eat, drink and be merry

My book club came over last night...

After I put out the food and drink,

Zoe went into guard mode for me...

and guarded this yummy spread of bruschetta, grapes,

 and cream cheese layered with chutney and hazelnuts

(so easy and simply the best).

Our book of the evening was Loving Frank by Nancy Horan.

As it pertains to Frank Lloyd Wright I went with the architecture theme.

So I put down blue prints as a table cloth (thanks Doug)

and displayed this petite building complex

created by architect Kim when she was a student.

Then we had a lively discussion while sipping wine on the patio 

and enjoying the beautiful Seattle evening...

doesn't get any better than this.

Guess what?  Monsieur Nick is in Chicago on the second leg of his journey

and will be home this evening...tres bien.

This morning I went to the finger doctor and she said I can begin using my digit - 

at 5 1/2 weeks I never expected to hear that.  Yippeee!!! Our bodies are amazing!

Have a truly wonderful weekend -

I know I will!

dreamin' of Durer

as Nick is in Paris

I got to thinking about my year in Europe 33 years ago...

I studied art in the '70s and at that time the 'in' art form was abstract - that's what we learned.  So when I graduated from college I felt the need to take an intensive drawing class.  So I proposed to apprentice with Albrecht Durer for one year.  I think the committee had quite a chuckle and I got their attention as he has been dead for almost 500 years.  I figured that I needed to bathe myself in his work and that meant reading his manuscripts in the British Museum, studying all his originals in museums from London to Vienna and Sweden to Spain, and finally following his wanderlust trip from Nuremberg over the Alps to Italy - right?  And low and behold they agreed to the fellowship so off I went...

This morning I pulled out my sketchbook and took a look...

seems like only yesterday...

As soon as the finger is better (doctor Friday then maybe 1-2 weeks left)

I want to start drawing for fun, yes just fun...

and not take art so seriously!!!

a Sunday blessing - not coveting or anything ...

OK I know I should not covet,

but give me a break.

First he sends this photo...

Monsieur Nick atop La Tour Eiffel

then he eats lunch at a cafe 20' from Chartres Cathedral

and even photos his Croque Monsieur...

(I have taught him well)

avec un cafe creme...

not that I am coveting mind you or feeling at all jealous,

even though he is at my favorite church in the whole entire world

and probably eating my favorite meal...

and then yesterday he had the gall to go here -

a place I have wanted to go like forever...

with the most wonderful house which I could move right in to...

and the garden which is my most favorite in the entire world too!

Oh Giverny someday I will visit ...

and then today he starts my hubby coveting big time

as he just saunters over to the Champs to see the end of the Tour de France - sheesh...

so take that Monsieur Nick - 

I stole all these photos off your blog and just a warning -

you will have much yard work and slave labor to do when you return home - 

maybe make our yard look a little like Monet's?

and oh yes,

I was reading in Romans 13 this morning and it puts it all in perspective:

 The commandments ... 'do not covet' 

and whatever other commandment there may be,

 are summed up in this one rule:  

'Love your neighbor as yourself'.

Love does no harm to its neighbor. 

 Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

 Nick we love you so much 

and we are so thrilled that you got to be a Parisian for a month

and we are so excited to see you Friday.

but just a warning...

there will be manual labor.

a bientot...

a dog's life

Finally it's my turn to post...

if you are recent to this blog then let me introduce myself -

My name is Zoe and I am a 9 year old Pembroke Welsh Corgi.
My mom is allowing me this guest post while her finger heals.
She thanks you all for asking how she is doing;
the finger is healing but starting to hurt more and 
she is hoping that means the nerves are reattaching
and nothing more.
She is a tad down and finds it hard to sit still
and the worst thing is that she won't throw the ball to me
and no art is happening.

I live with her and Doug and I love fetching and herding my family...

yep that is what I do...

especially on walks - and when strangers come to the door,

well who are we kidding - when anyone comes to the door.
It's just what I do.

thought you might enjoy seeing a little bit of my world....

