Day for Art

I haven't done anything today - my son said he would come over about midweek and help me with the leaf blower, so I didn't go to the gym or do much of anything else.  I need to eat supper early and get ready for the art class this evening.   I will see how things go before I decide if or how many half-price classes I will buy this Saturday when they are on sale.   I have real difficulty figuring out which paints to mix to get exactly (or close to) the shade I'm looking for.  I'm also going to experiment with several different types of brushes tonight - another factor that has never really been explained although it makes a big difference.

I've continued watching the Bob Ross series and am now up to Episode 7 (out of 13) in Series 1.  I have no clue how many there are total, but I'm sure it will take me a while to get through them.   I feel like I'm learning a lot about brush strokes just watching Bob Ross.

I wish I'd taken this up years ago, and I remembered yesterday that when I first moved to Ireland several of the ladies insisted that I should go with them to the art class being taught locally.   I got together all the necessary items, paints, brushes, etc., but one thing on the list I did not have:  RAGS!  When I moved I certainly didn't take rags with me, but one morning when I went outside my door I found a neat little packet all wrapped up, and it contained rags - pieces of sheets that were torn to make different sized rags.    God love those Irish women!  They can and will do anything for you.  As far as the class goes, I didn't like it at all.  Not the way the instructor taught it, and the fact that I got more help and advice from others taking the course than from the teacher.  It was my first ever, and I thought my last, experience with trying to be an artist.  My attitude has changed since that time, and I'm not really trying to be a good artist - I just would like to see improvement in what I'm doing, and to have fun with it.  I'd like to complete a painting that I could show to another without being embarrassed.

This isn't scientific, but I notice on my weather widgets it's staying dark later in the morning in Alaska.  I have four of the widgets on my Mac, for Sacramento, New York, Philadelphia, and Wasilla.  During the daylight hours the background on these widgets are a medium blue, and get darker as the sun goes down.  At night they are a dark maroon.  I noticed this morning that Sac's was blue, but Wasilla was still the dark maroon color at 8:45 am.  I don't pay much attention to sunset and sunrise times, but I think their sunrise is much later now than it was when I was there.   I'll have to check sometime to see when it turns dark in the evening.  At any rate, they are experiencing shorter daylight hours as winter nears.  I was fascinated by the long daylight, and I'm sure I'd be fascinated by the long darkness as well.  At least for a 2 wk vacation!

Ms. B., I notice that the Shell station is 2.70/gal. for regular, whereas Mobil which is cattycorner to them charges $2.85 for reg.  Both stations are the first when getting off Freeway 50, which is no doubt why they can charge so much.   I haven't paid attention to any other stations lately.

What a beautiful day this has been - started out with lots of clouds, a few raindrops, and has only reached 80.   I haven't had to turn on a fan or the swamp cooler all day.  Tomorrow should be a few degrees cooler, but in a day or two will climb back up into the 90's.  I can't wait for some lasting cool weather, and rain sure would be a treat (although this is not the rainy season). 

I think I have all my art stuff together but I'd better make one last check.