Specialization???

It always surprises me when I travel through the produce section of the grocery store to see only California oranges in both Minnesota and Michigan.  They are usually orangy-orange and unblemished and wearing the clearly printed sticker identifying their state of origin (along with their bar scew and produce code number, of course.) 

 In fact, even in the grocery stores in Florida, the oranges are often from California and not from a grove just down the road - or even in the state.  I do know that much of the orange crop that grows just east of us in Florida is trucked to the nearby factory to created bottled juice (your morning "C" in the 'fridge.')  When I have seen those oranges in the farmer's market and even heaped in the transport trucks, they are not the pretty orangy-oranges in the produce aisle.  Instead they are blemished, yellowy-green with a tinge of orangish tones here and there, but actually look more like a battle-ready lemon than a picturesque orange.

Heavy salmon-color orbs residing down a couple of bins from the California oranges proudly wear the Florida sticker.  They are round and smooth and could almost pass for a colorful slow-pitch softball.  In Minnesota they are usually sold by the pound, and not by the piece, which means half a grapefruit with the morning meal could be a costly addition to the meal.  

In the Immokkalee farmer's market, there were several venders with huge boxes of grapefruit heaped in a corner.  There, you could buy 10 fruit for $5.00 - or $1.00 each.  Clearly the "deal" was to get 10 - even at $6.00, 10 was still the bargain.  Of course, the challenge appeared to be twofold:  finding 10 grapefruit you would want AND being able to reach far enough down into the massive box to reach 10 choices.  At any rate, I didn't take advantage of this fine offer, or did I see anyone else stocking up.  

Come to think of it, I don't think I can remember a time in a Minnesota produce department when I have seen anyone buy a grapefruit....someone must be buying them.......

Hold Out for the New Crayons!!

So, have you had a chance to cruise the school supply aisle at a big box store or two in the last month?  While calculators, erasers, mechanical pencils and scissors all have the "new and improved" look (that label is not JUST for the detergent aisle, you know,) good 'ole Crayola crayons still look just about the same - and smell the same, too.

It's that waxy, chips of stray colors lining the bottom of your supply box by Christmas smell that is one of the mostly untarnished memories from past school starts.  My mother always had dozens of last year's crayons left from children who couldn't wait to relinquish their remaining crayon stash just before bolting out the door for the summer. 

Fortunately, my mother only tried to get me to glean from this heap of someone elses crayon history once.  I suppose it was a silly place to stand my ground, but I knew crayons were a whoppin' 24 cents (a penny a piece,) and there is NOTHING like an untouched, sharpened crayon to herald in the start of the school year. 

For her, it was the trip for new shoes.....now there's a costly tradition.  Shoes to wear TO school, gym shoes to LEAVE in the gym locker, AND snow boots.  A 24 box of crayons seemed like a pretty simple thing to me.....of course when that 96 box emerged on the scene, with the built in sharpener.......now that was a splurge!  (Especially when that shoebox of last years crayons was sitting in the trunk of our car.) 

2016-2017 Ready, Set, Go...........................

It's hard to believe it is "that time of year" already, but it is - in our school district teachers are headed back to their classrooms today to get things ready for students.  They will be preparing materials, listening to this year's motivational theme, and receiving updated rules, procedures, and class lists for the 2016-2017 school year.

The big box stores near us have carried school supply lists for almost two months now, and been advertising the weekly specials for almost as long.  For those who no longer have children or grand children in school, this can be a great time to stock up on mechanical pencils, notepads and notebooks, pocket calculators and three ring binders that cost up to 90% less now than in January. [ I actually saw an add for a Sharpie 12 pack (12 different colors) for three dollars just last week.....of course there wasn't a store near us that had any left, but it was a great teaser for those who work with alcohol inks!] 

Students in Minneapolis also start school this week.  Their school officials petitioned the State of get a waiver on the "Tuesday after Labor Day" requirement put in to place a number of years ago.   It seems early for kids to start until I considered that there are states and entire regions of our country where school has been in session for two or more weeks.

No matter when your local school starts, I wish all a fabulous learning and creative-thinking year filled with new discoveries and meaningful learning;  learning something new every day is as essential now as it has ever been!! 

Love 'Em, Hate 'Em! Depnds.......

