Superbowlzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz, trees,pears, and my dog in the snow

It’s Superbowl Sunday and unlike most people I couldn’t care less. I just asked the Husband how many points did one team get when they scored a touchdown. (I knew, really, I was just checking.) He stared at me and asked me what country I was born in. I’d rather be watching the puppy bowl. I have been switching back and forth.  The Husband doesn’t mind.  A puppy just got a penalty of five yards for tail biting.  How cute is that?

It’s cold and they are predicting more snow tonight just in time to make tomorrow’s commute a joy. At least they are not talking about another snowpocalypse.

I did some tree practice.  Above are some birch trees.   Below a really fun spatter tree.

Another tree style using a flat brush, working wet in wet on damp paper.  And some pears below because everyone loves painting pears.

And here’s a picture of my doggie in the snow.  For those of you who’ve asked, she’s wearing what’s called “a gentle leader” or a “haltie” and not a muzzle. The gentle leader allows someone like me to walk a 90+ lb dog and control her.  I’m giving her a five yard penalty for laying in the snow and not wanting to walk!

 

Wasting time waiting for it to stop snowing and blow it out your….

Straw.  (What did you think I was going to say?)

Friends Patricia, Joan and I got together for some food, painting and, of course, laughing.   Patricia had seen someone on YouTube paint a tree with watercolor and a straw. So we gave it a try.   It was hilarious and fun.  Here are the results.

It will never stop snowing here.  Ever.  Gothamist just posted this:  More Snow Expected To Hit City Today, Possibly Every Day For Eternity!  Since it’s so cold and snowy out, there are any number of Buzzfeed tests on the internet to pass the time until Spring.  And since I can kill time like nobody’s business, I’ve been enjoying (although not agreeing) with a number of them:

What state do you actually belong in?  (I got NH, then PA then TN)

What career should you have?  (Humanitarian – stop laughing, then Professor)

Which Star Trek character are you? (Chekov)

What font are you?  I got Courier.  My friend Judy got Futura. She said “I was sure I had a serif in me but apparently I was sans serif.”

And in case you didn’t know, here are the 5 stages of Winter:

Here’s to April!

Beards, completed works, and happy 4th of July!

Gowanus Canal at Union Street looking North 1/2 sheet 140# CP Arches

Misty trees – 1/2 sheet 140# Arches CP

Lately I’ve noticed so many young men with big, full beards.  I am not a fan of big, full beards.  They look itchy.   And I always think food gets caught in them. When I see someone in the neighborhood with a big beard my mind goes through the following list:

• Hasidic? – Probable considering where I live.  There’s even a site called hasid or hipster.
• Muslim? – Ditto.
• Amish?   – Possible but not probable.
• A member of ZZ Top?  Doubtful.
• Hipster?  YES!!!

What is up with beards lately?  And why are so many of them red?  Even when the guy’s hair is not.  Why do hipsters embrace beards?   And why are they all so skinny.  (The hipsters, not the beards?)   And why do they often complement that look with a fedora?  I have so many questions.

Now of course there’s another definition for a beard.  That’s the lady friend of a gay man who does not want to be seen as a gay man.  But there were no beards out today during the always fun and amusing Gay Pride parade today in Manhattan.

I’ve completed these two paintings and now need to start something else. I find it interesting that the palette in both paintings are similar.  The Husband, who has been making noises about moving out west even noticed it.  I told him we can frame them together as a country/city duo.

Happy 4th of July to all of you in the USA.

New Jersey Mocks Me

Last week the husband and I had to go to New Jersey.   The “Garden State.”  Should be called “the Jug Handle State.”  Or the “No Left Turn” state.  Or “whatever plans you had on getting somewhere I’m gonna get you supremely lost” state.   Or… oh, you get the idea.

There is never a time where we don’t get lost in New Jersey.  One time I got lost in the parking lot of the mall across the road from my brother’s house.  I had to call him for help.  New Jersey really mocked me that day!

I don’t get lost that often.  Plus, I have a GPS system in my car.  Her name is Svetlana.  She talks to me and nicely tells me tells me that I have strayed from her carefully crafted route.  Her favorite word is “recalculating.” She always gets me back to where I want to be.  Except when in New Jersey.  The “evil state.”

I do not like to leave the City.  Being on the other side of the Hudson makes me nervous.  (Well everything makes me nervous, but that’s another post.)  And it never fails.  The moment we get through the tunnel or over the bridge and land in NJ we get lost.  What is up with that?

I don’t think anyone will ever figure out what is up with that.  It is, as my sister-in-law always tells me, what it is.   New Jersey, the “you can’t get there from here” state.

In my penultimate Wednesday watercolor class we painted trees.  We spattered trees, painted wet-on-wet trees, drybrushed trees.  We wet the paper with clear water in a “tree” design and then added some paint and lifted the paper and let the paint roll around the wet areas.   Since it’s Autum in New York, everyone is into the trees which are turning beautitful fall colors…red, yellow, gold.  I love seeing the autum trees.  But not in New Jersey.