Tag: summer

North Country

Hard to believe it’s been two weeks or so since I was last online.

Life has been busy, but in reality, the weather has been awful! We have had a heat wave that knackers you – 100+ F, and even worse further inland. Temps have ranged from 95-111 in the vicinity where I live (35-43C). Ugh. As a result, blobdom has reigned as the primary mode of existence and, sadly, some binge watching on the TV in the air-conditioned house. I guess we all have to do it.

Despite that, I have met with a pencil portrait group in a local park and have enjoyed those mornings. I have also done some sewing. And mice chasing, but no catching. Today I cleaned up the mess I call a studio.

And finally, I have sat down to paint. I wanted scudding clouds and changing light – movement from bright to dark across the hills and the sky. Wind, too. Anything to cool off.

Why a Ham?

Why not a ham?

This video shows you the reasons a tailor’s ham, aka a “pressing ham”, is a useful addition to your sewing (and ironing) wardrobe. I never used one until several years ago when I was on a super sewing binge. That’s when I really tried to improve my slap dash approach to something more sophisticated. While those attempts turned into annoyance, I have found my sewing and pressing aids really add to the pleasure of my sloppy sewing. Things are easier because of the shape of the ham.

And, I still sew, making shirts mostly, but now that I have more time than stress, I do want to make some more sophisticated clothes. Lately I have been wanting to sew a 1920s style dress, and am thinking of either hand stitching the whole thing. I think it would be perfect for summer. The ham will be perfect for anchoring my fabric so I can stitch on my project and put some tension on the fabric.    I may also find my ham useful if I decide to master handsewn buttonholes.

But that is for another time, like when I get started on it. And I really should get started on that dress, come to think of it. The solstice is less than 3 weeks away!

A Summer’s Bouquet

 

I decided to attempt a more high key painting today – one with a lot of white!  I always look for contrast, but here I tried to lessen the usual contrast.  Maybe it’s because I rather like contrasty photos as opposed to subtle one with a long scale of color or black and white.  Even here, I kept adding contrast!  It’s a fixation . . . but contrast is how we differentiate shapes and depth, so it’s necessary, but I am trying to minimalize it.  Not sure if it worked or not!

Heat & Sloth

 

Today both Josh and I were exhausted.  This hot weather is so draining, and instead of the nights cooling off as they usually do in California, it pervades into sleeping hours as well.  Open windows and fans work most of the time, but today the air conditioning is running full time to keep the house at 75, not 81 or so.  The result is fatigue in a very odd way.  The mind is numb.  The body is numb.  It’s like being a reptile in cold weather – moving requires too much effort.  In a bit, around 7:30 p.m., we will be out for a walk – how hot will it be?  Certainly cooler than earlier, but probably in the mid-80s.  How far we go depends on how hot it is.  Both the dogs and we need some exercise.

Such an uneventful day.  So little accomplished or aimed for other than survival.  No dinner cooked, just scrounging around for whatever can be found.  Passive activities such as watching TV and movies in the middle of the day.  The mind is only now becoming a bit more alert.  No sewing, painting, or anything that required too much, although I did pick up a 6th grade math book for the fun of it . . . that took a bit of effort, let me tell you.

And more heat tomorrow . . . it does beat a hurricane, though.  I am grateful for that.  I still have a home.  And, I know enough about heat exhaustion, having had it many times over the past several summers, that I stay hydrated and cool.  Only the other day a hiker died in the nearby mountains while his or her companions called 911 for help with their own heat exhaustion.  But being passive is so tiring in its own way.