Farewell Frida and 2025

‍ ‍Ruby and Frida this past summer in Santa Fe.

Saying goodbye to 2025 comes with so many emotions, both wonderful and difficult. I won’t bother you with all of them. Just a few of the highs and lows.

I have so many incredible memories from the year, beginning with an incredible ten days in San Jose del Cabo last with both good friends and then our adult children and their spouses. Did you know we used to live there? From 1998 until 2001 we called Cabo our home while my husband, Jimmy, helped get the first private golf club in the Baja built. Querencia, was and is one of the most incredible places our family has been a part of. But that’s another blog post all together!

Then there were the commission requests ranging from the hunting guides outside their cabin to the painting of the husband holding his prize mountain lion that he got on the hunt. (That was definitely a first for me!). A few cowboys and Native American paintings as well as florals and even a happy couple! They were all challenging and mostly fun!

Another high was giving my first art talk at Brumbaugh’s Fine Furniture and participating in their Cowboy Collection Art Show. And the three Open Studio art events I was a part of.

The Las Campanas Community Foundation Art Gala was a biggy. My painting sold for a whopping $20,000 which blew me away and raised money for different foundations in the Santa Fe area. I loved being able to help!!

‍ ‍ My painting that I donated to the Las Campanas Community Foundation art gala

We came back to Fort Worth at the end of September after having spent another wonderful four months at our home in Santa Fe. Walking Frida and Ruby everyday, golfing, painting, fishing, family visiting, and lots of time with good friends there! A fabulous summer.

But one week later we had the unthinkable happen. Our sweet dog, Frida, ate a tube of toxic creme (for skin cancers) which, unfortunately took her life. We were, and honestly, still are, so heartbroken. To lose a pet any time is hard, but to lose one in such a tragic way really ripped us up. (She’s the light colored pup in the top photo.). Ruby is missing her, too.

There were three shows within one month, which I don’t recommend to anyone! All of them were incredible and I met so many new collectors and art lovers. BUT, the painting I had to do leading up to the shows, including finishing a couple of commissions, completely wiped me out. I truly hope I learned my lesson!

The prize at the end of it all was a week with Jimmy in Paris and London! We enjoyed walking everywhere, looking at all of the Christmas decorations, eating incredible food, going to amazing pubs, and seeing two shows…….The Devil Wears Prada and Hamilton. I have to say, Hamilton took my breath away. I literally don’t think I was breathing at the end of it!

One of the many quaint allies hiding in Paris.

So now it’s goodbye to another year. I’m going to try to do better in writing this blog in 2026. We shall see. I’ve already got things I’d love to talk about so stay tuned. In the mean time….

Merry Christmas my friend, and Happy New Year!