#Inktober Part 2

Inktober is winding to a close. It's been a fun challenge. Here's the next ten doodles....

This last piece is an oil painting, a collaboration with my awesome friend Barbara Malley. The word of the day was "deep".

More on the way!

Best thoughts,

Marilyn.

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"Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life." ~ Pablo Picasso 

Inktober

Hello and hello!

This year I decided to participate in #Inktober. 31 Days 31 Drawings.
Every October artists all over the world take on the Inktober drawing challenge and do one ink drawing a day the entire month. 

There's a prompt list with a "word of the day" that has been helpful. The sketchbook is from the dollar store. Here are the first ten days. 

It's been a fun brain teaser and good practice. More to come! 

Marilyn.



--


 The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne.

 ~ Chaucer

Avalon

Twenty- six miles across the sea
Santa Catalina is a-waitin' for me

My awesome sister and I spent a lovely Saturday visiting the tiny seaside town of Avalon on Catalina Island. It was drizzling in Newport Beach when we left and windy. We decided that the sea air was "brisk". (The first rule of traveling in our family is "no grumbling") The ride was only an hour so we arrived ready for adventure and a warm meal.

After a hot lunch of burritos and drawing in our sketchbooks we were much revived. The sun came out and we made our way to the Catalina Island Museum. There was a Chihuly glass exhibit on display. I had seen photos of his installations but was not prepared for the mesmerizing beauty of his work.

There were explosions of color around every corner. 

 There were also bits of Catalina tile everywhere.

We took a leisurely stroll down to the casino, an art deco landmark from the twenties, then wandered back in to town and in and out of shops. It was a completely pleasant day, over too soon. Grey clouds were rolling in as we left and the ride back was shorter and colder.

I'm looking forward to returning to Catalina again soon.

(Note to self, take a warm jacket for the boat ride)

Marilyn.

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"There is nothing--absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats."
- Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows

Avocado Toast and Too Many Books

Sometimes it is nice just to go out on a Sunday for brunch. The hub and I did just that today at a local place called The Outpost. They have the best coffee cups and great sourdough toast.

We had a good time talking about summer and books.

Now I have a Kindle I can read again. I dug up my college reading list and want to go back and reread the books that I missed. Heck, I want to reread the whole thing. Most of the books that I read when I was in school I really didn't understand at all. What do you know about life when you're twenty?

I also found this website that estimates how many books you have time left to read based on your reading habits. I'm going to have to up my game from average to voracious. 

What's on your reading list?

Marilyn.

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“Books are a uniquely portable magic.”
~ Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
   

"Are you rich?"

For a while now we've been getting together with a few neighbors and having "Yoga Night" We all pitch in ten bucks for the instructor, push the furniture to the walls and roll our mats on the floor.

At first it was horrible. I'm built with all the grace of a sea manatee. All this "Warrior Poses" and Downward Dog" seemed silly to me and made me feel dumpy and awkward. We'd stand on one leg balancing precariously. Our ever patient instructor would say, "Now grow your tree" and I'd wave my hands in the air before falling over like a ficus in a hurricane. It's slowly gotten easier and I reluctantly admit that it has been beneficial.

I've stuck it out because I love seeing my friends and we all potluck afterwards.  The prospect of a delicious meal and some Merlot is a strong motivator. We pick a theme every week for the dinner, Indian, Middle Eastern, Japanese, Italian. We try to keep it fairly healthy and it's always a feast of food and interesting conversations.

One of our group is in college and when she told a friend that we get together for private yoga lessons at her house the friend asked incredulously, "Are you rich?" 

It got me thinking. Yes, we are rich, not so much in money, rather in health and time and mostly in good friends. Now we're planning more inexpensive things to do this summer. Any suggestions?

Best thoughts,

Marilyn

 --

 Don't be afraid to attempt something new.

 Remember, it was amateurs who built the ark.

 It was professionals who built the Titanic.

Norse Mythology

My hub got me a copy of Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology for my birthday. I loved everything about it, except that I was sad when it ended and wished it would have been 900 pages.

 I also bought a Kindle today. I find it hard to read paper books because my eyesight is rubbish so I'm hoping that it will be easier to read books electronically. (I read books on my phone all the time but it is rather small.)

What books are you reading? What authors do you recommend?

Best thoughts,

Marilyn


--

“I tried to imagine myself a long time ago, in the lands where these stories were first told, during the long winter nights perhaps, under the glow of the northern lights,” 

~ Neil Gaiman, Norse Mythology

“Because,” said Thor, “when something goes wrong, the first thing I always think is, it is Loki’s fault. It saves a lot of time.” 

~ Neil Gaiman, Norse Mythology

“Happiness, not in another place but this place…not for another hour, but this hour.” ~ Walt Whitman

Gentleness

 Wishing you a gentle day.





There is nothing stronger in this world than gentleness.
~ Han Suyin

A cuppa Ukulele Sunshine for you.

Here's a little bit of sunny from my 86-year-old mom and me. We are a bunch of nuts.

--

There is no happiness like that of being loved by your fellow-creatures, and feeling that your presence is an addition to their comfort.
 
Charlotte Brontë