The other day the library I work at received a donation of books for watercolor painting techniques. All were slim volumes with lots of pictures and paintings, enough to inspire someone to fill a gallery. I’m not sure if the previous owner moved onto another art form or gave up on watercolors altogether. Either way I’m sure someone else will snatch them up. I’ve always been drawn to watercolors. I love the blur and dreaminess that oils and acrylics just don’t have. But I’ve never attempted to paint with them. For that matter painting is not my outlet of expression.
Over the years I have tried various outlets for my creativity. I’m sure you have too. Everyone needs an outlet to express their creativity, and as you grow and become the person you are the method must grow too. How many teenagers write poetry? How many second graders dabble in pasta, glue and glitter? Some of us find what others consider mainstream art, be it writing, drawing, refinishing furniture, sculpting or music. But how many consider all the many ways we truly express ourselves.
Start in the morning with the color you choose to wear; does it put a smile on your face? How about the car you drive? Is it speedy, sporty, or simply functional? Each of these things says something about you and allows you to express a part of yourself. Simple choices we take for granted come from the very heart of us.
My favorite color, especially in electronics, is red. At least right now it is. There was a time when almost my whole wardrobe was blue. Another, when everything I decorated with was in the yellow family.
Your friends also allow you to express yourself. I have recently surrounded myself with people who make me laugh, and I love it. Laughter is the best expression of all! But there are times when I need more serious folk to sit and meditate or pontificate with. All of that brings out more and more of my own true self.
In my house I have a craft and sewing room full of stuff. Over the years my creativity has found outlets in fabric and floss, in colored pencils and in furniture refinishing. My current outlet is photography, at least until this year ends and my Photo-A-Day project is complete.
Sonya, like all dogs, doesn’t need any outlet to express herself. Her moods are simple: she can wag her tail, move her ears forward or back, jump up, bark, and even dance. Oh wait, I guess that makes her an artist too.
Monday, October 05, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
Sonya Says
Over the years I have learned a few things walking with Sonya, besides the best use of plastic newspaper bags. In her own way, without too much insistence, she has proffered some very good advice and I thought I would share a bit of it with you.
1. Conserve your energy for the people (animals) and places you like the best. Sonya starts walking with me at a good clip, but she has been known to slow down, especially in hot weather, until she sees a bunny, or hears another dog barking, or we meet up with a neighbor. Then she is all tail-wagging, happy puppy ball of energy. And her attitude is often infectious.
2. Say hello to everyone. Greeting strangers is how we make friends. Before I got Sonya I used to walk by myself and hardly anyone spoke to me more than to say hello. But with Sonya, people stop and ask about her, and she is happy to have them pet her or even offer her treats. I’ve learned a lot about our neighborhood thanks to Sonya, especially the names of all the dogs that live on our street.
3. Crosswalks be damned, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. My dog is a typical New Englander; she knows where she is going and she’s going to get there the simplest way she knows how, even though on our walks our destination is the same place we departed from. But it keeps me looking for the simplest ways to do other things too. Like plan my errands, or do my chores.
4. Just because you can’t do something today, you shouldn’t let it kill your motivation to do it. So the first squirrel got away, there will be another to chase. So what if it is raining today, eventually it will stop and the sun will shine again. You should never let road blocks keep you from your real goal to be happy.
5. Things aren’t always what they seem. The two-year-old girl is running around the kitchen table to get away from the dog. The dog is not chasing the girl; the dog is chasing the cookie the girl is holding out as she runs around the table. A little careful observation is all it takes.
I know, I know, not much new here, even a few clichés. Sometimes we need little reminders of the truths we all know. And sometimes those truths mean more when they come from the one who leads me home.
1. Conserve your energy for the people (animals) and places you like the best. Sonya starts walking with me at a good clip, but she has been known to slow down, especially in hot weather, until she sees a bunny, or hears another dog barking, or we meet up with a neighbor. Then she is all tail-wagging, happy puppy ball of energy. And her attitude is often infectious.
2. Say hello to everyone. Greeting strangers is how we make friends. Before I got Sonya I used to walk by myself and hardly anyone spoke to me more than to say hello. But with Sonya, people stop and ask about her, and she is happy to have them pet her or even offer her treats. I’ve learned a lot about our neighborhood thanks to Sonya, especially the names of all the dogs that live on our street.
3. Crosswalks be damned, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. My dog is a typical New Englander; she knows where she is going and she’s going to get there the simplest way she knows how, even though on our walks our destination is the same place we departed from. But it keeps me looking for the simplest ways to do other things too. Like plan my errands, or do my chores.
4. Just because you can’t do something today, you shouldn’t let it kill your motivation to do it. So the first squirrel got away, there will be another to chase. So what if it is raining today, eventually it will stop and the sun will shine again. You should never let road blocks keep you from your real goal to be happy.
