The Boundaries of a Breakup

Facebook and how to get or lose your "friends"...interesting article. Ok, it's an old article, but I just found my note on a scrap of paper, and wanted to share it here in November....so here it is!

Best Soup Ever

Lawsuits over advertising are up. Just look at how Verizon and At&T changed theirs...

The Oldest People on the Street

The other day I was feeling old, creaky, and just plain worn out. (That's right, I am only in my fifties)...then I looked out the window, and caught a glimpse of my neighbor, an older woman (in her 80's who is Norwegian. At one recent block party we all remarked that while we may get older and die, she'll be re-roofing her house and outliving us all. She showed up to that event with a party platter, cut meats cheeses, lefse that she made herself, and gave all a jar of homemade jam.

So, as I limped to the window, imagine my shame as I saw this gal outside, in her boots and rain gear, hauling around her hose. I thought, what? She is washing her house? It turns out she was washing her windows, outside with a long handled contraption I can only think she made herself in her basement. Here is what she looked like:

The New York Times had this little essay by Michael Winerip on a similar line of thinking.

College and Quidditch

Really, I heard that there was a "sports" team at the local high school that plays this imaginary Harry Potter game, kids running with their (flying) broomsticks between their legs. The girls that made the announcements in the morning were scolded for giggling when announcing this sport and their practice times.

Now, I am reading the New York Times and this article from Lauren Edelson, from Portland, Oregon, mentions the disturbing phenomenon.

Fabric and Painting

Gary Faigin showed his Still Life Painting Atelier last week how to render fabric, and how to determine what folds and wrinkles should be not included to make the image read well.

Profits Again by Reducing Mortgages

This New York Times article hit a nerve.

Shopping and Real Beauty

This is the most wonderful thing I've seen recently. I was in a shop, women looking at sale racks, men rushing past, looking tired, and in the midst of this swirling retail therapy, this little princess was looking at her image in the mirror, adjusting her tiara, and twirling. I recalled my daughters asking when they were this age, "How does the new dress twirl?"

That was the measure of an excellent dress, one that flew all around you when you spun.

Atelier and Skulls

It's before Halloween, and yet.. I am painting a still life with

a skull in it. I am looking at sketches, hung upside-down n

front of my fireplace... the one on the right makes it back into the atelier

for the painting...

Here is a home stager that seems to be as busy as ever:

http://ping.fm/vwTgt

Again! I hate those compact fluorescents...and so do many others.
http://ping.fm/bO92t

NO BLOGGING about bad real estate photos

New rule from the NWMLS. Northwest Multiple Listing Service.

NO BLOGGING! Check this box, if you allow blogging. I am not allowed to give my opinion on a blog about anyone's property. What? Well, here is my favorite worst photo of the day. I won't say what house it is from, because it's a good representation of a million bad photos. Really...people! Hire a professional photographer. Please.

knitting vegan

Knit out of Bamboo for my vegan niece. It feels nice. Not sure how durable this yarn will be.

Making Pickles

Secret family recipe (mom's) for dill pickles.

Here we are, stuffing the jars and getting a batch ready.

We make them once a year.

Several Hours later, 24 quarts of pickles. Yum.

Sketches

Back to school, SAT tests, and college applications have me thinking about this guy Matthew B. Crawford, http://ping.fm/T88PI , and his book: Shop Class as Soulcraft , read an article here: http://ping.fm/Ixmb2

Crows in Seattle

I am reading a local woman's book, and noticed three reviews of her work this week. It's a pretty good read, if you like birds, an excellent meditation of the crow's place in city life.

Crow Planet by Lyanda Lynn Haupt is a book to set by your bedside, or take on a trip. Enjoy.

Jury Duty

Whew! They didn't pick me for a two week (first trial) or a three week (second) trial, so I was sent home after only two grueling days serving on Jury duty downtown Seattle. Bus. People. Fluorescent lights (so bright, they could seriously make a prisoner of war crack) in the room they had us waiting in. I brought sunglasses to wear the second day so I could tolerate the lights. The slow, grind of justice. I am not sure how random this process really is. Last year I was summoned, and served on a trial. This year, out of 55 possible jurors. 25 asked to be let go for hardship in the first minute. The stories! The drama! The pleading! I am quite sure the guy accused of stabbing a woman, or the the bloodshot eyed businessman disputing an eminent domain case thought the jurors complaints were small compared to the hell they were in. Well, I've done my civic duty for the month. I'll be so happy when I get the check in the mail for twenty dollars for my trouble.

