My Girls...part four

After a bit of break, I realized I am so behind.  I mean, Monday was Jill's birthday and I should have posted this then, but here I am today realizing that tomorrow is another friends birthday and I have a painting that I have to post for her, but won't be able to because this one is going up late.  I'll get it figured out one of these days.  Plus this is a nice problem to have, I have so many paintings to post and not enough time to post them.  Not to bad.

I'm thinking about Jill this morning as I am eating my organic vanilla yogurt and my homemade granola from my yoga studio.  Jill.  Where do I begin?  Like my other girls I met Jill at HNTB.  She was an intern and she was doing her grad work at IUPUI.  We all immediately took to Jill because she is fantastic.  One of the most genuine people you will ever meet.  She was interesting too, she was my first vegan I ever encountered.  Now we all have run into "vegetarians" or even some of those people who think they are but still eat fish and chicken.  Not Jill, she was vegan.  She didn't eat meat, use any products with animal by products and doesn't wear leather, or anything that may have originated in some way to an animal.  I found it fascinating.  I also realized that all she ate was tortilla chips and salsa for lunch, so it was intimidating to figure out what we should fix when we started our monthly girls night.  We started out with at least two vegan things - something Jill would bring and one of us would brave the world of TVP or tofu or carob.  At first it might as well have been called spaghetti or stir fry night - we didn't have much imagination.  Jill will admit that if she hadn't been with Dan her wonderful, handsome, vegan husband, she'd be living on chips and salsa. She's a simple girl.  Our food choices expanded to all things vegan and our meals became quite extensive, chocolate cakes, chili's, dips, breads, sides, casseroles - there is SO much you can do vegan.  I love Jill for opening my eyes to a whole world of options out there.  Now she hasn't turned me vegan, but I really do like to cook vegan.  I also always tell her that if I had to kill it and prepare it myself I would be vegan, plain and simple.  In my world meat comes from a Styrofoam container or on a platter at the meat dept.  It doesn't resemble its former self so- in this case ignorance is truly bliss.  

Beyond being vegan Jill is as active as they come (I can hear her laughing), but seriously she is always spinning, walking, running, taking classes, kickboxing - I get tired of thinking about it.  She is a creative soul that has the most amazing heart and if anything that is one of the best things I have learned from her.  To love, love all and love it well.  She is a wonderful friend, rarely forgetting to send a card or surprise just when you need it.  I admire her passion for her beliefs, her love of her family, the relationship she has with her sister and her carefree attitude. I tease her because she can be a bit helter skelter about things (a la 22 containers of armour-all wipes in the backseat of her car) but I truly love her for it and it gives me the boost to let go a bit and relax.  

When I was thinking about doing a painting for Jill it immediately came to mind that I have gained so much wisdom from our friendship and that I find Jill to be that perfectly quirky friend that I love dearly.  So I thought lets do another Owl.  I decided to match her Owl to her very cool, black, white and red kitchen.  It is such a wonderful hub of her house - so many spices and goodies to make the most basic of tofu taste delectable.  So I present to you Ruby, created by me with love for Jill - love you!!!!

Thanks again Jill for your friendship and love!

Last up, but definitely not least: Heather!