Goodbye '08

Top Drawing "Sky Juice"

9" x 12"

Ink & Pencil

Bottom Drawing "Ice Cream"

9" x 12"

Ink & Pencil

I've done several of the EDM (Everyday Matters) challenges, but I haven't posted anything on there, yet, or on my own blog, either, for that matter. (I got busy with Christmas things, then got sick with a sinus seige. All better now, but I couldn't do a thing for sneezing, runny eyes, and all that good stuff. Christmas cards are still in the box. I guess those will be ready for next year! Benadryl and sleep took care of that problem for a while!)

The above are two of the 204 challenges that they have had, so far. Each week, there is a new topic. It's very interesting to see how each person creates their subject. It seems that journaling along with art is a popular thing, so I threw in writing about some of the things I have done.

With the end of the year, a lot of people are also writing about their goals and resolutions for next year, and reflecting on their accomplishments and experiences during the past year. I think I have given up on those goals and resolutions. I just have to wait and see what happens and hope for the best. If I've made it through the day without a major tragedy, that's great! I don't want to put myself in the position of getting stressed out, worrying, being upset, etc. because I am not able to do something that I tried or would like to do. Murphy's Law always seems to be in effect. If I plan to have toast in the morning, it is sure to burn, or I won't hear the alarm clock and may sleep until lunch time! If it can go wrong, it probably will. But then, it seems that my plans have to go astray so that I will actually get to the point of where I am supposed to be. I can do without anymore kicks in the seat of the pants to make me move on, I think. I just hope to get through things, with a little fun and pleasantness, and no more bad occurances, do what I can, and enjoy all that is possible-stay a little occupied and busy, and relax.

I hope that, if you set goals and resolutions, they are things that you will be able to be successful doing, and that will help you be happy, prosperous, healthy, wealthy, and wise.

I know. I know. We are supposed to set goals. But, after so many years, and they never work, enough is enough.

I really dread saying goodbye to the old year. I thought it was always sad, but hoped that there would be a lot of good surprises in store. I'm really reluctant, this year. Not only does it mean an older age, and the prospect of going downhill even more, but, for our country and the world, it looks like we are going to see even worse times. I think I would like to do like one of Ashton's games, and, if things don't work out, you can go back in time. I don't know how our country, and other areas in the world, could be losing so much of what has been so good for so long.

Well, we're supposed to be partying and playing tonight. I'm not even watching the big parties on tv. That's not so much fun, if you aren't a part of the party. Would be nice to be out, all dressed up, dancing with someone really special, champagne, and all of that. We are having barbeque for supper (Sounds like Texas, doesn't it!-no fancy party dishes here.) , then watch some movies.

I need to draw something. My sketchbook is almost full-just a few more pages. Think maybe I can fill them up tonight? I'd like to start a new sketchbook tomorrow for the new year, but, I didn't think of buying a new sketchbook. I doubt that any art supply places will be open tomorrow. I do know that, next time, I am going to get a sketchbook that fits my scanner. I always seem to cut something off if I draw too close to the edge of the page.

Click on the drawings above to see them larger, and you will be able to read them better.

The top drawing was supposed to be a glass of juice. I immediatley thought of Daddy always saying he wanted a glass of "sky juice"! So that was the inspiration for this drawing. Of course, Aggies will know, especially those who were in the Corps, that Sky Juice is water. I can't remember all of them, now, but I think that many of those sayings are in some of the "Good Bull" books, and in that wonderful movie about the Aggies, "We've Never Been Licked". The glass is some of the crystal I got as wedding gifts so long ago. I still like to use my pretty china, crystal, and silver, when I get a chance. I still had this crystal out from Christmas dinner, so I just fixed myself a glass of water with ice tinkling in it, and used it for a model. Actually, the only way that water tastes okay to me is in a fancy glass, with clear ice in it. I got spoiled with the sweet artesian water that Calvert had, before they put chemicals in it. Sprite or 7-Up are my drinks of choice now, since Coca Cola did away with the good old Cokes.

I guess that I could have put some 7-Up in my glass and had a picture of champagne for New Year's Eve. Maybe you can imagine some bubbles in my drawing!

The bottom drawing was supposed to be of ice cream. I like to have a little ice cream, especially after I eat at night. The glass cup is actually one that has a snowman and other winter things on it, a cup that came from McDonalds, I think, when my grandson was small. I couldn't see the shapes, just shadows and highlights, with the vanilla ice cream in the clear glass. They might show up better if the contents had color. I thought I would add a little blue and yellow as I was sketching in pencil. But, I decided to use ink on it with a Pitt pen, as I did on the top drawing, and I liked the effect .

I seem to spend too long on some of these sketches that should be done rather quickly. There are more. I am going to post those on Flickr.

By the way, all the pictures in my blog are also on Picassa, I've learned. I tried doing a slideshow through them and it didn't work that way, either. I'm still getting a message that the code is wrong. It starts out okay, but changes when I try to publish my blog.

Those of you who would like to see the slideshow that I have promised since October, can go to

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9484521@N02/show/ and see some of the pictures. I hope that works for you.

Get ready for the next Plein Aire Painting Workshop in Calvert with Virginia Vaughan Saturday Feb. 21 and into Feb. 22. Let me know if you plan to come, and bring a friend. Contact me if you need a supply list or more information. Also look on my sidebar for a link to Virginia's website and blog.

Of course, the 21st World Wide Sketch Crawl is right around the corner, Saturday Jan. 10. We'll be sketching in Bryan and Calvert, and all over the world. Come join us to draw, sketch, paint, doodle, journal, or whatever. You can even find a group where you are, or start your own.

January 17th, there is a Free, Design Camp for Creative People at the Astin Mansion in Bryan from 10 a.m to 6 p.m. This is for anyone who is into creativity-art, writing, design, etc. They do want you to RSVP. For more, see their website http://www.astinmansion.com .

Hope that you are having a great New Year's Eve and that New Year's Day will be a good one, filled with tradition and good memory making moments. And that 2009 will be wonderful for everyone!

Barbeque is ready, here. Can you believe that it is warm enough on the deck to go out and cook some barbeque? Even with a fresh norther that came in last night. The dog doesn't like the cool wind though. He runs to the door on the north side of the house, and runs back inside. Lately, he doesn't seem to want to go out if the wind is blowing. I think that maybe he needs a little coat since he has short hair and is sort of small. I know that some of you in the colder areas are wishing for some warm, barbeque and outdoor cooking weather. And, down here, we all wish we could see enough snow to play in.

Thank you so much for reading my blog and for all the comments and encouragement during the past year. I've become a terrible letter-writer, though. No more 20 + page letters to friends. Most of my writing is going into my blog and drawings, these days. As I said, I didn't even get my Christmas cards out this year, but I did get Thelma's cards in the mail.

So, friends, I hope you had a Merry Christmas, and will have a Happy New Year!

Did you ever look for a baby New Year to come flying down from the sky on New Year's Eve when you were young? Or did you look for an old man with a long white beard, dressed in a robe, with a banner with the year on it, propping himself up with a long stick, and headed up into the sky to greet the baby year? I remember doing that, sitting in my bed and looking out my bedroom window toward the park and Edie's house. I would think that maybe I missed them when I dozed off, or, possibly, they passed over downtown or over the part of the house where I couldn't see. I always thought that I should be different, feel different the next day, and the same thing was true for birthdays. I tried, but it didn't seem to happen. There were football games, parades, dinner in front of the tv, and people trying to make me eat some of those disgusting black eyed peas, on New Years Day, but I didn't feel any different, or any more grown up.

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