Greens

I struggle with greens. No, not kale or Swiss chard. Painting greens. grass, leaves, etc.
Some artists wouldn't think of using greens out of the tube. They make their own from blues and yellows.
I have made charts mixing assorted blues and yellows and charts using tube greens adding white or red. The thing about tube greens such as sap green is it is bright which is good when you want an eye popping fresh green. Using a touch of cadmium red lt. dampens the vivacity yet retains a low-key hum. Somehow I am missing the atmospheric color I am looking for. Suggestions?

Hitchcock Art Group

The Hitchcock Art Group meets one day a week from 9 to 12 at the old Hitchcock Academy in Brimfield, Mass to paint or draw in the company of fellow artists.
Techniques and ideas and light critiquing are exchanged casually. In summer they meet plein aire.
By 10:30 AM someone- usually the same person, says 'Where are we going for lunch?'
It is a tourist area but there aren't many convenient and worthwhile places to eat. I don't get why eating establishments want to offer dull, tasteless, poorly presented food and why do they have repeat customers? Do these customers get worse fare at home? Eating out isn't cheap. Consider the length of time you have to work to pay for the check.
The conversation is interesting. These people have done and been many exotic places. This last time one of the members talked about living on a small Fiji island in the South Pacific for three years painting, fishing and sailing. Ahhhh.

In Search of

The cover and 3 illustrations are done for my children's book -first in a series about my pet and his adventures. I would love to say more but advice from the books I have read on writing says people will take your ideas and publish them first. Boo.
I have sent manuscripts to 3 publishers so far,waiting the recommended 3 months in between time and have heard nothing. So I assume they have chucked it and I will move on to the next likely publisher who fits the bill. That is, who will accept un-agented material. Time is marching on.
Several stories in the series are undercover awaiting their chance in the sun.
Oh, that an agent would read this and seize the opportunity to represent the next hero of children's literature.

Panama City Beach

Aaaaah.

Mid-April

We moved pretty quickly North keeping just ahead of the tornadoes. Insecurity is overnighting it in a motor home during a tornado alert. We did encounter high winds and were deluged with rain on several occasions. In Virginia, one of the most interesting and beautiful states we have visited, we spent two nights in Louisa so we could see what they have done to Madison's Monticello. A few years ago the interior was torn apart to return it to its state during the time Dolley and James lived there. Still not much furniture but the walls were finished and token pieces loaned by Colonial Williamsburg to give dimension to the rooms. They have a good visitors center with a movie giving the history. Madison deserves his share of top billing with our Founding Fathers. Also, he took notes during the secret sessions of discussions while they were writing our constitution. The only notes that were saved! We can see how they arrived at The Document as it stands.
I recommend, while you are in the area, The Hunt Country Deli on the outskirts of Charlottesville. They make great sandwiches and salads. Stop in for a cup of coffee and... sit out on the patio, check out the map of the area painted on the wall and tell Nancy the owner operator that Aunt Susan sent you. The deli,aptly named, it is in the gorgeous rolling hills of the wine and horse farm region with the palatial homes and grazing ponies dotting the meadows and wide angle views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Anyone remember the old song-In the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, on the trail of the lonesome pine...?

Florida Panhandle

A friend advised us that a trip to the Pensacola Naval Air Station Museum was a must. Not only is it free but it is excellent. A docent tour filled in and rounded out what the signs said about each plane and its importance in the history of flight. I was very much taken with the old movies of our 'air force' in World War I. Amazing video showing the determination and courage of our Aces in that war. Also heard stories of courage in later wars. If you go, you'll come out of there feeling good about America and the men and women who help preserve our liberty so that we can romp around to our hearts content, free to travel from one state to another with out question. Here is a picture of Larry doing his Patton impression at the museum.
We stopped to see friends in Panama City Beach for a few days and jam with them. The beach is wonderful with its white sugar sand and blue/green water. It was Spring Break week but hardly anyone was on the beach before noon except us.

Moving on

We are in Louisiana now and what a change from dry Texas to moist Louisiana! Hair, skin,a good thing, crackers and fried pork skins-good and soggy.We went to Riverside Cafe on Vermilion Bayou and were waited on by a young fellow who included a lot of all y'alls in his speech. Larry and I had a conversation about the bayou as I had noticed the water flowing rapidly toward the Gulf. When our waiter came I asked if the bayou was a tidal river. He said 'Wall I don't know m'am, I'm not from around here.' That begged the question-where are you from? He came closer and said-'Salt Lake City'. I said WOW what's with all the y'alls. He said 'Oh, you have to do that around here- you have to fit in.'
We had a tour of the McIlhenny factory on Avery Island where they make Tabasco sauce. Interesting process, got some doll sized free samples of their new products and shopped at their store. We ate a sausage on a stick which was tasty but made our eyes water and noses run. Maybe I'll included that trip in my next book. Today, a trip to a place called Rip Van Winkle Garden. Built by 19th century actor Joseph Jefferson who was cast as Rip on the stage and made the play famous. Made lots of money doing it. Designed and built a lovely, gracious home overlooking a lake in New Iberia. The trees in the lake are loaded with Roseate Spoonbills. The property was bought by another fellow some years ago and tragically someone drilling for oil nearby drilled thru a salt mound and into a cravass beneath and all the water flowed all at once into the hole and the lake was no more. Well, being Louisiana the lake filled up again in 2 weeks. The area is, after all, 7 ft below sea level. It filled up with salt water.
Down at the Gulf the drilling rigs are cheek by jowl at the dock. The shrimp boats are packed together at the docks like sardines in a can. Drill, Baby, drill. We are paying Brazil to drill in the Gulf. What possible difference can it make to the ecology if Brazil drills or we drill. Hypocrisy is rampant in DC.