Stuff

Days are still chilled and damp. Some garden plants are depressed but carrying on. I am trying to follow their lead.

Some plants are over-exuberant in this weather. Some of these are in need of restraint. So I've been digging up certain ferns, pink Lilies of the Valley, and a few hostas and giving them away or transferring them to other parts of back yard. Some pots, hanging baskets, and other containers remain empty. but I try to remember that "summer" is June, July, and August, so am not giving up hope yet. I do feel for the farmers still dealing with standing water in some midwest fields. It's hard to plant ponds that should be land.

Firsts and new-to-me attempts are still going on - 
A few, not in any order:

1) purchased fennel plants
2) purchased a dahlia plant
3) sampled cucumber soup earlier today. Cold soup on a cold morning wasn't in my plans. However, with the addition of some salsa - on advice of soup maker - it proved quite tasty. We agreed that it would have better had the day been warm and sunny.
4) used child's watercolor set to paint abstract patterns on paper napkins at a coffee shop in Hudson, Wisconsin. A friend and I were having our month Art Cheerleading Meeting. It was fun to talk and play at the same time.
5) had a grilled turkey burger during the family get-together on Memorial Day. It was delicious. 
 There were more doings, but I am too lazy to think of them.

The June Personal Challenge has been decided upon. As my spirit has been more down than up of late I was surprised to have Happy Bears flash into mind early this morning. Next it was One Hundred Happy Bears. O.K? Then, well why not do the deed in one month? So on to it. Even if I am not feeling all "haha funny funny," perhaps drawing bears who ARE happy might lighten the mood. 

Friday we set up our first outdoor art/craft fair of the season at New Richmond, Wisconsin. The first one of the year is primarily a test-run for equipment  and set up. I have no expectations for this event. But it will be good to put on the art fair smile and see what happens.
I still have to frame and/or wire several pieces. And prep the business stuff. Once the season is in the swing the weekdays and weekends sort themselves out into a rhythm that is hardly notices - except to note where to point the van. And it is amazing that I drew that first small hear head twenty years ago! One never knows what will change ones life. (Quite the wide-ranging paragraph, this.)

On to paying attention to a discussion with Stephen Fry on YouTube. 

It has been a day.

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

www.suerowe.com
Facebook Page: Sue-Rowe-Studios

Keeping Up

Sheesh.
It is Sunday night already - and the thunderstorm is almost past.
Past, too, are the last several days.
No typing.

But we did spend two days in Wisconsin - doing antique shop and flea market stuff.
Just not blogging.

I have a small regret. I left this kitty at the Shawano, Wisconsin flea market -

I even carried the prickly beastie over to husband - just to see. And debated buying it for our grown son who shares his  apartment with two real cats and a growing pile of Pusheen kitties. Alas, common sense prevailed and I decided to put him back on the table and settle for a photo. I forgot that sometimes spending a little bit of money can reap a large amount of foolish fun. Fare-thee-well, Prickly-furred Kitty. May you bring joy to another who appreciates your odd charms more than I did.

Though the kitty remained at the flea we did bring home a few things, including a Brush ceramic frog, and potted geraniums. Sadly, we doubt that this market is worth a trip - but it was fun to check out a different fairgrounds and donate a dollar for some pretty rough de-caf coffee from the local 4-H food booth.

We decided to come home last evening instead of heading for a large flea market at Cedarburg, Wisconsin. This resulted in stopping for dinner at a bowling alley/bar in New Richmond, Wisconsin. Of course, there is A Story. But that will have to wait.

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Tomorrow many people have time off.
May we observe Monday's Memorial Day in a suitable manner.
Many who served never returned home to enjoy another day off.
I appreciate people giving the ultimate sacrifice, but wish that the need for doing so over and over might someday come to an end. (No, I am not hopeful - only wishing...)
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Somberly yours,

Sue

30 Thankfuls

Though I try to silently say "Thanks" for at least thirty things every day, I've not typed a list for a while. These things I am grateful for can be quite lightweight but that's O.K. It keeps one aware. Here goes:

I'm thankful:
1) that I "forced" myself to go alone to the "Guillermo del Toro" art     exhibit at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.
2) that there was free parking on the street about a block from the         museum.
3) that I'd finally become a member of the MIA  - so saved $4.00         on the ticket.
4) that the busloads of field trip tykes were not heading for the             same rooms as I was. (Don't get me wrong - I've adulted on those     field trips. I'm glad the kids got the chance to see great art. Just in     other rooms yesterday.)
5) for GPS driving directions, though I had written directions as           well.
6) that I'd booked a 10:15 A.M. ticket for the exhibition. 
7) that the exhibition was not crowded, so one could appreciate the     objects and words and videos at one's chosen pace. I left at 2           P.M. I could have stayed longer... So many photos and notes.
8) that del Toro's movies might not be so scary to me now that I've       seen the original drawings for the resulting films.
9) that after the time at the museum I decided to treat myself to a         visit to Wet Paint - a most wonderful independent art supply             store in St. Paul, Minnesota.
10) because I "need" no more art supplies.
11) I like to support independent art supply stores, so I bought more       art supplies.
12) that I also treated the bookshelves to another book - one about         sketching while on travels.
13) that the staff at Wet Paint is knowledgable and kind.
14) that a person also buying goodies noticed my voice and we               realized we both went to Uw-River Falls in the 1980's!
15) that I can probably give her contact information to this other            long-ago pal.
16) more of the gardens got planted today.
17) we had another successful Arts and Crafts Evening last night.
18) that a friend brought over a bottle of limoncillo.
19) I found out how tasty a sip of limoncillo  can be.
20) that another friend stayed and chatted later into the evening.
21) the sun chose to shine on our day today.
22) that Facebook continues to educate and entertain.
23) for quotation books. 
24) for friends who give me plants.
25) that a friend took my extra cantaloupe plants for another                   garden.
26) that Todd turned the television back on just now.
27) I found my metal travel mug. It was in the last place I looked.
28) people share their stories with me early and often.
29) that summer hasn't really started yet.
30) forgood bourbon.

