Author: -N-

Peninsula

Islands form chains, perhaps peninsulas.  Off the coast where I live is an island that reaches out into the sea.  It is more like a series of islands connected by narrow bits of land – I expect these will disappear over the next century as waters rise, and then one island may become three or four.

In the pursuit of simplicity, I used a large brush and chose the major colors.  I put in verticals to suggest cliffs.  Parts of this painting work – and others do not – in particular with a sense of dimensionality and depth of field.  I tried to create greys using opposite colors, such as cobalt blue and pyrrol orange.  Despite that, I did learn a few things.  One, wait and think.  Two, use colors far darker than you think are necessary.  Three, keep it simpler than you think it should be.

Poppies in the Field

Images of the Palouse or vast fields of crops, such as rape seed, extending to the horizon, provide an abstract element of design.  Here, the colors and lines become the focal point, rather than the items themselves.

As I mentioned yesterday, simplification is something I want to work on.  Here, simplicity and abstraction go a bit further than I want, so maybe I’ll find a happy medium in between the two!

Birds Above the Fields

I am sort of fascinated by flower farms at present, whether it is bulb flowers or lavender or other types, such as daisies for bouquets.  The lines of color and how to represent them is a challenge.  Here, we are looking across the fields – the rows are running parallel to the horizon.  Still, there is depth here, and I would think the rows would be evident, however subtly.  Well, I didn’t accomplish what I wanted, but decided to add ink and some white to it, along with a lot of birds.  In looking at it, I realize the foreground needs to simplified and in my mind’s eye, I have some ideas.

Honey Bourbon Peach BBQ Sauce

Monday is the beer brewer’s birthday, so we are doing a small gathering of the clan for a barbecue.  With any BBQ, you need a smoker, BBQ sauce, and pork ribs.  (At least we think so!)  So, Mr. put together a rub and I am simmering the BBQ sauce as we speak.  As with all my recipes, this is a bit of this and that, and while I sort of followed a recipe, I sort of did my own thing.  I like my sauce sweet and sour and hot all at once, and lately I have been in a real mood for peaches and bourbon for a sauce, so here is my attempt!

Honey Bourbon Peach BBQ Sauce

2 sweet onions, finely chopped
4-6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
8 peaches, peeled, pitted, chopped
2 c. tomato sauce
3/4 c. honey
1/2 c. apple cider vinegar
1/4 – 1/2 c. bourbon
1/4 c. Worcestershire sauce
2 small hot chili peppers, seeded and chopped (I used Black Cobra)
1-2 T. hot chili flakes
2 T. chipotle chili powder or a few chipotles from a can
1 t. pepper
1-2 T. ground ginger
1/2 t. salt

Method

Saute together onions, garlic and chopped tomatoes (if used) until soft and translucent. Place chopped peaches and onion-garlic-tomato mixture in with peaches. Blend until smooth and creamy. You may need to blend in small batches; as each batch is done, put into large pan. Once all the blending is done, leave about 1/4 of the blender filled and add remainder of ingredients. Blend until smooth. Pour into pan with rest of sauce. Simmer on stove top for about 30 minutes. Taste it as it begins to cook – you may need to adjust the flavors to your own liking.

Cool.

Yield: about 6 c. (from what I am guestimating)