So amazed that my Saturday Ramble have been read as much, if not more than my other posts. Maybe I should shoot from the hip more often, LOL!Today some more about my daily life, while I alternate having the hot chocolate in my right hand with handling the mouse of the computer. Also, as usual I have my hat and my scarf on around this time of night, because my body doesn't deal well with these continuous temp. changes in California of 20-30 degrees up or down in one day.
In Holland where I'm originally from -if we had a temp. change of 5 degrees - it was the talk of the town! Most people there have some indoor plants. They even make the window sills wide enough for potted plants.
I came to the USA to do my graduate training in psychology. That took all my energy, and I had 3 children to take care of, so no plants. But after my doctorate, my interest in plants came back.
I still don't have as many as in Holland, because if we do travel it is for 2-3 weeks at a time, so I only have a few plants that are hardy and required little of no attention.
So jazzed that my lipstick plant is in bloom right now. The scientific name is Aeschynanthus. Isn't she a beauty? It is an imported plant from Africa. There seem to be many varieties. Some have shiny leaves, and other have striped leaves, but no flowers. I had two of these a few years back, but they lost their luster. After that I tried to get another one for a few years. But it did not seem to be available, until this year.
I was so happy with my new lipstick plant, but right after I bought it, some of the branches died right away. The lady in the store told me that all I needed to do was give the roots water 2 x a week. Well, I did!- but I don't have a green thumb - I wish:).
Eventually I remembered that I had once made a printout (of Roger Gardens - an upscale nursery here) how to take care of this plant. Aha, on that sheet it says that this plant is related to the African violet, so it needs a higher level of humidity.
Okay, now I have been misting it daily, next to giving the roots water twice a week. Wait, hope and see! I have been talking to my blogs, but not to my plants...yet. They are on their own, baby.
Yesterday and the day before, after posting my 2 pastel paintings, I did my exercise walk in the neighborhood at 2 pm., so I had plenty of time to...paint! BE DONE with playing for three months on the computer, and get to the more serious business, I told myself. Also, in the back of my mind is the thought that I do not want to lose the level of creativity that I have worked so hard to reach.
After the holidays I may have postponed it "for a while" (I'll say!), because I am working on my first triptych (a painting in three parts). Maybe because it's BIG (two canvases of 18 x 36 inches, and one of 24 x 36 inches) and some of the colors I am using are kind of unusual for me. I am juggling the three paintings on two easels.
Well, all worries flew away with the wind today, because I had that feeling of riding the waves with my brush. When that happens, I don't even care what the results look like, because I am on cloud nine.
After I have painted and made significant progress, I mostly sit down afterwards and write in my painting journal
I wished Rembrandt had kept a journal, or written letters like Vincent van Gogh did, so we would know now about mixing his colors, why he worked the way he did, or how he saw life, etc. People who see me paint, keep wanting to know the story behind the painting, or how I came to paint it, as much as the artwork itself. Is that for you in bloggie land the same?
Sorry, but the brie is long gone. But the basket with strawberries in the fridge keeps calling me.Well, I could taste ONE before I make the pound cake to go with it, right?
