It was a nice night for an outing to a well-attended artist reception at the gallery downtown. One of the works of this artist was chosen for this year's film festival poster and program. Her colorful paintings feature rustic rural scenes...old-fashioned gasoline pumps, automobiles rusting in a field, country stores with metal signs nailed to the siding, etc.
We stayed at the reception long enough to speak with and congratulate the artist, visit old friends, and meet a new couple, before moving on to a ballroom dancing session at a local church fellowship hall.
We didn't do any strenuous dancing, since I'm still recuperating from a heart procedure. But we did participate in slow waltzes and foxtrots. I even learned line dancing tonight, although Hubbie wasn't up for it.
Hubbie was the one to suggest we go out tonight, though, and I'm glad he did. It lifted my spirits. My spirits were pretty lifted too when, before we left, he presented me with a circa 1950s handcrafted green bead necklace that I'd been admiring at the museum gift shop. I was already dressed when he gave me the necklace, but was happy to change into an outfit that would better complement the beads.
Looks like the night is ending with severe thunderstorm warnings and tornado watches, though, and I'm not crazy about that!
Friday, March 14, 2008
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Photo Session
Each month, my Hubbie's Master Gardener group has a 30-minute educational program prior to their regular business meeting. Most of the time, the speaker is drawn from among the members, but this morning I was the guest presenter.
My program was on how to photograph flowers. I demonstrated with examples of my own photographs, a few of which appear above, and discussed a few points for improving flower photographs:
*Get close. A camera with macro capabilities is best for getting very close to blooms...mine can get within a few inches. Someone mentioned that there are point and shoot high-pixel cameras that can get within a foot of a subject. Sharply focused photos from that distance could probably be cropped in a computer program to create acceptable close-ups.
*Choose an optimum time for shooting flowers. I prefer an overcast day, or flowers in the shade. If I'm shooting on a sunny day, I prefer the sidelight effects at around 10 a.m. or 3 p.m.
*Flower photos are more interesting if they feature critters, like butterflies, bees, a preying mantis, etc. Mornings are the best time to photograph critters, because they are lethargic then and less apt to be flitting about. Animals and children also add interest to flower photos.
*Try different angles when shooting flowers...the view from beneath a bloom, or pointing the camera upward, getting the sky as background.
More information about photographing flowers can be obtained at www.gardenguides.com, where there is also information on gardening techniques.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Thumbs Down to Food Producers
Spring is only a few days away, and today was a teaser...sunny with temp in the 70s. It was a glorious day to get out and run around town.
First stop was a bookstore, where Mother and I perused cookbooks featuring no-salt recipes. We found one that has several tasty-looking dishes, as well as other recipes that we think we can adapt.
Several recipes call for no-salt bouillon, so one of our stops included a grocery store to pick up both chicken and beef bouillon. Unfortunately, I failed to read the labels for food dye information until I got home. Wouldn't you know, both have yellow dyes, and I'm allergic to yellow dyes. The dyes are not in regular bouillon we have on hand, so why must it be in the no-salt varieties?
While at the grocery store, I also looked for a one-a-day multi-vitamin specific to women. All of them contain yellow dye. The only multi-vitamin I found without yellow dye was a formula for men.
It's getting pretty frustrating trying to find products that I can safely use. And I'm getting more and more angry with food and vitamin producers.
First stop was a bookstore, where Mother and I perused cookbooks featuring no-salt recipes. We found one that has several tasty-looking dishes, as well as other recipes that we think we can adapt.
Several recipes call for no-salt bouillon, so one of our stops included a grocery store to pick up both chicken and beef bouillon. Unfortunately, I failed to read the labels for food dye information until I got home. Wouldn't you know, both have yellow dyes, and I'm allergic to yellow dyes. The dyes are not in regular bouillon we have on hand, so why must it be in the no-salt varieties?
While at the grocery store, I also looked for a one-a-day multi-vitamin specific to women. All of them contain yellow dye. The only multi-vitamin I found without yellow dye was a formula for men.
It's getting pretty frustrating trying to find products that I can safely use. And I'm getting more and more angry with food and vitamin producers.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Ragtime Band
It's a shame more folks didn't turn out to hear a lively ragtime band from another state in concert at a local college last night. The band of seven older musicians is primarily a teaching group who will conduct workshops for school children today.
