Cliff Notes

San Diego to Tucson

2012-02-13T20:26:00.000-08:00

San Diego was chilly but just over the mountains the fog cleared and out came the sun, all the way to Tucson. Happy Valentine's Day!

Mysterious Fields of Something???

2012-02-07T22:44:00.000-08:00

Take a closer look and guess what is growing on thousands of acres on the Monterey Peninsula.

I know!

Moss Landing

2012-02-07T22:07:00.000-08:00

These boats reminded me of a favorite song, Pancho and Lefty, and especially the lines
"Pancho needs your prayers it's true,
But save a few for Lefty too (sub Tonto II)
He just did what he had to do
Now he's growing old"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=8SjwO17gsqU&NR=1

\

Poor ol' gull

2012-02-07T22:03:00.000-08:00

Seen on Fishermen's Wharf, Monterey, CA

Have you ever bitten off more than you could chew?

Cannery Row Brewery lights

2012-02-07T21:40:00.000-08:00

The joy of choosing from 100's of beers.

The sand dabs dinner was delicious!

Blown away by

2012-01-24T09:43:00.000-08:00

fried rice!

Letting Go (Let it Drip!)

2012-01-10T10:02:00.001-08:00

On display at Front Street Gallery in Poulsbo, WA

20 x 16
$125

Definition 2

2012-01-07T11:10:00.001-08:00

fugue [fjuːg]
n
1. (Music / Classical Music) a musical form consisting essentially of a theme repeated a fifth above or a fourth below the continuing first statement
2. (Psychiatry) Psychiatry a dreamlike altered state of consciousness, lasting from a few hours to several days, during which a person loses his memory for his previous life and often wanders away from home
[from French, from Italian fuga, from Latin: a running away, flight]
fuguelike adj

Thank you, Robert Genn . . . .

2012-01-03T11:57:00.000-08:00

for clueing in we, the generally clueless Americans: During the past year, Canada's Leader of the Opposition, Jack Layton, died of cancer at the age of 61. In his final message Jack said, "My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we'll change the world."

Liquid Light

2011-12-23T00:24:00.000-08:00

It wasn't easy but I posted a video (very short) on Flickr. I had a lot of trouble getting iMovies to recognize my camera.

Sold!

2011-11-01T22:58:00.001-07:00

Harvest Moon 9/11/11

2011-10-17T20:59:00.001-07:00

Progress Report

2011-10-01T22:49:00.000-07:00

Tonight I put the last strokes on the canvas and added my initials in the corner. A large painting of the full moon rising while the sun was setting, based on the photos in the previous post, is DONE!! It will be in my show that goes up on Monday evening. A crude collage of tree shapes and a sketch I "doodled" over on Picnik helped me get started on the 24" x 36" inch canvas. Here is a view from ten days ago. Tomorrow I'll shoot the moon!

9/11/11 Hurricane Ridge

2011-09-11T22:39:00.000-07:00

Save the Date!

2011-09-06T11:14:00.000-07:00

Our Magnificent Melting Mountain

2011-08-28T22:08:00.000-07:00

At SAM today, seeing paintings of Mt. Rainier from the 1800's, we realized how much the glaciers have retreated in the last 100 years. Nevertheless, it's not going away any time soon.

"Red, Right, Return"

2011-08-28T21:53:00.000-07:00

Sailing up Rich Passage one beautiful day, we suddenly caught a whiff of something unmistakeable.

Seal breath!

Here's Looking at Snow!

2011-06-29T22:26:00.000-07:00

Summer is here, gee, how can you tell? It isn't snowing.

snow paintings

June at Front St Gallery

2011-06-20T19:52:00.000-07:00

Here's a shot showing baskets by Annette, pots by Mark and in the background, new member Damon's photos, my fish paintings and new member Robyn's oil.

Like Magic! Tote Bags I designed on CafePress.com

2011-05-22T20:52:00.000-07:00

My poppies, birds, fruits and vegetables on canvas tote bags! How fun is that!

The Custom Tote Bag I designed on CafePress.com

and here is another version!

The Custom Tote Bag I designed on CafePress.com

Please note: I'm not trying to sell these bags through these links. It's just a way to show them. They will be for sale at the Front Street Gallery in Poulsbo.

Spring Transformed

2011-04-14T00:08:00.000-07:00

By the calendar, it has been Spring for three weeks now but it still feels like winter. Can't do much about that but a sudden urge made me re-work this old painting from the series of big pensive eyes in many colors. Formerly known as Spring, she is now La Primavera. Please click on the second photo for a better look. The detail doesn't show in the small image.

The Buddha Emerged

2011-03-13T12:59:00.000-07:00

How a painting evolves!

Starting with an idea of color combinations,

adding some drips and swipes with the palette knife and then suddenly seeing a Buddha form appearing out of the rudimentary images -- a new painting came into being. I added it to my display at the gallery and within hours, a red dot appeared!

Winter Beach Walk

2011-02-08T23:23:00.000-08:00

With a cold north wind at my back and the sun in my face, I took a long walk on the beach this afternoon. It was low tide so there was a lot to see at the water's edge and the walking was easy there along the wet sand. Most of the way it was very rocky.

