it's really wednesday afternoon

but this will post in the AM

ok i ordered the oralb 5000 electric toothbrush with a bunch of extra brush heads
for me and bernie
it'll be here in about a week
i also made my september dental cleaning checkup appointment
and i ordered (finally) the vanilla beans for the extract.
i weeded the garden while letting ducks graze.
harvested some scapes (where did they come from? i thought i got all the scapes)
then i did dishes
(still sorta doing dishes)
but i am so far behind, and i have yet to do much on the studio today

bernie just called that he's out on a road call so will most likely be late.
i am making sausage in sweet pepper sauce over pasta so i hope he isn't too late

now tomorrow (which for you guys reading this...... TODAY)
i hope to get more studio stuff in and plant the beans and brussel sprouts
i got chard going out there too however something is eating it
i'm not sure what....... tiny little pin holes on it
i also want to bring the sewing machine down and start some of that stuff.
we really do need some storage sheds or something here.
a garden shed for tools and a storage shed for out of season stuff.

oh and the other day.....(oops) i sorta ordered some used books.......
(i was sick and weak....that's my story)
better world books has some good used books and decent deals......
i got mostly ghost stories.......
oh well what can i say, it's light reading for me
i got a few cook books too, i don't know why as i don't follow recipes but i have to read them, like a novel you see............
i know, weird huh?
next month is the specialist appointment, and i think the first load of firewood
august will be more firewood
september is going to be more firewood and calpurrnia going to the vet followed by me to the dentist
oye
something every month
when did i get a schedule?

ok chicklets, if i think of more i'll write again,
if i don't you'll get to see this at 7am
and i know i owe you folks pictures
i know

the good news is

the periodontist didn't hurt!
and my bones/gums/teeth are all stable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i am so excited
thank goodness!

i have to call for my september cleaning with the regular dentist and then i go back to this one at the end of the year

i still need gum surgery though but i am hoping not yet
so that was my week so far
oh and i think i am going to get an electric toothbrush, the hygienist said that they worked very well, better then the old hand held non-electric ones

i was sick for the entire weekend and part of last and this week
i am so sick of getting sick
good thing i have that specialist appointment coming up
i think really my thyroid meds need adjusting

now today i have to keep going in the studio
my garden is a mess with the rain, although i am about to plant pole beans and fixing to get ready to put in some squash....(wish me luck with that since we are overloaded with vine borers)
i should start some brussel sprouts again for the fall
last years started to sprout then went dormant .......and bolted come spring
oye
so i don't have a lot to can at the moment
the cuc's are growing so i will be pickling in a while.
i did harvest some 'music' garlic
and i am watching the other garlics
this year the egyptian walking onions did amazing
i do have to get sweet red peppers to dry also to roast and can

and most of all i need NEED to be drawing again
so the studio needs to be back together
NOW

oye
so what are you folks all doing this week?

saturday was dry!!! again a miracle

we went to vicky's house because she was on the garden tour, but we didn't go on the garden tour itself
everything looked beautiful
i had given her a sage that i grew from seed, and it was there looking pretty good
mine had been in the old garden and it was dead (bernie stepped on it too many times)

my neck was a mess
total mess
she gave me some aspirin and Tylenol which WORKED
ok well it helped my neck but tore up my stomach

there isn't much else going on
thankfully the rain has stopped
i am hoping that the heavy rain is over with now

bernie mucked the pens, cleaned crates and the basement
i couldn't help cause of my neck
but he said it couldn't wait

lilli is still squeeky and still homicidal
so is phoebe though
so we continue with the duck sister standoff
i need more night crates

that's about it for now because i am still pretty miserable
so you all please forgive me

it's friday & the forecast is.......MORE RAIN (and fawn appears to be responding)

vicki, we got a pathetic harvest off the snow peas, and the sugar snaps.
chard is up but not enough yet...
we've been harvesting lettuces, however not as often as normal seasons
the carrots aren't any wheres near ready to pull. (germination was spotty on them too)
the leeks look ok
the beets i have replanted about 4 times, turnips bolted immediately
radishes, well......they didn't bulb up!
i am so worried that the garlic is going to rot with the rain.....
i have yet to plant pole beans but the cuc's seem to have their second leaves coming in
i think i am going to put some pole beans and some bush beans in
and hope for the best there
i need to start some brussels sprouts, maybe some cabbages for the winter
i am disgusted with the garden this year

yesterday it rained so bad
i had issues getting the ducks out
then the toilet backed up........ we won't talk any more about yesterday ok? except to say, thank goodness it's over

today is friday, i slept a bit better, so maybe i can finish that nightmare corner of the studio and get back to my drawing?