These little tags are a little putzy to put together, but make a nice addition to the mini-book.  They are easy to pull out of the book and throw in purse or pocket as an individual item, and later tuck back into the book.  They can just be a marker or reminder, hold a pretty good list,  and are even useful for reoccurring lists and grocery items. 

Of course, the companion piece to go with the little tags is a storage pouch or envelop.  Several tags will fit in one sleeve and by color coding each with a different ribbon, or even making each one a different color, they are easy to keep track of. 

So far, I have only discovered one disadvantage to these little treasures, and that is their thickness.  The thickness if each tag is the same as the thickness of each page.  In a book like this, that has a predetermined binding depth, there are only so many pages that will fit within the binding.  In that way, each tag replaces one page.

Although the mini-book below is a different theme, the binding limitations are more apparent in this image, and the issues are the same in each of the mini-books made this way.  Note that the binding is all one piece and cut to a "one size fits all...." pattern.  It would be possible to hand create a template and vary it by the number of pages "after the fact," but.....I have yet to do that!  

Controversy Continues

To wedge, or to disk - that is the question.  It seems there is quite a debate over the correct way to slice citrus that is not always dependent on the end-use.

I really tuned in to the controversy at an early age because the ONLY way to prepare a lemon for use was the wedge.  My mother thought the disk was decorative and nothing else and noted her disgust each time a beverage, pie slice, or salad was served with the disk citrus, seen below.

 The one I find disgusting is the chunk of citrus that used to be provided on airplanes (and I believe still is by the look of the glass of pre-cut citrus on the beverage cart.)  These minuscule reminders of what a lemon used to look like are a pathetic excuse for any added citrus and are so little that they do not even add a decorative pizazz! 

I always used to peel navel oranges until I watch a friend's grandchildren neatly chow down on orange wedges.....makes it easier to avoid the umbilical strand and does makes it less messy to consume!!!  Great idea!

Citrus

It is day #2 of the Minnesota State Fair and the weather is absolutely perfect!  The high today is supposed to be 75 with a slight breeze.  The only thing that could make it even better is a little more breeze to keep those pesky insects on the move! 

Tomorrow is Sketch-Out #1, however it is supposed to rain.  Guess I will be keeping a close eye on the weather before making my plans.  I also need to make a trip to the printer to pick up a set of prints that they "forgot" to print from an order I placed three weeks ago AND picked up one week ago.  Frustrating! 

I am trying to decide if I should print some citrus images for note cards or not.   I've been trying to decide for a long time, so I guess I am not too encouraged to print any citrus, ah? 

Twofer

It's official - today is the first day of the Minnesota State Fair.  People seem to live in two camps about the fair - love it or hate it.  I became intrigued with a group of people who do a Minnesota State Fair Sketch-Out. 

I believe a small, dedicated group of sketchers, who happen to love the state fair, began organizing their efforts about 8 years ago.  They have grown in ranks over that time span and now have a dedicated location to meet, a procedure, of sorts for the entire day, and have actually scheduled two different days to convene their group on the fair grounds.   Here is the official information for those of you are interested:

Saturday, August 27 and Monday, August 29 come and sketch at the Eighth Great Minnesota State Fair Sketchout.
There are meetings BOTH DAYS at 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to touch base with other sketchers, share work, and find a sketching buddy.

I know......you thought I was kidding, right?  This is a real deal and for those who have been in the group from the beginning, THEY ARE DEDICATED?   The planning of appropriate paper, pens and pencils, to chair or not to chair, etc are big questions and some spend a lot of time doing trials and prepping for both days of sketching.  Some are tried and true people watchers, while others hit the animal barns for their annual opportunity to sketch cows, bulls, hogs, chickens, ducks, rabbits, horses, etc.  As you might imagine, most of these enthusiasts are urban dwellers the majority of the year and see this wonderful opportunity as a gift.

What dies this have to do with a citrus mini-book, you say?  Absolutely nothing, but it is a twofer day in blogland! 

Any dedicated fair goers among you?

Citrus Mini-Book

Another fun little mini-book in the works!  This one is focused on citrus!

Cover - Mini-book one - Citrus theme!

All of these little citrus sketches are just that - quick drawings made with a black fine-line ink pen, then watercolor or acrylic ink added for a quick splash of color. 

I am still on the look out for more of these book rings..  These particular rings came in a packet of mixed colors, but, as you can see, I only have two green rings left. It would probably help if I could remember where I found these, although the part I do remember is that they were expensive compared to the plain sliver ones.  I may have to "bite the bullet" and buy a canister of 100 on line so that I am not in a loop of looking, finding, using and running out!