The seagulls and I had the beach to ourselves, except for an occasional freighter.

Interesting debris on the beach today.

Taking a break and liberating the balloon.

Great blue heron on the fishing pier shortly before take off.
I don't know where the big bird was headed but I started for home at this point and then spotted some military jets off in the distance.

Redemption Song

2011-02-08T14:11:00.000-08:00

I love this, another in the round the world series of soul-stirring classics. Be sure you watch full-screen to catch the sights.

Do you ever feel like you're being watched?

2011-02-06T22:01:00.000-08:00

Ripped from another blog:

2011-01-30T10:01:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow

Cigarette smoke hanging on
in the living room. The ship's lights
out on the water, dimming. The stars
burning holes in the sky. Becoming ash, yes.
But it's all right, they're supposed to do that.
Those lights we call stars.
Burn for a time and then die.
Me hell-bent. Wishing
it were tomorrow already.
I remember my mother, God love her,
saying, Don't wish for tomorrow.
You're wishing your life away.
Nevertheless, I wish
for tomorrow. In all its finery.
I want sleep to come and go, smoothly.
Like passing out of the door of one car
into another. And then to wake up!
Find tomorrow in my bedroom.
I'm more tired now than I can say.
My bowl is empty. But it's my bowl, you see,
and I love it.
-Raymond Carver

I've read this poem before and loved it. Carver lived somewhere in the Port Angeles area and I can imagine, if he were still alive, we could be watching the same ships pass in the dark, several hours apart, giving substance to the sense of time passing. More and more, time seems like a willful child, running away, staying out of reach, teasing and taunting, uncontrollable, knowing I can never get my hands on it to slow it down just a bit!

Handmade Valentines

2011-01-22T23:16:00.000-08:00

Kitsap Country goes to Stillwaters Auction

2011-01-14T17:54:00.001-08:00

Want to bid? Auction is Feb 26 at the longhouse in Suquamish. This painting, 16 x 12 inches, acrylic on canvas, with its vibrant colors expresses the joy of a crisp, clear autumn day in the country, Kitsap Country, that is. That's Mt. Constance, in the Olympic Mountains, in the distance.

New: Piece of my Heart

2011-01-13T10:17:00.000-08:00

Winter Love, a 12 x 12 acrylic painting on view at Front Street Gallery in Poulsbo, $95, plus individually crafted Valentine's Day cards with this same image and different quotes on love by distinguished writers.

My Home Town

2011-01-11T21:41:00.000-08:00

We are so special up in this corner!

2011-01-04T21:21:00.001-08:00

If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don't work there, you live in Washington .

If you've worn shorts, sandals and a parka at the same time, you live in Washington .

If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed the wrong number, you live in Washington .

If you measure distance in hours, you live in Washington .

If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you live in Washington .

If you have switched from 'heat' to 'A/C' and back again in the same day, you live in Washington .

If you can drive 75 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you live in Central, Southern or Eastern Washington .

If you design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over 2 layers of clothes or under a raincoat, you live in Washington .

If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow and ice, you live in Washington .

If you know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter, and road construction, you live in Washington .

If you feel guilty throwing aluminum cans or paper in the trash, you live in Washington .

If you know more than 10 ways to order coffee, you live in Washington .

If you know more people who own boats than air conditioners, you live in Washington .

If you stand on a deserted corner in the rain waiting for the "Walk" signal, you live in Washington .

If you consider that if it has no snow or has not recently erupted, it is not a real mountain, you live in Washington ..

If you can taste the difference between Starbucks, Seattle's Best, and Tullys, you live in Washington.

If you know the difference between Chinook, Coho and Sockeye salmon, you live in Washington .

If you know how to pronounce Sequim, Puyallup , Abiqua, Issaquah, Snoqualmie, Wenatchee, Spokane, Umpqua, Yakima and Willamette, you live in Washington .

If you consider swimming an indoor sport, you live in Washington .

If you can tell the difference between Japanese, Chinese and Thai food, you live in Washington .

If you never go camping without waterproof matches and a poncho, you live in Washington .

If you have actually used your mountain bike on a mountain, you live in Washington .

If you think people who use umbrellas are either wimps or tourists, you live in Washington .

If you buy new sunglasses every year because you cannot find the old ones after such a long time, you live in Washington .

If you actually understand these jokes and forward them to all your Washington friends, you live or have lived in Washington .

Truly Awesome!

2010-12-15T22:08:00.000-08:00

Are the Northern Arizona sunsets always this glorious? Thanks to the jet stream suddenly moving south, the sky was churning with all manner of clouds in shades of crimson and gold against deep blue. The show lasted all the way down the highway from the Grand Canyon park to the town of Williams, where we spent the night on another section of historic Route 66.

Elk by the Grand Canyon

2010-12-15T08:02:00.000-08:00

"I was raised as a Quaker," he says, "and they always talked about going inside to greet the light. I was interested in that. Not only in the visible

2010-12-10T22:06:00.000-08:00

but in the light seen with the eyes closed, the light and color in dreams."