in fawn news, she is grooming.... she's got her head, shoulders, and part of her back done......you can feel the difference.
we are going to carefully help her, but slowly, as to not upset her
thank you everyone for the thoughts for her
thaddeaus could use some too, his ear is bothering him

meanwhile yesterday i sat and knitted most of the day
i figured i would stay out of trouble that way
could be huh?
today is normal, dishes, ducks, studio, etc
and either meatloaf or a salad for supper
probably meatloaf AND a salad
oye
everyone have a wonderful weekend, if your area is dry i wish you rain
if you have rain i wish you sun
and above all i wish you peace and rest

vi

i have not abandoned you all

really i haven't....
bernie went for his physical tuesday and somehow managed to get out of it!
so now he's going to go for his colonoscopy etc in september
oye

then there is the rain
oh man is there rain
my compost washed out!
i have also been battling the water soluble in spots 'paint' on the studio floor
i sure wish i could speak to the former owners and find out just what the hell that crap is
and it's crap brown too
you should see the water i am sucking up with the bissel rug cleaner......(screw it.....i don't have rugs and i need help with that damn wood floor)

meanwhile i got the drafting tables all yanked out......the mice evicted from that end
and i am trying to get it all under control
today i couldn't face it though
but then again last night was the first night in a few days i got some sleep
oye

double oye

in fawn news, i think she is seeing a tiny bit of relief from the hyper thyroid ism.................
so i sort of have hopes there
thaddeaus isn't well but then he doesn't do rainy weather all that well
and today i clipped amelia's shiny new wing feathers
so that's about it in animal family news i think
today is my nephew kevin's 21 birthday
i love that kid dearly, and at the same time i just want to yell at him.....he's at a bar right now, most likely going to be shit faced by midnight
he worries me

saturday is the garden club's tour. one of my friends is on it so we're going to go to her place to see how it all goes.
i haven't seen her in a while (we talk almost daily) so it's going to be good to see her and her husband

i harvested some sugar snaps and snow peas.......the heat made the garden really pathetic
the heat, the rain, then the heat and the short dry period
i have yet to plant pole beans or bush beans
or brussels
and the beets aren't happy either
but the chard is sort of looking good!
i hope the garlic doesn't rot before it's ready

well we're going up now
btw i haven't heard from donald in a while, so donald you out there?
and a few other folks i haven't heard from

drop me a line guys ok?
vi

what is with this cat?and ducks, and chickens????????????

calpurrnia, she's driving me nuts
9'' to the left of the litter box...... seriously, use the ruler
someone please remind me why on earth i have animals?

lilli and phoebe have the brood and the molt respectively.....and are battling to the almost death
i threw lilli in with falstaff cause right now she's the most violent
(yes my sweet ducks get violent at times)
amelia still hates me (she's in the molt)
and really the only one that likes me is prudence....now watch that change today
malcom keeps trying to challenge us and falstaff won't bath so he's gross as hell
why didn't i get more amiable pets ......oh like tasmanian devils or something?

i have two chickens broody that i can't seem to break
(fudge and dulcette) one chicken that won't stop f**king screaming at everyone at the top of her little chicken lungs - -she's loud too
one chicken that thinks she is a rooster and sounds like a strangulating dog when she lays a very LARGE egg (at 8 years old......who knew?)
and one chicken that follows me around like a dog

i even got dueling budgies
what no pigs that are depressed?
no cow that is on prozac?
gees
and we don't have enough pens to separate anyone

oh and the longest day of the year is here!
joy joy of joys

meanwhile the cats do have me nuts, fawn is again eating everything in sight- thaddeaus is leaving fancy feast half finished
and we already discussed calpurrnia
maybe i should listen to bernie and do the NO MORE ANIMALS thing
but then you know, i get lonely
and next thing you know....... we got noah off loading the ark out front
and you guys are laughing at the trials and tribulations i go through

gees will i never learn?