Oopps, It's a Green Slice

Now that I have done some research, I realize that the slice of pie in my mini-citrus book is way to green to be o'natural key lime.  These quick pen and water color images were fun to make, but the focus of the activity was to put together a little pocket-sized book for jotting down notes, numbers, lists, etc. 

Of course, now that I see the error of my green pie ways, I feel a little regret for being so hasty - still nothing close to the remorse Mr. Lochte should be feeling, ah? 

A Surprise Discovery

I couldn't believe my luck - I made a quick trip to the grocery store today and there, right in the produce aisle, right next to lemons for 99 cents each, was a bag of little green ping-ping balls.  Of course I was in a hurry, so flew by this bin, since I didn't need lemons or potatoes, but stop dead in my tracks and circled back to see if my glancing perception had been accurate.

Sure enough, the purple mesh bag with the green ping-pong balls was secretly holding the treasured, unripe, key lime fruits.  I nave never seen key limes in Minnesota before this moment, so it was quite a discovery. 

 Did I buy them , you say?    No!  I considered buying them, then though through what I do AND more importantly do NOT know about key limes.  I can't imagine my big orange juice squeezer could easily (if at all) accommodate the tine key lime.  Is key lime juice good in anything else besides pie? - no idea.   Do I have a need for a pie - no - no event to attend in the next couple of days and my annual slice of key lime pie is not due for another six months.  Nonetheless, it was a fabulous find!!!

It's a Great Pie!

I have made an annual goal to enjoy one piece of key lime pie each year.  Whenever I do, I seem to find a article or hear a news blurb within days telling me how unhealthy it is.  I finally decided to do a little research to better understand the history and use of ingredients in the key lime pie.

I have always assumed several things about key lime pie.  First, I assumed that it should be very green in color because it made with limes.  That was my first error.  A very green pie is filled with green food coloring.  While key limes, a citrus hybrid, may be picked when they are green, they are a pale yellow when they are ripe.  The color of the pie, sans food coloring, should be a pale yellow.

Assumption #2 - Key lime pie was created in Florida.  Legend actually places the development of this pie in either the Florida Keys or in sponge boats off the coast of one of the many islands.  Either way, the State of Florida gets bragging rights.

There is controversy, however,  about who first created the key lime pie....both have their origins in practicality and are based on the proximity of essential ingredients to the final creation.  One version of the story attributes the recipe to a Key West millionaire's cook called Aunt Sally.  An alternative account gives sponge fisherman around Key West credit.  In either story, it was discovered that mixing Key lime juice and canned sweetened condensed milk with egg yolks resulted in something tasty.  A Nabisco cracker, called Uneeda (introduced in 1898) was the likely based for the egg mixture, although experimentation could have included the use of graham crackers as the base.  The milk and some type of crackers were pantry or ship larder staples, transported in by ship and stored, and the limes and eggs were regionally available.  The combination of these four ingredients produced much appreciated results.  To this day, however, no one knows the last name of Aunt Sally.

There is still a debate about whether meringue or whipped cream should top the lime/condensed milk mixture.  One school of thought believes that Aunt Sally was familiar with the recipes for lemon meringue pie, but did not have the essential ingredients to make the lemon pie, so experimented with available ingredients.  This is the school that supports meringue as the original topping.

The other school of thought believes that spongers out on boats did not have fresh milk to make cream, so whipped up a coconut version to top the lime/condensed milk blend.

As a result, the modern pie maker can choose to top or not top, and if topping, choose meringue or a whipped milk of some kind.

So, is it healthy?  Citrus is a "go" with all of that good vitamin C.  Eggs are no longer in the condemned   category like they were several years ago.  For any crust that is used, it depends on where you stand with wheat products - probably better if you don't eat the crust or make the pie without a crust.....which leaves the canned, sweetened, condensed milk - that's probably the "bad" ingredient - too much sugar!  All in all, probably not very good for you, but it can readily fall into the category of ".....all things in moderation...."  Right?

Breakfast Competitors

For decades, the juice from the beautiful orange has been valued and highly marketed.  Tropicana and other juice manufacturers have convinced us that breakfast is incomplete without a tall, frosty glass of orange juice. What began as a 6 ounce glass of juice has graduated into a 20 ounce tumbler filled with orangey goodness.