I'm reading about Roden Crater in Arizona, trying to find out if it's finally open to the public. Absolutely fascinating story. http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2008-09-04/calendar/maya-lin-and-james-turrell-art-from-earth-and-sky
Click on the old article below the photo of the crater. Also, Google has a satellite view and there's an old NYT article describing how hard it is to get an invite. Best I can tell it's still not open.

A long and winding and dusty road

2010-12-09T22:05:00.000-08:00

Like fools, we rushed right in where only all-terrain vehicles should have tread and found ourselves on a hair-raising ride over a rocky, wash-board mountain pass. Eventually we met up with the paved road and arrived at the town of Patagonia, in southern Arizona, where we seem to be the only guests at the Stage Stop Inn. Across the road is the Velvet Elvis, where we had an excellent dinner and had the place to ourselves. Loved the colorful Navajo blankets hanging on all the walls and yes, the velvet Elvis painting over the bar.

Road Trip 12/10

2010-12-05T21:43:00.000-08:00

In our search for sun, we've arrived in Barstow, CA after four days of driving. Tomorrow -- Arizona! Just posted a bunch of photos on Flickr. This shot was taken this morning as we were leaving Isleton in the California Delta, where ultra rich farm land was created from the labor of Chinese workers who built hundreds of miles of levees to channel the Sacramento River (? -- I should fact check). We had stumbled upon this unusual little town and a fantastic place to spend the night -- the Delta Daze Inn -- just as I was imagining sleeping in the car.

No photo, but what a sight!

2010-11-30T09:20:00.000-08:00

Last night after the wood stove was really putting out some heat, I stepped out on the deck for some fresh, frigid air and heard a funny rustling sound, and out of the mist came a big antlered buck. He's probably the one who rubbed so much bark off the willow trunks. I made a little what I hoped to be encouraging sound but he skittered off into the darkness.

Lots of Baking on a Snowy Day

2010-11-22T22:14:00.001-08:00

Molasses turkey and bell cookies, sticky icky hard to handle dough. Two loaves of whole wheat bread, gorgeous lovely to handle dough. We made BLT's for dinner and found the Two Vines cabernet was a perfect match. I have a votive candle going in case the power goes out, but so far, just lots of blinking off and right back on again.

The other day, before it snowed, I was out doing some pruning and discovered a very strange thing. At first, I thought someone had run into this very shrubby willow with a truck and scraped off a lot of bark, but then I realized it had to be done by an animal. No beavers around so it must have been the deer, nibbling away at the bark. I checked with Joe, our very excellent and knowledgeable neighbor, who just had to come over and take a look. He said he'd never seen anything like it before but it must have been the deer who had been around recently. Then suddenly he knew! It was the one with the big antlers! It's rutting season and they like to rub their antlers on trees and get the scent from their sweat glands out to attract the females. Apparently, they don't ever do it so close to a house, but these critters feel right at home around here. After all, we've planted all these special tasty treats in our gardens just for them!

Cliff above Jefferson Beach

2010-11-17T18:59:00.000-08:00

12" x 12" acrylic painting

2010-11-15T21:05:00.000-08:00

A very old embarrassing canvas impulsively being covered in tinted gesso.

Titled Waltz in the Woods (or something similar). On display at Front Street Gallery.

"Molly's Bread" version 1

2010-10-30T21:53:00.000-07:00

All I have to say is that "no-knead" crusty French type bread is awesome, but there's nothing that compares to a handmade, fully kneaded loaf. Look what I made tonight! The recipe came from the world famous food blogger, Molly, who became doubly famous with the launch of Delancey, a tiny restaurant in an obscure spot in Ballard in Seattle. I haven't been there yet -- word is it's always packed -- but I take a peek at her blog every now and then. That's where the recipe came from for this dense, moist whole wheat/oatmeal bread, perfect for toast and general enjoyment. Still warm from the oven, we cut big slices and indulged in butter and my homemade blackberry jelly. I can hardly wait for morning and toast!

http://orangette.blogspot.com/2010/08/it-is-called-toast.html

Beach Bums

2010-09-29T08:29:00.000-07:00

What a crowd on this Lincoln City, Oregon beach! The gulls were enjoying the late afternoon sun as much as I, after a long car ride. Must recommend the wonderful Black Fish Cafe right on Highway 101.

Smooth Sailing in BC this Summer

2010-08-26T22:02:00.001-07:00

"Pax", from Olympia, Rod and Susan's trimaran

Peaceful sunset off Montague Marine Park

Our boat at anchor

The high cliffs of Galliano Island

2010-08-26T22:02:00.000-07:00

I wonder if this will work . . . . . .

2010-08-15T16:33:00.000-07:00

That works now that I cut the width in half!

Hazy BC Sunsets

2010-08-07T01:04:00.000-07:00

Smoke from interior forest fires blending with normal ocean haze made for an unusual sunset at the Cowichan Bay Regatta margarita party and steak dinner on the beach. The sun actually turned red-violet but the camera didn't capture the color.