The group's leader noted that uniquely American syncopated ragtime music, originating in African-American communities, came into being around 1895 and was very popular until the dawn of the jazz era, about 1920.
Scott Joplin, known as the "King of Ragtime" is probably the most well-known ragtime composer/pianist. So of course the band played samples of his music, including, "The Entertainer," familiar to most of us as the theme music for the 1973 movie, "The Sting."
It was a very uplifting concert, especially enjoyed by a group of elderly folks from a local assisted living facility. One tiny, bent, and fragile-looking lady, who appeared to be at least 90 years old, accepted the band's invitation to audience members to dance in the aisles if they wished. Supported by her young, strong, female assistant, she stepped sprightly to two fast-paced tunes.
The rest of us just kept our seats, applauding that lady's courage and spunk, and enjoying the music.
The group's leader noted that uniquely American syncopated ragtime music, originating in African-American communities, came into being around 1895 and was very popular until the dawn of the jazz era, about 1920.
Scott Joplin, known as the "King of Ragtime" is probably the most well-known ragtime composer/pianist. So of course the band played samples of his music, including, "The Entertainer," familiar to most of us as the theme music for the 1973 movie, "The Sting."
It was a very uplifting concert, especially enjoyed by a group of elderly folks from a local assisted living facility. One tiny, bent, and fragile-looking lady, who appeared to be at least 90 years old, accepted the band's invitation to audience members to dance in the aisles if they wished. Supported by her young, strong, female assistant, she stepped sprightly to two fast-paced tunes.
The rest of us just kept our seats, applauding that lady's courage and spunk, and enjoying the music.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Quilts
Yesterday (Sunday) was a gorgeous, balmy day for an afternoon outing to the museum to see an exhibit of quilts and hear quilters talk about the craft.
Neither Mother nor I are quilters, but we are awed by the creativity of those who are. Quilting is in danger of becoming a dying art, though, because most young women are not interested in taking it up. And local clubs that still hold quilting bees are suffering dwindling membership as older members drop out for health reasons, or die.
A nearby club still meets regularly each Tuesday and Thursday, from noon to 4 p.m. A few of its members are currently devoting Tuesday afternoons to the museum, where they are demonstrating quilting. Anyone who wants to learn the craft can sit and stitch with these women.
Apparently, once a woman catches the quilting fever, it lasts a lifetime, as evidenced by an active member of that club who is in her 90s.
One quilter yesterday gave a brief history of quilt-making, using information she found on the Internet. Some sites she referred to are: www.quilt.com/History/QuiltingBee; http://www.womenfolk.com/quilting%20history/quilting; and www.backwoodshome.com/articles/parkin22.
Another quilter read a poignant essay she had written for publication. In it, she tells of her personal journey with quilts made by her grandmother and great-grandmother...quilts that warmed her on winter nights, wrapped her in a history of her family, and led her on her own 30-year quilting journey.
Mother and I agree that for us quilting would represent tedium. But we sure to do admire those who find joy and fellowship in such a highly creative activity.
Neither Mother nor I are quilters, but we are awed by the creativity of those who are. Quilting is in danger of becoming a dying art, though, because most young women are not interested in taking it up. And local clubs that still hold quilting bees are suffering dwindling membership as older members drop out for health reasons, or die.
A nearby club still meets regularly each Tuesday and Thursday, from noon to 4 p.m. A few of its members are currently devoting Tuesday afternoons to the museum, where they are demonstrating quilting. Anyone who wants to learn the craft can sit and stitch with these women.
Apparently, once a woman catches the quilting fever, it lasts a lifetime, as evidenced by an active member of that club who is in her 90s.
One quilter yesterday gave a brief history of quilt-making, using information she found on the Internet. Some sites she referred to are: www.quilt.com/History/QuiltingBee; http://www.womenfolk.com/quilting%20history/quilting; and www.backwoodshome.com/articles/parkin22.
Another quilter read a poignant essay she had written for publication. In it, she tells of her personal journey with quilts made by her grandmother and great-grandmother...quilts that warmed her on winter nights, wrapped her in a history of her family, and led her on her own 30-year quilting journey.
Mother and I agree that for us quilting would represent tedium. But we sure to do admire those who find joy and fellowship in such a highly creative activity.
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