fawnie update

while it's a bit too early to really tell,
and i may be seriously hoping this

i think fawn is slightly better
she isn't quite as ravenously hungry as she's been.
but we'll see, we're not out of the woods yet.
she came to bed this morning and got between the two of us to be hugged and kissed and petted, we love when the cats do this and they all do it regularly
we especially love that fawn has learned to do this, as she was always too timid before


i kept busy as i always do when i'm upset
i did heavy cleaning
moved furniture and scrubbed the studio floor
naturally it was raining
naturally the floor didn't dry
naturally calpurrnia peed on the wet floor again

naturally i am a bit upset ......to say the least
but i am still working on the floor over there
i have to say that the stuff i'm using does absolutely work.
nature's miracle doesn't
i understand that doodoo voodoo works too, as someone posted on i think knitter's review one time that they use it and a few folks seconded that.

now i am up to the point where i need to move the shelves and add some sort of privacy thing without sacrificing light to two of the windows on the north side
i've been picking up a lot of vintage chandelier prisms, so part of what i do will include them
i am considering things like ribbon streamers interspersed with prisms, hanging from a tree branch ( i like doing that as i ALWAYS have tree branches, and i can't seem to remember to pick up curtain rods)
i am also considering some either frosted glass or some colored glass panels in frames to hang there
not leaded but possibly painted
i just have some nosey ass neighbors on that side and i really do like the light from the north
if i had no neighbors i wouldn't have any window treatments except to temper climate, nothing for privacy ( we never had anything on any of the windows here until it got so overpopulated and then jackass cut the trees down)

i am also trying to figure something to separate that side of the room visually from the rest...i would put a screen or curtains but someone would pee on it
i can pretty much guarantee that
there are also lights i need to put up there (and on this side too)
i have some white christmas 'fairy' mini lights and i WANT two or three small silk lanterns and a paper star light
i know, i know......
but i have drafting table lights for working
i need the other lighting to make me feel better....i find it soothing when the sun goes down.....besides i need much more light now that i'm older
and the studio is so very dark even during the day due to the wood walls and the TREES.......

now this week is bernie's second half of his physical.....  i can't say his annual as he only goes when i nag the crap out of him.......so like once every 4-5 years
the following week is my second tooth/gum cleaning of the year...
then i have the specialist in july
oye
i am hoping that there isn't too  much we will have to deal with after my specialist appointment

meanwhile my true gesso panels arrived so i am going to be thinking of egg tempera and a subject
due to the length of time it takes to paint in egg tempera, i want to be sure about what i decide to work on
i wonder if i can do my black and white drawings then paint them in?
or just do normal paintings?
i hope in a way that i don't end up painting ducks....but really i suppose if i am playing with light and shadow, rendering form with line and color that ducks are as good as any other subject
seriously degas had dancers laying about all over the place
and monet has his famous lilies.....( i wonder if any one ever said to him....'claude, why all the lilies? how about a nice puppy or something')

i had thought i would have moved on from ducks to budgies or chickens or something but somehow i am still doing ducks. i have enough for a book as you guys know......and i am even DREAMING drawings so i best get the studio whipped back up and sit down again no?

ok one final thing before i run
happy father's day to you all who are fathers
or who have father's
or have husband's who are FANTASTIC fathers

take good care

vi

fawn

fawn the muse, overseeing my drawing

our little fawn came to us the end of march 2005
she was retired from being a cattery queen
when she got here, she had been a show cat, a mother (16 offspring)
lived in a cage, (well cared for but not really loved or socialized)
and traveled extensively

she was spayed, and retired to live out her life here with two of her great grandcats
she learned a lot of things here, many of them 'firsts' in her world
she was beyond terrified the first few weeks here, rapidly blinking her eyes in fear, hiding under the furniture, crying for the other cattery cats and her lost life
she was 5 pounds and let me tell you
every single ounce of her is heart and courage
she humbles me when i think of it

fawn went to the vet yesterday, and was diagnosed with thyroid disease....that explains the weight loss, the very poor coat, and the ravenous appetite.
we have pills
now the good news is
IF she acclimates herself to the pills she can live a long time
we won't discuss the bad news right now if you all don't mind
i can't face it
i am afraid that i don't have the courage that my tiny little five pound cat does

every single 'firsts' for fawn were hard won, her first time climbing on my lap by herself..
she would watch what thaddeaus and calpurrnia did and she would think about it, then try it herself
most of her firsts became the firsts of many
she now enjoys nose snuggles
and hugs
and pets
and talking things over
she really loves fancy feast