What the advertisements don't spend much time on is the nutritional label on those orange cartons.  Lots of calories and natural sugars that have very little nutritional benefit beyond vitamin C.  Some juices have added calcium and some have added vitamin D, but it is the C that is the essence of the original juice.

So, how did the juice of the orange gain such popularity to rise above the competition? For a while it seemed like grape juice was holding its own.  I am always surprised that the highly desirable attributes of red wine have not carried the juice of the grape, in its non-fermented form, to equal popularity.  Is it the powerful stain power of the  purple wonders, the intensely sweet flavor, or power of Tropicana to market in a more appealing way than Welchs?

From time to time, orange slices work their way into seasonal beverages and citrusy salads, but it's claim to fame seems to be as the breakfast staple.

Cranberry juice wiggled it's way into the hearts, and bladders, of some AM juice consumers - particularly those plagued with bladder infections or UTIs.  Is the "other red juice," pomegranate, edging out the cranberry competition?   Tart cherry is also heralded for it's wonderful antioxidant properties.  So are any of these red wonders beating the veteran OJ??????

I recently came across the recipe below for salad dressing,  It includes both orange juice AND red wine - how about that! 

1 tablespoon red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot)

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon orange juice

1teaspoon fresh garlic, minced

½ teaspoon dried basil

1 pinch sea salt

1 pinch black pepper

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

 Directions

1.

In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients except olive oil.

2.

Slowly drizzle in olive oil, while whisking, to emulsify the dressing.

3.

Serve over mixed greens.

When is a Lemon a Lime?

While we were in Florida last winter, we took a mini-road trip to Immokalee.  Although this town of approximately 25,000 is part of the Naples - Marco Island statistical area, it seems like a very different community than Naples or Marco Island. 

To get from south Ft. Myers to Immokalee, you travel through a lot of land filled with rows and rows of citrus trees.  Much of this area seems very rugged and natively tropical with the exception of the neatly planted rows of trees.  Traveling to either Naples or Marco Island is an adventure in negotiating lots of traffic, blocks of strip malls, and densely populated marinas.....not a grove in site.

Immokalee is known for several things; probably the most discussed of these is the casino.  What is less discuss is the large population of migrant workers who live in area 'camps' near groves of citrus and/or fields of roma tomatoes.  Locals shared that Immokalee is the roma tomato capital of the world - sounds good, but I am not sure where I can verify that claim.  Another interesting draw is the large farmer's market.

Unlike many farmer's markets I have visited, this one is like a small village of stands of all sizes, set up to sell produce.  They seem to be owned and not controlled by 'first com - first serve' rules.  By the volume of roma tomato cases offered for sale on the day of our visit there might be some credence to the 'tomato capital' claim!  In addition to a ton or two of tomatoes, there was a nice variety of citrus fruits, a few melons, peppers, and 75 pound bags of vidalia onions.

On the day we visited, all of the stands were run by hispanic men and women - none of whom spoke English.   Since my Spanish is not what is was when I went to school in Spain, my communication was pretty rough.  The one thing I was looking for that I could not find were lemons.  I kept asking for lemons in my best Spanish, and I kept being directed to bags of limes.  Finally, I call Sarah, our daughter-in-law, who teaches Spanish.  She shared that the word for lemon and lime is the same thing in Spanish.

Well, I instantly felt better about my Spanish, and decided I was NOT going to be finding any yellow lemons on this trip.  When we returned to Ft. Myers, I was glad that our local Publics did make a distinction between the two fruits.  I don't know about you, but I think they taste very different from one another and provide a very different 'color' to any food or beverage.....no matter which way you slice it, a lime is just NOT a lemon!

Speciality Utensil

There seems to be conflicting information about eating grapefruit.  The most recent article I read sang the praises of eating pink grapefruit, but not yellow fruit.  The message in the article seemed to boil down to, '....the more reddish color, the better.'

The bigger concern seems to be the cautionary messages printed in packets of dispensed medications warning patients about possible drug interactions concerns.  While grapefruit are applauded for providing vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber and "good heart" nutrients, doctors do not seem to be sure what chemicals are in grapefruit that cause problems.  They do know that the grapefruit does not react specifically with the pill, but instead something in the grapefruit binds to an enzyme in the intestine which apparently allows more of the medication to be absorbed into the system. 

