Petunias, Acanthus and Moss Rose
Originally uploaded by Sultry

I'm going to have planting to do. It was almost 100 degrees today by the time I got these home after being at the office. Tomorrow is also a day where I won't get home until the heat is on. But AFTER dinner, there should still be light and a breeze to at least get some of these in. The petunias, and moss roses will fill in where I had HOPED the seeds would sprout. The firebush can clash with the astilbe or maybe the echinacea. (that's a better spot, and I could see the attracted hummingbirds from the kitchen.). The Acanthus will go in planters under the remainder of the pear tree on the East side of the house. I love their weird flower spikes. If it blooms, I'll have to try to draw it. Yikes.

The Village at Allen .

I had no idea there was going to be a concert, convention and CHL venue just up the road.

FINIS

I started this sketchbook on my trip to Boston back in November. I don't think I've ever finished (or at least FILLED) one so fast-- even though it was only 9 x 6 inches and 70 pulpy pages.

The guys on the top row were having a business meeting at Starbucks. If my eavesdropping is correct, they are bent on buying, and developing every parcel of land between Dallas and Oklahoma. I hope they don't. Or, I wish cities and combined entities like the North Texas Council of Governments would invest in PLANNED development so there aren't just acreas of McMansions with inconvenient access to groceries, parks, and conserved open spaces.
Some people make better models than others. After the shop emptied out (post lunch), I colored in a page of sketches. The "jaundiced" girl wasn't really yellow. I just got headed in the wrong direction trying to make her look pale in comparison to her brunette friend.

Crape myrtle
Originally uploaded by Sultry

Not a lot of ice, just enough to make things interesting.
These are crape myrtle berries left from summer.
Click the image to see the rest at Flickr.

Another food find in Plano, Texas!

The Fillmore Pub on 15th Street.
Reminded me of Dublin. Smithwicks and Irish Stew!

Known Effect of Economic Downturn--
Visiting the Library!

This is the nearest branch of the library. It was BUSY! Every chair and computer had somebody attached to it. AND you know the best part? No, not that the books are free to read. They have QUALITY books selected by subject experts... rather than multiple copies of whatever had the big advertising budget. For somebody like me, who has, um, unusual (or just plain wacky) interests, it was heaven!! (See side bar reference for book references-- a new feature.)
Architecturally, the center (which was dedicated in 1998) is pretty nifty. This is the breezeway between the library and a police sub-station. The undulating pergola protects from rain AND is outlined in white lights. There's a table & benches back there, too.
This art installation is new since the last time I visited. The hexagon's rotate (I think they're motor powered as they were all rotating in unison... but it could be wind powered, too... which would be more politically correct. The blades are covered in something iridescent... so that as they move, they either reflect, catch a particular color of light, OR let the texture of the brick wall show through. I've asked for an email to find out what it's name is and who made it.

The kinetic sculpture is titled: Water and Plow (after a poem by the Texas State Poet Laureate) and is by Teresa Camarozzi. She's also done sculptures for hospitals, airports and corporations, as well as LOTS of pieces you might call paintings... except that they are polymer + resin + digital manipulations of photographs + lucite or fabric. One pretty and creative woman!

Tell your city planners you like public art!
This contrail slashed the sky just above the horizon.

Typically clouds show up in the west when the sun sets. Tonight was no exception.

QUILT MANIA IN PLANO

Quilt Mania in Plano
Originally uploaded by Sultry

The first part of my Artist's Date today was visiting the Art Centre of Plano to see their portion of the QuiltMania Exhibition. Apparently just about every gallery that was willing and within 50 miles had quilts on display.

This one was made by a popular local newspaper feature editor, Vivian Castleberry. She used photographs of many well known women in the Dallas/Fort Wory area in the centers of the squares. The two that were most recognizeable to me were the first square in the second row, Ebby Halliday (Real Estate maven), and in the third square of the second row, Mary Kay Ash.

Click on the image to get to the photo stream with the rest of my photos and comments.

ART IN WOOD

Art in Wood.
Originally uploaded by Sultry

I had an Artist's Date today!
This piece is actually from the second art stop: 14th Street Gallery in Plano. Crafted by Artyce Colen, it's a mystery to me how she did these two pieces. The grain patern doesn't seem to run from piece to piece. Not only is there a great composition and use of color, but some pieces are thicker and others are thinner.
A great project for someone who loves POWER TOOLS.
Click on the photo to go to Flickr and see another piece of hers.

It's open!

Legacy Books. Big. Independent. Bookstore. Online, too.
Click on photo above for more photos at Flickr.
Designed by architects, not a corporation.

I don't know who did the design work, but it is evident and inspiring.

They have a featured artist.

And a better (and more up-to-date than some) knitting section that most. The Yarn Harlot is well represented. BUT, I bought their last copy of Franklin Habit's It Itches.

And I read it all the way through when I got home... punctuated by snorts, guffaws and chortles.

I could probably put knitting in one of these bags!

A NEW BOOKSTORE!