she learned to love to play and boy does she play
she learned to run, to jump, to climb stairs
ironically she didn't learn to climb on us while we sleep...... her grandchildren do that without thinking... they walk all over us during the night...not fawn.
fawn has manners
she is still timid about some things... really it's an old fashioned type of polite manners

i think that is because we didn't force her at all
we would only pet her if she wanted us to
we wouldn't pick her up either, she had to jump on us
it was extremely important to us that she got to have ultimate say over her body
after all it is HER body
it has taken years...
now this

i want fawn to have more time, not just any time
GOOD quality love her life time
i feel she hasn't had enough time being a beloved house pet cat
and as cats go, i believe she is one of the ones that absolutely deserve a loving family around her
and we love her so much that it is too much to think about losing her

every morning she runs to bernie as he gets up, to get her morning daddy/fawn love..... it's their special time together
if i am awake she divides herself but really it's her time with bernie
they both need it in the morning
she hangs around then and waits for me to wake up
sometimes she comes nose to nose with me....and just breathes me in
i wake up and pet her

anyway.....
i could go on and on....i adore this little cat

(ok so i adore all the animals that live with us, but they really are all so wonderful)

ducks and rain

i am sure SOME ducks like rain
but MY ducks aren't really crazy about it
they don't mind the misty kind
but that downpour kind that soaks them no
and yes my ducks get soaked
cause MY ducks aren't actually ducks they are 'duck like waterfowl' or muscovy
the meat strain
oye
and my amelia.......she's a little hellion
seriously she is
during the molt she is snappy! not one of the other ducks are snappy during a molt
oye
there's always one
now today is vet day for fawnetta......(fawn has numerous knicknames) i cleaned her travel crate and explained to her
i wish i could have cut her nails but i didn't get bernie to hold her

after the vet, i intend on doing more of the floor in the studio
i am using a carpet shampooer on the wood floor......
i needed some help with it as the former owner used that stupid non waterproof gel something or other in chocolate brown.. (can we have a collective EWWWWWWW- thank you)
so the floor thing is my help
i am using plain water to get that brown gel thing up......seriously, when the water hits it, it turns into a gel...... huh?

now in the interest of getting the studio sorta, well.........done.....FAST....... i am most likely not going to be able to paint everything i wanted to this summer.... the rain doesn't seem to want me painting.
(i so need a separate workshop where things like spray booths can be set up, and porcelain pouring tables)-- you know, all the messy stuff)
i think if our property wasn't as sloping we'd have put a large workshop out back....along with more animal pens and coops.....but it slopes,....... a LOT.

oh just as an interesting (to me anyway) aside....i called a butcher yesterday to inquire about 'chopmeat' now mind you, i live in pa, and have lived here for i think 24-25 years now, so you would think i knew better...... the butcher didn't have clue ONE about what the hell i was talking about!

i said 'chopmeat' slightly louder thinking he didn't hear me....then it hit me
i'm no in jersey anymore

GROUND BEEF

oh yeah......they had it but only the 90%

hahahahaha
cracked me up

i so need to get to rooster hill farm somehow to get a freezer order in
chopmeat
pot roasts
and oxtails
yup yup............
how to get there is my problem

ok it's about time for me to go to the vet now
ttyl when i get home
wish us luck please

amazing what we got done in the studio

at least to me, i think we are moving the computer down as well.
i will miss my safe little spot by the stone wall but i think it may work out better if the computer is closer to my drafting table and easel.
it's also very green out
rained off and on over the weekend.. HARD rain at times.
 i took pictures!

i know, they are just through the windows but still i thought the rain and the light was pretty cool so i took all these pictures to remember the mists by and to show you guys. really i love summer days like this, not as a steady diet, and not with really bad storms but intermittent rain, and heavy mists. i also like sunlight so hot that it's black under thick tree leaves (what can i say, i am complicated and complex.....hahahahaha, na, actually i think it has to do with seeing light)

the ducks weren't happy with the rain. i didn't get the chickens out in it.....they aren't happy in really hot weather or in rain.
good thing we took the laundry in, just literally seconds before this downpour.
in some of the pictures you can see the 'new' duck pen, we'll most likely do a bit more work on it this year. it's only big enough for maybe 5 ducks but if we still have the mobile pens all the ducks and the chickens get out. then the back pen is goat/sheep/cow.....