A list of the most affected drugs can be found on several websites.  All of these suggest switching to oranges or orange juice, not taking medication with a juice, whenever possible allow as much time as possible to lapse between taking the affected medications and consuming any grapefruit products and talking to a trusted healthcare provider. 

It seems that for those who do eat grapefruit, any color, it is an acquired taste.  My first introduction to the fruit was at a relative's house and the most intriguing part of the breakfast was the unique spoon that seemed to be essential to the dining process.  One side of the bowl of the spoon was smooth and looked like an elongated, triangular shaped teaspoon.  The other side, however, was was serrated with little, jagged teeth - providing a symmetrical border to the smooth side - except for those teeth!

I grew to understand, over time, how coveted the grapefruit spoon was, because it seems impossible to find them anywhere.  Clearly, they are not a required utensil for consuming grapefruit, as I once thought, but they sure were a handy tool for extracting all of the fruit and leaving the section walls behind.   Have you ever seen one of these treasured spoons?

It's All about the Color

This is the perfect example of the difference a little color can make to our interpretation.  If these citrus slices were all green, for example, they would look like sections of the same lime. 

Instead, from top to bottom, the fruits appear to be a lime, followed by an orange, grapefruit, lemon and finally a lime because of the colors.  

The Lucky Majority

As I continued to do these quick sketches, it didn't take me long to realize that what started as a lemon could easily become an orange, lime or even a delightfully pink grapefruit.  The beauty of the structure of a piece of citrus fruit is that our connection to what fruit it is is based on the color and not on the structure......

Black Micron ink on 300 series Strathmore mixed media paper.

Although a little of the visual recognition is based on the exterior shape, it is not essential to for the "ah-ha" factor.  Because the header is a lemon and my last two posts have been filled with lemony goodness, these black and white line drawings may appear to be lemons, as well.....the power of suggestion.......

If, in your mind's eye, you add dark green skin and yellowy-green triangles where the meat of the fruit lives, are they now limes?  If the skin and interior triangles are orange in color, does the fruit become an orange or tangerine?  If the exterior is bright (not neon) yellow and the interior is salmony-pink, does it become a grapefruit in your mind?

What beauty and power color can add to our perceptions .  Color brings recognition, beauty, and meaning to our world!  For those of us who see in color, how fortunate we are!

Sketching Fun

Citrus wedges are the key to capturing the delicious juice of the lemon.  It was great fun to do a quick ink sketch to outline these wedges......

Micron black in with watercolor paint on Strathmore mixed media 300 series paper.

followed by the addition of watercolor paint.  Once the foundation of the paint was dry, I went back into the image and added another layer of paint for the citrus cells in the "meat" of the fruit and the dimples of the shell in the skin of the fruit.

Whether the image is angled skin-side down, or rotated to cascade skin-side up.....

Flipped image - Micron black in with watercolor paint on Strathmore mixed media 300 series paper.

 the wedges are fun to draw and look at from different angles.

These citrus wedges are fun to sketch and whether or not you enjoy eating citrus, I encourage you to sketch a slice or wedge - or two-of these popular fruits - just for fun!

August is Citrus Time in the Midwest

Citrus fruits, and lemons in particular, have been a staple in my home since the day I was born - OK, way before the day I was born.  My mother would make a special run to the grocery store JUST to pick up lemons....and not just any lemons.  She was a lemon diva - the shape, the color of the skin, the texture and the size had to be just right.  Only in the rarest of situations, would she settle for a fruit with an elongated end, light "heft" for the size, too pale or too bright a color.

Lemon sketch - Micron black ink, and watercolor paint on Strathmore 400 series paper.

Slicing was also had to meet very specific criteria.  For example, the way in which the lemon is sliced above was NOT acceptable.  Not only did this not allow for proper hand squeezing, but in the end, it also wasted a considerable amount of the precious juice.

The correct way to cut into the lemon began with a vigorous rinse in tepid water, followed by a firm roll on a tea towel draped over a cutting board or firm counter top.  If the lemon was cold, all cutting was on hold until the fruit reached room temperature.  Once again, there were a few exceptions to this rule - very FEW! and usually related to shortage of time or high stress.

The sharpest pairing knife was designated the "lemon knife," and wasn't to be used for any other task.  Even when dishwashers entered our house, this designee was not to enter through that doorway.

