It's that time of year when we start out in the morning with the heat on to take the chill out of the house, open the doors mid-morning, then turn on the air conditioning in the evening to make it comfortable for sleeping. Grandma and I ate lunch (our main meal) on the patio, which was a cool 70. I was in the sun and felt hot and Grandma was in the shade wearing a sweater. And we learned that Daylight Savings Time ends this weekend. At least we don't need to change a bunch of clocks here, we just go from California time to New Mexico time.
Everyone at watercolor class this morning was talking about the up-coming "Fine Art Fair", trying to figure out how to display their wares and to get some idea of the prices they should charge. Our instructor said we should start with the cost of the frame and add whatever we felt we had put into the painting. I said my prices would range from $15 to $700, raising a few eyebrows. Well, the largest frame cost big bucks, so why not? I just hope to sell enough to recover the cost of the display panels.
Grandma is busy putting together some necklaces. She has branched out to chain, and is now using gold as well as silver. She does nice work. She complains that it cuts into her time researching genealogy, but she seems to find time for both.
The World Series goes on and on. When I was in college in Oklahoma back in the early 50s, one of the first things we did after checking in for the fall semester was to stop in at the local pub for a beer and to watch the Series. Now it's almost into November. How much longer will it be before the owners decide to make it a year-round season; they sure need the money!
27 October 2006
24 October 2006
24 October 2006
The Fine Art Fair is fast approaching - November 11th and 12th - and I've been uptight since I signed up for a booth last Spring. The Senior Center will allocate a 10' x 10' space and provide a table and chair. So Elliot, a fellow student at the Center, and I have been busy trying to figure out how to obtain display panels for our watercolors. We checked into renting, but turned up nothing. We worked over a bunch of possible designs to make our own and finally settled on a group of 4' wide by 6 1/2' tall panels with a 4' x 4' pegboard panel. Once we made that decision, we bought the supplies at the local Home Depot, brought everything here, and began construction. The completed panels are now leaning against the back of the house, covered with plastic. So far, so good.
The next task is to arrange transportation from here to the Center. We'll probably rent a pickup truck.
In the meantime, I've been trying to evaluate all my work to decide which are saleable, and how to mat and frame them. I had some very good advice about mat colors and combinations from my daughter, Gail, and her husband,David, when they were here, which worked out well. So far, I've decided on 33 to be offered for sale.
The next decision is to figure out what number to put on the price tag. I have two large paintings that were professionally framed; each cost over $250.00, so their prices will be up there. Some will only be matted, so will be lower priced. If Elliot and I sell enough to recoup the cost of the panels, we'll be happy.
Keep your fingers crossed for us. It's the first time I've ever attempted anything like this. So far, only family and friends have any of my work. Of course, I can always brag that my work is in private collections in Arizona, Texas and on the East Coast.
The next task is to arrange transportation from here to the Center. We'll probably rent a pickup truck.
In the meantime, I've been trying to evaluate all my work to decide which are saleable, and how to mat and frame them. I had some very good advice about mat colors and combinations from my daughter, Gail, and her husband,David, when they were here, which worked out well. So far, I've decided on 33 to be offered for sale.
The next decision is to figure out what number to put on the price tag. I have two large paintings that were professionally framed; each cost over $250.00, so their prices will be up there. Some will only be matted, so will be lower priced. If Elliot and I sell enough to recoup the cost of the panels, we'll be happy.
Keep your fingers crossed for us. It's the first time I've ever attempted anything like this. So far, only family and friends have any of my work. Of course, I can always brag that my work is in private collections in Arizona, Texas and on the East Coast.
Dumb and Dumbest?
A recent survey by persons unknown to me, but apparently of the professional community, have concluded that Arizona is the dumbest state in the Union. Vermont and some of the other New England states rank at or near the top. So tell me, if we're so dumb and they're so smart, why do they spend so much time wearing snow boots?
