Friday, October 31, 2014

Thursday, October 30, 2014

3 Thankfuls times 10

Greetings -

 Today, in no particular order, I am thankful:

1) that I CAN Hear - even though the tinnitus is particularly "loud" this morning.
2) that I am listening to Mozart's music.
3) that the Royals gave 'er a great run, but greater pitching ruled... sigh.
4) that I really didn't have one of "my" teams in the World Series. (The Brewers' loss to St. Louis in
1982 is etched into brain...)
5) that we don't have 22 inches of snow on the ground here now. We did in Gurney, WI, during the                  1982 World Series.



6) we have electricity in the house. (We lost power, due to Oct. '82 snowstorm, for three days.)
7) I don't have to go mild cows this twice today. (We had to dump our milk during the 3 days without power during....)
8) there is a short green forest of Mr. Jade plants to my left.
9) we have lots of stuff ready for Peggy's Holiday Boutique  - though I wish most of it was there already. Guess what we're doing today?
10) that my chiropractor appointment could be moved to a later time this afternoon.
11) that Todd gets to go to bowling tonight.
12) that the birds and squirrels are chomping on the goodies put out for them.
13) that A. A. Milne wrote the "Winnie the Pooh" stories. (I am Eeyore. Tigger, AND Piglet)



14) that I'm "giving" myself the Time to type 30 Thankful Things. Give yourself more time - you deserve it!
15) that the Memory Jar is quite full, thought I forget to put even more Memories in to it.
16) that we have a "free" weekend coming up/
17) that we have three different-sized paper cutters, because each size is best for a particular purpose.
18) that I don't care if there are typos in this post.
19) that a friend was Thrilled to get last month's copy of "Poets and Writers" magazine. I got a good deal on subscription, read the issues, never act on them. She just might!
20) that one candle is burning this morning.
21) that there are others on standby.
22) that Douglas Adams wrote: "I seldom end up where I wanted to go, but almost always end up where I need to be."
23) for a second cup of hot tea.
24) Todd helped price magnets last night.
25) Todd bought regular potato chips last night.
26) the Stillwater information desk librarian let me print label sheets in the printer. (Yes, I remembered to check the paper drawer so that the next person printing wouldn't get a sheet or two done on label paper!)
27) that now I have a brand new printer to learn how to use! (...)
28) for breakfast-eating options.
29) "blog" can be checked off today's To Do List!
30) that Good Thoughts and Prayers are zinging from one heart to another through our quirky Facebook and non-Facebook universe.

A) that there are even more things I'm thankful for!

But on to prepping more bears for Grand Hand Gallery in St. Paul, Peggy's Holiday Boutique, and other venues!

Kansas City Royals - here's to "Next Year!"

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Polar Time

Here is the polar bear beauty lounging in "cave" entrance at the zoo in Omaha, Nebraska. Photo is much-cropped. In fact I am still amazed at what our "cheap" digital cameras can do these days!

Customers have been requesting more polar bears as subjects. It will be fun to work from bears actually experiences, versus ones inspired by books or imagination.



This bear had two expressions the whole time we watched. Eyes shut. Eyes open. Maybe a few paw variations. You work with what you've got. Yes, I did sketch from life - just a few lines in a small sketchbook. It was fun to study the bear's form - such as I could see it.

A visit to St. Paul's Como Park polars is long over-due. Sure - there will be time in the Winter to check them out. And I still haven't seen the grizzly bears at The Minnesota Zoo. Sheesh.

Now it's time to cheer on the Kansas City Royals and see if they can tie up this World Series.

Baseball is not boring.
And neither are brooding bruins!

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

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

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Pork: Pre-Bacon.

Hogs, pigs, swine, porkers. they always leave me with mixed emotions.

THEY ARE SMART.
THEY ARE DELICIOUS.

In art school days at the University of Wisconsin - River Falls, I was known for my pig drawings. The reason I DREW pigs is a long short story for another time. Faculty members purchased my pigs. Classmates and teachers would leave pig-inspired gifts in my studio space. It got a little weird.

After graduation I did not draw anything for many many years. Really. Then the bears happened. At an art fair several years ago a customer asked if I ever did any other animals. "What do you have in mind?," I asked. "I really like pigs," she said.

Done and done. But only a few and only as card designs. (Time passed.)

Today it felt like time to draw a  porker.
Yay for State Fair photographs!

Here is a blurry model from this year's Minnesota State Fair:



Yes, I wish I'd spent more time focusing. (That's an issue in way more of life's areas than photographing livestock...) Yes, that is it's tongue.


One of my many 5" x 7" spiral-bound sketchbooks was hunted down. A plain old graphite pencil got sharpened. Let the drawing begin!! Yes, I was listening to a football game. Football? Pigskin? Just the way it goes.

Here is the somewhat finished drawing.



Yes, those are eraser marks. No, the sketch isn't perfect. But it sure was fun. I might go back and re-work some things. Or, I'll probably simply do another drawing.

Tomorrow holds the start of putting up our booth at Roseville, MN's "Peggy's Holiday Boutique. This show does take a crew over five days to create, but once it's open - What a place to shop!

Now it's time to publish post,  have a sip of tea, and be glad this pig had such a lovely glint in its eye.

Try not to lose yours - Glint on!

And Fare-thee-well,
Sue

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

P.S.: No, we probably won't have bacon for dinner. But for breakfast tomorrow - most likely.

Saturday, October 25, 2014

It's O.K.

      

It's O.K. when your Interests Overlap.

Seriously.

