Ginny Diezel Studios

their wedding day

This is beautiful!  This warms my heart!  This makes me cry!  Yes, here are Matthew and Joan, moments after the ceremony.  It took place on Saturday, July 10th, and so many of you have been asking about pictures!  Matthew tells me that they are going through three boxes of proofs, and then, of course, there will be the digital proofs as well.   I haven’t seen what must be hundreds of images taken, but this sums it all up for me - the setting, the event, deep and abiding love.

The photo was taken by the son of one of the groomsmen, and I think it captures the essence of the day.  It was a tranquil, private setting in the Santa Monica Mountains at the Ahmanson Ranch.  This parcel of land is part of the California state parks system, and provides a vista which really sets the mood for a wedding.  Joan was radiant in a lovely halter wedding gown, with a small veil over the left eye.  After the ceremony, she removed the veil and wore a jeweled clip - she is class personified!  Matthew, well, what do you say about the son whom you adore?!  I thought I could hold together, until he came out with the guys, and there he was in his tuxedo - tails and striped trousers.  I then cried, momentarily, as I thought about the baby I had held in my arms, the toddler who had stopped breathing, the child who had so many operations on his ears, the teenager who became an Eagle scout, the college student who went on to get his Master’s Degree in film, and the man who now is a successful movie editor in Hollywood.  OH MY!

Matthew has married Joan, the love of his life - a beautiful (inside and out!), talented, accomplished woman who takes such good care of him, and he of her.  She enriches our family life, and her parents are wonderful, nurturing folks.  Her family brings much to our family - the warmth, the friendship, the lasting relationships.  I have so much to be grateful for…..

It seems as though it has been forever since last I posted - that’s because it HAS been a long time!  I need to catch you up…..

My computer began to die on me the evening of July 6, just two days before Harry and I were to leave for our son’s wedding in Malibu!  I couldn’t upload pics to Spookytime Jingles, I couldn’t write anyone to tell of the predicament, so I just shut it down, and the next morning, went to a Mac specialist, and I am now the proud owner of a Mac!  YES!  I just picked it up two days ago - the guy was transferring what he could from my old pc, and now I am trying to learn how to do all of this wonderful stuff on a computer which seems to like me!

We had a lovely trip to California, and the wedding was magical!  So many lovely people to meet, but so little time to spend with everyone!   The wedding was held at the Ahmanson Ranch, which is part of the California parks system.  We traveled up a winding, dusty, bumpy road to reach the ranch house for the rehearsal.  The location is quite remote, peaceful, and perfect for such an event.  After our rehearsal, we all headed back to the Renaissance Hotel in Agoura Hills, where we had a wonderful Mexican buffet for the wedding party and all out-of-town guests.

The morning of the wedding, Joan - now my daughter-in-law!  yay! - had arranged for professionals to do hair and makeup, so the ladies descended on Joan’s suite for the morning.  We all emerged looking pretty classy, if I do say so myself!  About 3 pm, it was off to the ranch, and at 5:30, the wedding began.  Officiating was Joan and Matthew’s yoga instructor, Julian - a delightful, gentle soul.  After the vows to each other, Joan and Matthew were officially Mr. and Mrs. - married under a beautiful tree on the backside of the ranch house.  We then moved right along to a cocktail hour, and then dinner - on the grass, and eventually, under a blanket of stars!  In the distance, you could see the lights from the San Fernando Valley, but we were all to ourselves…..It was magical!

Now that I am back on the East Coast, and slowly returning to reality, I am getting myself in gear for updates and fall shows, so I will be working solidly up to Christmas.  You can go to my Flickr site to see some Santas I am sending to Reasons to Believe, and  please be checking back for more news!  There will be plenty!

Here’s the link to the wedding site- there is one lovely picture which has been posted.  It was taken by Dave Thomas, one of the groom’s men.  The view is what you see just beyond the wedding tree!  Enjoy!   www.joandmattwedding.com

Good morning, and welcome to the wildest party going today!  A Fanciful Twist is hosting this wonderful event, so check out her blog, and start your journey, or I guess, continue, if you are already here!

Welcome to my garden!  Mine is not the traditional fare - I have interesting visitors, not just today, but every day!  Be sure to scroll to the end of this blog entry, because there is a lot to see!

Dawn breaks over the marsh behind my house.  You can barely see our picket fence - it’s really open to visitors 24/7, and you’ll see why………

Usually the first visitors to my garden are the mallards.  They fly in or swim up to the bank, and make their way to the yard where I have tossed out corn the night before.  Or, they share food at my makeshift feeding station, on the outside of the fence.  If the tide is out, it’s a long walk to the yard, especially when they bring their babies.  The ducklings cannot fly as yet, so they must be exhausted when they finally arrive.

Squirrels are usually the next visitors.  You can see a stepladder in the picture.  I am called a wildlife enabler by my friends.  I put the stepladder against the back of the house (this is the kitchen window, in front of which I sculpt and paint all day).  The squirrels and raccoons (night visitors)  climb up the ladder to eat what I put out for them.   If I am not watchful, and all of the black oil sunflower seeds are gone, the squirrels will knock on the glass and look inside.  Boy!  They have ME trained!

