A Very Social Four Days

Posted on by Sandy Webster

I went to the neighbors to meet more of those who live here on the circle. It was quite a nice gathering, Lots of food and wine and getting to know each other. I seem to be the one with the clever garden out back. They appreciated my ANZAC cookies and requested the recipe.

A bear was seen where I walk to the river. But I was not deterred.

Yesterday I had time to get back to the Meadow Book.

And last night I joined a few of the men to watch a movie where we meet for coffee each morning. We shared pizza and wine. What I liked the most was how they laugh out loud and cheer on the good guys. I have missed that sound….men being amused out loud. I will go again if asked. It was just three men and myself. The wine was superb (the one who brought it has impeccable taste). But the second glass poured for me from another bottle attracted a fly. I watched him swim around for about a half hour, decided I did not need to fish him out to sip from where he was enjoying his last breath. I thought he needed his privacy to drown himself in the second best wine of the evening. And I did not, in any way, want to call attention to his peril at the risk of interrupting the laughter and running commentary of the fellows around me.

I walked home in time to meet up with family on our Wednesday evening phone call. But did stop to take a few pictures on the way.

And today I was pleased to be asked to go with one of the men’s wives to an art exhibit at a nearby college where she used to teach. She wants me to meet the teachers there who might want to use me as a resource for printmaking/book arts/ journaling. So I just need to be ready by 6:45. I can do this.

Til later….

FIVE Days Later!

Posted on by Sandy Webster

I decided to wait an extra day before posting. Major changes in the house this morning as I begin to unpack more “studio things”. The guest room furniture is packed into the garage waiting to go back north. In its place are familiar things.

This is the start of moving off the dining room table. And while help was here I switched area rugs between bedroom and living room. Once the warm toned shades went into the windows of the living room, I felt the rug there was too cool. But in the bedroom with the grey curtains and so many works in graphite, it made a better match,

I wanted to walk the dam the other day because it has been so long since I have.

And then back here to the river…..

I especially love this next one.

Magical doors in trees…

I like the female figure guarding the entrance above. And the recessed door with its peephole below.

And then the walk back home..

To my first camelia bloom.

The new mixer came. It is so light with some great German engineering. Even has a low speed that is low and a terrific storage feature for accessories and the cord! The mixers today have mostly wire beaters. I prefer the flat blade type because they will slice through the butter I thought had softened enough.

And the gas man came and started up the fireplace. Waiting for a dreary day now.

Thursday I went to the poetry group’s monthly meeting. I enjoyed it and hope they invite me again. It was nice to hear their words and see how they are placed on a page.

They asked if I wrote poetry. I said,  “Yes, but only on cloudy, dreary days, Not because the words are about dreary things but because the sun is an intrusion into my thoughts with its spinning around lighting things up as it goes. It (the sun) shines spotlights on things that call for the attention I am trying to give words.”

That got the response of, “hmm”. You know the kind of “hmm” that wishes they hadn’t asked.

So whether I get asked back again is unknown at this time. But a friend gave me a new ballpoint pen yesterday and I am ready to see if it can keep up with me. I can certainly thank the poetry group for getting  me in the mood.

The other day I came back from a walk to find, tucked in my door, an invitation to a resident’s home tomorrow evening to meet more neighbors. How nice.

I am looking forward to it. Home baked cookies or a bottle of wine would be nice to take along.

More later….

Turning Cooler

Posted on by Sandy Webster

We are covering up a bit more as the temperature drops.

The walks through the meadow have become more colorful.

This last one is like bits of clouds fell into the meadow.

So more small drawings of the changes go into the Meadow Book.

And yesterday I walked along another side and saw this…dried mud in such a lovely pattern,

And this when I lifted the camera on my iPhone.

Lovely light sparkling on these burst open grasses.

When I stepped back onto the road to my house three women asked me to join them in a lap around the block. It was nice visiting with new neighbors. I am sure to see them again.

