The Saturday Morning Post: Creativity is fed by the past masters

Portraits were a new endeavor for me this year. I had never really painted them before. And portraits challenged me. The masters can vary shades to create the shape of the features of the face. I am working on that, but the detail I wanted eluded me. 

Then I come across a collection of french portraits in the east building of the National Gallery of Art, from the late 1800's and early 1900's, and the answer is there. Slight outlines of the nose, eyes, chin, in a dark color, allowing the sketch to show through in the final painting. 

A creative solution, to a challenge to my creativity. Yes I should or could have learned this decades ago, but I didn't. I may be an old dog, but I am still learning to be creative.  

Friday Reflection: On visiting family

I was there to spend time with family. 

I was not there to judge, the housekeeping, the house, the food, the dog, the politeness of the kids. 

I am delighted to see you as you are, where you are, just as you are. 

I don't care if the dog barks, or the cat sheds, or the baby fusses, or there are toys are on the floor. Those are all signs of a perfectly wonderful life. 

When you come to visit me, and please do, don't expect me to make my bed, dust or clean off my desk.  I don't live like that, and you are not here to judge my home, you are here to spend time with family. 

You probably do many things differently than I do, that is just fine, do it your way, you are you. 

Travel Penguin stayed in his travel burro most of this trip. He didn't greet his distant cousins - they smelled like dead fish - but we really didn't care - we were not there to judge the housekeeping, we were there to spend time with family and friends.  

Thursday Ramble: Memory Flashback

Doc Spo's post about hair ten days ago, triggered a lot of memories for me. Without going into my hair struggle, it reminded me of some wonderful experiences. 

In my middle 20's I started back to finish a college degree. I had finished a few classes at a local community college, and transferred to Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. I was working full time, like 50-60 hours a week, and taking classes a couple of evenings a week.  Rollins had a very workable schedule for doing this. 

Rollins is at the end of Park Avenue. Park Avenue is very much the Rodeo Drive of central Florida. It is lined with boutiques, cafes, and shops catering to the wealthy. Rollins had built its reputation as a nice liberal arts college for the children of wealthy New Englanders who were not able to get into the Ivy League - or who preferred water skiing and playing tennis to shoveling snow. It was a bit of a country club college. 

I would generally have a couple of days off from work in the middle of the week (and almost always worked Saturday and Sunday.) This worked well for classes. I would go into Winter Park late in the afternoon, have lunch (lasagna and salad at Olive Garden - until they were forced out by a frozen margarita bar out-bidding them on rent.) Then go to class in the evening.   

I was walking back toward Rollins one afternoon and passed Gary Lambert Salon. I had met Gary at the gym, he was at the front desk that afternoon.  I needed a haircut. I had always gone wherever it was cheapest. I had most often hated the way my hair was cut.  I knew it would be expensive, for whatever reason that afternoon I decided I was worth it, and how bad could it be? It was expensive, as I recall about $25 and this was in the mid 1980's. It was also the best haircut I had ever had.  

Gary cut my hair for a couple of years, then asked if I would be okay if Shawn cut it. Shawn was every bit as talented, and younger and kinda cute.  I went back every few weeks for the rest of the time that I lived in central Florida. I am pleased to see that Gary and Shawn are still there. 

I have very fond memories of my time at Rollins.  What I learned there changed me as a human being. I knew when I was there how lucky I was to be there.  I didn't have the typical background of my classmates, I was a first generation college student. I was working and paying for it as I went. It was a warm and welcoming environment.   

My World of Wonders: July 15, 2026

Where have I been? On Thursday I flew from DCA to IND, Indianapolis, Indiana. I went to the museum at the speedway. Then drove out to Greenfield, Indiana to spend the night. On Friday I drove from Greenfield to Ft. Wayne, taking the old back roads through the rolling corn fields most of the way. I visited the Ft Wayne Museum of Art, there will be a post on that sometime soon. My sister and I went to the Ft Wayne Farmers Market, and a big street art festival. Then to my older nephew's new house to visit his wife, and two kids, 7 months and just over 2 years old. The Ft Wayne Children's Zoo. Out to Grabill Indiana to visit an Amish shop and countryside. The Ft Wayne History center. The Airport in Indianapolis. 

Who have I seen? In Greenfield, I met up with and had dinner with my younger nephew Andrew. In Ft Wayne I had dinner with my sister Karen. My older nephew Michael, his wife and his two adorable sons. 

What have I been up to in the kitchen? Nothing, I have been on the road again. 

What art have I been creating? Taking a few photos along the way. 

What made me happy this week? Peaceful travel. 

What was the most amazing thing I have seen this week? The glass wing at the Ft Wayne Museum of Art. 

What YouTube Channel should you watch, and maybe subscribe to this week? Brian's Life In France 

Travel Tuesday: Mt Vernon

The Original is back on display in the Museum 

A Reproduction 

Clothing Worn By George Washington

 

Upper Garden

Bacon in the Maken 

Monday Mood: How lucky I am

I Love and I am Loved. 

I am happy. 

I have time to do things I enjoy. 

Nothing has tried to kill and eat me this week. 

I do things I enjoy doing. 

I am still learning, still able to learn, still interested in learning. 

I am able to move about. 

I am able to travel. 

I have a safe and comfortable home. 

I am able to be creative.

I am able to help others. 

I have people to talk with, people I can listen to, people who will listen to me. 

I am able to trade messages with friends and family.

Some of this is luck. 

Most of it is the result of working, being wise with money over the years. Setting goals for myself. Holding myself accountable. At times, doing things I didn't want to do. Taking risks. Being stubborn and sticking to what I wanted to do. Being kind to others. Allowing myself to go and do and be creative. At times, pushing myself. 

I am lucky that I did what I needed to do, to be lucky in life. 

This is the third Monday Mood I have written, I am still not sure I like it, but it is almost Monday. Hopefully the Muses will be back from vacation by next week.  

The Sunday Five: Plants

1: Did you have a garden when you were growing up? 

2: Are you able to keep houseplants alive? 

3: What is a favorite thing you have grown? 

4: Have you ever planted a tree? 

5: What are you currently growing? 

My answers: 

1: Did you have a garden when you were growing up?  Yes, I remember one spring, saying I was going to stay home that summer and weed my garden, a classmate responded that he was going to stay home and garden his weed. My grandmother around the corner on the farm had a spectacular garden. 

2: Are you able to keep houseplants alive? Not really. The cactus died from neglect. 

3: What is a favorite thing you have grown? Roses, at the last house in Florida. 

4: Have you ever planted a tree? Yes, and driven by 35 years later to see them standing tall. 

5: What are you currently growing? Content with life, no plants in the high rise with the northern exposure.

Please share your answers in the comments.