Rev. Dr. Charles and Belinda Alkula

Thursday, December 30, 2021

Annual Studio Report

Working on the final canvases of 2021

It was an solid year, production-wise, for Charles in the studio with forty-two paintings completed! Eleven of these were part of the series that was executed for participants in the Center for Pastoral Effectiveness of the Rockies.

Charles was also thrilled to take part in fourteen exhibits including one that was offered virtually.

Wesley's year

Portait of a great kitty

Taking in the autumnal afternoon

Ah, naps!

The "look"

Watching football with Charles

Wesley continues to excell at his role as a professional house cat. It is a full-time job, the monitoring the stream of Zoom meetings, taking in the wildlife that frequents our yard, and racking up the hours in his napping log.

Monday, December 27, 2021

Year in review: July - December

We're back in person @ St. Paul's

July: Another art exhibition; Our church returns to in-person worship; Charles does more painting at the church; A little skunk hangs around the backyard.

For a good cause

August: Charles takes part in a charity golf event in Denver; We drive to Lyons for cherry juice; Charles does painting at Wesley House; Deb Wacker comes for a visit.

We go places with our Zooming

September: Our church goes back to wearing masks; Belinda takes part in the virtual International P.E.O. convention; Our atumnal tree goes up; We continue to do a lot of Zoom meetings.

We love bazaars!

October: We get our booster shots; Belinda's tenure as Conference UMW Spritual Growth Coordinator comes to an end; More P.E.O. fun; Belinda's birthday week. Charles conducts his first funeral St. Paul's UMC (the second in Colorado).

Franciscan Center in COS

November: Another project undertaken at the church; Another art show; A light dusting of snow; Taking in the P.E.O. bazaar; Charles heads to COS for a retreat; It's a Cracker Barrel Thanksgiving; Taking part in another blood drive; Our 24th anniverary; Decorating the church for Advent.

Wesley is in the Christmas spirit

December: Charles presents paintings to members of the Center for Pastoral Effectiveness of the Rockies; Charles' birthday; Gifts from P.E.O. sisters; Christmas at home; Hurricane-force winds and a devastating fire leaves hundreds of destoryed homes and thousands of displaced people in Boulder County.

Year in Review: January - June

January snow

January: We begin the New Year hoping for relief from the pandemic; First snow (3") fell on the 10th; Wesley has his portrait painted; Charles takes two online seminars from Redlands University; More paintings.

The geese discover the backyard

February: Gallery shows; another big (8.5") snowfall; online Ash Wednesday; wildlife in the backyard;

At work in the studio

March: One year mark of the pandemic; two feet of snow; Belinda begins her tenture as (P.E.O.) Chapter JI president; Belinda gets vaccinated; mass shooting at our neighborhood supermarket; Charles sells a painting through R Gallery.

Doing our part

April: Second Easter during the pandemic; Charles plays golf for the first time since October 2019; 7.5" of snow; Charles sends six paintings for a benefit auction in Montana; Charles gets vaccinated.

Such a beautiful sight

May: Belinda takes part in the P.E.O. book club; Charles conducts his first Colorado wedding; our chokecherry trees explods with blossoms; More projects completed at the church; a coyote in the back yard.

It's official!

June: Another virtual Annual Conference; Charles takes part in a plein air event; more projects at the church; virtual P.E.O. convention; We're reappointed to St. Paul's for another year.

Sunday, December 26, 2021

A colorful morning

With Dan Daniels at church

Coming home

Out for lunch

Charles continued our Christmas celebration (which continues to January 5) by wearing an outfit that Belinda had gotten for him some time ago. The outfit got rave reviews from those in worship this morninig (Charles wasn't leading the service which is why he wore this today). Belinda of course was consulted before wearing this colorful garb in public!!