Saturday, January 08, 2005

Suddenly There IS A Palm Tree!

Headlines: The Central Coast is Blasted With Wind and Rain.

What a shock to discover that there is a Palm tree in our neighborhood primarily known for its pine and oak trees! The majestic oak had covered up the fact that a palm tree has infiltrated the street. Fortunately, the oak tree was only a few feet from the house, so when the mighty wind uprooted it the tree merely leaned against the roof as if to take a nap until the storm passed. Sadly, the oak was beyond saving and now there is only a hole where it once proudly stood. I photographed this scene right after the branches had been cut from the tree and before the trunk was removed. No damage to the roof! But my view is ruined by the out-of-place palm in desperate need of dead frond prunning.

The fence in my front yard decided to play a game of dominoes beginning with the gate as board-by-board fell finally stopping when a solid post was reached. Termites, the main culprit first weakened the wood and then saturated by the storms the fence only needed a little push from the wind. It's times like this that I'm only to happy to point out the problem to my landlady!

Friday, January 07, 2005

The Door Opens on 2005!


Page from my art journal, created with a little more abandon than my usual quiet sepia palette.

The Queen of Hearts playing card is a door, hinged to the page with duct tape. Inside the door is a quote by Edith Lovejoy Pierce: "We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on these ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day. "

Thursday, January 06, 2005

The beauty of a decaying Oak tree


I feel that I have a lot in common with this close-up photo of a decaying oak tree! Perhaps we're becoming more interesting with age.

On a recent walk through an oak grove in Carmel Valley I happened upon the kind of texture that excites me and is impossible to duplicate outside of nature. As is the case of this photo, sometimes film can capture what the eye doesn't see.

Monday, January 03, 2005

The Door Closes on 2004


Art Journal page - The Door Closes on 2004.
The stark greys and harsh black crackle finish on the altered playing card door symbolizes the toll 2004 took on me. Hidden behind the door is a list of the losses and health issues that confronted my family last year.

Sunday, January 02, 2005

Oh to be young again!

One of my favorite photos of my grandson! Jack turns 3 tomorrow.

Artificial urgency has struck! I can't seem to get anything accomplished and it seems that everything is requiring my attention. I had hoped by now to have my storage room organized, with newly purchased iris storage containers, but the task has turned out to be a humpty-dumpty one and refuses to be put back together again.