Category: Watercolor

Too bad about the little problem with gravity and the table but fortunately no coffee was spilled. (Might as well blame gravity instead of my drawing).

This morning I took my neglected car in for the “Wacky Wednesday” oil change and car wash special. Then I took a hike to breakfast through the industrial area where the car place is located, pretending I was in an unknown town. On the way to Gilman Grill (a mostly working man’s diner with a few artsy types thrown in–it is Berkeley after all) I saw lots of guys working, either inside dark cavernous buildings with noisy machines, or outdoors moving things on forklifts, or standing around with clipboards watching other guys on forklifts.

I enjoyed eating and painting while listening to the nearby table of off-duty cops or ambulance drivers (couldn’t be sure which) talking, laughing and drinking rounds of beers (yes at 9:30 a.m.) with their eggs as they unwound from the night shift.

After breakfast I walked down Gilman Street two blocks to the S.F. Bay. A cold wind was blowing in from the Golden Gate, carying the scent of sea, salt and manure (?!). The manure smell was from the Golden Gate Fields Racetrack barn located right there where Gilman meets the Bay. They wouldn’t let me come in and draw the horses. The guard said they have to be careful to not let reporters in because the next thing you know there’s a big news item about horses being mistreated. Seemed like a weird thing to tell me but he did give me the manager’s phone number to request permission. Maybe tomorrow…

Watercolor & Ultrafine Sharpie in Moleskine watercolor notebook.

This morning Michael stopped by on his way to Trader Joes to drop off this pretty bouquet of flowers he'd given me last night and I'd forgotten to bring home. I was still in my new purple pajamas. He said I need a doorbell (I don't have one and I didn't hear him knocking) but I kind of like not having one. Besides, he doesn't even have a front door, let alone a doorbell (it's a long story).

He was going to take me out to dinner for my birthday (which was a week ago) but I decided my favorite restaurant was his house–better than Chez Panisse Cafe where we'd planned to go. I ordered his chef's special: grilled fresh wild salmon from Monterey Fish Market, creamy mashed potatoes, baked mushrooms stuffed with garlic and salsa, steamed broccoli and carrots and Acme bread. He used to make that for me every Friday night before things got different. He even sang Happy Birthday and brought out a piece of cake with a lit candle for me to make a wish. Then we settled in to watch Kiss Kiss Bang Bang which I thought was hilarious but he thought was irritating. I still have a couple more birthday celebrations to collect from my sister and sons. I like stretching my birthday out as long as possible.

Ink & watercolor in my sketchbook.

Instead of my painting group meeting in my studio as usual tonight, we met at a little nearby beach on San Francisco Bay to paint until sunset. I did these quick watercolor sketches of the giant eucalyptus tree we sat under and  the beach with San Francisco in the distance (it's further away than I drew it) on the other side of the bay. This area is known as Albany Bulb because it's a little piece of Albany in the shape of a bulb that juts out into the bay. Albany is next door to Berkeley.

People brought drums down to the beach to celebrate the Solstice and it was fun painting to the sound of drums and cymbals. Tonight is the longest day of the year which surprises me, since it seems like it just barely became summer here. I'm only four days into my two-week vacation and already I'm worried that it won't be nearly long enough.

Michael made a delicious Father's Day brunch with the help of Nora, Kevin and Maeve. The orange scented pancakes and oatmeal/cherry scones with cherry jam were heavenly. What joy to sit around the table and learn from the wit and wisdom of his offspring, to talk about music and art and to see them blooming and succeeding on their chosen paths.