Art
Weekly Photo Challenge: Inside Pastel Portraits
Most of my life has been spent as a student of the arts, visual, literary and performing.
I don’t write as much as I used to, but then I don’t read as much either. I was raised in a musical and artistic family so I have played various instruments and sing. Took dance lessons for many years and used to be a dance teacher into my early thirties.
I have always loved the visual arts and have studied with various artists of my liking rather than taking additional courses in a school. I never cared for my art classes throughout my student career. I found the teachers to be to rigid and the class much too structured. I started going to art shows in the early 70’s and when I found local artists with techniques I liked, I would ask them if they also taught. Some did and some did not. One older gentleman sketched beautiful pastel portraits. I saw him in a few shows and asked him if he taught, he said no and that was that. I saw him in another show, again he told me he did not want to teach at this time. Being retired he still had a part-time job and was not interested. After he was widowed a couple of years later he was at another show and asked me if I was still interested in learning pastels, which I was because there were not many local artists in this medium that were as talented. He said he had a few other people that were interested and decided to go ahead. I was so happy! He was a great teacher and I really learned a lot. I have not done much pastels lately and wish I had taken pictures of some of my older commissioned work that was given away or sold. I didn’t used to take my art that seriously, but I would never dream of letting any work go without a number of pictures to add to my portfolio now.
Below is a slide show of a couple of my “homework projects” given when I was first learning. I have also included a few finished pieces.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Perspective
Weekly Photo Challenge: Abandoned
When I think of the word abandoned I don’t think of buildings. I think of being abandoned and others that have suffered the same fate.
I think of the crucifixion of Christ.
Daily Prompt: We Got the Beat
I do come from a musical family on both sides.
My mother’s side it’s mostly piano and organ. My Aunt Ruth used to be the church organist for a while back in the 1940’s in Detroit.
My father’s side is mostly string, guitar and banjo. I remember some really awesome hootenannies with my dad’s relatives when we went “down south.” Back in the day, most people did play some kind of instrument. My parents were beatniks and while most of his relatives were country, my dad favored folk music and used to play some of the clubs in metro Detroit in the 1960’s.
I have never been great at any musical instrument and only sang with a few people back in the day in reviews, festivals and on stage with Ron Coden for some teen happening before he starting hosting the children’s program “Hot Fudge.”
My instrument of choice was always the guitar but I also used to play the banjo and mandolin as well as the piano.
I have no photos of me entertaining as a musician.
So I’m posting a retro picture my hubby took of me practicing sometime in the 1970’s. Love my go-go boots!
Weekly Photo Challenge: Threes
Took some shots of the moon one night, impressed by the passing clouds. The cloud formations gives the appearance of a bright ball being tossed on the waves.
Enough With The Comfort Food Already!
This has been a long, hard winter for all of us. I am sick of the severe cold and all the shoveling and I’m sure most of you agree.
I lost my job, again, right before the holidays and my only sister soon after. It looks like I will be losing my home by the end of this year unless I find another job soon and I have to say I have not had the time nor the inclination to look under the circumstances.
Being snowed in and being depressed does not make for a healthy person mentally or physically when you decide to self-medicate with food. I do not drink or have any other vices and have found through the years what a great comfort food can really be. One of my overweight friends once explained to me “You cannot eat and cry at the same time.” I see what she is talking about now because for most of my life, I would lose my appetite if I was upset about anything. Now I become ravenous!
I am still working out regularly, but not happy with the fact that I had managed to lose over 20lbs last year and have now found myself putting that weight right back on again.
I have tried to take walks on several occasions only to start slipping and sliding on the mess that has continued for the last two months in my area so about the only time I am out is when I have to get supplies. I dig out if the snow is deep enough. For a couple of inches of snow I just drive right over it all. The unfortunate result of this is that snow becomes so compacted down that I am not able to shovel it at a later date because of the severely cold temperatures.
This comfort food actually comforts my stomach as well.
Po’ Girl’s Rice Pudding
Combine 2 cups cooked rice with 2 cups milk and 1/4 cup sugar. Cook on medium-low heat stirring regularly for approximately 20 minutes until thickened. Then add an additional 1/2 cup warm milk with one beaten egg (to temper egg), one teaspoon vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder stirring continuously for an additional 10 minutes or so. I slowly added a few spoonfuls of the cooked pudding to the 1/2 cup with the egg before adding this to the hot pudding to prevent the egg from curdling.
This makes a very delicious, but not super sweet rice pudding that I much prefer to store-bought. Much better for your sugar levels. The following video gives you an idea of how thick the pudding becomes when it is almost done. Please stir enough to prevent scorching keeping your eye on the heat, adjusting as needed.
2014 Winter of Our Discontent
After a seemingly endless, brutal winter…
“I shall revenge myself in the cruelest way you can imagine. I shall forget it.” Perfect quote from John Steinbeck “The Winter of Our Discontent.”
Hearty Vegetarian Soup
Place the onion, carrots, turnip, potato and squash in the pot of water that covers the vegetables at least a couple inches and bring to a boil, turning down to a simmer for approximately 30 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients bringing back to a boil. Turn heat to the lowest setting to simmer an additional 30 minutes or until the pasta gets soft which should only take an additional 15 minutes. Don’t be afraid to experiment with the ingredients and seasoning to your taste but this soup was delicious! The amount of the vegan bouillon or soup base depends on the amount of water you use and soup you end up with. This soup did not need any thickening due to some of the vegetables breaking down and the small amount of tomato paste.
Please see the following slide gallery for dessert!
Po’ Girl’s Peanut Butter Cookies
Weekly Photo Challenge: Juxtaposition
Noticed the contrast of the one beautiful living flower against the background of the dead ones and the cold stone.
The bright windows peaking out from behind the tree branch.
A reflection from ? looking like a cross appeared on the side of an old garage in my neighborhood a few years ago. A light against the grunge.
created after all the solar flare warnings. Fire and ice!
Using PhotoDraw cutout and filled with dry earth.
Po' Girl Shines 
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