in knitting news, well right now there isn't. i have to rip back again on the short rows for liliiflora, i don't know why i am having so much of a problem with it....but for some odd reason i am. if the next time i have issues, well then it's just going to be a stockinette short row section and i'll call it good.
either that or rip it back. and use 'archangel' for something else.......
and i am thinking batik is calling my name. along with a few others. liliiflora is taking too much time up now, and it isn't in the knitting of it.

in the garden, the cucumbers are sprouted, showing strong healthy growth. i will be putting in my pole beans next.
the rains are just in time for the peas to finish, i really do need to do a hoop house over some of the beds for next spring, or i won't ever get a tomato to finish ripening
i looked back a bit and our weather has been like this a few years now
going from COLD to HOT from flooding to drought....
then that freaken possum getting my hardening off seedlings .......well thank goodness for the leeks and onions etc. or i think i wouldn't have anything in the garden......

now in budgie news, we're trying to get them all back together in the one big flight cage. right now the big flight is right next to mrs. fezziwig and they are talking, somewhat. fezziwig is trying and so is captain cuttle but estella and emma are just not with the program.

oh and speaking of programs of sorts,
we broke our paper shredder so now we are going to see about finding a way to shred everything at once. turns out there are companies that do that! that will clean up a ton of space here as i have boxes of stuff that need shredding, (can you see how i broke the shredder? oye)
i didn't know there were actual companies that securely safely shred stuff, cool huh?
let's see what else?
oh i made my macaroni salad, the one i always make with the mix of veggies....that's a weird sort of red/orange/purple color.....it was wonderful.
we have a tradition here for that salad, every 'first time' of the year i make it
bernie walks by and gives me a hard time about how 'runny' the dressing is.....
i always tell him 'cause it's going to soak in...........'
he argues
and guess what?
it soaks in
and then it's wonderful.........
first mac salad of the year,.............yup it's wonderful
we had it with grilled chicken and sliced fresh beefsteak tomatoes

and icecream
life is good

the end of an era

dad's truck left here today
he bought it in 87
it's been sitting a while now
actually that truck has been sitting a very good part of it's live........
it only had 56000 original miles...mostly put on by bernie commuting to a job 96 miles away for 3 years
yesterday morning, a guy knocked on the door and offered us a few bucks for it
bernie said yes.
it was the exact amount i need to take fawn to the vet tuesday
i figured it was dad's way of helping fawn out and telling me time to move on
he would have LOVED fawn, as he adored amber
amber used to sit on dad's lap for hours
fawn would have done the same to him
i find it doubly ironic as this year dad would have turned 100
when i think of that truck i see dad in it the day noah died......and him pulling up in the driveway
maybe it really is time
sadness followed that truck i think

in other news, we started a blitz on the studio
& i hurt my elbow BAD
we still have stuff all over pulled out...... but i think we are going to be making some headway
this is furniture moving blitz not just 'clean up and rearrange stuff'
those shelves are HUGE .....you don't realize how big until you move them
i also realized i need a mobile shelf thingie to put the recycled covered file boxes i made on them
i am finding that those file boxes with labels and the manila envelopes are the best studio files i ever used
i need more
i use them for templates for cloth dolls, reference photos, odds and ends
it's great
i am going to make a few with toile on them as well to mix up with the crumpled recycled brown paper
i just need a shelf system on wheels to store them all

ok i have to shower and go to town

btw, the weather says that tuesday is going to be cool and rainy
perfect to take my fawn to the vet
thank you universe for the miracles on fawn's behalf
she needs more living time

summer supper salads

hihi everyone, i finally got a picture of one of our summer supper salads. this one has red and green loose leaf lettuces, red and yellow sweet peppers, red tomato, shaved vidalia onions, chopped roast beef, cheese mini ravioli, shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese, california olives, and a tiny bit of purple cabbage shaved
it's got an italian dressing.
it tastes every single bit as good as it looks

we vary what we put in them...... hard boiled eggs, chicken, shrimp..... turkey and sometimes vary the pasta but our favorite is usually ravioli.
take a walk down the veggie aisle at the super market and take the most colorful brightest veggies ( we grow the lettuces and veggies here normally but this year only the lettuces are doing well) i like blanched snow peas too on them
and blanched broccoli ....... really just aim for a good mix of deep bright colors....
it's filling too
we don't put crotons as a rule but you can, they are easy to make out of leftover stale breads

now i am typing this friday night..... it's hot again although the weather report is for cooler weather due to the nightmare storm we had last night (that would be thursday night)

