Northern Marsh

Still working in pastel.  I cleaned up the pastels I was using yesterday by putting them in a container of corn meal and shaking them gently.  It did the job.  I also took a different approach to today’s painting, and the difference is evident to me (cuz I did it!).

I decided to use a piece of 7×11 Uart 800 sanded pastel paper, which is the finest grit in the Uart series.  I bought a sample pack a while back, and now that I think I get how to use pastels fairly well, I thought it was time to begin.  Having cleaner pastels also helped.  I also decided to work from light to dark this time, like a watercolor, and it seems to have been a bit more successful.  My colors were getting rather muddy in the last one.  I also did not apply any fixative to the painting until it was done.  In the others I had used workable fixative between layers.

Overall, rather a bit more pleased with this pastel painting than yesterday’s.  It was more pleasant to do, probably in part because I simplified my approach.  Working light to dark – putting in the sky and water first – may also have helped.  The Uart 800 sanded pastel paper was really nice, too, and gave a nice smooth finish as the paper has a very fine tooth to it.  I used a final fixative on it, but I am still unsure how many layers of final fixative are to be used.

Now, time to attach sleeves to the sweater I am knitting!

Honey-Sweetened Rice Pudding

For baking, I try to avoid refined sugar these days. I already have a tendency to bounce off the walls if my energy is not directed, irritating everyone around me and annoying myself as well. Honey does not have the same vibratory effect on me as white sugar, for whatever reason, no matter the arguments given that honey and sugar are the same thing. I don’t really care. The fact is, that honey and I are better behaved together than sugar and me. The biggest thing is that recipes called “honey this” and “honey that” often have a ton of sugar as well. I’ve even seen recipes labelled “honey blah” with a tablespoon of honey and a half cup of sugar. In this age of massive lies, what else is new? So, I created this recipe for those of you who like rice pudding and want real honey-sweetened somethings.

Honey-Sweetened Rice Pudding

2/3 c. honey
4 c. unsweetened almond milk, or milk of your choice
3/4 c. short grain rice
1/4 c. cream
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 – 1/2 c. raisins or other dried fruit
1/2 c. toasted almonds

Method

Mix honey, milk, and rice together in 2 qt. sauce pan. Watching carefully and stirring as needed, over medium-high heat, bring mixture to boil. Once boiling, drop to a simmer, and stir periodically. Note: Almond milk does not tend to boil over but regular milk does. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, or longer. Rice will cook and pudding will begin to thicken. When pudding is thickened, stir in cream and raisins. Continue to cook a bit longer, maybe 5 minutes. Take off heat. Add vanilla and almonds. Good warm, and cold; will be thicker if refrigerated.

Hendry’s Beach

The California coastline varies from top to bottom.  Some areas have wide, flat sandy beaches, and others are at the base of rugged cliffs, sometimes accessible, sometimes not.  State law says the beaches are for everyone, and must be accessible.  People in Malibu and some areas south of San Francisco have rich people who won’t grant access, and lawsuits have been fought long and hard.  There is even an app for your phone that tells you where you can access beaches in Malibu, in spite of the fake “No Beach Access” signs put out by land owners on the coast.  Funny, but not funny.

Hendry’s Beach (often called “Henry’s Beach”) is a long-time favorite and a popular one in Santa Barbara.  At low tide, you can walk a long distance, but if you are not careful about the tides, you could get caught!  The ocean is sometimes out enough that a lagoon is formed, and then disappears when the tide comes in.