Does everyone have the aforementioned Beatles song in their head? You should!
We've been fortunate to have lots o' sunny days around here. Coupled with the sun and long walks, I've managed to bring a little color back to my cheeks after a while with little exposure to the sun. Nothing else has been kissed, b/c it's still cold enough to wear a coat and gloves. In fact, it's getting to be a little too cold to take a nice long walk right now. (It was 9 degrees today, without the windchill factor.)
One of the things I really love about living in the Tundra Triangle is the potential trails for a walk/hike/run. While I'm still not running, my knees have been fantastic with all the snow walking I've been doing. Baker gives me more motivation to go out, b/c he's a dog that needs a lot of free play.
There are so many little nooks right outside my door and down the block. The "Tundra Triangle" is the shape that connects Nunap. to Akula to Akiuk and back. Round trip it's about 6.5 miles. Baker & I have walked it a few times recently. Duane went along last Friday. Maybe a couple of weeks ago I took an impromptu hike of about 13 miles. I need to go onto Google Earth to see. I walked to Akula (3 m.) to drop off an NYO roster. Afterwards, I decided to go out to Fox Lake (3.? round trip) b/c I haven't been there for a long time and it's really a wonderful get away. Then, I still had time in the day, my body was urging, my mind was still wound, and the dog was still prancing. So, we took the long route via the river back to Nunap. If I remember correctly from a friend's measurement it's 9 m. (Akula loop past NUP and back). Maybe it was more like 12 m. overall. At any rate it felt good, good, good.
I don't have many photos. Most of them are on my cell. phone and I haven't been patient enough to plod through Bluetooth hoops. But, I'll post a couple once I get them onto the computer.
29 March 2010
17 March 2010
Ransom Jameson {03-26-83 to 03-16-10}
I love you.
...Genius, quirky, gentle, silly, kind, creative, true...
Owed to my brother/cousin Ransom.
You will forever be alive in my heart.
07 March 2010
Creativity = Fulfillment
Moderation Is Not A Negation of Intensity, But Helps Avoid Monotony
John Tagliabue
Will you stop for a while, stop trying to pull yourself
together
for some clear "meaning" - some momentary summary?
no one
can have poetry or dances, prayers or climaxes all day;
the ordinary
blankness of little dramatic consciousness is good for the
health sometimes,
only Dostoevsky can be Dostoevskian at such long
long tumultuous stretches;
look what that intensity did to poor great Van Gogh;
linger, lunge,
scrounge and be stupid, that doesn't take much centering
of one's forces;
as wise Whitman said "lounge and invite the soul." Get
enough sleep;
and now only because (as Cocteau said) "poetry is the
literature of sleep";
be a dumb bell for a few minutes at least; we don't want
Sunday church bells
ringing constantly.
When Deanna read this I was reminded of a quote on a Yogi Tea bag, "A relaxed mind is a creative mind." {That quote is also part of another art project I did on C-mas day using a bunch of Yogi Tea quotes.} Relaxation must be a mindful thing; it seems often neglected in lieu of other tasks.
Friday Deanna & I decided to get together in the evening, eat & be creative. So, I packed my dog on the snow-go & we zipped over to Akiuk, 2.5 m. away. She also has a dog that Baker is friends w/, Lola.
I haven't been keeping my initial "do something artful weekly" promise to myself. This filled the void, for both of us. It was really satisfying to spend hours being creative, listening to music, & in good company. I ended up staying the night b/c I was going to spend some time w/ another person in Akiuk the next day. (Plus, it was -30 w/ the wind chill & I was too lazy to drive home.) She ended up going to Bethel, so Deanna & I spent the better 1/2 of Saturday continuing our creativity, adding in some poetry reading & "The Office" watching. #_#
The products...
The first one here was practice using the "How To Draw Graphic Novels" booklet I have. It was the first time I used Sharpie markers to shade though.
