new sketch of BB

And here is my latest little sketch in my little 5 x 8 Moleskine sketchbook, done last night at the Coney on Mack and Moross. BB of course.

It's on the inside cover and flyleaf of the sketchbook. Click image to view larger. This is done in ballpoint pen and gouache on waxy yellow paper. I'm sorry I'm so far behind. I may have to give up blogging. I'll try to catch up if I get time, hopefully soon.

New art: Great Fish

Click here to see a large version of "The Great Fish of Fear," and here to read about it.

Hubby at Dinner

Quick sketch with crayola marker and water.

A Prodigal Sumnmer, by Barabra Kingsolver

I just finished Prodigal Summer, by Barbara Kingsolver, a reread for me. I loved it the first time, and I think I loved it even better the second. It's one of my favorite books I've ever read. I cried all the way the way through. I was astounded by what I did and did not remember from the first reading long ago, and I am so glad I "read" it again. The first time, I read it in hardcover, a "real book." This time, I listened to it in an audio book and I am sure glad I did. Barbara Kingsolver read it herself, and has a beautiful and perfect voice for it--I will both READ the book again, on paper or kindle, and will take it out and listen to it again. WOW! Such and incredible work. I hate spoilers. So I will not say much about the story. But there are three interwoven and interrelated stories (more, really). The story takes place in small town in the Appalachian mountains where a woman lives in a cabin watching the coyotes and poachers, a city girl tries to learn to farm, and two old codgers who are at each other about everything find some common ground. But so much more than this happens--so much more. It's both heartbreaking and life-giving and affirming.

Booklist 2010

1. The Blue Roan Child, Jamieson Findlay, Jan 2, 2010
   
2. The Indian in the Cupboard, Lynn Reid Banks, Jan 2, 2010
3. Summer on Blossom Street, Debbie Macomber, January 3, 2010
4. Angel Rock, Darren Williams, January 4, 2010
5. Angel City, by Tony Johnston and Carol Byard, ch, Jan 7, 10 (read twice)
   
6. I Can Make You Thin, by Paul McKenna
7. A Passage to India, E. M. Forster, Jan 12, 2010
8. The Lacuna, Barbara Kingsolver, Jan 15, 2010
9. Back on Blossom Street, Debbie Maccomber, Jan 19, 2010
10. Home, Marilynn Robinson, January 20, 2010
11. Housekeeping, Marilynn Robinson, January 25, 2010
12. Where Angels Go, Debbie Macomber, 1-31-10
13. Muggie Maggie, Beverly Cleary, Children's, 2-1-10
14. Animals in the Snow, Margaret Wise Brown, ch, 2-2-10
15. The Sunday Philosophy Club, Alexander McCall Smith, 2-3-10
16. The Bell Jar, by Sylvia Plath, rr, 2-10-10
17. Gilead, by Marilynn Robinson, 2-18-10
18. The Big Six, by Arthur Ransom, 2-21-10
19. 74 Seaside Ave, Debbie McComber, 2-25-10
20. Tears of the Giraffe, by Alexander McCall Smith
21. Dust for Dinner, Ann Turner & Robert Barrett, ch
22. Twenty Wishes, Debbie Macomber, 3-10-10
23. Morris the Artist, by Laure Segal, ch, 3-13-10
24. A BIG little life, Dean Koontz
25. Smoking Mirror, Douglas Rees
26. Life is Good, Trixie Koontz
27. Mr Putter and Tabby Write the book, by Cynthia Rylant, ch
    
28. Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame, 3-21-10
29. Rugby and Rosie, Nan Parson Rossiter, ch, 3-23-10
30. Frog and Toad together. Arnold Lobel, ch, rr, 3-24-10
31. Prodigal Summer, Barbara Kingsolver, 3-24-10
    

rr = reread
ch = children's (If you wonder why I read and list children's books, it's because I want to write them--and do.)

Unfinished books 2010:

Pirate Latitudes, Michael Crichton, March, 2010--read half (UGH!) :-( too much graphic violence for me. The story line would have been interesting if it weren't for the overdone violence. I would say this is probably a book intended for men.

Movies 2010--Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (read first, much earlier)

From the Providence of Dreams

From the Providence of Dreams, by me--a digitally manipulated fractal art-piece. I made the original fractal from which this came using Xaos, a free fractal download for macs.

(I used to post a single image to a single blog, but nowadays, if people visit at all, they only visit ONE of my blogs. So they miss the other projects I'm working on. So those very few of you who visit more than one of my blogs will see this (and some of my other posts) on more than one blog. So sorry about that. It would be better I think to only have ONE BLOG! But it is too late for that, as I would lose my audience which is spread among many blogs! AK!)

Sidewalk Saturday: Veronica

This is a real sidewalk near our house--one that is beginning to disintegrate. I was thrilled to see the first Veronica of the year.

Happy St. Pat

May the luck O'the Irish be with you, may there gold at the end of
every rainbow, may you enjoy the wearin' o'the green!

buds and flowers

It's coming!!! aconites, tulips, snowdrops, hellebore! Woohoo!

Copy of Booklist 2010

I finished 2 new books, A Big Little life and Smoking Mirror. I started another book, a reread: The Prodigal Summer. I am about 1/13th of the way through. I am LOVING IT! I forgot how much I loved it. It's the audio book--I read the paper one years ago. The thing about the audio book is that Barabara Kingsolver HERSELF is reading it and has a wonderful voice!!!

BIG little is about Dean Koontz's dog, a golden retriever that had been a helper dog. It's pretty good, if you don't mind pooping and peeing and barfing and a little religious stuff. Of course, it made me cry.

Smoking Mirror is about Gauguin and is interesting but a little strange. I liked it.

I am probably, after I do some errands, going over to Roalndale--I am writing this from google docs, becasue I have hurry, I have not been to gmail and don't know when I will get a chance, not for a while. It is sunny and nice--did I tell you the aconites are coming up out front, and tiluips are up, and daffies now 4-6 inches. And justs ince yesterday, the Hellebore (Easter Rose) double bud is up another couple inches.

I have still NOT started The poet and the Lady. It's a hardcover book.

Booklist 2010

1. The Blue Roan Child, Jamieson Findlay, Jan 2, 2010
   
2. The Indian in the Cupboard, Lynn Reid Banks, Jan 2, 2010
3. Summer on Blossom Street, Debbie Macomber, January 3, 2010
4. Angel Rock, Darren Williams, January 4, 2010
5. Angel City, by Tony Johnston and Carol Byard, ch, Jan 7, 10 (read twice)
   
6. I Can Make You Thin, by Paul McKenna
7. A Passage to India, E. M. Forster, Jan 12, 2010
8. The Lacuna, Barbara Kingsolver, Jan 15, 2010
9. Back on Blossom Street, Debbie Maccomber, Jan 19, 2010
10. Home, Marilynn Robinson, January 20, 2010
11. Housekeeping, Marilynn Robinson, January 25, 2010
12. Where Angels Go, Debbie Macomber, 1-31-10
13. Muggie Maggie, Beverly Cleary, Children's, 2-1-10
14. Animals in the Snow, Margaret Wise Brown, children's, 2-2-10
15. The Sunday Philosophy Club, Alexander McCall Smith, 2-3-10
16. The Bell Jar, by Sylvia Plath, rr, 2-10-10
17. Gilead, by Marilynn Robinson, 2-18-10
18. The Big Six, by Arthur Ransom, 2-21-10
19. 74 Seaside Ave, Debbie McComber, 2-25-10
20. Tears of the Giraffe, by Alexander McCall Smith
21. Dust for Dinner, Ann Turner & Robert Barrett, children's
22. Twenty Wishes, Debbie Macomber, 3-10-10
23. Morris the Artist, by Laure Segal, children's, 3-13-10
24. A BIG little life, Dean Koontz, 3-15-10
    
25. Smoking Mirror, Douglas Rees, 3-16-10
    

rr = reread
ch = children's

Unfinished books 2010:

1. Pirate Latitudes, Michael Crichton, March, 2010--read half (UGH!) :-( too much graphic violence for me. The story line would have been interesting if it weren't for the overdone violence. I would guess this is probably a book intended for those "Men are from Mars" men.
   

Movies 2010--Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (read first, much earlier)

Beef Barley Soup

BB told me several times that the best soup he ever had in his life was in England--this after telling me that the English do not know how to cook and that their food is always bland and overcooked--he said it was beef barley soup and the beef had been cooked until it feel apart and the barley was all swollen up.

After thinking about it a while, I made a number of forays at it, each one more successful that the one before, and all of them except one excruciatingly good.  BB even liked the one I hated--and took it in his lunched and thanked me for it.

I won't tell you about them all and the various experiments I made, becasue it would take too long I will just tell you about the soup I made yesterday.

1)I bought 2 pounds of stew beef at the butchers'.  You can get it at Weggies,as I am sure you know. 

2)I plugged in the crockpot and set it on high and added 4 cups of water.  My plan was that it would make 2 meals for two people.  That's how I normally calculate--when making soup, a cup of water per person.  We like our soups thick and full of goodies--more like stew that soup.  I should have gotten 3 pounds becasue I usually get 1 1/2 for one meal, even though that seems like a really lot--but--that plans for leftovers for K's lunch.

3)I then cut the stew beef in small pieces--a pain in the neck.  If I were doing it for myself, I would omit this step, but BB told me he pres small pieces.  Toward the end, my back was hurting  :-(  and I started feeling resentful--he was up reading the paper and since HE was the one who wanted the small pieces, I was thinking HE should come down and cut them up--but shortly after that I finished and relaxed my impatience.

4)I tossed the pieces in every time I cut a cutting board full--they were all in and heating by 9:30 AM yesterday.  Then I left them until around 11.

5)at 11, I added 4 bay leaves, garlic powder--a good sprinkle, pepper, wine, but NO SALT--I never add salt until near the end as it tends to toughen the meat.  Sometimes, I saute fresh onions, garlic and shallots in a little olive oil and add that, but am trying to cut back on these as I fear they are exacerbating my fibro.  Sometime I add a few prunes or raisins for complexity of flavor--they cook away to nothing.but leave a nice faint sweet fruity flavor.  I suggest the fresh onions and garlic if you have no issues with them.  You can also add tomatoes.  IF You are adding any of the following things, you would do it at this time:  carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes.  Earlier version had these items and they were good.  I did add 3 small carrots cut into small pieces.

6)at this point, I also added the barley--I put in about a half a cup of pearled barley and some"Fordden" black rice.  I needed more barley--last time, too. (BB and I agreed more barley would have been better).  I mean to turn the crockpot to low at this point, but I forgot.

7)About 1:00, I added Brussels sprouts, cut into quarters, tons of white mushrooms slices and shiitakes.  A whole box of each, the small size box.  You can substitute cabbage.  If you want to add broccoli instead, do it LATER!  Otherwise, it gets overcooked.  Make sure to press everything down into the broth.

8)This soup is very thick and needs to be stirred from time to time--if you won't be there to stir it, add a little more water.

9)Just before serving, I added more wine and salt.  We dished up around 5:15.  It was VERY THICK and RICH with flavor and utterly wonderful and we had seconds.  We were supposed to have leftovers for lunch today, but there is only enough left for one SMALL bowl.  It was really good.  The barley thickens the broth and you do not have to add flour.

This soup is very forgiving--you can toss in lots of different things, add more or less water, more or less meat, bigger or smaller pieces, different meats.

The one thing that you MUST do is start it early, or the beef goes through a tough stage.  IF you want to do it on a work day before leaving for work and have it ready when you come home, add more water and set the heat to LOW. Leave the vent open just a little.  Use carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnips.  Any green vegetables you add will be overcooked.  You can cook some later for 5 minutes and add them at the end.

Just One Ski

One Ski

My father, my brothers and I are staying at a ski lodge. I feel tired and low energy. As we leave to walk to the slopes to ski, I feel too tired to carry all my gear, so I take one ski. My plan is to leave it at the base of the slope and go back for the other ski and poles. The ski I am carrying is long, shiny and blue.

As we walk toward the slopes, my father suggests we walk up for the first run, rather than taking the lift. I don't understand the value of doing this, but don't argue. Other people have been doing the same thing, punching their toes . . . read more.

This is a dream I had this morning and it is 5 paragraphs long, but my discussion of it is somewhat longer.

View the image larger here.

Colorplay II

Colorplay II, Artrage digital painting by me.

The Poison Spindle link

 The poison Spindle (unfinished illo by me)

It's easy for me to be smug about forgiveness when I am happy and all is going well and the dark corners of my soul are hidden from view.  BUT what if I am the Fairy (become wicked witch) who did not get invited to the wedding?

How do I avoid planting a poisoned spindle?

That actually happened to me, many years ago.  A good friend--or so I'd thought--(read more . . . )

(Note:  this post, available on The Sunflower, a blog on forgiveness that I share with others, is not very long [5 paragraphs and two lines total.])

Twenty Wishes

Twenty Wishes

I have nearly finished the book, Twenty Wishes by Debbie Macomber. I've been crying all the way through, but then again, I am a "sap" for sentimental and romantic "nonsense," as some people would put it. I thought about creating a new blog for my own Twenty Wishes, but decided I needed to consolidate, not increase my burdens. So I am going to write about my twenty wishes HERE, even though I'm a little embarrassed to share my really private wishes.

I was thinking about it even before I began the book--the twenty wishes came up in some of her other books.

I used to begin each year with some private time to reconsider the old year and look forward tot he new. I'd write down goals, wishes, and sometimes "resolutions." I didn't do that this year because of the circumstances and then I was busy working on that fellowship applications and various health issues, family and personal. I am still having health issues, but I can't set aside my life entirely while waiting for them to resolve--they may NEVER resolve. So of course, that's my first wish.

Before I write some of them down though, I have to say this: I am a Gemini, and I have a "split personality!" It's split in more ways than one and we don't all agree. Some of us object the wishes of the others. They are either not fun enough or too much fun and not serious enough, for example.

The other thing I wanted to say is that I wanted to be over at Rolandale in the Hiker Kitty Room working on my new poem, but as usual, life has interceded. I needed to call Marcus Welby I mean Marcus Degraw, GB's pediatrician, to attempt and eleventh hour appointment for a sports physical for track that he needs in less than a week--but GB himself delayed the calling by asking me to drive him several places. When I finally got to call, they had gone to lunch. Meanwhile, I got an ACCEPTANCE in the mail for a poem to Patterson Review #39 coming out in 2011. They want the poem emailed to them ASAP! (I'm not sure what the rush is, since this is early in 2010), so I thought I'd send it off while I was waiting for it to be 1:00 so I could call Marcus DeGraw. BUT for some unknown reason, my email which normally works fine isn't working. I don't want to waste any of my Twenty wishes, but I sure do wish things would work right so I could do what I need to do and GO OVER TO ROLANDALE, dang it! I am, of course, very pleased by the acceptance, AND I have a new poem to work on!!!

Last night, I had terrible insomnia and was up in the night. I did not turn my computer on because I've learned that if I do, I may never get back to bed. I get too involved in all sorts of things. I did jot down the beginning of my TWnety Wishes List. Here's what I wrote:

1. Radiant Good health--to be lean and healthy, alive awake alert sleep well
2. To experience Joy and Happiness
3. to write and publish successful books and poems
4. to continue be in a special loving relationship with Keith and for that relationship to grow and thrive
5. to build old friendships and establish new ones, especially to have a at least one REAL friend locally
6. To become gradually more orderly, neat and clean. Clean House etc.
7. To finish what I start whenever appropriate and to not overburden myself with too many projects at once.
8. To be/become a fully and deeply honorable person as much as reasonably, humanly possible.
9. To simplify my life
10. To experience emotional healing and self-acceptance
11. To have a working Psion or Psion substitute (iPad?)

That's as far as I got last night. But each of these wishes has multiple sub-wishes which I'd like to record, especially some very specific ones so I can tell if I've achieved them and celebrate.

I managed to get an appointment for GB while I was writing this, but it is during the school day--which I hate--and with a different doctor, which is sad. Of course, I got chastised for calling late and for not bringing him in since 2007. No one understands how it is being a stepmother. I get all the blame and none of the credit. All of the tasks and none of the love. Though parents of teenagers rarely get any love and appreciation anyway, I guess.

so, my wish number 12, which I expect will never happen, is this:

12. Adopt GB. :-( I finlled out all my papers and got all the birth certicates, divorce decrees etc, but was never given the info to get BB's and he he never got it either, before GB was 14, and now that GB is 16, he has a say in the matter and has expressed a noninterest in my being his mother. And he makes himself so unpleasant that the prospect of being his mother is less appealing than it was when he was a cute kid. BUT, it is still one of my wishes, one that will probably never come to pass, and makes me weepy when I think about it. I could go on about it, but I won't.

My email is still not working and I am WASTING my day trying to send this email, the poem that was requested, so, if it still won't work after I post this, I'm going to give it up and move on to the next item on my to-do, which is lunch, which I wanted to have at R-dale.

I will work on the 20 wishes later. I have real work to do.

3 quick sketches

I'm working on filling in the final blank pages in a returned sketchbook that circulated around to 12 people in Jim Doran's Sketchbook exchange--I did these quickly with Faber-Castell and Pigma artist pigment pens. On the first chicken, I added a little white gouache. The second chicken is one of about 15 sketches I did on newspaper before I did the sketch in the Moleskine. On the last picture, I added a little colored pencil. The Moleskine is one with yellow paper, so they all look a little too yellow to suit me. Click images to view slightly larger.

Two more quick sketches

These are in a Moleskine that was returned from circulating among 12 other artists in my second moleskine group. I am filling in the blank pages.

The one on the left was designed as a companion piece to one done by AURORA FOX. I like hers better.

Sidewalk Saturday

I used to post all my Sidewalk Saturday finds to The Invisible Trail, but I am going to ry to consolidate my blogs and simplify my life. It'll take a while to complete the task, though, because there are so many of them and not too much time to spare for the effort!

This is the sidewalk outside the conservatory at Belle Isle and the seedpod is Liquidambar styraciflua, or sweetgum. I liked the shadow and the convergence of lines.

Uber-quick marker sketches

At dinner tonight, after I finished eating but K was drinking his
beer, I made a couple of super-quick sketches and played around with
marker blending. BB is all pigment markers, the hen, for which I had
nothing to look at and isn't quite right, is a combiation of pigment
and dye markers, and the valentine for my sweetie is me playing with
marker blending with both pigment and dye markers. I was working so
fast I was almost scribbling because I knew he'd finish his beer and
get up. He did not hold still for his portrait and his nose and other
parts are a little off.