                                

Friday, October 24, 2014

Thirty Thankfuls

In no particular order -  today I am Thankful for:

1) getting in a three mile walk this afternoon, while chatting with friend on phone during part of trek.
2) making kale chips with kale still green from the garden.
3) Etta James.
4) plenty of work to do.
5) having lots to ponder from four days away in Omaha and Des Moines.
6) wonderful Art in Omaha and Des Moines.
7) RED Maple leaves.
8) the blue jays that seemed to be enjoying the dried corn put out on patio steps.
9) ditto - the squirrels.
10) cutting our travels a few days short so we can enjoy semi-vacation days here at home.
11) the the beets and chard still hanging in there with the kale in the garden.
12) taking the time to clean some counter space in kitchen. Space is good.
13) The art and ballet books I bought on trip. One was $2.00; the other was $1.00.
14) the tea bowl purchased at an Omaha art gallery. Yes, the shape and glaze spoke to me.
15) taking the time to walk to Iowa from Nebraska over the Missouri River.
16) the chatty docents at the Des Moines Art Center. No, I didn't start the conversations!
17) the Halston/Warhol exhibition at the above art center. So many of Halston pieces are Classics!
18) the Green Bay Packers playing on broadcast TV this Sunday night.
19) our small Christmas cactus starting to bud.
20) not having an art fair this weekend.
21) having some art events in near future.
22) the mild weather of late.
23) Stevie Ray Vaughn.
24) still being able to wear a certain size jeans.
25) a fully-charged iPod.
26) Todd and my fortune cookie fortunes tonight.
27) more time.
28) being able to cheer for a certain team in the World Series, even though I don't have a "personal" team in the event. (Makes a shallow fan's life much easier when one's "own" team isn't playing.)
29) thinking about Spring bulbs.
30) not caring about Halloween so much, but already thinking of Thanksgiving.

A) knowing that there are many more than thirty things to be Thankful for.

Fare-thee-well!
Sue

www.suerowe.com
Sue-Rowe-Studios (Facebook Page)

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Pondering

Greetings -

Have been on a long-needed few days away in Central Midwest.
We enjoyed Omaha, Nebraska, for two days.

Some Doings, Observations, Suggestions:

Don't order the Texas Roadkill at Texas Roadhouse. Almost ANYTHING else would have more flavor than the poor chunks of beef that were on my plate. I should have sent it back, but some sort of Midwestern "nice-ness" came over me. Argh!! Todd let me pour some of his steak's juices over the pile of onions, cheese, and meat I was served. helped a little. (His steak was fine.) Potato and salad were fine. I just got reasonably miffed and disappointed, but didn't act to improve situation. Lesson: If you are paying for a decent meal do your best to GET a decent meal.

First mission was to visit the Henry Doorly Zoo. Childhood memories of "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom" television program were re-ignited with one area's large images of Marlin Perkins and Jim Fowler. We spent four and a half hours on the grounds. Missed a few areas - have to save some experiences for next time - but got to go at a leisurely pace and enjoy a beautiful day. The bears weren't particularly cooperative, but I got to sketch the polar bear's head as it lazed in the sunny opening of it's "den." We got to see the large male giraffe stand up from it's resting folded-legs position. It happened amazingly quickly. He's down. He's WAAAY up! Other zoo high-lights were: walking through the desserts under the huge geodesic dome, feeding the  huge masses of koi swimming in the aviary area, becoming aware of various programs the zoo is involved in helping save a number of species around the world, and, oddly enough, having fun watching the prairie dogs as they did prairie dog stuff in non-fenced-off area of zoo. (Todd and I are both suckers for "cute" rodents.)

Later we  walked around the shops in the Old Market area of town. I even bought a tea bowl in an excellent art gallery! We passed through a strange antique-thrift shop where the shop-keeper didn't really note us, but never stopped talking to his small fluffy dog. Had pizza for dinner; even found a place that served a gluten-free rice flour version for me.

(Breakfast time - will focus on Omaha's Art with next typings.)

Today, on to Des Moines!

- Sue



Monday, October 20, 2014

Goal 1

The goal is to keep the Spirit feeling Green throughout the Winter that is soon to be upon us.

Thanks, Swiss Chard. You started slowly, but am hanging in there.

Now to feel Summer warmth and joy when thawing the chard recently frozen for Winter use.

Yay, GREEN!!!!!



                                 Yes, sometimes the day is flawed and slightly out of focus....



Reality is Full of Layers

This photograph was shot as more a guess and hope than "I can see this through the viewfinder." I like it more the longer I look at it. 

On to the day. On to setting and meeting the challenges and goals.

On to a few more art events. 
But, first, on to treating brain and soul to a few days "off."

On to lighting the candles.

Fare-thee-well!

- Sue
www.suerowe.com
FB page: Sue-Rowe-Studios


Saturday, October 4, 2014

Saturday Art Fair

This weekend holds the Fall Colors Fine Art and Jazz Festival in Stillwater, MN. Booth #8 for us.

Usually we are up in Bayfield, Wi at the Apple Festival. This year we are fighting the elements here.

To be worn , and in a particular order (not listed) - tee shirt, long sleeved shirt, sweatshirt, sweater, goosedown vest, hooded goosedown coat, gloves, hand and foot warmers, Kromer cap, Sorel boots, two pairs of wool socks, leggings, and scarf and/or other cap, if needed.

Yay, for these Crisp Autumn Days?!? It didn't freeze or snow here last night. Did snow Up North. Tonight - frost here -  maybe.... Crops are covered.



On to the setting up and the sitting down. And Remember to bring the Thermos!!!!

There are LOTS of wonderful arts events through-out Minnesota and Wisconsin this weekend. Go see Art!! Or simply marvel at nature and her infinite ways of driving us crazy.

Next week - Red Wing!

Fare-thee-well,
Sue