Nancy Bush, Breaking Through, Oil on Belgian Linen, 14″H x 14″W

When I was a child in Minnesota my Danish grandfather would tell me that this type of sky with a slit of crimson was a dragon’s eye. He would whisper that the giant beast was just peering over the horizon, head sideways to pounce upon little children who hadn’t returned home for supper and eat them up. I would of course scurry in whenever the dragon eye would appear, gobbling up cookies on my way through the kitchen well aware I had just brushed with death, that life was short and one should eat desert first. My grandmother did not agree with this world view and generally I would get a bit of a sideways glance…a dragon eye as it were, and admonishment about not saving room for supper. It was always a laughable remark, as she was the best of cooks and there was never any problem fitting all of her great suppers into my lanky frame. And of course, my grandfather would be right behind me grinning ear to ear, happy to be in from the barns and greeted by the wonderful smells of her kitchen. Thank you Nancy for reminding me of their all encompassing love. And of the dangers + delights in lingering too long near the eye of the dragon sky. – Maggie Kruger