Closure, at Last 2012-W47

For my pants, that is.  After a bountiful feast on Thanksgiving Day, I can finally zip my jeans without sucking in my abdomen.  Even so, I shouldn't like to sit around in them for very long.  Regardless, I will have to make do with these pants...  you see, this weekend I wouldn't venture out to shop unless the life of a family member literally depended on me doing that.  But for those of you who enjoy the Black Friday experience, I hope you had fun and scored many bargains.

Today also brings closure to a painting we first saw about a month back, one that had an ulterior motive.  Not very sinister though, I merely wanted to use up some paint from my palette to clear out the well.  I liked the painting okay when I finished it, but as time went on, I didn't like how the trees looked like lollipops.  So today I thought it would be fun to haul out the pastels and embellish the work into a better place.  I'm not sure I got there, but it was fun trying.

As I was working, I thought... "wouldn't life be grand if there were some way to go back and make bits of your past life a little better?"  Not sweeping overhauls, mind you, just little flourishes.  And on the face of it, maybe that would be terrific.  But with so many choices, where would one begin?  So in the end I decided maybe it's best to leave sleeping dogs to lay.  Or lie.  While you ponder all that, please re-appreciate version 2.0 of this now multimedia painting.  I shifted the original in My Gallery so the two versions appear side by side, in case you like playing the "spot the differences" game. Enjoy!

Maples Lakeside 2.0

p.s. After a Mac OS upgrade, I was able to correct the image more accurately.  Colorwise, this onscreen version appears nearly identical to the actual painting in indirect daylight.

p.p.s. Amusing aside:  while packing up the pastels, I noticed that I used two pastel sticks from the "Special Colors" set, two from the "Portrait" set, four from the "Starter Colors" set and ZERO from the "Landscape Colors" set.  I'll mull over what I think that means... 

Big Shoulders 2012-W46

Last Sunday, Veteran's Day, I phoned my mother.  As usual for a Sunday — but also because Mom is a veteran of the Korean War.  She achieved the rank of Seaman 1st Class and so half seriously / half teasingly, I thank her for her service to our country.  You see, my parents met while serving together in the Navy Hospital Corps, so as far as that service goes I have much to be grateful for personally.

In Britain, it is Remembrance Day and they mark it with the red poppy badges that we favor for Memorial Day.  Or used to do, anyway.  And as we might expect, some yob over there burnt a poppy and posted a picture on his facebook account.  For which he was arrested.

Subjects of Her Majesty do not enjoy the constitutional protection of Free Speech as do we.  In reading various observations about the disrespectful act as well as the ensuing violation of the actor's civil liberties, I came across this comment from Fiona of London.  I don't know her, only that she is a wise and eloquent woman.  Here is her remark in its entirety.

I abhor that someone should burn a poppy, but to be able to do so is exactly what these brave young men died fighting for. We should all treat it with the contempt it deserves, but I honestly believe that our brave fallen have bigger shoulders.

I can't add to that, except to say thank you to all who have bravely served our country.  Cue the painting...

De- & Re- jected

 

Billion Dollar Bust 2012-W45

We now settle into a quieter, more peaceful time for the next 18 months or so.  Until it's time to rev up the 2014 campaigns for Congress et cetera.  Meanwhile, like most people, I'm glad the constant information churning and flaming rhetoric are now behind us.

Whether or not you are satisfied with the outcome(s), you ought to feel this election was a victory of sorts for all Americans.  Why?  Because a handful of Billionaires tried to buy this election and they failed.  Yes, they made the race closer than it probably would have been otherwise.  Yes, SuperPAC money was spent on both sides—although in fact, it made up about 40% of the Republican's billion spent while only 12% of the Democrat's.

Plutocrats (awesome $20 word, right?) like Sheldon Adelson, Foster Freiss, and the Koch brothers poured out millions and yet were unable to buy the White House.  Time may show that in fact their efforts in the primaries did more harm than good.  How reassuring that a handful of wealthy men proved unable to impose their will on the rest of the country.  How lucky were we to avoid a return to politics as usual... in pre-Industrial England.  The keys still belong to We, the People.

As the electoral dust settles, it comforts me to think that my humble vote as a Thousandaire counts just as much as the vote of a Billionaire.  And regardless of how you voted, that ought to be comforting to you as well.  But if not, here's a soothing painting.  Peace!

Morocco Blue Door

My Cup Runneth Over 2012-W44

My cup runneth over — with art to share.  Consequently today we'll go double.  Owing to circumstances, and despite a special mid-week Halloween posting, I've accumulated a couple extras in the paintings vault.  One such is the puzzle I made for my nephew, which I discussed in detail on the 2012-W37 post.  Our lad has assembled the puzzle now, thus no harm showing it to you:

<secret title>

No official guesses at the solution have come in yet, although Frankestorm Sandy took out power at the nephew's house.  (Otherwise mom, dad, and the lad are fine.)  So, make your guess; I'll publish the answer once nephew solves it, and with a spoiler alert atop the post in case you are still ruminating.

As for the other vault picture, I guess it will stay put for a bit.  Since the last two Saturday blog posts were lengthy, I'll make this one brief(er)...  shout hurray, and meanwhile here's my painting from Salon today.   
(Grus japonensis for you bird watchers.)  Enjoy the art, and good luck solving the puzzle!

Red-crowned Crane