On Turning Sixty

This article in ODE is an interesting take on friends and turning 60. I am thinking of this because I just left a friend's birthday party, where there were many friends, of all ages (really, from 5 weeks old to 91). See what we did for the artchix next where we celebrated one of us turning 60.

Geoprene

New Wet Suits, not rubber. Better technology. By Matuse.





I recently went to Westport to watch some people surfing. Lots of wet suits on bodies. Sunny day, but we all know that 56 degree water is COLD.

Wood and Relations

My father was a cabinet maker for 36 years. We lived in a house with exotic woods. I joke with my siblings that we should "part out" the house when we sell it, because the wood is now so precious and who could love it as much as we did? ( my siblings are horrified by this suggestion, by the way).

Here is an article in Dwell magazine about a guy who kept all the wood (plywood, mostly, not very exotic) from his grandmother's house in Poland.

Farmers? Read this book: by Lisa Hamilton

http://ping.fm/6TWI0

Cymric Silver

It's really gray, but this color was suggested by a friend/designer and it is on all the walls and ceilings of our house. It looks so fabulous!

Paint color Here

Reading a cool book about crows written by a Seattle woman.

http://ping.fm/LBfZI

Murketing

Rob Walker writes for the New York Times. He writes about marketing that works now. You can hear him interviewed here on a radio show...



Consumers. Identifying with ads, identifying with what we own, buy, desire...interesting thoughts.

Here is a drawing of brocade fabric I started on the final day of Margaret Davidson's class on drawing drapery.

This drawing I worked on for about six hours on day two of the workshop. Margaret is an excellent instructor!

Sand Dollars and Yellowjackets

Here is a snapshot of what I collected (non Buddhist-way) at the beach recently. A couple of wasps and some sand dollars, some sun and some wind added in for good measure, and some sarcastic commentary on life in a small town. I met some interesting weirdos and watched some tourists playing on the beach and attempting to surf.

Best view: guy teaching his 6 or 7 year old to surf, and watching her giggle gleefully when riding the board in on her knees.

Garden Creatures

Here's a creature I painted while thinking of insects as weapons, against pests and other things in the garden.

Ant

Seattle's green dry cleaner:

http://ping.fm/IquCx

do you Really want to sell that house?

OK! This house has finally been renovated. (Poor souls) and now it seems to be...for sale? This sign is about 3 inches by 5 inches. It's a bit of cardboard on a stick. Written with a magic marker, is, "for sale". I walked past an caught the sign. Is the grass (new...just put down in strips) for sale, or the house? How do you buy it? No number or way to contact anyone. Good luck.

Changing Home Prices in the top metro areas, according to the business journals:

http://ping.fm/fBPcL

Freddie Mac changes guidelines for appraisers:
http://ping.fm/xzDRF

Beach Condos Auction

Condos that are coming up for auction in Westport . Photo of the site, and the one they apparently abandoned next door.

And, then across the street, where there is a feral cat population problem, this sign:

CREEPY logo:

Keep your own yacht out front...to go...where...? Over the Gray's Harbor Bar for a day cruise? Whale watching? Out for a dinner cocktail cruise?

Perhaps just staying in, and watching the guys next door unload fish and clean out the fish unloading equipment.

Wow. Now this is a big fish.
http://ping.fm/aSeyl

This is what those green things at the base of trees are:
http://ping.fm/4Gh0D

Backyard cottages coming to a neighbor near you?

http://ping.fm/7hZNO

How fun was this? Super fun. Gary Faigin's book, the Artist's Complete Guide to Facial Expression is the basis for his class. Above, notes on the board from day one of a five day workshop. GAGE is the school that Gary started with is wife, Pamela.

Real Estate Open Houses

Really, do open houses sell real estate? No. However, we can see them online easier now, due to a much deferred idea to share open houses online that aren't simply the open houses of individual companies. Read about it here:

Still...my new favorite place to eat green (and now drink beer) in Seattle:

http://ping.fm/2O1i3

Orcas are in trouble in Puget Sound...
http://ping.fm/N2csb

I don't like the light the compact-fluorescent lights throw, so here is good news:

http://ping.fm/SWgVS

Not Al Gore, but this retired educator is talking about the fate of our oceans with Global warming and CO2 gasses added to the oceans...really cool movie with his grandson in it to add to the humanness of the problem. Watch for it, I saw it at the http://ping.fm/PDrfb last night:
http://ping.fm/jJZzv

Appraisers are changing the way they interact with sellers, buyers, agents...it is not all good:

http://ping.fm/c1xr7

ate here the other day...yum! Pakistani food excelent spicy sauces.

http://ping.fm/UF4T1

Painting White Objects

OH MY ***! I have enrolled in the still life atelier program studying with Gary Faigin, painting still life. I have just discovered how much I do not know about painting, or even looking at things. It's an eye opening experience. Fun. School all day for a woman in her 50s is sometimes quite exhausting. Above an image of some white objects as I work on a painting. Here are some images from other students in the atelier.