An overnight shower has given way to a beautiful morning, and the impatiens are luxuriating in the rain and sun!  Aren’t they gorgeous?!

The heads of my everblooming hydrangeas are drooping a bit from the rain, but they will pop up strong as the day wears on.  This variety gives me blooms throughout the summer!

It’s late afternoon, and the geese are strolling slowly up the bank from the marsh, babies in tow.  My!  How they have grown, but they aren’t ready to fly as yet, and so they must walk here.  The nest must be fairly close by…….. Even though they are large, they still make the same sweet noises as they did when they were just a few weeks old.  Usually, one parent always stands guard while everyone else eats.  And, if you get too close to the babies, the parents hiss!  They know me now, so they trust me to take their picture for everyone to see.

Early evening finds my friendly little muskrat.  For those of you who have not seen one, or do not know of their existence, muskrats   are of the rodent family, marsh dwellers.  I would describe them as essentially beavers with rat-like tails.  They don’t build lodges, but rather burrow into a bank.  They are vegetarians, but this little guy enjoys the dog food I put out for the raccoons.  He’s an amiable little fella - great whiskers, delicate little paws, but I bet his teeth are something else!  He likes the watermelon, but prefers the dog food, and will eat right along side the raccoons.   I wish I had a picture of the raccoons eating with the possums who live on the marsh.  It’s an excellent example of species being able to get along without strife.  There is plenty of food which I provide, and so they see no need to fight for something to eat.

The last visitors to my garden party are the baby raccoons.  When they are large enough to be learning about their environment, the parents bring the kids to visit in our yard.  At night, you can see them playing in the moonlight, and you can also hearing the parents giving them instructions, particularly if one strays off in the dark.  Ah Nature!  isn’t this grand!

Well, there you have it!  My garden party which I offer for your enjoyment!  I wish you all could be here to enjoy my backyard, nestled against the marsh.  I live in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and our home is tucked away in a subdivision which is bordered by bustling traffic on one side, and this tranquility on the other.  We moved here 36 years ago, and think we made the right choice.  Our vista is a gift every day of the year.  I hope you have enjoyed it as well today!

Please come back and see me, look at my artwork, visit the sites where my work is available, and visit the many places I have listed on the blog.  You won’t regret your adventures!  And, please let me know how you liked the party!   :-)  Ginny

Oh yes, oh YES!  This is my son, Matthew, and his wonderful fiancee, Joan Kelley Bierman!  They have been together since meeting while they were working on the film  Scooby Doo II, and as Joan’s mother and I love to say - a dog brought them together!  They will be married July 10th of this year, at the Ahmanson Ranch in California - a lovely natural area which is currently owned by the state.  This will be a wedding for the ages - good family, good friends, beautiful setting - I couldn’t be happier for them.  We are head over heels for Joan and her family, and feel so very blessed that she and Matthew have found one another!    Stay tuned - there will plenty of terrific pictures of the BIG DAY!

It’s Saturday morning, here in Virginia Beach, and we are feeling strong effects from the raging coastal storm which is dumping snow even thirty minutes west of us.  So close to the ocean, we are warm enough that we won’t have snow until this evening - rats!  The tides are running about three feet above normal, and when I looked out my back door this morning, I saw one of the many beautiful water birds waiting patiently for some minnows.   We have egrets nesting behind our house, and they inhabit our wetlands throughout the year.  Great flocks of Canada geese can be heard, particularly in the evening, and we have wonderful raptors - a bald eagle, several harriers, red-tailed hawks, and the occasional falcon.  I’ve blogged about my little masked friends before - plenty of raccoons in the evening, and then during the daytime -songbirds, squirrels, and a gray fox or two. If you look closely, you can see a squirrel sitting on the tree stump this morning.  I put food out there each day, along with filling feeders and laying a spread of goodies on a wooden plank on the other side of the fence.  The night feeders come to the plank, AND to my kitchen window!  Just too much fun!  If you are a Nature lover, my backyard is Heaven!

This morning’s visitor is fully grown, so I would estimate his size at close to three feet tall, with a magnificent wingspread!  I wish I were a camera-savvy person, so that I could capture one in flight as it takes off from the marsh.  I guess we’ll have to leave that for the National Geographic channel!

Hope where you are you are safe, warm, and content!  Winter has arrived here!

I wouldn’t be true to myself, and to my son, if I didn’t post something about show biz and upcoming awards for film.  If you are a regular reader of my blog, you know about my son, Matthew, and his fiancee, Joan, and their careers in Hollywood in the film industry.  Well, critics and award nomination associations are beginning the annual rites for the season, and this morning, the Golden Globes announced their offerings.  Follow the link and catch up on all the buzz!  Enjoy!  And, there’s George Clooney!!!!!!!!!!!!    Yay!

OK - not my choice of words.  I would use pumpkin goop, but whatever you choose to call it,  here’s a handy and informative article I found online today.