Legacy Books
Originally uploaded by Sultry

There's going to be a bookstore of a different stripe opening at the end of the month: Legacy Books. I hope they have an adventurous buyer, good coffee and comfy chairs.

Canine Treat: The Pink Shaggy Dog

I was at the Baylor Plano Regional Hospital this morning and it was their "Pink Pooch Parade" in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month. All the dogs were dressed in pink something or others. There were Beagles, Labradors, Collies, Chihuahuas and a Saluki:

The Saluki is a medium-sized breed with a long and regal
history. This breed is considered by many to be the oldest in the world. The
royal dog of Egypt, the Saluki originated in the Middle East where their
bodies have been found mummified alongside Pharaohs. Their pictures have
been found on Egyptian tombs that date from 2100 BC.

The dogs and owners were all volunteers. Great work, folks!

Bunny-Foo-foo-NOT-(3)
Originally uploaded by Sultry

When DH and I came home from dinner at Cafe Brazil (their four cheese grilled sandwich is comfort food extraordinaire), we apparently interuppted this fellow from choosing the hollyhocks... or perhaps digging up more bulbs.

More information about Texas' cottontails here.

Llamas-at-Haggard
Originally uploaded by Sultry

Linked to Flickr where you can see them large if you click on "all sizes" above the image.
What do you suppose llamas think about sitting in the shade? Do they talk? (See the parent child interaction at the far left? And what about the ones who kind of stay off to themselves?

Tragedy can strike any where

This is the scene we came across mid-day Sunday. A father, speeding to pick up his children from his ex-wife, probably ran a red light, hit a curb, fire-hydrant, and mini-van with parents, their daughter and two foster children inside, and then went airborn over a pick up truck in a left turn lane. The entire family group was killed. The driver is in critical condition. The woman in the truck was unhurt.

Be careful out there. And grateful every day that's a safe one.

Two new WIP's (almost finished)

Abstract III

Henbit Trio

EDM 164: Draw a camera

My Olympus 3x zoom digital is almost an antique these days. I'm perfectly happy with it, though. The only thing that would help is a supply of long lasting, CHEAP AA batteries!
DH and I got off kilter with our eating schedule on Friday. We went to a Texas Philly Cheese steak joint. I stuck with chips and queso and then drew the dinner bell and what was closest: a plastic lined trash bin.
This afternoon we rounded the bend between the middle school and an elementary school. We stopped and backed up to get a picture of this sign. I like it, and have no idea what the story behind it might be. Anarchist art? The pig protection league? An alternative to Bloods, Crips or La Eme?

EDM additions

A lamp at my local Starbucks.

Chairs at the same place.

The entry to my house.

What I got on paper, and what was on the Toyota web site!
A house facade in the neighborhood.

The dreaded popped corn challenge.

Spared!

Today wasn't the best day I've ever had. And I'm going to spare you the details.
But it certainly isn't even close to being in the top 100 worst days, either. Meeting a colleague at Starbucks (AND discovering there was still enough value on a very old Starbuck's gift card to cover iced coffee AND a cranberry walnut bar) was a pleasure. After she left to lay seige to the mall, I got out my sketch book.
This seemed to be a group of 15 or 16 year old friends who'd gotten one of their mothers to take them out for frappucinos. Had a great time watching the non-daughters relax and fold themselves into pretzels, as well as observing the dynamics between the mom and daughter.(I colored it later with Photoshop)

Across the street is a homely new bank building. But from my vantage point the roof line, and windows were exactly symmetrical. But the symmetry was thrown off by the 5 o'clock shadows. Not sure I captured it exactly, but it was fun choosing what to leave in and what to leave out.











Slightly later, a mother, her hulking teenaged son, and her not so hulking pre-teen son invaded my space a bit by filling in the other three lounge chairs. It was the pre-teen who tipped me off to the scene outside by staring out the window.
Yup, between them, these two had three ball pythons. The young woman was the boy's tutor, and the snakes were his. He was working on science homework, even though it wasn't herpetology. He was delighted to hear how frightened the mother and sons were by the snakes, as well as identifying them for me, and pointing out that they would probably "only" get get to be 24-36 inches long. Theirs were about 18 inches long and seemed very happy to sun themselves while wound around the boy's and the girl's necks. (They ARE constrictors, and I did NOT volunteer MY neck.) I particularly enjoyed when one snake served as a "scrunchy" around her bun.

A friendly conversation with strangers, who happened to be young and enthusiastic, with surprising content is JUST the sort of thing I enjoy.

This is a drawing from last week's Life Drawing Class.
Again, when I don't know quite what do to, I start adding color! Even the model thought it was a good likeness. I was pleased. (This image is linked to the remainder of the evening's efforts on Flickr.)

The sky was not even this interesting when American Airlines decided to cancel DH's flight home last night. I'm glad he's here safely this morning, but I wish he'd been home last night.

Safe Haven for Knitters

DH and I took a day trip on the back roads, saw this "town" on the map, and managed to locate this evidence that it really did exist. I think it has mostly been surrounded by the town of Blue Ridge.(Click on the photo if you can't read the name.) There are more of today's photos here.