The first incision was made lengthwise.  The second was angled just enough to meet the bottom of the first cut at the center of the fruit.  Great care was taken not to cut too far into the fruit to allow juice to escape without purpose.  The first wedge was immediately folded point to point over the teacup and squeezed so that the fragrant juice splashed into the waiting, steaming orange pekoe tea.  (As you may recall from an earlier post, there was also a tea ritual strictly followed for the brewing of the tea......see the inset for reference to this essential information!)

This wedge of folded wedge of lemon was then cradled in the bowl of a standard teaspoon and with firm thumb pressure, pressed again with the intent of releasing any hidden juices.  The spent wedge was placed in a small sauce bowl and the decision was made to either cut one more wedge, or consider the first wedge's juice quantity satisfactory.  Occasionally this required taking a sip, BUT not very often......scent and color seemed to be the lemony indicators.

"The Correct Lemon Shape for Tea" - Quick draw using micron black ink, and watercolor paint on Strathmore 400 series paper.

The remaining lemon was also placed in the small lemon bowl and set on the table - NEVER in the refrigerator. 

Change Agent

I recently came across a small cigar box of pictures that span a time period from about 1924 to 1946.  It holds quite a variety of pictures, some labelled, and many not labelled.  (Reminder to self - always include the names of people in pictures and the year the picture was taken!)  Many are of people with very little background or context.  The one this sketch is based on revealed my mother tinkering on an abandoned 1913 Ford behind the family barn.  I think this was an old, used car when acquired by my mother's family, and run for a long time before being parked.  I found the picture visually intriguing.

I think the Andy Warhol quote would be echoed by my mother and both of her sisters - they were change agents in a world that was in a dismal financial and psychological depression.  From later diary entries I have read, my mother and her older sister were able to get a car or two running so that they had mobility as teens - something unusual for their time and their peer group.  The attitude of making the change you want to happen carred these women throughout their lives.

A Shift in Priorities

It was much easier to wrap my head around the practicality of this quote when I was working 85 to 90 hours a week.  Retirement life is very different than "work life."  Working daily, weekly and annually toward the goals of meeting the need of gifted children kept me focused, always seeking better solutions, stronger team work, and the perfect professional development to help all students thrive.

It was much easier in the middle of that intense programming, to overlook sorting out the closet, organizing the books on the shelf, or reading grocery labels to find just the right product.  In retirement, there are no excuses.  Although all of the closets should be organized and totally sorted, in retirement you get to decide if that is a priority to to what extent you want to devote time to the task......no excuses, but certainly choices!!!

The Test

So, who views this situation as a difficult time - the patient or the surgeon?  It has been my experience with surgeons that they have trained for years for surgery and look forward to using their skills to solve a problem for the patient........so........is the problem the burden of the patient in this situation?  I don't think I was thinking of a shoulder implant here to match the illustration, however; I think I equated the quote with developing courage. 

How does someone develop courage without facing a challenge, burden, or problem of some type?  I suppose the burden is the test to know the level of courage you have......then what? 

Kind

This entry is about being kind.  Kindness takes many different forms during the course of a day.  When I was adding my quick illustration to the quote, I thought about transporting kids from one event to another.

Calling a friend who is under the weather, far from children or other loved ones, or running a pitcher of water to the potted plant next door so it's not brown when your neighbor returns home can all be acts of kindness.  Dave frequently mows an extra lawn or two, lends a trailer, or tends to the overflowing mailbox of a vacationing neighbor when the post office, once again, fails to act on the "no not deliver" request.  

It is often the small things during a day that brighten a moment for someone else.  It can be something as simple as a smile, or catching the door for a young mother wheeling an approaching stroller or an elderly walker getting in an afternoon walk using a cane.  Give it some thought today and watch for a little opportunity to do a kind deed!

"Hi!"

Once again, a quote from Mark Twain gets down to the basics - and....makes ya think! 

There are times when blatant attempts to cheer someone up are not only poorly received, but taken as judgmental and offensive. The key to cheering someone else up is to know them well enough to appeal to something he/she particularly likes, make it short and sweet, and don't expect an immediate positive response or 'thank you!'   It's also important to remember that once may not be enough.  There's nothing like a quick phone call or text message to just say, "Hi - thinking of you!" If you can add a something specific, all the better - "Hi - just saw one of those crazy hand-painted mini-vans and remembered the one we saw on our trip to George's graduation - hope all is well with you!"

What works for you to cheer others?

Not the Car.....reallly!

It's Monday and back to work for lots of us. 

While this image is specific to the workload I used to juggle, the analogy could apply to anyone - there is a  LOT to juggle in life!  I find it interesting that Henry Ford forged ahead with the "divide and conquer" concept and is best known for developing the assembly line and putting the concept into action - talk about "dividing all of the tasks into small pieces...."  THAT is the strategy behind the assembly line! Of course that remains the key strategy behind public education, as well....and just think, it's only remained relatively unchanged for over 100 years.  Hmmmm

Into Each Life.....

How's your Fairy Godmother doing, these days.  Does yours every have the kind of day the one below is having?

M 

Summer in August!

The quote by Sydney Harris reminds me of parallel sentiment, "....but, beats the alternative!" 

After some loud and rain-filled storms, we are now in the midst of some beautiful summer weather.  The temp hovers around 82 degrees F, humidity is in the low 50's, light breezes, scattered, puffy clouds and lots of sunshine.  Many of our neighbors are beginning their family vacations this week trying to fit everything in before the children head back to sports practices, finalizing school shopping, and heading to school the day after labor day. 

Today and the next two days are predicted to be those picture-perfect "daze of summer" that everyone recalls from their childhood.  Of course when we were young, there were many, many more beautiful summer days, the summers were longer, and family vacations were wonderful.  I just hope the kids of today remember these summer days with that "rose colored" memory! 

Where Are You Going?

These psuedo journal entries were great fun to re-discover!  Of course I regret not doing very many of them, but I sure had a great idea when I started.  Look at this one!

 Since Yogi Berra was not a visual artist, to my knowledge, this image is kind of a stretch, but that was the idea - to take somewhat inspiring quotes and make them apply to something more meaningful. 

Oldie but Goodie!

Once again we have returned to the clean, sort and throw mode.  This time I dug into the sketchbook shelves and found a couple of fun sketches that I thought I would share. 

At some point in time, I jotted down some quotes that were inspiring, the did some quick sketches to go with them.  There are many, many references to the work environment in this picture, but I thought it was great fun.  I now find this sketching style very enjoyable when sitting in a lengthy, boring, or lengthy AND boring meeting.  The images can apply to the immediate environment OR can be of anything you happen to sketch.  Give it a try at your next meeting!  The key, of course, is taking along a sketch pad AND a pencil or two or black, fineline marker.  I have one friend who actually takes 5" X 7" unlined cards in a ziplock bag and a Pentel pocket pen filled with black, India ink.....she gets some fabulous sketches!!!! 

Whatever you try, I hope you fine meeting sketching very energizing!!!

Soapbox Time

I decided to sit down for a couple of minutes with a cup of coffee yesterday and check in on the TV program "Home and Family" on the Hallmark channel.  I used to catch it from time to time during our time in Florida, so thought it might be fun to catch up.

"Soapbox" - Quick sketch using Faber Castille .5 black ink pen, and Inktense pencils activated with water.

nce again age discrimination has reared it's ugly head and is alive, well and thriving on, of all places, the HALLMARK channel on a show called "HOME AND FAMILY."  I was surprised to see that Christine Ferarra was not hosting and initially thought she might be on vacation.  From the way people were talking however, I decided to google the show to see if I had missed something.  Sure enough, Christine was removed and Debbie moved into her hosting position.......no goodbye, go thank you, no......anything.  Post after post on google expressed outrage and the "firing" of Christine with no explanation or farewell.  Those that posted anger and disgust did not seem to have an issue with Debbie, but were extremely upset that a station that touts family values would throw a 62 young woman off the bus in such an offensive way.

As I continued to watch, it seems people who cast hosts for this show did not take into account the role Christine played within the H & F group.  She is the one who made guest feel welcome and at ease.  She was also the one who tamed down Mark, the co-host, when his ego or apparent competitive characteristics seemed to over-power a guest or colleague.  She was the one who worked to include everyone in the conversation, DIY craft or activity.

Debbie is cute, stylish and perky and clearly has mastered the art of interviewing.  The tone she sets, however, is closer to Savannah Guthrie than Martha Stuart.

I will be emailing the Hallmark channel to express my disgust in the apparent age-discrimination practices.  I will not be tuning in again to see this show - on principle alone! 

Spherical

It's simply spherical!  Watch for more of these in the days ahead - they are great warm-ups!