5. Things aren’t always what they seem. The two-year-old girl is running around the kitchen table to get away from the dog. The dog is not chasing the girl; the dog is chasing the cookie the girl is holding out as she runs around the table. A little careful observation is all it takes.
I know, I know, not much new here, even a few clichés. Sometimes we need little reminders of the truths we all know. And sometimes those truths mean more when they come from the one who leads me home.
Tuesday, September 08, 2009
Mind the Gap
For anyone who has read this blog in the past I suppose you may be wondering about the gap. A lot has happened in the two years since that last post. Here is the short version of it: I met a guy, I made a bunch of new friends, I joined a civic organization, and I’ve been busy with a job I enjoy.
That might be a little too short, let me explain. I met a guy who swept me off my feet, moved himself and his cat into our crooked little cape, and asked me to marry him.
I made a bunch of new friends and we like to get together at least weekly for games and laughs and movies and drinks and such. I couldn’t imagine a Thursday night without them.
I joined an organization filled with civic-minded women like myself who want to meet people, make friends and give back to the community, too. I recently became co-president.
And I still enjoy my crazy job with its ever-changing, always-charming cast and crew. Especially the crazy things they dream up for me to do and to fix.
In the meantime with all of this going on in my life Sonya still takes me for walks almost every day. Despite everything else that has changed and grown, this one solid fact remains in my life: my dog loves her job. We may have changed the schedule from before dinner to after. We may occasionally have a little company. We may even have new places to walk to and from. It doesn’t matter. All that matters is that we have good walking shoes, a couple of plastic bags, a rain-free hour in the day, and a sturdy leash.
As long as we have these we will have walks and as long as we have walks we will have observations and thoughts and enough stuff to write about to fill a blog. So stay tuned, because you never know what will happen when Sonya’s walking.
That might be a little too short, let me explain. I met a guy who swept me off my feet, moved himself and his cat into our crooked little cape, and asked me to marry him.
I made a bunch of new friends and we like to get together at least weekly for games and laughs and movies and drinks and such. I couldn’t imagine a Thursday night without them.
I joined an organization filled with civic-minded women like myself who want to meet people, make friends and give back to the community, too. I recently became co-president.
And I still enjoy my crazy job with its ever-changing, always-charming cast and crew. Especially the crazy things they dream up for me to do and to fix.
In the meantime with all of this going on in my life Sonya still takes me for walks almost every day. Despite everything else that has changed and grown, this one solid fact remains in my life: my dog loves her job. We may have changed the schedule from before dinner to after. We may occasionally have a little company. We may even have new places to walk to and from. It doesn’t matter. All that matters is that we have good walking shoes, a couple of plastic bags, a rain-free hour in the day, and a sturdy leash.
As long as we have these we will have walks and as long as we have walks we will have observations and thoughts and enough stuff to write about to fill a blog. So stay tuned, because you never know what will happen when Sonya’s walking.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Mission Accomplished
Being a homeowner has its own rewards. Sometimes they come in big packages with ribbons and champagne and other times in small almost unnoticeable everyday deliveries. Big rewards come from the big challenges; those that make you truly appreciate why you took the plunge and bought a house in the first place. The bigger the project or repair you have completed, the better the reward. These rewards are the type you show off to friends and family, like the redecorated bedroom, or the remodeled kitchen, or the new workroom in the garage.
But it is the small rewards that really add up for me, those everyday chores are the real joys of home ownership. I know it may seem silly, but it is true. Weeding the garden, or mowing the lawn, vacuuming the carpet or folding all the laundry. Knowing these things are done, even though they will need to be done again and again, gives me the sense that I am succeeding.
Every week I face challenges, things I need to get done, a list of chores. It may seem mundane to some. But once these things are done I can see the difference. The tracks the vacuum cleaner leaves on the carpet once the dog hair and dust are all gone. The flowers that bloom and flourish when there are no longer weeds to compete with them. The empty laundry baskets waiting silently for the next load. No matter what major projects need to be or have already been accomplished it helps to look around and see that progress has been made in small ways.
Today I accomplished a large project in my house, and my reward was a cool, quiet, nighttime walk with Sonya. Sonya's job is to take me for a walk; she waits eagerly for this time every day. This weekend with the heat and other chores, Sonya got some time off. So tonight with my big project completed and with the coolness the dark cover brought we set out. Funny thing is, as I strolled along with her, I could not help but think that I still had things to do at home. As soon as we returned I proceeded upstairs where I folded all the clean laundry. Only then could I sit and rest, only then could I relax. For this small accomplishment I do not need to reward myself. Crossing this chore off my list for this week is its own reward.