i am so worried about fawn
and i am worried about fawn on tuesday morning going to hellerstown with no ac in the van
please give some good thoughts to us
ok this is going to post tomorrow morning
i hope to be sleeping in

take good care everyone

t storms, and salad days

in a very good way.
those of you who have been hanging around with me for a while know i love my summer salads......
heaps of greens and colorful veggies topped off with hard boiled eggs, grilled or roasted meats, and shredded cheeses.......
these are salad days.....
and again we had a nice one last night......
wow

ok i want to give you all a heads up, to my knitter friends, check this artist out, i don't know her personally but i love her work she is a young jewlery artisan and designer, and i just love her shawl pins. i think they are something special. i even joined her facebook page
and a small spill to you all......she's going to be featured in knitty in the fall......
this kid is amazing, i love her copper work
i can't decide which one i want....i want them all

now in other news, it's cooled off here a bit
good thing cause i am terrified that something bad will happen to fawn tuesday cause i have no ac in the van
or heat
oye
we off to the vet on tuesday
meanwhile
i am sort of trying to clean house
halfheartedly
but i really need to get the studio done again
it's on going

so what all is up with you folks?
how's your summer going so far?
my seedlings are all gone for the garden due to the possum
but stuff i planted out there is ok
my turnips all bolted with the heat
the lettuces seem to be holding their own
we'll harvest again this week
we've been doing salads
and grilling meats for the week on sunday.....or doing a crock pot roast to shred for suppers all week
anything to keep the house cooler
til next time!

another heat wave

this one i have some energy for it looks like
i spent yesterday doing dishes by hand (dishwasher gets no water pressure with the low flow faucet- bernie hasn't built it in so ...hand wash)
it's been a while
i also cooked a bunch of things like hard boiled eggs, a crockpot roast to shred , for salads as it's just too hot for him to eat something hot when he gets home
i made him drink homemade lemonade too instead of his iced tea.
he slept last night
i slept a bit more i think too

now i have to tell you folks, our fawnie is going to the vet tuesday
we're very concerned
she's been slowly losing weight but we felt it was her age
she was eating well and slowing down a bit here and there
then she started to mat
then she started to eat like a horse and RUN around crazy like she used to
then she started to mat so bad we can't keep up with it
i went online and i think she may have thyroid issues
so tuesday is her appointment

now, my van has no ac, a slow leak in the right front tire
and we have to drive all the way to hellerstown (over an hour) away to the vet......
in this heat
we are going early early
but i am worried about her in the trip down and back
i am going to take ice packs and such to try and keep her comfortable
but i am so very worried
plus she hates crates or cages of any kind (can you blame her?)
so this is going to be really upsetting for her
and it'll just be me and her
so if it is bad news........ i'm all alone down there

i can not imagine my life with out fawn, thaddeaus or calpurrnia.....
so i am hoping it's a minor thyroid thing that the vet can treat

now as to all you folks, stay safe if you've got this excessive heat

wednesday already?

from the yarn store

well allentown happened
first up......a small sun catcher!!! pretty huh?

ella rae from the yarn store

next you will see all the yarns i got yesterday, the 'anne' came in the mail but the rest came from the yarn store after i got the wig thing done

i also went to michael's and got some beads. i want to make

a suncatcher one of many

silky wool from the yarn store

some earring for summer i think..maybe a few for the winter.

the other thing i did was make an appointment for fawn at the vet...tuesday (due to weather and me not having ac in the van)

anne that came in the mail

anne that came in the mail

anne came in the mail

anne that came in the mail

from the yarn store

a break over the weekend but back to work today

i didn't draw at all over the weekend, although i had planned to
i did however, knit a bit on liliiflora
i have finished the broad edging and am starting on the short rows for the actual shawlette part
it's giving me a hard time
i don't know why!
i should be just blowing through this part of it but i've ripped it back three times, knit then rip
oye
we didn't get any house stuff really done
i am still slowly washing and freezing my knits
i have three wool jackets (maybe 4) to go in the freezer too
and i would like the goose downs frozen for at least a few days

i didn't get any further on the studio this weekend either or the front door trim washed
i have realized that i need to make an appointment with the specialist in philly to see what is going on
i don't have a lot of energy lately at all

bernie did help me add compost to two of my beds, so i can plant the cuc's and maybe beans
the compost is so loaded with worms that i was in fear that it isn't finished enough for the beds.
he keeps threatening to sell my worms!
there are so many of them, they are huge and apparently delicious to a few select ducks--- and chickens
who all no doubt, believe we grow the worms for THEM......

