Rainy Day co-author Diane Widler Wenzel

by Rain Trueax

In 2004, with no real idea what I'd do with it, I began blogging. I did it for almost two years and thought-- I don't want to do this. A few months later, I had second thoughts, but someone had already claimed the title I'd been using. Fortunately, I had saved the posts and put them into a new blog I called [Age Old Beauty]. 

In 2006, I began this blog and have continued, once in a while with some doubts but kept on through them. I basically like connecting with readers, sharing my ideas, and now and again getting comments. It's been fun.

Now I am starting something new with it-- taking on a co-author. I have debated how to introduce her here, as we share a friendship over 50 years. Wow, that's hard to take in-- basically as long as our respective marriages. Our husbands actually met before they met us. When they entered grad school, we all headed for Arizona, found apartments in the same complex, swam in the community pool like fish, hiked and explored. She painted everywhere we went. I did some too but mostly I wrote-- my first manuscript got it's first rough draft in that apartment. When we returned to the Northwest, the friendship lasted past starting families, seeing them grow up, and finding ourselves heading into old age.

What I tried to decide is how to introduce Diane Widler Wenzel here. Do I do it as that longtime friend, with lots of shared photos including most recently in the spring renting a house together at the beach or do I do it as how I've loved her art through the years, have many of her paintings on our walls, and enjoy seeing what she's doing as she creates new work constantly? Maybe a little of both.

So starting on Saturday, Diane will be posting here with sometimes about her art but also about whatever else piques her interest. She is a very talented painter but more than that, an interesting woman with diverse ideas on many things. We often don't agree, but we always can discuss and respect each other's views. I have no idea what she'll choose to bring to this blog-- to me, that's exciting.

She also has an open house at the Albany Library here in Oregon from 1-3 on Sunday. If you are in the area, come check out the many paintings she's had hanging there. Diane is generous with her art, hangs it in many places to share with others. Her philosophy toward that art will be one of the many things she will be sharing as she joins Rainy Day Thought.

 from 2013 when Diane also hung her work at the Albany Library