But it is the small rewards that really add up for me, those everyday chores are the real joys of home ownership. I know it may seem silly, but it is true. Weeding the garden, or mowing the lawn, vacuuming the carpet or folding all the laundry. Knowing these things are done, even though they will need to be done again and again, gives me the sense that I am succeeding.
Every week I face challenges, things I need to get done, a list of chores. It may seem mundane to some. But once these things are done I can see the difference. The tracks the vacuum cleaner leaves on the carpet once the dog hair and dust are all gone. The flowers that bloom and flourish when there are no longer weeds to compete with them. The empty laundry baskets waiting silently for the next load. No matter what major projects need to be or have already been accomplished it helps to look around and see that progress has been made in small ways.
Today I accomplished a large project in my house, and my reward was a cool, quiet, nighttime walk with Sonya. Sonya's job is to take me for a walk; she waits eagerly for this time every day. This weekend with the heat and other chores, Sonya got some time off. So tonight with my big project completed and with the coolness the dark cover brought we set out. Funny thing is, as I strolled along with her, I could not help but think that I still had things to do at home. As soon as we returned I proceeded upstairs where I folded all the clean laundry. Only then could I sit and rest, only then could I relax. For this small accomplishment I do not need to reward myself. Crossing this chore off my list for this week is its own reward.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Life and Pasta (with thanks to Mom)
My mother has a large set of cookbooks, but the only time I ever saw her use them was when she was baking. For the cooking she did on a day to day basis for us, she very rarely referred to a printed recipe. My mother likes to experiment when she cooks, and we often joked that if you liked a dish make sure to savor it, because you may never get that taste again. That's not to say my mother is a bad cook, quite the opposite in fact.
When you are baking, recipes are necessary because there is a specific desired outcome. If you want your cake to raise and not fall, you will need to use the correct ingredients. But cooking is different. Cooking is to taste. Al dente, we say when cooking pasta which means: to the tooth or to the degree that tastes right. That is the way my mother cooked. Some days she would make things spicy, other days sweet, still others might be saltier. It all depended on her mood or her taste that day.
Of course it might also depend on what ingredients were on hand. Summers were my favorite because we would have the freshest vegetables from our garden. Cucumber salads, zucchini on pasta, warm green beans, and so much more.
Her experimental cooking did not just apply to dinner. Lunches were made up of odds and ends of leftovers thrown together in a pan and heated, then topped with melted cheese. You'd be amazed at how wonderful leftover potatoes can taste when mixed with leftover veggies and topped with melted Monterey Jack cheese.
My mother's technique carried over to my brother and me both. We are never afraid to try new dishes, whether in a restuarant or our own kitchens. I have experimented with all kinds of dishes, it makes cooking easy. Sonya benefits from my experiments too. That isn't to say that she eats all my failed attempts, because really there are none. But it is nice to have someone who will taste your dish and let you know if it is worth a second lick or not.
The trick with experimental cooking is to keep in mind that not having a specific outcome means the dish can rarely fail. If you want to know what an omelet with oregano tastes like instead of parsley, throw it in and surprise yourself - you've just added a new dish to your repertoire. Because that is what life is like. If you want to try something you cannot be afraid, you just have to make it al dente.
When you are baking, recipes are necessary because there is a specific desired outcome. If you want your cake to raise and not fall, you will need to use the correct ingredients. But cooking is different. Cooking is to taste. Al dente, we say when cooking pasta which means: to the tooth or to the degree that tastes right. That is the way my mother cooked. Some days she would make things spicy, other days sweet, still others might be saltier. It all depended on her mood or her taste that day.
Of course it might also depend on what ingredients were on hand. Summers were my favorite because we would have the freshest vegetables from our garden. Cucumber salads, zucchini on pasta, warm green beans, and so much more.
Her experimental cooking did not just apply to dinner. Lunches were made up of odds and ends of leftovers thrown together in a pan and heated, then topped with melted cheese. You'd be amazed at how wonderful leftover potatoes can taste when mixed with leftover veggies and topped with melted Monterey Jack cheese.
My mother's technique carried over to my brother and me both. We are never afraid to try new dishes, whether in a restuarant or our own kitchens. I have experimented with all kinds of dishes, it makes cooking easy. Sonya benefits from my experiments too. That isn't to say that she eats all my failed attempts, because really there are none. But it is nice to have someone who will taste your dish and let you know if it is worth a second lick or not.
The trick with experimental cooking is to keep in mind that not having a specific outcome means the dish can rarely fail. If you want to know what an omelet with oregano tastes like instead of parsley, throw it in and surprise yourself - you've just added a new dish to your repertoire. Because that is what life is like. If you want to try something you cannot be afraid, you just have to make it al dente.
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