Follow this link to find out what to do with all of that stuff inside the pumpkin - you know, the pulp, the seeds, etc.  And, you’ll find out how really nutritious it is for you.  Here’s a hint from little old me - every morning, I cook oatmeal.  Now, this is not the handy dandy packaged stuff.   Get the oats in the big containers, please!  Cook according to your directions, and I always use milk!  Then, when you remove it from the heating surface, stir in some brown sugar, cinnamon, and about three tablespoons of canned pumpkin which you can get all through the year in your grocery store.   (Store the remainder of the pumpkin in a container in the  refrigerator.)  Voila!  It’s as if you were having a slice of pumpkin pie every day!  Yummy! And there is a giganto amount of Vitamin A in pumpkin.  I have not had a cold or anything like it in many, many years - great antioxidant!  I guarantee it is a healthy, tasty way to begin your day, and it is the sort of meal which sticks with you for hours.  I don’t get hungry mid-morning.  There are times when I even go way past the normal lunchtime, because I am busily creating, and my stomach isn’t telling me to eat!   That’s a major accomplishment for me!  Hope you find some useful tips from the article, and that you try out my breakfast suggestion!  Enjoy!

Attention everyone!  The Time Traveler’s Wife opens everywhere tomorrow!  Yahoo!  Based upon the wonderful best-seller, the film stars Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams, AND it will be a biggy in my house because my son, Matthew, is one of the editors!!!!!!!!    Rounds of applause, please!  It was filmed in Toronto, so that meant that Matthew spent a few months last year in Canada.  Tough duty, huh?!  Then, after the shoot, they all  returned to Los Angeles, where they worked for months to get it juuusssstttt right.  When you edit, you are pulling all of the strands together —  following the outline so that you know which scenes to use (there is always a lot more shot than actually used),  putting in additional dialogue which might have to be re-recorded, putting in the musical score, putting in special effects, etc. etc. etc.  That’s what my son does, and he loves it.  Currently, if you are a reader of my blog, you know that he has been working on Jonah Hex.  I blogged about that a short while back and put up the poster for that movie, due out next year.

OK - so here’s the deal!  The first weekend is the big one for numbers on any film, so I want all of you to go to see it!  Then, write me and share your thoughts!  And, here’s a link to the official website for the film: The Time Traveler’s Wife .

*****At the end of the film, when the credits roll, look for my son.  It will be something like this:  Additional Editor…………………..Matt Diezel   !  That’s my boy!  See you all at the movies!  Enjoy!

Yes, for those of you who know me, you know that the computer is my least accomplished area of expertise.  I can draw you a picture of a computer, I can sculpt you a computer, but WORK on a computer?  Well, everything I have learned has been through hit-or-miss on my own, and the useful tips from my son Matthew, and my wonderful friend, Matthew Friedman.  What I have found is that in my life, the most wonderful people who surround me these days happen to be named Matthew!

Saturday evening, as I was surfing the web in a leisurely fashion, I began to experience weirdo things happening to my computer.  I had strange messages, strange noises, and then logging off became a challenge.  The next morning, logging ON became a challenge, and through the day, I continued to experience problems.  Matthew Friedman to my rescue!   By Monday morning, nothing would work, so I turned everything off, and awaited Matthew’s arrival yesterday.  Right at 9 am, he rang the doorbell and took a seat in my office to begin the saga of getting rid of the horrible virus which had attacked my system.  Now, mind you, I HAVE security, and pay good money, but sometimes things apparently go awry, and my number must have been up.  YIKES!

Last night, Matthew left here a little after 7 pm, with only one break to have dinner.  You see, Matthew isn’t just a friend of mine, he is like a member of my family.  He and my son are friends, and we have mutual friends, and we have this wonderfully special bond.  He refers to me as his mother who didn’t put him through school!  I love that!  So, since his mother lives in Georgia, I cook for him and his brother and their roommate, and I cater for his film parties - they have a giganto projection screen in their home so that we can watch the Academy Awards and dvds up close and large!  And, of course, since Matthew is a screenwriter, having been to Sundance, and having already turned out one neato film, we go to movies a lot - R&D you know!  In short, this wonderful friend and family member saved the life of my little HP yesterday, by dumping and beginning all over again, loading everything I needed to load once more, cleaning up some files, updating programs, etc.   I could not have asked for more, but he just keeps on giving.

Now, if  you need a new blog update, or some work done on your website, or design work for your site and blog, or any number of other things, Matthew is a computer GENIUS.  You can check him out on his website at:   www.frame25productions.com - this is really cool, and you can also contact him at :  webdesign@frame25productions.com .  You’ll be glad you did!

THANK YOU MATTHEW!

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you know that my son, Matthew, is a film editor in Hollywood.  Last night, he sent me a promo poster image that I can post here - sort of like a Coming Attractions thingy!  Yeah!  Currently, he is working on Jonah Hex - an adaptation of the comic of the same name.  This is a bit of sci-fi, set in the post Civil War West.  Here’s a link to a site which gives you a rundown on the character and how it has evolved with the DC Comics.  Pretty cool stuff!  My insider tells me that it will be released next summer!

Go Matthew!