gourmet transient in the making

WELL …. it’s either learning to become the Transient Resident Cooker when I visit my friend Mary in Santa Barbara or else rely on her good hearted neighbor who always sends over a week’s worth of tamale pie  when I come because she doesn’t want me to starve. That’s right neither Mary nor I are cookers. And I’ve decided one of these days her good hearted neighbor will die …. then where will I be when I visit Mary. I’m not expecting the good hearted neighbor to die anytime soon. But learning to become a cooker might take awhile so I thought I better start now. Mary’s idea about this …. well she bought us a new can opener.

Meanwhile I’m back home and I’ve decided to start a “Monday Afternoon Gourmet Experiment Project.” Who knows, I may become ….  the Real …. the Official …. Sycamore Canyon Gourmet Transient Resident Cooker! I think it in the best interest of all not to follow in Julia Child’s footsteps however. I am sure that would only doom me (and Mary) to utter disappointment. Thus and such, today’s experiment comes from Mollie Katzen (whoever she is) ….. but her book did say “simple” on the cover and it does have pictures. Today’s goal, which is currently in progress, is caramelized red onion soup with cheese topped croutons.

Step 2 according to the directions, satue onions until golden brown. Takes about 30 minutes says the book. Well here I am 60 minutes later and still waiting for golden brown to happen. Hope step 3 will go faster as I need to have this finished up before my Master Gardner Class on Wednesday!

blog disgrace

Reading Red

YES ….. to be sure ….. my blog is in disgrace from my lack of diligence to it. Can’t believe my last posting was December 4th! O.K. my excuse is that I have been busy not to mention getting over the shock of having just added myself to the ranks of the Medicare roll. Let’s see if that will fly …. I started December with framing three paintings for a group show at Arts Visalia called The Creative Life. The show features the 21 Three Rivers artists of the Three Rivers Art Studio Tour 9. The show looks great not to mention the fact that I sold one of my paintings there, “Reading Red.”

Then of course, I was off on a Solstice and New Years adventure in Santa Barbara for almost three weeks to visit friends. We had a marvelous Solstice ceremony complete with two hours of drumming and pizza. Who could ask for more?!

back on track!

I’M BACK …. Guess I got distracted from my blog. Let’s see …. went to Sutter Creek twice to visit my sister the quilter. On one of those visits we took a three day workshop on watercolor collage with Lynn Slade. EXCELLENT experience!

I have also been using Ann Baldwin’s book “Creative Paint Workshop for Mixed-Media Artists” as well as Cate Coulacos Prato’s book “Mixed-Media Self-portraits Inspirations & Techniques.” There are all kinds of new ideas to try …. VERY EXCITING!

Most recently I have been learning so new techniques for improving my websites with Dreamweaver CS3. Great fun but lots of technical things to remember. THANK GOODNESS for lynda.com and all her people!

Oh, I almost forget. Today I submitted an image to the Society of Layerists In MultiMedia for the Web Gallery Show. Not sure when the show will be up, but I’ll know soon.

not the only one

NOT THE ONLY ONE ___ in the family who is an “artist.” Daughter Carole is a creative writer, performer and world traveler who is getting her second masters degree in creative writing at CSU Fresno.  She also does mosaics and paints furniture in her space time.

almost finished

YES INDEED …. this painting is almost finished! One never knows how things will turn out ahead of time. Other that “almost finished,” I still don’t know what the final painting will look like ….. maybe nothing at all like “almost finished” is now.

 

In Progress (#2)

 

It's Almost Finished! (#3)