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Twirling tunas in tutus
OK…on this fun, very small, closed internet group that I’m on, I’ve gotten more than a tad silly. When wishing folks happy birthday, I used the Sandra Boynton birthday greeting (remember her fun greeting cards? wonder if she still makes them?) I wished folks “Hippo Birdie, Two Ewes” (imagine the cartoon-like drawings to accompany that phrase. Well, I morphed that into tunas in tutus dancing to celebrate birthdays. So today I am a thundering and twirling 54, and it has been a wonderful day.
(there is a picture for this post, by the way, but you’ll have to read a bit…it needs to be chronological according to my feeble brain)
Actually, it began a couple days ago. Hubby for years didn’t quite get that birthdays are important, but that it is the thought that goes into things that counts the most. Well, this year he got it right in oh so many ways! He thought about it ahead of time, went to a great of trouble to cross paths with our older son (who now lives on his own) and get h im and his girlfriend to sign my b-day card AND come over for dinner tonight! Yesterday, when hubby got home from the grocery with younger son, I went to help, and he said “since I can’t sneak these into the house with you here, happy birthday!” and gave me flowers, my favorite yellow (mums since daffodils aren’t in season by a long shot).
And today was good… I started out with a bazillion greetings via FaceBook.I had resisted FB for eons, but I’ve come to enjoy it, and as of today LOVE it. What fun to hear from so many internet friends!
Then, chores…one of the reasons I haven’t blogged is that I am at long last emptying the storage unit of mom’s stuff and liquidating the last of it. Have two pieces of furniture on Craig’s list. If they aren’t sold in 2 weeks, I’m donating them somewhere! The past two days I’ve gone through 31 boxes of books, we’ve (with Paul’s help and some from Eli) gotten 8 large boxes with China and crystal (I’ll deal with them later) to our house, and I’ve hauled 8 smaller boxes to the Salvation Army. The unit WILL be emptied!
And today I took a bit of time between cleaning the storage locker and picking up younger son after Cross Country Practice to sketch. A friend of his, a guy in his 30s who was a sensei of his in karate–Mark Johnson–who has multiple black belts in multiple martial arts, is also a fairly accomplished artist. Mark has met and studied with the current Wyeth (Jamie I think, as in N.C. Wyeth and Andrew Wyeth, yes, direct line of succession). Mark once told me that Wyeth has students do a tough exercise: draw a white egg (or eggs) on a white piece of paper. So I tried it! (click to see larger)
It was GREAT! The eggs are actually gray mostly, with a dark band around the center, because light reflects up at the under side from the paper. Who knew? Not me! And I loved how the lights cast those overlapping shadows, like a Venn diagram! Anyway, a really wonderful exercise in seeing. So good in fact that I want to try again. Today I used four pencils: HB, 5B, 6B and 8B. I’d like to try again, but instead of smudging and shading with different leads, I’d like to try it in both watercolor and in a single hardness of pencil (maybe a 2B) or even pen (once I get the outlines/contours roughed in with pencil).
Over the past six weeks I’ve done an online workshop with Jane LaFazio, in part because I wanted something to force me to sketch regularly. I want to blog about that but as usual am behind the curve–I promise I’ll share (soon I hope). Still need to get that storage unit cleared out, plus we’re having work done at the house tomorrow, then Thursday is Eli’s next Cross Country meet, then then then….. and I’m taking another class with Jane that starts Thursday too (obviously the first one was so good I’ve gone back for more). Stay tuned folks!
And thanks to one and all, starting with hubby!!!!, for a wonderful day.
October 5th, 2011 at 12:32 am
Happy Birthday!!!
It’s a tough job cleaning out a “Mothers Stuff”. My mom didn’t have china or much in the way of household effects…. She was a fiber artist- mostly embroidery threads, fabric, laces, beads…. but there was still alot of stuff! In a storage locker!
October 5th, 2011 at 5:38 am
A very happy birthday, Sarah. I can totally relate to your day in so many ways. Will look forward to hearing more about your sketching class. I need to more! Will look for you on Facebook.
Judy
October 5th, 2011 at 8:47 am
Belated greetings! Glad it was a good one. Wondered what you were busy with. I have to try to downsize my stuff so my DD doesn’t have to …
October 5th, 2011 at 10:01 am
What a celebration! Please add my belated wishes to your memories of the day. Hope to add a hug on Saturday.