bernie grilled some chicken yesterday, but due to the nylon/polyester bug screen we couldn't eat outside as it's too close to the grill and the grill was hot.
we have to move stuff  around on the deck huh?
i have to tell you, we now grill on a weber grill, we ditched our propane grill ( i was afraid of the propane) and i actually like the weber! it's fast, it lights easily with that chimney thing (if you grill with charcoal get the chimney thing for like 14.$-you'll thank me for that)
we grill meat and veggies and if jen gets them promised trout over here, i may grill them too
*** grilled eggplant brushed with olive oil is to DIE for***
we have the one with the thingie on the bottom to get the ash down and cleaned out (they call it one touch)
i really do like this grill!
we aren't affiliated with weber but this is a good grill, we've used it now i think 3 summers.
if something happens to it, we'll get another one of them.

now today, i hope to get the studio somewhat sorted. i won't get it finished, but at least a start.
i also realized that since we've sort of 'zoned' the studio (using shelves to divide the areas) i don't get as much done in  there.
now to rethink THAT
oye
it's always something huh?

a very nice saturday, at like 45 degrees!

i am posting the progress of the new drawing with the ducklings. as you can see i am developing the background now working mainly from the center out but also establishing where the far corners are going. i like how the softness of the background seems to transfer to the ducklings.    i am having fun with this, and plan on using this same subject to explore composition and some color work. i doubt that this is the start of the egg tempera though. that's still kicking around in my head. i have a few more ducklings to do however in black and white. i also need to post the progress of the shawl i have been knitting, and i will as soon as i finish the border lace- which should be over the weekend. it's a very deep border.

tuesday i am going to allentown, first off i have to get a new dead rat..... the old one is 17 years old and.....well.....pretty ratty looking.. since i am there i will stop at the yarn store and maybe michaels.

jen's going with me, as she could NOT resist the yarn store...... 

yes more yarn for shawlettes........ 

like the FOUR new skeins of 'anne' i just got ( on a FABULOUS sale) weren't enough...........

and like i got room in the freezers for all the new shawls i'm knitting......

i need to come up with a new summer plan, maybe freezing things for like two days each then vacuum sealing them in those big space savers?

i don't know....

cause it's just so EASY to put each thing in a zip lock and toss it into the freezer

and we all know how i like easy!

yesterday was the first day i felt a bit better, so i dumped duck ponds and scrubbed them 

started on the studio floor and then the lure of the easel caught me and i returned to the duckies......

which i am about to do in a few minutes again... ( and to paraphrase a pirate......'the duckies call to me')

meanwhile it's a glorious 45 degrees out

wonderful 

i can move compost in this weather and wash down the door to paint!!!

have a wonderful weekend where ever you folks are

is it day two or what?

 first off sorry about the uneven tint to the pictures...oops. as you can see i started the ducklings.... they always look so awkward when i first start them.....i spend a lot of time wondering if i'm doing the right thing. then i get to the point where something starts to work for me.....which you can see happening in the last picture in the upper right corner. what you can't see it that it's a bird.....flying, it looks like a mermaid tail i know......but really if you look closer it's a bird flying! i didn't put it there but in the rendering of the shadows and background these things continue to pop out......
it always used to happen and i am getting used to it all happening again - i will tell you that sometimes it's disconcerting to step back from my work to see a face peering out at me, that i swear i didn't put there. but i know for a lot of people that like my work ( and thank you to those that do, you all make my day) you like looking for the little faces

in other studio news, i ordered gesso panels today from true gesso. i got 10 of the 5x7 ones... enough to play with and try a series maybe
vicky said she wants to see chickens.....
hahahaha
maybe ---we'll see
i would appreciate the muse showing up about when the panels do-
they will take a long tedious time and i would like something very interesting to me to paint ....i mean since they are going to take forever
so i think that maybe some more drawing is in order no?

now today is actually thursday afternoon, a bright, breezy and absolutely delightful day... sunlight is glistening on the tree leaves and dancing all over
i wish i could catch THAT on a canvas....


