judy Butler 1944-2010

I am writing you today to let you all know that Judy passed away in her sleep on August 7th at her home. Judy's Celebration will be Saturday August 21st at 10am at Mount Olivet Funeral Home in Nashville. Please come and bring your best memories of Judy as we celebrate her life together. There are 2 scholarships set up in her name and Judy Wanted you to donate to them instead of sending flowers.

the info on the scholarships can be found here in her website:

http://www.judybutler.com

Judy's Health

As many of you know, Judy is in the final stages of living with Ovarian cancer which has been very aggressive and unaffected by chemotherapy. She is resting in her home on a pain drip and oxygen. She is very weak and sleeps most of the time. She occasionally asks for water and wakes when she hears someone come into her room. Hospice has been here and helps her out tremendously.
We have enjoyed being able to spend this time with her as she prepares to explore the Universe on her next adventure.

I will post here on her blog when she passes away and let you all know when her memorial service is. Thanks for following her blog. I will leave it online for your enjoyment. Feel free to use any of the information and images here for any reference you may need. She would love to know that her artwork and words live on through this medium and are able to reach so many of you, whoever you are. Thank you all.


Much Love,

Kelly
-Judy's Daughter

The Story of My Friend Jewel and Her Surgery in June

Jewel's Hope

Here is the story of my little friend Jewel. She is the granddaughter of my best friend Ellen Tidwell and the Daughter of Holly Manhold who grew up with my daughter Kelly. Jewel was born with cerebral palsy. There is now a operation available that has the hope of helping Jewel be able to walk. This operation is schedule for a few weeks from now in Saint Louis. Although insurance covers a lot of this operation the family has to pay a significant portion and because it is out of town there are many travel and housing expenses. The recovery and therapy after the surgery will be long and challenging.

Jewel's Grandmother, Ellen

Jewel's Grandparents and friends are sponsoring a fund raising campaign to help with all of these expenses. As part of the extended family I will like to ask for everyone's help in contributing to this effort. Small amounts will quickly add up to big amounts!

See Jewel's Hope Blog: http://jewelshope.blogspot.com/

If you would like to make a contribution go to Pay Pal:
www.paypal.com/sendmoney

Here is Holly's email address:
hmanhold@yahoo.com
(You will need this to make a PayPal donation)

Note: you will have to have or set up a PayPal account. You can also email me and I can tell you where to mail a regular check to the family. Judy@JudyButler.com

Here is Jewel's story from her Blog:

I was born on October 16, 2005, 12 weeks too early. I only weighed 2 lbs. 9 oz. Now, I'm four years old, and have grown SO much! I'm beautiful, crazy smart, and I have cerebral palsy. My legs don't work like the other kids' legs do. I want to run with my big brothers and dance ballet like my big sister, but my brain doesn't send the right messages to my legs. I've worked really hard in therapy for years, but it's still just not enough. I need a little bit more... That's where you come in! 300 miles away, at the St. Louis Children's Hospital, there's a doctor who can help me. He can perform surgery on my nerves so that they stop sending the wrong signals and I can learn to walk. My family and I are beginning an adventure that will change all of our lives. We just need your prayers and support to get us there. Wait and see, I'll be running all over the place soon! Look out world, here I come!

Cactus Monday: Our Spring Flower Bed with Cactus

Our circle flower bed that is close to the road in front of the house is filled with flowers that bloom all spring and summer. But the star of the garden are the cactus. There are some with really ominous thorns and others that are smooth and have these soft little spikes. All are different but beautiful.

Below are the cactus in the last big snow of the winter. Apparently they did not mind the cold winter because they are thriving now. They looked like the only thing living in the bed but all the other plats survived and have all leafed out.

For more Cactus Monday fun for Memorial Day see
Terry's Painted Daisies
http://painteddaisies.blogspot.com/

Cactus Monday: Tuscon Botanical Garden

We have visited Tuscon many times in the last 8 years. On our first trip there we spent half a day at the Tuscon Botanical Garden. This was a great introduction to Cactus. Above is a really cool photo, actually some kind of disease creates this narlie shape. But it creates amazing texture and design. Also cool holes for birds.

Cholla Cactus on the garden path. My first introducton to the jumping needles.


Cactus the size of trees.


Beautiful Yucca Plants

For more Cacus Monday photos and drawings see
Terri's Painted Daisies Blog

Cactus Mundi: Ready to get out and have some fun!

Little drawing of Cactus Mundi. Ready to get out and have some fun.
He has been inside too long.

Happy Cactus Monday.
For mor Cactus Posts see Teri's Blog

Cactus Monday: Arizona Landscape Water Color Painting

Large Arizona Watercolor Landscape
Saguaro Cactus Intermingled with trees
plus Prickly Pear and Cholla Cactus
Purple Mountains in the Background
Watercolor painting 2005

This is a composite of many different places we visited in Arizona in 2004. This painting is not exactly finished, not even signed. But I decided to post it for Cactus Monday. Last week I put up a couple of close ups of different sections. Now here is the full painting. The watercolors are mostly transparent tube colors with a lot of purple and green tones.

About a month ago my daughter was organizing my art materials and she found a portfolio of some watercolors that I did in the early 2000's. Among them was the landscape. I had completely forgotten about it. It was the only one with a cactus theme. I will take photos of some of the others soon and post them on my blog.

NOTE on My Chemotherapy treatment: I had a CT-Scan last Cactus Monday and got good news. For the first time in a year and a half there is improvement in reducing the tumors. Yipee! I will continue treatment using the same drug that I have been on for the last 3 months. Still challenging but much more optimistic. Thank you to all my blogging friends who send me their positive thoughts and good wishes. Much love to all of you. Judy