We walked to Pine Lake Park the other night for a 60's concert.

There were lots of dogs to see,

but my mission was to herd my parents through the park and back home.

It's just what I do. 

It was a beautiful summer day.

Summer doesn't get any better than here,

that is after summer actually arrives and decides to stay...

just love this lake -

 

Then Saturday we went on a long drive in the car...

I usually don't go on these outings as I get a little dizzy and carsick.

I am too short to see out and Mr. Nick is in Paris and could not hold me.

sigh, I miss my boy.

First we went to Gig Harbor, a beautiful little town west of Tacoma.

Oh mom, of course we had to pose...

how embarrassing!

and I was planning on eating these yummy colored items left right on the sidewalk

until my mom showed me that there was a sidewalk drawing contest going on.

very cool art...

even got my white paws colored from it -

I kinda like the look.

Then my adventure continued at a family party.

 I met Maddie and Bella -

 they were young whippersnappers and made me nervous 

as they ganged up on me - 

I am an old lady you know

and I like my quiet.

I enjoyed spending time with my good friend Tess.  

Now there's a dog who gets me.

She had the largest beef bone and 

I got to gnaw on it a couple of times.

I had a whimpy rawhide and I wanted Tess' bone 

and she wanted my rawhide.

The grass is always greener right?

So I had to eat my rawhide as fast as I could so she would not get it, 

but then I threw it all up... drat.

Here's my favorite Ella who loves cheerios -

my kinda girl...

She did not spill as many as I had hoped, drat...

She didn't feel very well...

my mom thinks she has the cutest bum...

but then again she says that about mine.

Now I for one covet her shoes -

red and pink and cherries -

how cute are these?

and these are her ladybug shoes...

I seriously wanted to put all 4 of them on my feet and sneak out - 

do you think anyone would have noticed?

On the ride home I saw my first train - a little loud and big and scary
so I moved to the other side of the car...
I really prefer just hanging out at home
(It's just what I do),
but I did enjoy myself today.
I have more to share so mom said I can blog again sometime if you guys like it,
so please comment if you do!
I gotta get more comments than the cat's post  (9) so comment here please 
and give the dog some support.
thanks!

a Sunday Blessing

There is nothing so secular that it cannot be sacred,

and that is one of the deepest messages of the Incarnation.

Bach was a man of deep and profound religious faith, 

a faith which shines through most of his secular music.

As a matter of fact,

 the melody of his moving chorale "O sacred head now wounded"...

was the melody of a popular street song of the day,

but Bach's religious genius was so great 

that it is now recognized a one of the most superb pieces of religious music ever written.

Madeleine L'Engle

Walking on Water reflections on faith and art

I pray that you will find the sacred in your everyday doings this week.

Blessings,

Pam

bon jour mes amis

Nick is about half way through his Paris adventure.

I am so jealous...

well maybe not of this...

he told me he met Mona along with about 200 others - 

sheesh - 

gave me quite a chuckle I must say with 

all those cameras up in the air!

more pics on his blog.

quiet waters - a photo tutorial

Since the finger won't allow me to paint yet,

 I decided to be creative and make lemonade out of lemons so to speak...

so I scanned two magazine photos

 from the current issue of House Beautiful...

&

and I put one on top of the other.

Then the experimenting started...

this one is color burn in photoshop and

this one is multiply & vintage photo. 

Finally I moved the two images to Picnik

and continued to play.

I added focal bw, 

matte with an aqua border,

cinema scope, 

orton-ish 

and the font is Rascunho Errado.

I love the way the finished piece (first one) turned out

but wish they were my photos so I could print them...

sigh.

If you haven't tried it - you must!

All the apps I used are free!

Oh and btw - Zoe is still working on her blog -

she has been a little lazy as dogs sometimes do

and has spent the last two hours working on a rawhide bone...

promise I will get her to finish her blog post soon...

So what are your favorite photo apps?

If you have a great photo technique you would like to share 

then leave your link in the comments (with details on how you did it)

and we can all come and visit!

I would really love to see...