Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Number 6 – Roseville Ixia

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Pottery Portraits #6 – Roseville Ixia.

Oil on Paper 6″ x 9″ Finished 7/4/21

I’m really pleased with this one. I can see improvement each time I tackle a new painting. Maybe it’s crazy, but, though I certainly don’t want to limit my painting to Roseville Pottery, I’m quite happy capturing the beauty of Roseville Pottery for the time being. I also think these pieces are a good teacher, if you will. The shapes and the variations in the glaze work together as a lesson in highlights and shadows. That realization struck me this morning.

Yes, I want to do more landscapes and buildings and maybe some animals, but right now, I feel these pieces are my instructors and I’m so grateful I had the idea to paint one of them.

I’ve titled the series: Pottery Portraits.

Thank you for all your lovely anniversary wishes yesterday. I took the day off from replying but I hope you know that I read each and every one of them. Bless you.

As Don said this morning: “We’re ridiculously happy.”

We are.

It was a quiet day. I weeded a bit outside, trying to corral wild vines and mint-run-amok. I hadn’t planned on finishing the painting yesterday – I was going to give it one more day to dry – but I came in from outside and looked at the easel and thought, “Why not?” So I corrected some areas that didn’t look right and picked the background color and it’s done. Now for the next subject. I have a couple in mind.

But first, some mowing is in order.

Everything is flowering here; coneflowers, chickory, phlox, day lilies, bee balm. Splashes of color are everywhere. I love this time of year.

More fireworks last night, this time from another direction. I suppose there will be more tonight. I’ve seen more than my share of fireworks in my lifetime and I’m over them. We don’t even get up and look outside to see if we can spot where they are in the sky. They upset animals and birds, they upset those with PTSD, they can be a danger to vegetation and wildlife, especially in dry areas. Why do we need them at this point?

We’re currently watching a Swedish version of Wallander. Excellent. And I’m reading the second Ruth Galloway mystery,  The Janus Stone. I’m just about to finish it. And we watched the Mets/Yankees game yesterday afternoon.

Okay. Hope you’re all well. I’m going to make some oatmeal and get ready to mow.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

 

A Rainy Day

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In process. Much more to go. After I’m finished for the day, I like letting it sit on the easel overnight so I can look at it occasionally from the living room. I already see elements I need to tweak. This, by the way, is one of my favorite pieces of Roseville. The pattern is Ixia, a flower I hadn’t heard of. It’s also known as Corn Lily. When I get around to adding them, you’ll see that the flowers themselves are on the smaller side. I’m sure you know by now that I love Art Deco and this particular vase’s design is definitely Art Deco. I have another Ixia piece as well. This shade of green is also one of my favorites and I think I’ve mixed the right color, which is not always so easy to do when trying to match the glaze on a Roseville piece.

All in all, a satisfying painting session yesterday.

It continues to rain here, which will make for a quiet day today, perfect for painting. Though I woke up way too early today, so there’s that.

Painting, a bit of cleaning, and reading.

This rain will continue through the Fourth of July. Monday will be rainless. I’m not sure when fireworks are happening. Around here, during the holiday weekend, there are usually fireworks every day in one of the neighboring towns or the campground. In the days when we had Scoutie it was a nightmare. Most dogs don’t like fireworks, but collies, especially, are known for very sensitive hearing. And she was a border collie. There was nothing we could do to calm her. I don’t know how well they work, but we saw a commercial for a thunder shirt last night. They weren’t around back then, but I sure would have loved that option for our girl. It might have relieved much of her stress.

My beloved sister’s birthday is today. How thankful I am for her! She is an extraordinary person in every way and I love her dearly. Happy Birthday, Meredith!

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

Roseville Series and Blog Business

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So far. They’re propped up on the music stand and I’ve run out of room! Quality problems, I know. I’m going to start a new one today.

I’m enraged by the technicality that let Bill Cosby leave prison. Don’t forget, I know someone very well who ran out of his house in NYC when she realized what he was about to do.

But, even if I didn’t know her, 60 women came forward. He was found guilty. This is the kind of ‘technicality’ that only someone who is enormously wealthy can afford to pursue. And still his wife defends him. And Phylicia Rashad. Real and Fake wives remain resolute in turning a blind eye to the facts.

And don’t get me started on the judge’s decision as to Brittney Spears.

Okay, I’ll stop.

We had a big old thunderstorm last night and the temperatures have dropped. It’s still humid out there, but not nearly so oppressive. More rain is on the way.

Some blog business. I’ve been a bit remiss. After deciding that ‘tomorrow is another day,’ I didn’t pursue the email subscriptions to the blog ending in July. It’s July 1st. I have no idea when in July they will cease. Maybe today? Maybe not.

So I took a survey last night on IG. (Side note: I don’t know how to phrase a survey question as was painfully obvious.) The vast majority of readers who answered said the email subscription wasn’t necessary. Some, of course, like getting the emails and I understand that. But I am reluctant to take on more blog expense at this point in the life of the blog for the less than 20% who would like an email. And, as this was unofficial, I don’t even know if those who responded regularly read the blog.

Here’s the deal: I provide all of this for free. I don’t want you to have to pay to read this blog nor do I want paid subscribers. I’m not comfortable with that at all. Yes, I know everyone and his brother is climbing on the Patreon wagon, but that’s not for me. I have done my best over the years to be as user friendly and available as I can be. There was a time when I loved nothing more than adding new things to the blog, trying out new services. Those days are over.

Don’t worry, I plan to keep blogging, but the fact is, the blog does have a finite life. I am particularly uncomfortable with taking on an added expense at this point.

And here’s the key point: You KNOW I post every day. In the rare case that I don’t, I let you know that I’m not posting via Instagram. This isn’t the case of a blogger who posts sporadically so you need to know when a new post is up. I am not that blogger. I blog every day, in the morning, so that the post is published by 11 am at the latest. Why should I have to let you know what you already know via an email subscription that costs me money and I’m not even sure how many of those subscribers read the blog any more?

The answer is obvious. I shouldn’t have to.

And the solution, for those of you who love getting the email, is to bookmark or favorite the blog via your browser. It couldn’t be easier. One click. Then, around 11 am or earlier, you click on that bookmark or favorite and you’re taken directly to the blog. That’s how I read blogs, and I read several every day. The alternative is to follow it in a feed reader like Feedly or Bloglovin’. I am on Bloglovin’ and I used to have a box on my sidebar that you could click to follow me there. I’ll put it back in the next few days.

Then, when you check your particular feed reader, you’ll see my post. And, being the wonderful people you are, you’ll click on the post and go directly to the blog.

This is what I’m going to do. No more email subscriptions.

My friends, this blog is in its 13th year. Writing a post every day has been a source of satisfaction and joy. And I wouldn’t be here without you. I know that.

Sometimes I consider ending it, but I’m not ready for that. As Don reminds me, “You would regret that decision.” He’s right. But, having just paid my annual fees for security, for backups of the blog so I don’t lose posts should something nefarious happen, and for my host, I just can’t stomach paying for something that simply isn’t necessary.

And there you have it.

If you need help with bookmarking or favoriting the blog, I’m happy to help.

Stay safe.

Happy this seems like a Friday but is really Thursday.

 

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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