This morning my old cleaning lady came by to agree that this house is very easy to keep clean and I am very capable of doing it myself. But she did promise to stop by and check on me once in awhile. She will message before coming so I have a chance to straighten things up just to prove we are both right….I can do this.

Tonight my old neighbor/friend/doctor is coming over when she finishes work to share a pizza and play a scrabble-type game while we catch up.

I might be getting more social.

This morning, right in the middle of making another loaf of banana/pumpkin/walnut/maple bread, our hand mixer finally stopped.

Lee had this before we were married 55 years ago. It has done a stellar job. I went on Amazon to find another General Electric hand mixer only to see there is no such thing. I think the company has been absorbed into something else now. All the other ones looked bigger, heavier and proud of how fast they can go. I like a slow speed to gently get into the mixing up part. More research is necessary.

But the other day I did a drawing for a new wood block and transferred it to the block.

I am in the mood for a crow.

And I also designed a new Christmas card carving for white line printing. It was nice of the mayor to offer to cut my wood blocks into the smaller pieces I want to experiment with.

Yesterday was the first day of early voting. I wanted to see the place crowded with a line but not so. Small town with people taking their time to hopefully make the right decisions for our country.

Til later….

 

Time Again…..

Posted on by Sandy Webster

Where did the four days go? If I don’t write a blog today then the photos and thoughts just pile up.

Saturday was my birthday. I usually make my bed as soon as I vacate it, but was so taken by how inviting it looked to just get back in… I didn’t.

I am in the third day of my 79th year.

So I have watched the second hearing of the January 6 Insurrection, had some lunch or maybe just some crackers, washed the dish detergent  bottle because there was some dirt in the grooves, thought about packing some more boxes, books preferably, but instead just ordered two more books…Suzanne Stryk’s In the Middle of Somewhere, and a hardbound on the drawings, illustrations and artwork of Beatrice Potter. They will come in two days and sit next to a book I bought last week, Making a Life by Melanie Falick. I can’t settle down to just opening them up and reading…I just wanted them to give me places and things to think about when I can get back to drawing in a designated place.

But in my defense, I worked out at the gym, walked the dam, grocery shopped and picked up a breakfast drink before settling in for the hearings.  Now I poured a glass of wine to prattle on here. Speaking of which, I found these in the grocery store and had to bring them home at only $7 each. This was the first Australian wine I ever had a chance to buy here in the states and although it probably is not the best, it does have a sentimental value. But it is true what that snooty wine shop owner told me years ago in New South Wales, “You Americans will buy anything with a critter on it.”

Aged in barrels it says…probably its second week of fermentation and then bottled for the US. And can you believe I am saving these for a special occasion while I sip a box red.

Back to the last few days….Walks. This morning the dam…

And a couple of days ago over to the house,

All lined up correctly.

Hot and cold for master bath shower. And drawn in the book…

Getting older makes me think about holding onto memories. Probably has something to do with leaving this house…Anyway I did write a very short short story and if it was not so terribly hot and humid at noon today, I would have gone out to lose myself like Lillian in the grasping of memory with shadow. I do have two shirts to iron so I can touch base with her that way.

Four more boxes were packed yesterday. About all that is left in the studio is the empty shelves that will follow me over to new walls only to hold the same old things.

The fixit man came the other day and did everything he needed to do, and a new bathroom faucet has been ordered for the guest bathroom vanity, so he will be back to finish this week.

Tomorrow I will go back to the house to see what might be new there. I am hoping insulation at least. It is getting harder to find things to draw.

At 4:30 this morning there was the most beautiful big fat orange moon setting on the horizon while giving a wonderful glow to the bed. I am going to watch it float about tomorrow morning before making the bed, feeding the cats, taking my shower, dressing, wondering about makeup and hair, remembering that splash of Jean Nate before heading back off to the gym, a visit with old men and coffee before coming back to the ironing I just postponed while doing this blog and drinking two thirds of the glass of wine.

Til later….