Transportation news from Euro trains to tiny cars:
http://ping.fm/op8ur

Star Magnolias

Steve Almond is my favorite writer of the day.

http://ping.fm/dBOtQ

statistics about Seattle Real Estate market ignore the reality that many pending sales are not actually coming together and closing, says this blogger:
http://ping.fm/4X3iA

neighborhood signs of spring

dandelions

Now here is a yard full of weeds, or is it? I finally ate the great mashed potato recipe from Mark Bittman, which you can find here:

So this yard looks like a field of possibilities, although not harvested quickly enough. The green mashed potatoes were very tasty, and easy to make. All you need are potatoes, olive oil, and dandelion greens.

World Hunger

I drive past the Ballard food bank every day. I see the lines. What can be done? Here is a link to the world hunger education service. • Even in the United States, 46 percent of African-American children and 49 percent of Latino children are considered chronically hungry. Heifer International has asked bloggers to speak up about this today. Here is a link to that.

Edward Tufte (I took his one day course yesterday), smart and funny; HATES power point:

http://ping.fm/jgBO0

About to hear this man:
http://ping.fm/T7w9U

This is lovely, a collection of thoughts and drawings by Maira Kalman
http://ping.fm/sse22

Shred your documents! In Seattle:


http://ping.fm/Z1RKu

Sewer Warning

This sign warns of sewer overflows in heavy rains...let's see. It's in Seattle! Swimming, anyone?

Here is what the city says about this issue: read this

read this in edibleSeattle Magazine: gardens and gardeners get together to eat local:

http://ping.fm/plZkk

Bad Builder Neighbor

I know this is just a sample...of the current times. This home builder just stopped working. I hope this builder sends his/her crews back around to finish the job, or at least take a dump run.

Organic Gardening at the White House...sign this petition:

http://ping.fm/DnemQ

forsythia

Spring! Sun! Warm weather...

Wowhttp://ping.fm/pfI5d here is a lady who can sing...

Houses on Rocks

This is an interesting article about a summer home in Norway. I see a peek into the sauna in one photo and it had me reminiscing about my years of enjoying saunas. My father immigrated here from Finland in 1947 so we grew up with the (sauna) Scandinavian tradition, at least once a week. Ours included building the fire, and keeping the furnace hot for at least three hours, which gave several hours of sauna enjoyment. This article is all about using available wood, and putting the home on the land with an artist's eye.

Inmates Serving Gourmet Food: could this happen in the USA?

http://ping.fm/K4NVa

Great Meat

Hide your eyes, vegetarians and vegans...



This meat was so terrific, and delivered to the door. They also make gourmet meals, ready to cook.

Color Creativity

Dyeing Fabric in a friend's art studio took a day and many pieces of fabric. Some of us painted the dyes onto paper, others dyed fabric. Much fun, thanks Karen!

Cats

Here are some neighborhood cats, two that are installed in the sidewalk, and include marbles for eyes.

And two actual cats, one waiting with the deliveries, and one looking for more food...

Flowers in the Neighborhood

Make your soda at home! (http://ping.fm/4VDzz)

The coolest new wierd shoes...with toes!
http://ping.fm/C6IZX

Why money messes with our minds: http://ping.fm/MthS9

urban gardening for true beginners (http://ping.fm/tzCH4)

Fences

Some interesting fences. So much better than those six foot tall solid cedar fences that we had everywhere in the 1980's...

Fractional ownership of homes... (http://ping.fm/nIcww)

Plastic in Oceans...not sure about eating fish tonight. (http://ping.fm/Wf9vs)

Banks, money and all that

Here is a little peek into a neighborhood bank branch's weekend remodel.

Garden Chairs

These are a couple of fabulous chairs! One with the willow twigs so tall they disappear into the trees they sit under...the other with fish head and fish tails as part of the design.

Gates

Here are some interesting gates I found in the neighborhood. This one has a light that looks like a fishing pole, with a reel...here's a close up: