgado, State Champion.
Frank Delgado, State Champion.
Frank with the "Wailers", October 1965.
Frank with the “Wailers”, October 1965.
Tere & Frank Christmas 2019
Tere & Frank Christmas 2019
Frank, Ray & Willie
Frank, Ray & Willie
Willie, Frankie, Ray
Willie, Frankie, Ray

Looking for quotes brought tears to my eyes, this short one will have to do.

“If there ever comes a day when we can’t be together,
keep me in your heart.
I’ll stay there forever.”
Winnie the Pooh

For Dad

Sunflower Bouquet, watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold-pressed paper. © 2015 Sheila Delgado.
Sunflower Bouquet, watercolor on Arches 140 lb. cold-pressed paper. © 2015 Sheila Delgado.

It is with deep sorrow that I write today. My father passed away unexpectedly, early Tuesday morning. July 14. He had been ill for about a month. Pneumonia, and then, COVID.

He was in the hospital for only ten days.

He retired to Mexico, and his wife Tere speaks almost no English. My Spanish is limited as well. So details are slow coming. They recently relocated to Los Mochis, from Guadalajara. We were all looking forward to being able to see them more often.

I was prepared. To lose my father someday, relatively soon. He spoke to my brother and me about this when we saw him in January. He shared his thoughts with us.

But hardest of all, and something none of us could have anticipated, is this forced separation we are all living with. I always thought we would spend his last days together.

I will share more soon. There is so much more to say.

2016, Eric & Iza's Wedding, Arizona
2016, Eric & Iza’s Wedding, Arizona
The American Academy of Cardiovascular Perfusion, Presidential Address, 1999. Frank Delgado, President.
The American Academy of Cardiovascular Perfusion, Presidential Address, 1999. Frank Delgado, President.
Morning walk, 2019
Morning walk, 2019

The morning after, I was led to my blog. I received a comment on an old post, and I always reply to comments. I read the quotes on the post, and they held new meaning for me.
I listened to the song I had shared, one I am sure my father would have enjoyed.

Funny how things come to you. A sign from above…

“Piglet noticed that even though he had
a Very Small Heart,
it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude.”
A.A. Milne

Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and more.
It turns denial into acceptance,
chaos into order,
confusion into clarity.
It makes sense of our past, brings peace for today,
and creates a vision for tomorrow.
Melody Beattie

“Enough’ is a feast.”
Buddhist Proverb

Watercolor 4 x 5
4 x 5 Watercolor on 140 lb. cold press. © 2013 Sheila Delgado

The paintings, were two of my Dad’s favorites.

Please know that I am so very grateful for your messages.
I hope you can forgive me if I am unable to respond right away.
(If you subscribe, you will be notified via email when I do.)

God Bless and keep you in his loving embrace.
Please, please be safe.

Sheila Marie