Run-chug-run!

Run-chug-run!
Originally uploaded by tracey st.peter

Today we are running around getting ready for the return of, The Big Irish Head! Yep, yet another trip to the airport. Hopefully this time the flight is on time and we stay well clear of the Waffle House!

Garden update...

Check these guys out! They are called a Peruvian Purple Chile. I have 2 plants and each is loaded with pretty purple blossoms. You can see the chilies, look like mini eggplants. They are doing really well.
These are Thai Dragon Peppers, they will eventually turn red. The plant looks very elegant, tall with graceful curved shapes dancing under the umbrella of foliage. I bet they are Hot-hot-hot!

getting back on the horse!

My weekend stared with Mr. Elevin's flight home from NY being delayed for 5 hours. He finally arrived at the airport at 1:30 am. When I found him by the luggage carousel, he was surrounded by a group of people he had befriended along the way. Including a 17 year old African girl on her first trip alone, on her way to College; An Italian Neuroscientist who spoke very little English, yet was still fascinating and very funny; and a fellow who works for the same co. as the Head and lives near us. We drove the Italian to his Hotel and got the girl headed in the right direction, before we arrived home at an un-godly hour.
My weekend ended at 4 am Monday morn, when on the way to drop Mr. Eleven at the airport, we received a call from the airlines that the flight would be delayed 2 hours. Since we were in the car all we could do, the only place open at that hour, near the airport was: The Waffle House! It was my first time at one and all I could think of was a story I heard recently about someone stepping in a human poop, that was under a table, at a Waffle House! We were one of two couples dinning at that hour. It was a trip! The cook and the waitress got into a big shouting match before we had our first sip of coffee. The kitchen in a Waffle House is in the same space as the dinning area so we had front row seats for the fight!
Mr. Eleven has been traveling a lot lately for work. it wouldn't be so bad if the damn flights would run on time. But that is rare these days. It really sucks...but I am trying to spin this in a positive way. I must say, we have met some interesting people. I can now say I went to a Waffle House and survived with no poop on me! I am sure there are more good things I could think of. But the lack of sleep and time it takes to recoup from these 'wonderful' moments the airlines have provided us, make them a bit fuzzy.
Needless to say this week is getting off to a slow start. However, yesterday I kicked some ass! With the help of Jarvis. We set up shop on my driveway. We cut 12 panels for paintings from 4x8 sheets of ply wood and all the side pieces to make cradles for the boards. Some of these will serve as mounts for Hundred Dresses Paintings and some I can paint directly on. It will take a while to get them all glued. But we put in a full day and got a lot done.
Today I work on globes!
Onward!
-So why back on the horse?....well that is a little shout out to my friends who are horse women! One is training a horse. The other is trying to rescue an abused horse and give it a good home. Then there is me who just needs to shut up and get back to work!

more, small things that make me happy...

My new clutch purse! I just got it yesterday and I love it.

I found it at my friend Noelle's etsy shop. I went there because Mrs. Brown posted about it. She is a cool, smart, funny person with great taste, so I went browsing. I bought a wonderful necklace from Noelle last year, it makes me feel pretty. If you know me, that is a huge accomplishment!
The purse is handmade, of a soft leather, the dark color is a gray-green similar to the grays I have been using in my paintings. The inside is the same light gray found on my pallet. The craftsmanship is outstanding, delicate detail, like I try to pull off. The connection that I love the most, that I didn't see in the photos, is, the depth, softness and poetry of the little object.

It is just a little thing and I love it!..it is as if it were always here...welcome home little purse.

Frankenstein Friday

I took the most adorable video of TBIH and Frankenstein snuggling this morning...unfortunately, The Head wont let me post it. Sure, he is in his underpants, but if you know Mr. Eleven you have most likely already seen him in his underwear. He promised me we could re-shoot it, once he has groomed and dressed for the occasion. Till then here is a still from this mornings cuddle.

I also posted a few sort videos, earlier this week, that only a mother could love, of Frankenstein...you can see them here.

coming round

Yes, I am still sanding. It is an interesting process. Taking a geometric shape and making it round. I was thinking of a quote I once herd by Michelangelo. In it he talks about uncovering the sculptural form that already exists in the marble. He simply removed what was not needed. Sanding the globes is like that in a way, obviously not as complex and what I am uncovering is a known. My job is simply to find the sphere. Believe me it makes it self known and when it does it is thrilling. A magical moment when the lumpy geometric form becomes a near perfect object. I am falling in love with the surface, its shell like quality, strong yet fragile, solid yet thin and hollow. All this, and I haven't even started painting them yet!
I am hopping to get all 3, round, by the end of the day...better get sanding!...Onward!

What is in the back yard....

This is pretty horrible and graphic...I was taking a break from sanding and looked out the kitchen window. I saw this! A hawk. not sure what kind yet, I'll look it up later. He was strangling this poor dove. The dove is looking up at him. When the dove stopped looking, the hawk flew away with him.
This morning the plants in the pond were all knocked over...I wonder if this guy tried to nab one of my fish? I did a head count and all the fish are safe. It seems whenever we are under drought conditions the hawks come and hunt in my yard. We are on voluntary water restrictions now. I hope we get some rain! Or, I will have to post more photos like this. The Hawk is so cool a pretty, but I feel bad for the dove and it's partner, who is now single.
Here is a photo of our frog, he lives by the pond. I see him every day. Just a bit of relief from the brutality of the photos above.