It is close enough to three o’clock in the afternoon on a Sunday here. So far today I have balanced the books, cleaned up the kitchen, participated in the family call, and done my balancing exercises. That was all before noon. Since then I have worked in the studio, listened to a novella on audiobooks, done all my workout exercises plus the balance ones again. Now I have a glass of wine and am seated back in the studio.
While we (or at least I) are talking alcohol, let me show you my negroni from two nights ago.
What I have finally settled on for a recipe is as follows:
Over ice in a Tom Collins glass pour
1 1/2 oz gin (this is a good place to use the “flowery” ones because then you won’t be tasting the flower bed in a more martini-type drink.
1 1/2 oz sweet vermouth
1 oz Campari (if you go with most recipes this would be the same amount as the vermouth and gin) But it tastes like chewing on grapefruit peels if you go with that recommendation.
One hefty slice of orange or a carefully shaved peel.
Sit down, sip slowly, and don’t even think of fixing another!
Yesterday and today I worked on an idea for illustrations for my next book by S. Webster. I am titling it Connections. So far 35 new poems, 6 essays and 5 short stories. I would like to have a couple more short stories but find heat and humidity are not conducive to staying on track. We will see how it goes.
Anyway, here are the first illustrations which may only be used as breaks between three sections of the book and another for cover art. I enjoyed the process of combining graphite, watercolor wash, and stitched textiles. I like the stone’s dependency on both the support of sticks and comfort of cloth.
When I finish and photograph each one, I will adjust contrast and see how well they can be reproduced. The scraps of cloth are quite fiddly to hold onto but stitching bits together is so comforting a pastime.
I will do several so I have a good selection because once photographed and looked at closely, I can see better choices could have been made. It will keep me busy for awhile. After that, it is all about putting the book together.
I have managed another couple of pages in the leaves section of the six-way book.
On another note:
It is hard being optimistic in the United States anymore. We have reached such a new low every day with no way of digging our way out. The world as a whole, finds us much less than what we used to be. More than half the population here is disgusted with the ignorance and arrogance of those who continue to support their choice to lead our country. It doesn’t seem to matter that he is a sex-offending felon, has a deplorable cabinet of sycophants that are hell-bent on protecting their golden calf to line their pockets and promote their Nazi-like agenda. Who in their right mind is not physically sick at the look and sound of Stephen Miller pushing an agenda of pure evil? Thank you, Scotland, for your opposition to his being there. Only thing better would be to send him off to the Hague for crimes against humanity. Thank you to those in this country who ask Maga hat wearers where they get the nerve to eat in Mexican restaurants. And thank you to the women in Home Depot parking lots trying their best to help and put ICE agents in their place while grabbing workers out of cars to send wherever they choose. Thanks to our less-than-stellar Supreme Court decisions to protect the president, only he will escape culpability….all those around him should look to getting a lawyer lined up for when this nightmare ends. “I was only following orders” does not work. Just ask the last group of Nazis.
I need to fill my wine glass and punch the bag again today.
Til later….