Sunday, September 20, 2009

Sunday Sum Up for September 20, 2009


It seems like longer than a week since I won the Best of Show in the Illusions exhibit. I celebrated by getting sick; no doubt from spending all that time an energy in the 1st National Bank building where the exhibit was held. The weather outside was around 58 but they had the exhibit room chilled with air conditioning to 66. Not very green of them.

Monday my scratching throat became a full on upper chest cold complete with hacking cough. Yesterday I finally felt good enough to run to Taos and purchase some much needed items - like tissues. Fortunately Albertson's was having sales all through the store on canned goods and my favorite pasta (Dreamfields-low carb) and so I stocked up the larder without emptying the bank account.

I had wanted to go to Santa Fe this weekend and take in the huge art expo show but my energy and my available funds said that would not be wise. It is time to be like the ant and horde for winter. Unfortunately I am often more like the grasshopper from that old fable.

While in Taos I got the French Press coffee maker I blogged about. And a supply of Senseo pods for my pod brewer. An interesting thing has happened since the demise of my Mr. Coffee - I seem to be drinking less and enjoying it more. And I have gone back to drinking more green tea in the middle of the day. Albertson's had a sale on my favorite brand of that too.

Needless to say with the cold I have not gotten any painting done or much else. This next week will mean diving into the paintings I had begun but not finished. And I am toying with a "garage sale" of sorts. Thinking of having an open studio event and mark all my old watercolors (on paper and not canvas and under glass) down 50% to free up wall space. Also some unframed mixed media pictures and reduced prices. And those tossed off art supplies I now most likely will not use. Such a sale event could bring in some revenue and free up wall and storage space before winter hits.

Always a question: When will winter hit? In some ways it would seem early. We have gotten more rain and cooler nights earlier than usual but then other signs say it will either be a delayed onset to winter or just a mild one. I am not having the influx of spiders and insects that general procede extended bad weather. Though in all fairness the cats have been enjoying a field day of field mice but in the field.

I expect the Aspen will be in all their glory next weekend. When the clouds lift (they have been on the deck a lot) you can see spots of gold beginning on them thar hills. I hope for good weather so I and my sister can record them in pixels to share.

How has your week been?

7 comments:

Bekkieann said...

It has been much too hot for September here, but has finally taken a turn for cool and rainy today. I've started on the fall cleanup around the yard and have initiated plans for remodeling the kitchen. Broke up with my boyfriend of about 2 years, saw him again and broke up for good, and am winding up disposing of all the ex-husband's belongings.

My heart goes out to you Shers, in this scary time. I hope you find enough work to sustain you. My job is growing much too fast and they will need to hire help for me next year. And I'm thinking of cutting back to 3/4 time then.

Turn, turn, turn does sort of describe it. I feel I'm ready for a new phase of life -- a real change.

JBinford-Bell said...

We have had a very cool August. Cool and wet. And my neighbor tells me we are expected to get a couple inches of snow on Monday night. Historically our first snow is Halloween night ruining the kids plans for skimpy costumes.

Normally we would be into an Indian Summer about now but that does not seem to be happening. The high temperature for Tuesday is slated to be 44. I am resisting turning on heaters; just burning old wood from last year's stash on cool evenings.

It is an el nino year which says more snow than normal but that has generally meant Colorado and Utah and we get warmer weather.

I have begun my fall tidy up. Locating the thermal underwear and packing away my few summer clothes.

JBinford-Bell said...

They do say that while the economy is recovering it will be a really different new economy. Gone will be the mega consumerism of the past. I think we have all learned to do with less. Which is good since there is less to go around.

Planning a series of small paintings for the Christmas buying season.

kathyinozarks said...

we have been busy splitting and hauling in our wood supply-we only heat with wood, and we run two woodstoves when its really cold. I have alot of back problems, but with doing stretch exercises every hour or less I have been doing good. Larry built a dump trailor for this and saves so much time and work. my new friend and neighbor down the road; Sandy, wants the exercise so she has been such a big help for us.
so good to read your every day blogs again. congrats on your Best of Show-how wonderful! Kathyinozarks

Unknown said...

Seems to me we are all making plans for the winter. I have begun to take things upstairs to the attic and drag warmer things down. Havn't found the electric blanket as yet....but no need temporarily.
Looking and researching good meals that are not that expensive. Unfortunately the decision must be made between high carbs and high dollars.

Having an art rummage should be an interesting hook. I wish you much success.

Glad the cold has left. Here we cannot live without sinus headaches and whatever else goes along with that inconvenience. Had my fill this week.

Wishing you a prosperous week.RD

JBinford-Bell said...

Nice to hear from you again, Kathi. I am having my wood delivered by, of all people, my mechanic. He is evidently getting a huge trailer load of bucked up logs and doing the cutting and splitting to fire place size.

Last fall I built a wood shed so I could find my wood after having it buried under snow two winters in a row. He will dump outside the movable panel and I will then sort and stack the three cords. I have back up electric heat but plan to heat my house with the passive solar in the day from the studio and the wood stove at night.

The before winter to-do list begins today, RD. We will see how far I get through it if it is an early onset. Got number one done - I potted a yellow mum to bring color inside for a month or so. Next spring it becomes part of the new flower and herb bed.

Anonymous said...

Woke up to drizzly rain. This is great for washing off treasures that the unusually higher tides than normal tossed on the beach night before last. No need for the sweatshirt or hooded jacket (worn with shorts/tank top) today. In spite of the cooler weather@ 3am, 80 degrees (feels like 87) A nice leisurely stroll, bending to pick up things, is considered exercise after my recent laminectomy. I had to take a nap at 8am !! 12:30pm Sun shining through the crystals in the window, making prisms all around me, woke me with a smile.
After making one of those funky salads with craisins, almonds, smoked chicken, crumpled bleu cheese in the middle & the neatest Berry Balsamic dressing around the edges, disposing of the unread Sunday paper in the garden was a pleasure. Adding a wheelbarrow full of compost around summer flowers still blooming and planting bulbs & seeds mmmm don't ya'll just love days like these?
Am I rubbing it in? darn right I am !