Our last night in B. C. we witnessed a glorious sunset in heavy haze that turned the sun an intense orange that reflected onto the water like molten gold. As it dropped closer to the horizon it just disappeared into the mist.

Around 3 am lightning lit up the sky followed by heavy rain that washed the dirt from our boat. We were looking good when we landed at the US customs dock in Friday Harbor the next day. Three limes got confiscated, but no worries, we were out of tequila anyway.

Lotsa Lettuce

2010-07-09T00:43:00.001-07:00

One of the pieces I'm showing at the Front Street Gallery this month.

Spotted in Las Vegas

2010-07-08T22:12:00.001-07:00

Sea creatures of all sizes and shapes have a cool home of their own at Caesar's Palace on the Strip. Land creatures of all sizes and shapes roam the Strip in sweltering heat.

Fresh from the Easel

2010-06-07T21:44:00.000-07:00

Number 3 in the new series of birds, luminous egg shapes and other nature images. It will be showing at the Front Street Gallery starting tomorrow. I've priced it at $400. (20 x 16 Acrylic on a deep canvas)

Before and After

2010-05-29T23:44:00.000-07:00

There HAVE been bears spotted in the neighborhood -- a mother, two cubs and a yearling, roaming in broad daylight! Tonight, the biggest thing I see is a full moon hanging over Seattle, across the water. Or, looking down, my stomach, full of pasta, eggplant and fresh mozzarella. Dinner was mediocre restaurant leftovers, transformed into something altogether more delicious and satisfying. Two nights ago, with visitors from S. California, we went to our favorite restaurant in Poulsbo. Amazing appetizers, great wine and then a disappointing bowl of Pasta Puttanesca. Way too much heavy intense sauce for the portion of penne pasta, but it had potential, so home it came in a box. (See above.) Tonight I broiled slices of eggplant and zucchini, separated the penne from the sauce, sauteed half an onion and a big clove of garlic, mixed together everything but the penne and added some chicken stock. While that was slowly warming up, I cooked some more pasta and diced up some fresh mozzarella. When all was done and combined, I had enough for 2 or 3 meals, the sauce was still very spicy but not overpowering, the mozzarella melted a bit on top and after snapping the photo above, I devoured a bowlful. Very nice with a glass of red wine. A young raccoon was just on the deck, peering in the window at us. I think he wanted some pasta.

Out of the Woods, onto the Deck

2010-05-28T15:29:00.000-07:00

There was a bear on the deck last night. I was up late, heard a noise, turned my head and saw a big round black shape go by. Was it a bear or a really big racoon, I wondered, so went out in the pouring rain with an umbrella to have a good look. I didn't see any creatures but the suet feeder was not hanging from the eaves. This morning David found it on the path to the beach, all bashed in. Definitely not a racoon!

Private Fireworks Last Night in Seattle

2010-05-23T10:52:00.001-07:00

Another Microsoft gazillionaire birthday party? Perhaps. Whatever, we were mesmerized by the spectacular display that seemed to go on forever. Thanks to whomever and congratulations on whatever from here on the Kitsap Peninsula! (More photos on Flickr)

Twilight Rainbow

2010-05-21T22:18:00.000-07:00

Amazing view tonight as we ate dinner.

Ready for Show

2010-04-20T16:33:00.000-07:00

Acrylic painting 36" x 24"
Acrylic painting 8" x 10"

Acrylic painting 16" x 20"

Reminder of a Master

2010-03-30T09:14:00.000-07:00

Reading about Turner on an artist's blog just now made me realize what an influence his work has been on me and why I'm so dissatisfied with the best I can do. His genius is unmatchable but seductively inspirational.

My Favorite Polenta Dish

2010-03-27T22:56:00.000-07:00

Here's a show n tell about how to make a wonderful layered polenta dish that I've made for dinner parties a few times. This time I made the polenta itself in a slow cooker and it turned out the best ever, only had to be stirred two or three times. Amazing! Don't ever do the nasty stove top version. There's a version you can do in the oven, too. As you see in the photo, it's pretty thick because it's going to cool off, set up, and get cut into squares then triangles. (Isosceles!) Then it gets sprayed with olive oil and goes under the broiler to lightly brown.

I make two sauces: tomato and spinach/gorgonzola. Originally a vegetarian dish, lately I make it with Italian sausage in the tomato sauce.

Build it up in layers and bake for about 45 minutes @ 350. Sprinkle with grated parmesan when it comes out of the oven.
The before baking view. Sorry, I didn't get a photo when it came out of the oven, we were so ready to eat, but it looked good, all bubbly and browned. (I covered the top with foil the last 10 minutes or so.)

Gleaned from Zoroastrianism:

2010-03-22T21:48:00.000-07:00

Art is of the universe, involved in conflict between forces of truth and order and forces of chaos and falsehood. I choose applying paint to canvas and wood, working through chaos to something resembling truth and order, making my tiny bit of the world a more comfortable place for at least a brief instance.

My New Pet

2010-03-19T22:57:00.000-07:00

All the way from Mexico, surveying the sights of Spring in the Pacific Northwest, this dog is low maintenance!

"Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary." Steve Jobs

2010-03-19T00:06:00.000-07:00

This is Major Tom to Ground Control I'm stepping through the door And I'm floating in a most peculiar way

2010-03-14T23:30:00.000-07:00

Solitude of living in the country, out of touch with friends and neighbors for days on end, working alone and loving it in my studio--then suddenly the needs of the co-op gallery demand I change my ragged jeans for better ones, fix my hair and dash out to the car. Plunging up and down twisty back roads I feel like Major Tom deciding to come home after all. Human connections are a thing of joy.

Paul(Pah ool)'s House

2010-03-03T23:43:00.000-08:00

While we were gawking at and photographing this remarkable new house in La Manzanilla, a young man came by and with a big smile claimed it was his house. Lucky for us this was our intro to a very talented architect and he invited us in for a tour of his home. I liked the way he brought some of his exterior design elements into the interior and onto the furnishings.

High on the Hillside

2010-02-16T16:40:00.000-08:00

Driving your own car into the maze of narrow cobblestone streets and tunnels of Guanajuato is a dubious venture. We snagged a guide as we realized we would never find our B n B otherwise and as he pointed left, right and straight ahead, David followed his hand signals and we sped thru the maze and up the hill to the Casa Azul. We quickly unloaded our bags while cars piled up behind us on the steep and narrow street and then the guide got in the driver's seat and drove David and Gerry to some remote parking place that neither one of them can find again. Oh well, we certainly would not want to drive while in this town! It's like a stone roller coaster.

La Manzanilla, Jalisco, Mexico Ole!

2010-02-06T10:40:00.000-08:00

What could be better than this! Sitting on a shaded patio at the local internet cafe/restaurant with my friend from Seattle, Nancy, catching up on email while the guys labor away back at the house doing gas plumbing so we can take showers with warm water. (I really don't mind using cold but it is a shock when it first hits the warm body.) The house that our friend in Guadalajara so kindly offered is not really set up for guests but we've been adding towels, dishes and other essentials to make it better for us and him and any future guests. It's up on a hill, a short walk from the center, surrounded by trees and birds (saw parrots today) with a peek a boo view of the ocean.

We had a gorgeous week in Colima with our semi-ex pat friends there but as we were preparing to leave, the weather changed. Arriving in La Manzanilla, on the coast, under cloudy skies, we expected rain but the electrical storm was something we had never before in our entire lives witnessed. Hours of spectacle in the sky -- lightning as bright as strobe lights, blinding in fact. When the rain suddenly came pouring down, the gutters couldn't handle it and the house flooded. We were mopping up til 1 am and fell asleep with the sound of water dripping into every available pot and bowl. Now all is well and beautiful. Having a wonderful time.

We woke up to the very loud sounds of the drum and trumpet corps that has been parading through the streets of this little town for the last few days, celebrating the annual fiesta, feast and rodeo that happens this time of year. Right now there is Mariachi music off in the distance and soon we'll go to the big communal meal featuring goat stew that precedes today's bull riding events. It's perfect summer weather for us but a little chilly for the local people!

Victoria Harbour

2010-01-04T18:33:00.001-08:00

Victoria Harbour
Originally uploaded by JuliMil

Our New Year's celebration started with a sailing trip by Black Ball ferry "Coho" across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Victoria, BC. Continuing up Vancouver Island by car, we arrived at Nanaimo just in time to catch the small ferry to Gabriola Island, where we joined our Canadian family for the annual get-together. A midnight walk by the light of the full moon on a long sandy beach was magical.

Winter Time is Kitchen Time

2009-12-29T23:04:00.001-08:00

The onions, garlic, celery and fennel were already sauteing in the big pot when I started slicing up this glorious geoduc, a giant clam that came from the beach below our house on a super low tide. If this had not been my first ever attempt at geoduc chowder, I would have whacked that thing into tiny bits. Since it has always been quite tender as a barely cooked appetizer, I simply sliced it into thin bands. The chowder was delicious, fragrant, creamy and rich but how did those ultra-chewy rubber bands get in there!! Today, I strained out all the broth and fished out all the clam strips and chopped them into those very necessary tiny bits! Much better. I ate two bowls.

Galaktoboureko: a different Christmas dessert

2009-12-28T22:25:00.001-08:00

Galaktoboureko take 2, with fresh pumpkin puree incorporated into the custard. I'm going to get over to the kitchen right now and eat the very last little diamond shaped piece!

Two Brave Women

2009-12-22T01:11:00.000-08:00

I loved these two books. For years I remembered everything about these mesmerizing tales of survival in hostile environments, everything but the titles and authors, but now thanks to the wonders of the internet, all is revealed. Check out this link for some incredible writing by Karen Fisher, a local author: http://www.asuddencountry.com/excerpt.htm

The other is a true story about paddling a small inflatable kayak all the way to Timbuktu. In another of her books she admits her friends think she has a death wish, since she takes such horrendous risks in her adventure travels. I have to agree.

Pumpkin Curry

2009-12-15T21:47:00.000-08:00

The 20 pound pumpkin that had been decorating the porch for months got roasted last week during the prolonged frigid spell. The "meat" was sweet as could be. There's enough in the freezer now for several Christmas pies and we have a huge pot of curried pumpkin and chicken soup. Here's some thickened with brown basmatti rice and topped with plum chutney and thick yogurt.

Red Sea II

2009-12-07T00:53:00.000-08:00

I tried to simplify an embarrassing effort from a few months ago and this is the result. It's better but I still don't like it very much. Also, it's not a very good photo. The lighting was poor. I'll try again tomorrow.

Late Harvest

2009-11-30T00:32:00.000-08:00

Oven roasted the large carrots and beets. Ate the small carrots raw. So sweet! The carrot tops look funny because the deer had been grazing recently. They seemed to like the beet leaves, too. I'm still getting tomatoes from the amazing plant I bought from the little freckle faced red haired boy at the Kingston farmers' market. I'm hoping he shows up again next spring.

Watched an eagle try to lift a big bird, maybe a grebe, out of the water this afternoon. It made several passes and grabs but didn't have the strength to make a capture. The poor prey didn't survive. I wonder what shape we'd be in if we had to grab our food while it was still alive. I'd be a vegetarian for sure!

Greens Convene

2009-11-17T23:07:00.000-08:00

Never before shown painting from a couple of months ago. One of two pieces I've just this minute submitted to CVG's all-WA show. Digital images must be exactly certain pixel sizes and so on. Solving this problem drove me to near meltdown but now it seems so easy. The black bars are because they want it on a square "canvas" of a certain size. Picky-picky, but standard OP for juried shows. In this painting the tender young lettuces and tough old ferns are talking to each other comparing notes on the pros and cons of being edible. Is this weird that all my vegetables have feelings?

If you want to see the other piece that was submitted, you must go to the KAG just up from the ferry dock in darling little Kingston, WA, USA!

Blooming November 15

2009-11-15T09:16:00.000-08:00

It's cold and stormy. A few snowflakes fell south of here last night. It's dark from 4 to 8 but !! things are still blooming. The strawberries in the basket that I mentioned in the previous post are the most astounding, but I have yellow snapdragons, deep russet mums with yellow centers, purple petunias that refuse to quit, some leggy gaura and even some English peas that the deer enjoy nibbling are still putting out white blossoms.

Strawberries in November!

2009-11-13T23:00:00.000-08:00

They are green but this ever-bearing berry bush doesn't want to quit for the season. The sun has broken through the storm clouds only briefly but the blossoms keep coming. The weather is sucky, the health care legislation is completely botched, all governments are corrupt and the greediest bastards on the planet rule it, but the discovery of water on the Moon makes it all seem so inconsequential.

In response to Credo Mobile's campaign to send coat hangars to certain misguided congressmen, here's a message I just sent out to some friends, to senators and congressman, and to President Obama himself (as if he reads his own email!):

We desperately need major changes to the way medicine is practiced in the US but this proposed so-called health care reform legislation is worthless. It just forces people to buy insurance (big time bucks to the industry) and cancels any provisions for coverage for pregnancy terminations. Two big wins for the party that lost at the polls this time last year. I don't get it and we sure don't need it.

'37 Ford Sparkling on Main Street

2009-11-04T17:23:00.000-08:00

Wayne's wheels added some Wow to downtown Edmonds today. That's some red!

Focus on the Family

2009-11-02T20:46:00.000-08:00

A small painting on display at the Kingston Art Gallery

Young Deer

2009-10-31T22:27:00.001-07:00

Young Deer
Originally uploaded by JuliMil

This baby is growing up fast! He was grazing on apples, mother no where in sight. This was taken at the "Magic Grow Gardens" property on our road, five minutes from our lane. Just the other day, this young one and his mother were eating the broccoli in my newest garden and later I saw signs they'd nibbled away on the pea vines that are still growing in spite of the cold and wet weather

Pea Pods

2009-10-14T23:43:00.000-07:00

This is a small, quick painting of some of the last peas of the season from my garden. With the recent downpours, all will be moldy and ready to be yanked out soon. They were sure good while they lasted. My trellises looked like the crazy webs of spiders on acid, but next year they'll be better, like Betty's!

There are so many more images of tomatoes than peas on the Web. Those reds are irresistible.

Stripped and Naked

2009-10-06T23:33:00.000-07:00

Rainbow carrots fresh from the garden--I was surprised to see the big red one was orange under the skin. They went into the Boeuf Bourguignon that I, like thousands of others, prepared after seeing the film "Julie and Julia."

Hubbard Squash and Friends

2009-10-01T19:11:00.000-07:00

I just rediscovered the built in camera on my laptop. But the pictures turn out mirror image. Does anyone know how to turn them around?

The other title for this painting is "Waiting for the Cleaver". A group of innocent beings huddled together for comfort, trusting that all is well, oblivious to the clandestine deal-making going on in private meetings that will ultimately slice 'em and dice 'em for continuing corporate profits.

Really Ripe

2009-09-27T21:58:00.000-07:00

They started to spoil before I could finish the painting so I made tomato sauce and finished the painting from photos. Here's one of the photos:

These heirloom tomatoes nearly became antiques.

A Perfect Day

2009-09-18T21:04:00.001-07:00

Sitting in the sun on the sandy shore of Ediz Hook, watching a harlequin duck family dive and skim for food--such beauty, such bliss! (This photo is from Photobucket, I was without camera on this outing.)

This morning I drove 60-some miles to meet up with Susan from Sequim in search of the perfect red dahlia. At "Jan's Country Garden" near Port Angeles, we walked the rows of dahlias of every size, color and petal shape and I did, in fact, find the perfect red dahlia or three, and some all white ones, and a red and white one, and then a pale pink one just for variety. These bulbs, or tubers, will be ready in mid-April, so that is plenty of time to figure out where to put them. And get Buff Guy to dig some more holes. Also got a bag of red, ripe tomatoes for an unbelievable $1/lb.!

After enjoying an Oyster Po' Boy overlooking the harbor, we gallery hopped and saw amazing woodwork and photographs. How can there be so many super-talented artists wherever one goes? Heading over to the Hook for some quality birding, with binos and Sibley in hand, we studied various gulls and seals sunning themselves on floating logs, then came upon the harlequin duck family, mom, pop and three young ones. They swam back and forth along the shore, filling their bellies and fluffing their feathers, diving and splashing and showing their colors and patterns to our total delight.

SfS sent me home with a huge bouquet of dahlia blossoms from her own garden and tomorrow I'll try to do them justice with my little Canon.

Seeing Things?

2009-09-10T23:33:00.000-07:00

Does anyone besides me see a group of sentient beings? Doesn't that big squash look maternal? I'm looking forward to painting these guys.

I love this song!

2009-09-06T01:20:00.000-07:00

Watched a really good movie on Netflix on my laptop tonight and as the final credits roll, this song plays. I've stayed up way too late now tracking it down to see what CD it might be found on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwcZrdwQvcw

Dis quand reviendras-tu by Jean Louis Aubert

Can someone please translate?

New Beginnings

2009-09-02T21:38:00.000-07:00

Passed a little group of wet-haired, towel-wrapped kids hiking up the road from the swimming beach late this afternoon. They'll be back in school soon, days of freedom come to an end. Surely a few might be actually looking forward to all the possibilities that lie ahead. In September even though I haven't been in school for eons I always feel like it's the start of something new. It's the cooling off, the shorter days, the conditioning from childhood that create this excitement about taking on a new challenge. For me this year it's the chair position of the Gallery that's got me excited. The web site, our online banner ad, better signs . . . lots of ideas for drawing in more visitors and building on the success of the newly famous slug hunt.

Closing in on a year since I started this blog and I'm happy to have a record of how things were back then, as things have changed, like my ability to do hard and heavy landscaping, since my back is messed up to a great extent. Aside from that, it's the most conscientious journal I've ever done and probably a good tool for keeping the brain cells alive.

Cleaning Horse Clams

2009-08-27T14:23:00.000-07:00

One of these was dug by a very determined tiny 7 year old! We had a big pot of amazing clam chowder that night.

Surprise inside--tiny albino crablets.

A cup a cup a tea

2009-08-16T08:41:00.001-07:00

A cup a cup a tea
Originally uploaded by jaosten

Impromptu trio serenades birthday gathering! More photos on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/32578176@N03/

Tiny Harvest

2009-08-10T23:57:00.000-07:00

Today I noticed the deer got my pole beans but I got some carrots. No rabbits around here.

How to Catch a Geoduc

2009-07-29T11:48:00.001-07:00

Photo by Gerard Van Wesep

Hmm, two "duck" posts in a row. A third could've been a shot of the blood gushing from my arm this morning when I didn't "duck" a big blackberry thorn as I cleaned up the pruning from the lane.

About that geoduc digger, yes, he was successful and we (and others) had amazing delicious sweet geoduc in various forms for several days. Remains in the fridge of what started out as fritters, switched to cakes, transformed to quiche-like pie. We're eating well (neighbor Joe gifted us a fresh caught salmon!) and staying fairly cool here on the cliff as surrounding areas suffer a heat wave. My studio is comfortable with a fan blowing but oh do those acrylics dry fast!

Ducky Love

2009-07-22T09:18:00.000-07:00

Official greeter and hugger at the little museum in Sequim -- the docent's pet duck! He was so cute in his matching blue booties and diaper. The Lavender Festival was on and I had a great time with my friend Sue who settled in Sequim 10 years ago and seemed to know every interesting person we encountered. My lavender bundles are upside down drying and "Wreck of the Peter Iredale", a beautiful photo by Larry Barnest (looks like a watercolor) is hanging in the living room. He's in the Blue Whole Gallery in Sequim, a great place to shop, almost as good as our own Kingston Art Gallery.

Visit from Morocco

2009-07-14T09:45:00.000-07:00

Linda Z is returning with loads of beautiful handmade beads from the women of Khenifra. Here's the story on the web:

http://riadzany.blogspot.com/2008/11/micro-credit-in-morocco-is-winner.html"

Here's the proof that one person can make a difference in the lives of others!

Foggy Days

2009-07-13T10:42:00.000-07:00

Poor long distance visibility today but, oh, the birds in the yard! Intriguing cedar wax wings in the serviceberry earlier this am. Red spots on wings were visible for the first time. I thought the hummers had abandoned our feeder but after changing the syrup, a few are back. A flicker finally discovered the suet block I put up recently. It's a good day for getting started on refinishing the Eero Saarinen table and chairs gifted to me by my darling brother. There's quite a bit of sanding to do.

Spot the Dog

2009-07-08T15:29:00.000-07:00

Tonight's Salad

2009-07-06T22:59:00.000-07:00

Still getting a thrill from gathering greens from the garden. Wouldn't this be fun to paint? Guess I'll get started tomorrow after recruiting slug hunt sponsors. Feeling sleepy now. Went birding with local Audubon group @ 7:30 A!M!

Stunted

2009-07-03T14:27:00.000-07:00

This poor carrot! Given all the requirements for proper growth and nutrition -- rich organic soil, warm sunny days, pure well water -- all it could do was grow half a carrot, split right down the length -- mutant or birth defect? Maybe Ed Hume will know. I wrote to him yesterday.

Change of Plans

2009-06-29T11:58:00.001-07:00

Dental emergency intervened, D went to town by himself (after snapping above photo at 4 something AbloodyM) and I slept until the phone rang at mid-morning. Bliss! I did some toilet shopping online and found a very negative reference to the one we were considering, a reminder to be wary when HD is our first stop for shopping. OTOH, the high-end Toto line certainly is seductive, but for a humble little cabin, not quite in the budget. Here's a tiny crop from one I snapped waiting for the ferry last Saturday on the way to the latest evolution of "I Love Being Abroad" by Julie Cascioppo. The mama gull has been nesting for at least 10 days in this spot where hundreds of passengers pass by daily.

She's kinda hard to see up there in this photo.

What's New

2009-06-29T00:08:00.000-07:00

Someone thinks he's getting me up and away at the break of dawn tomorrow but it'll take a crane to get me out of bed that early. Although, it might be worth the effort to catch a glimpse of the deer who has been eating up every rose in sight and who completely devoured my beautiful heuchera "Coral Bells" the night before last. Does and wobbly legged fauns are on the prowl, day and night.

"7 Keys to Great Paintings", chapter on value patterns has my head spinning. It's like a punch in the stomach seeing what I've been missing in my work. I'm excited about the new perspective.

Kingston Art Gallery is Slug City these days with more than 100 hand-painted, fabric-wrapped and beaded beauties awaiting the big day 8/8/09 when they will be hidden and then hunted by officially licensed slug hunters. This is really happening. It's even been featured on Evening Magazine.

We had a big salad tonight with spinach, peas, radishes and different kinds of lettuce all from my little garden! This amazes me, a novice vegetable gardener. One little dried up pea seed produces a huge big vine with lots of pods containing many peas. Something to ponder. Likewise, the new book, reviewed in the Sunday NY Times, "The Evolution of God." Sadly, the author does not embrace Zoroaster but is spot on in other ways, tracing the changing personalities of "God" according to cultural advancements on Earth.

It's already tomorrow and I have a big day of shopping for toilet and sink in the city. I'll probably toss and turn in eager anticipation of such an event.

Fresh Bread, Old Wine

2009-06-18T00:11:00.000-07:00

Having no bread in the house and a hungry ditch digger to feed, I made a loaf of whole wheat bread and maybe it was the new jar of yeast or the new bag of flour, but it rose better than ever. The wine is a Malbec, from Argentina, and we carried it with us across the Andes and for a month while traveling in Chile two and a half years ago. I thought it would be ruined from all the bouncing around and improper storage so last night I opened it to add some flavor to a braised chicken and sausage dish. Amazingly, the wine was excellent!

Today we brought in a yard of topsoil, reinforcements for my death to grass campaign. In the area by the woods, the true enemy is bindweed. It's growing almost a foot a night and it's everywhere, twisting and wrapping and strangling whatever it can sneak up on. I wonder if it's resistant to napalm . . .

Hummer at rest

2009-06-16T11:44:00.001-07:00

Hummer at rest
Originally uploaded by JuliMil

Seconds later, another Anna's appeared and suddenly a tiny Rufous shot out at them and off they all flew. Between the hummers and the dragonflies, there's a lot of busy energy out there.

Oops!

2009-06-07T11:19:00.000-07:00

Dodge "Ram" crammed into the trench that Jake dug. David engineered a way out with wedges and scrap lumber, politely ignoring my advice to call AAA for a truck with a winch. Hands-on ingenuity triumphs (again) over relying on professionals.

Riders in the Storm

2009-05-20T19:53:00.000-07:00

north of Tonapah
Originally uploaded by JuliMil

Heading north between Vegas and Reno, crossing the vast high desert, we got into a thunderstorm and heavy rainfall -- something we've never encountered in the desert. Amazing and exciting. The rain came down so hard it sounded like hail. More photos on Flickr.