There. And more could be typed. But these will have to wait for another time. I am thankful there are way more than thirty reason to be thankful - almost every day.

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Almost Too Much Day

Today
I
drove alone
 to an art exhibit
in The Cities

Then
drove
to an 
art supply store
in The Cities

I paid attention
almost too long

The brain has stopped for now
But it is hiding
Wondrous
Things

A Day

Today:

I finished listening to "All Quiet on the Western Front." In light of yesterday's bombing in Manchester, England I am once again left numb and void of reasonable thought. Dead is dead. Even while in the midst of the novel, written by a veteran, I  cannot imagine the horrors of the real Great War. Watching the many real time videos and news reports from Manchester I cannot imagine the true horror of being at the venue.

So I shallowly watch a bunch of multi-millionaires play "serious" basketball. And I keep trying to paint and draw images and words that might matter to someone.

Yesterday's efforts yielded this work-in-progress. Another in the Bear Dream Series. 12" x 12". Acrylic on canvas. No, I have don't know what I'm doing. I only know that a "plain" dancing bear is starting to get boring. And so one tries things. We shall see if future work on this piece will be "successful." Do the work. Dare to play. Sometimes playing is hard to do. Sometimes play gets serious.

Now it's time to get back to the basketball game.
Art fairs have been applied to. 
Emails have been answered. Not enough, but some.
I am done adulting for today.

Bourbon, anyone? I'm pouring.

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Sunshine

Sunshine happened here today. 
Almost all day. 
It was Glorious.

SUNSHINE

But the garden soil is sodden and hard. 
So much for working the ground earlier.
A farmer must deal with what is.
Not what a farmer wishes things would be.

The tomatoes in the ground do not look happy.
The ones NOT in the ground look eager to be planted.
They do not know what might be in store for their tender little roots. And stems. And leaves.

Beets are planted.
Kale? Not yet. Soon.

This may not be the year for basil.
We will see how things work out.
Playing with dill this year. 
And  viney plants.

Sunflowers, too. And zinnias.
And fennel for particular butterflies.

On to the coming months' adventures.
And hope for sun.
And crops.

Grey Cold Wet

Grey.

Cold. 

Wet.

Seems to be forever so. And SO much more rain yesterday. Farmers' fields are ponds in low spots, and there is standing water in the rows that are already planted. Record set for metro rain amount yesterday.

I planted some spinach and tomatoes late last week - just for spite.

The other plants sit outside - wet, or inside - dry, with mixed but strained emotions. I feel most for the leggy zinnias. They are reaching for the non-existent sun. The basil seen to not care one way or other. the tomatoes are game to get going.

I've been away from "the Front" the past few days. Though our sloppy cold weather keeps mind going back to troops in trenches. No visible rats running around here. And no prisoners of war digging through meager offerings in garbage. No recent shellings. No shellings at all. Perhaps I will be thankful for current weather that only makes me recall a novel, and some of it's grey, wet cold facts.

********************

Today I plan to get to making art. The past weeks I have had  too many uncaring days. These are not good - if one is a professional artist. One must attend to business, work, create a good workplace conducive to creating. (I did do bookkeeping for an hour - sboo hoo.) I have ignored deadlines, getting orders out in a timely manner, and finishing drawings and paintings. This creates a backlog of guilt and stress - all self made. (It sucks Being Aware - hahaha.)

*************

So - on to more healthful eating, more mindful exercise, and an attempt at both waking up and calming the mind. "Simple" things - but hard for some (many) of us. Today starts a re-re-re-re-committing to the basic things I commit to. You know yours. I know mine.

*************

I forget that I'd vowed to have twenty-five percent of my greeting card offerings be "new" designs this season. Time to get crackin.'

It's strange to see these past years' art fair booths. Many bears are moved on. Others still pace around the space. We don't use the wooden trunk for tee shirts now. We should get a classier set up. We are cheap. And this system works for us and our customers.

I often think of our space as more "Mercantile" than "Art Festival Booth." I try catering to "the common person" and "art collector" alike. I do want a person to be able to afford an image I've created. I thrill when a large original is considered for ten minutes and then purchased. I understand when some people can't afford to pay five dollars for a greeting card. Baseline Hope is that most people entering this space are somewhat different - for the better - when they leave. 

Now I have to find a way to rev up spirit to make more live-affirming bruins. Yes, cranky bears CAN make a person smile. But too many cranky bears would not be good. Dance with fake smile while cranky? For now it's the way to go!

*********************

Fare-thee-well,

Sue