23 October 2006
A Man's Best Chili Recipe
This from Clay Thompson, who writes a column in the Arizona Republic:
Chili Recipe
Open a can of chili. Dump it in a pan, heat, eat and enjoy. Yummers.
Sure does simplify the process.
Chili Recipe
Open a can of chili. Dump it in a pan, heat, eat and enjoy. Yummers.
Sure does simplify the process.
16 October 2006
CHARlotte or CharLOTTE?
Every day, I check the weather page for those places where various members of the family live. One of those places is Charlotte, NC, which is pronounced CHAR-lotte. And, there is a beach next to the intersection of the Genesee River and Lake Ontario which is called Charlotte, but pronounced Char-LOTTE. I wonder which came first, and why the difference in pronunciation. Anyone have any ideas?
14 October 2006
Coasting in Neutral
An article in the morning paper mentioned "coasting in neutral" and it immediately brought back a memory.
It was about 1941 when Uncle Henry, my brother Fred and I headed down to Elmira for the airplane and glider show on Harris Hill. Uncle Henry had told our parents that we would camp out in a tent overnight. My mother had given Fred and me a dollar each to spend, so we were in seventh heaven.
At the show, glider rides cost two dollars; I don't remember the negotiations, but Fred wound up with my dollar and the glider ride.
That evening, we drove down the road a little ways, and Uncle Henry set up the tent. Imagine our surprise to find that he wasn't going to stay with us, but would be in a motel in Elmira! Oh well, at least he left us his Benjamin pellet air pistol for protection against whatever evil things our minds could conjure up, which were substantial. So we spent most of the evening pumping up the pistol and shooting at anything that rustled in the leaves. (We`decided later that we had been shooting at worms.)
The next morning, Uncle Henry showed up, packed up the tent and took us to breakfast.
The way home took us on route 15 along Hemlock Lake, where the road had a great long hill to descend. That's where Uncle Henry decided to see how far the car could go just coasting down the hill. Of course, in those days there wasn't much traffic, so off we went, with the engine turned of and the gear shift in neutral. As we coasted down the hill, Fred and I took turns shooting the Benjamin pellet air pistol out the window at various targets along the way, including at least one large, black crow (we missed). At the bottom of the hill, as the car slowed to a crawl, Uncle Henry announced the mileage, started up the engine and off to home we went.
Quite an adventure for two pre-teenagers.
It was about 1941 when Uncle Henry, my brother Fred and I headed down to Elmira for the airplane and glider show on Harris Hill. Uncle Henry had told our parents that we would camp out in a tent overnight. My mother had given Fred and me a dollar each to spend, so we were in seventh heaven.
At the show, glider rides cost two dollars; I don't remember the negotiations, but Fred wound up with my dollar and the glider ride.
That evening, we drove down the road a little ways, and Uncle Henry set up the tent. Imagine our surprise to find that he wasn't going to stay with us, but would be in a motel in Elmira! Oh well, at least he left us his Benjamin pellet air pistol for protection against whatever evil things our minds could conjure up, which were substantial. So we spent most of the evening pumping up the pistol and shooting at anything that rustled in the leaves. (We`decided later that we had been shooting at worms.)
The next morning, Uncle Henry showed up, packed up the tent and took us to breakfast.
The way home took us on route 15 along Hemlock Lake, where the road had a great long hill to descend. That's where Uncle Henry decided to see how far the car could go just coasting down the hill. Of course, in those days there wasn't much traffic, so off we went, with the engine turned of and the gear shift in neutral. As we coasted down the hill, Fred and I took turns shooting the Benjamin pellet air pistol out the window at various targets along the way, including at least one large, black crow (we missed). At the bottom of the hill, as the car slowed to a crawl, Uncle Henry announced the mileage, started up the engine and off to home we went.
Quite an adventure for two pre-teenagers.
06 October 2006
Rain Cloud
Here's a photo taken a few weeks ago. Grandma and I were sitting on the patio watching the sunset and a coming rain storm, when we saw this sheet of rain.
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