I have made my life of both. I can write, and appreciate art.
As to my muses, one light has gone out. She taught me how to appreciate and love art. I’ll stand in line for the Uffizi (no, actually I know how to get tickets) but she started it when I was in grade school.
No, I am not an artist but an art lover. And another muse grieves for her. He taught me not only words, but to think for myself. To be myself.
Dad taught me music, well just as a father gives driving advice to me I was given a violin and tuned all the violins and violas before class. Yes, perfect pitch and great teachers.
Today our educational system denigrates and has de-funded arts, music, writing. This is an insult to our intelligence as a species. My art and music are stunted in their growth. I had a band at age 12, guitar with two friends who couldn’t sing their way out of a paper bag. I actually had the audacity to allow us to sing at a school concert. Big mistake.
Art? Age five I composed a picture from crayon of the characters from The Wizard of Oz. My aunt sent it to me two years ago saying it deserved to be framed, and it is. My husband’s favorite work of art. I also excelled at perspective (math) and copper tooling because of my grandfather. That was it for art. Now I’ve an eye for framing, with assistance from the framer.
I gave up violin and voice (and ballet) before age ten so for my 50th birthday bought a guitar and private lessons. I’ve more respect for Johnny Cash, CSNY, Bob Dylan, PPM, James Taylor and other legends than I ever had as a kid.
I have to send my mentor a photo of the epitome of my crayon prowess in memory of his wife. We used to run over to the only neighbors who had a color TV just to see The Wizard of Oz turn to color. Right across the street. I lived there through age seven. With love to my neighbors on H Street. I miss you and those days.
There are horses of different colors. Kids like us never got that reference. Thank you, G and J, for opening my eyes to education and opportunities. Cheers and Happy Thanksgiving to all! Dee
Cooking with Dee 
Awake middle of the night I saw a Guitar Center Series, no commercials, with James Taylor. Amazing. He and his band performed a couple of new works with a lot of those we know how to sing in our sleep. Here’s to walking on a country road. D