Tag: Pen and Ink

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. 

Today was my last day of work until July 5! I'm really happy to have wonderful weather, good health again at last, and more than two weeks of time to just wallow in Jana's world, enjoying painting, relaxing and playing. After dinner I looked out my window saw that the sweet kids next door had their tricycles lined up in my driveway. Before I could draw the third one the little girl rode off on it. So there's only two in my sketch. Yippee anyway! (Micron pen, watercolor pencils in Moleskine watercolor notebook.)

I met my photographer friend Mike for lunch today and we took our cameras for a walk near Lake Merritt and Snow Park. He was teaching me how to take pictures without looking at the camera, just holding it at our waists and shooting, trying to get our subject in the lens–it's really hard to do! I took a picture (using normal method) of this fellow wearing 3 hats and knickers, carrying a chair and a conversation with himself. I liked the contrast with the guys in suits in the background. I did this drawing in my sketchbook at home from the photo with ink and watercolor. I think I'll make a full-sized watercolor painting of it later.