let freedom ring

It felt like the day would never come. The AIGA poster display at MECA kept rotating and offering visual and mental prompts of the meaning of this vote.

Everyone distracted themselves with Halloween. I carved this good grief pumpkin in honor of the Charles Schulz bio I am reading now, and an ode to belief in the Great Pumpkin.



And the Nashes staged another inimitable performance on Halloween night.




A few students in my class posed with bits of costume; we drew from life while inventing an animal persona. My three:







This bit of frivolity was followed by a visit to the Portland Museum of Art's American Menagerie. Viewing original works of art in which the animal becomes a "vehicle of meaning" hopefully gave students more to consider in their own illustration project on an endangered animal. But maybe not. I've lost my way in the classroom this past week and may not find the way back.

Voting day was so serene and peaceful, full of cautious hope. We rode to the polling place on Peaks, taking the scenic route and counting the blessings of the day.



Voting for Obama made Marty smile a mile, sporting red, white, and blue and his Ride to Vote sticker.

It still sinks in, the historical and profoundly transformative impact of Obama's victory. I relish his ripple effect on the world, and feeling empowered: YES, we did.
The impossible is possible. And flowers are still blooming on our rocky coast in November.