This Korean flutist should be finished now. The inception of it dawned in 2002 & remained a head w/ partial torso & the moon w/ clouds in the background. I completed most of it by Jan. 1st this year. Saturday I went back to touch up some shading, mostly w/ the plants & clouds.
I want the door to look weathered w/ deep cracks in between the planks. It's not working so far. I think I like it better the way it was w/ more red coloring. It was started in 2004, returned to in 2009, and now again. This one is still a work in progress.
Deanna used some photos she'd taken during her AlCan Hwy. trek last summer as models for her watercolor pencil drawings. One was a landscape scene seen through tree branches. The other was the sunset in her side view mirror. They turned out really nice.
What's next? --- I need to practice proportions of the head more. Then, I'll go back to practicing the expressions. So, I went ahead & set up the book so I can dive right in next time.
To top the great weekend off, Maria hosted a belated Lunar New Year mini-feast Saturday evening. She & Jacquie served maybe 30 people a variety of Asian delectables: wonton soup, egg drop soup, stir fry (a few kinds), salun'aq (raw, salt cured salmon), & salmon dip.
John Tagliabue
Will you stop for a while, stop trying to pull yourself
together
for some clear "meaning" - some momentary summary?
no one
can have poetry or dances, prayers or climaxes all day;
the ordinary
blankness of little dramatic consciousness is good for the
health sometimes,
only Dostoevsky can be Dostoevskian at such long
long tumultuous stretches;
look what that intensity did to poor great Van Gogh;
linger, lunge,
scrounge and be stupid, that doesn't take much centering
of one's forces;
as wise Whitman said "lounge and invite the soul." Get
enough sleep;
and now only because (as Cocteau said) "poetry is the
literature of sleep";
be a dumb bell for a few minutes at least; we don't want
Sunday church bells
ringing constantly.
When Deanna read this I was reminded of a quote on a Yogi Tea bag, "A relaxed mind is a creative mind." {That quote is also part of another art project I did on C-mas day using a bunch of Yogi Tea quotes.} Relaxation must be a mindful thing; it seems often neglected in lieu of other tasks.
Friday Deanna & I decided to get together in the evening, eat & be creative. So, I packed my dog on the snow-go & we zipped over to Akiuk, 2.5 m. away. She also has a dog that Baker is friends w/, Lola.
I haven't been keeping my initial "do something artful weekly" promise to myself. This filled the void, for both of us. It was really satisfying to spend hours being creative, listening to music, & in good company. I ended up staying the night b/c I was going to spend some time w/ another person in Akiuk the next day. (Plus, it was -30 w/ the wind chill & I was too lazy to drive home.) She ended up going to Bethel, so Deanna & I spent the better 1/2 of Saturday continuing our creativity, adding in some poetry reading & "The Office" watching. #_#
The products...
The first one here was practice using the "How To Draw Graphic Novels" booklet I have. It was the first time I used Sharpie markers to shade though.
This Korean flutist should be finished now. The inception of it dawned in 2002 & remained a head w/ partial torso & the moon w/ clouds in the background. I completed most of it by Jan. 1st this year. Saturday I went back to touch up some shading, mostly w/ the plants & clouds.
I want the door to look weathered w/ deep cracks in between the planks. It's not working so far. I think I like it better the way it was w/ more red coloring. It was started in 2004, returned to in 2009, and now again. This one is still a work in progress.
Deanna used some photos she'd taken during her AlCan Hwy. trek last summer as models for her watercolor pencil drawings. One was a landscape scene seen through tree branches. The other was the sunset in her side view mirror. They turned out really nice.
What's next? --- I need to practice proportions of the head more. Then, I'll go back to practicing the expressions. So, I went ahead & set up the book so I can dive right in next time.
To top the great weekend off, Maria hosted a belated Lunar New Year mini-feast Saturday evening. She & Jacquie served maybe 30 people a variety of Asian delectables: wonton soup, egg drop soup, stir fry (a few kinds), salun'aq (raw, salt cured salmon), & salmon dip.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)