now it's friday, i had an ok night sleeping only to be awakened by a furry face RIGHT IN MY FACE,
well more accurately.... right in my nose....nose to nose
yup fawn
she wanted me up. i didn't want to get up
we compromised......
she stuffed her face into my face and i petted her........for an hour!
when she finally got her fill of mommy morning breath ( and i brush, floss and swish before bed!)
she wander off to jump on calpurrnia ........her place taken by DA BOY
who just simply plopped his furry butt down on the pillow with enough fur to just reach my nose so i couldn't breath
who said animals are good for your health?
right now thaddeaus is gnawing on a box and fawn is dusting the floors with her tail......calpurrnia is eating... calpurrnia is always either eating or looking for something to eat....her little bottom is getting much bigger and much fluffier..
it looks to be a really nice day today too
i am going to clean a small part of the studio and continue to draw
how about you all? what are you folks going to do

and weekend plans? (bernie is to clean an ac unit)

a good start

i just realized that it is 5:37am
it's light out
it's cool out
i'm UP
and awake!
plus i have to tell you all, i did start a new drawing yesterday- i had roughed it in a bit over the weekend and on tuesday i started to do the pencil work and the very beginning inking...
well yesterday i started to do the ink drawing in earnest
it has me a bit excited so i did have trouble sleeping last night....i was going over and over in my head how it needed to come about
for those of you who look for the faces in these drawings, i can tell you i've seen two pop up already......does that mean that the 'nature' spirits missed me?
cause one of them looks an awful lot like the salamander that we found when planting the elderberry.

so today i am going to start early, get the ducks out early so they can enjoy the cool....
do dishes later as that is when my energy is there for that.......
i do have to move some compost to the garden beds, but i am going to save as much energy for drawing as i can
and if the weather holds maybe i can also get the front door trim painted!
oye everything takes forever around here doesn't it?

why is that?
this weekend we also need to cut back the rhodo...... and some limbs on the maples
i am considering attacking the yews too...maybe into small christmas tree shapes...or a penguin maybe.......( i like penguins- bernie wouldn't approve though)
and since he's fixing the deck.......christmas tree shapes it is........although penquins would have been really cool....

i am still washing, drying and freezing my handknits.... every day i do a few more
the freezers are stuffed.

now i am about to also make the jump into egg tempera, i have decided..... i need a subject, one i love that will justify the hours of work that will go into it.....
i am thinking, maybe not ducks for this one.
but who knows
i think i'll order a couple of different sized small panels ....the sizes start at 4X5
i wonder if this would be a good time to do a still life set up? maybe some of that depression glass i got? i have been wanting to paint some clear colored glass......with water and maybe goldfish
ok we'll see

i am still knitting on liliiflora, almost done with the border.... this one is going a lot slower then the last one.... at first i didn't think i liked the archangel in this, now i decided i do like it for it's halloween colors
i also realized that all the lace i'm knitting..mostly no one will notice anything but the color........ so it's ok
the lace knitting is a bonus extra i am thinking.....
if you know what i mean

ok i got my coffee, i hope you all have yours...... i would have liked to sit on the deck but i am still in my sleep shirt
however i am going to start my day anyway.......
take good care everyone

this is a 'break' in the weather?

someone tell my sweat glands that please??
i am sitting here dripping like crazy
i just got in from ducks and laundry
towels now weigh 500 pounds each dry! imagine my surprise! i didn't get that memo
of the 7 towels i had out there, i got three in and almost left the rest!
i soldiered on however and all of them are in the house
i put the ac on (bernie put the one in the bedroom in last night) and i am sitting here waiting for the dripping to stop.
now off and on today i will be knitting on liliiflora, which i am doing in archangel....my archangel is more deep halloweeny fallish in color then some of the other archangel i've seen
which i have decided i really like!
(maybe it is because i am so hot and sweaty that i am already longing for fall?)
*** yes susan i know, i need to find a new doctor***

the other thing i will be doing today is some work on a new drawing of the ducks when they were babies.... there is amelia on the left preaching to what looks like poindexter (the one almost hidden-he always had a different slope to his beak) and possible malcom in the front
i am planning on doing it in black and white, this way....
then 'adjust' it and do another black and white and finally i am thinking of a few color studies...... we'll see
i love how the crack in the photo looks like 'a line in the sand'
jen took these pictures last summer.
i took a lot too but didn't have the time to really sit and draw them as i was too busy RAISING them (spoiled little buggers that they are)

that is pretty much my day i think today....oh and of course dishes..never ending freeken dishes
but at least that means we are eating huh?
ok
i'll let you all know how the knitting and the drawing goes
right now i am going to finish my coffee and see if i can get over to the new easel to draw

til next time
vi