Hello out there...

I know it has been a while, but there are not excuses in blogging... at least in my version of blogging!  I have done a bit of wandering around New York.. there was a good show at the Met.  And this lovely viewer provided such a nice pose..

I have "finished" my fourth journal, and it has left me with no prepared books to move on to and so I have sort of stalled up.  I have been reading, some of it interesting and some of it not so much.  I'll do a bit of a report of that soon.  I also have the completed pages of the 4th book to show, so there is that also coming up.

Today is it just an "I'm back" note to start the month of November off.

Also November is the month that I solicit pictures from the Spanish Water Dog Club and make a calendar for the next year.  Last year's calendar looked like this . You can click on the see pages link and get a view of each month's page if you want.  I take pictures from club members, so they are a very mixed bag of quality, but it is fun to do.  The Club gets all the profits, it is just a labor of love on my part.  And I own November's stars.

I'll try not to disappear for quite this long again.  As for the stylish viewer above, she was joined later by a not so stylish  companion:

Isn't that just New York City in a nutshell?

Temple of Dendur at the Met

Went to see the Matisse before it closed and wandered through here.  This and the Scholar's Garden are always my faves

Thanks to John D. Rockefeller....

I have told the story so often about John D Rockefeller, Jr. assuring that the view from the Cloisters area would always be of the Palisades only, not of buildings.  According to the Times today, that may not always be so.  I have benefited from Rockefeller's foresight, when I look across the river, as I do every day, I see the Palisades and the George Washington Bridge.  The view is one I treasure. To be able to see the Hudson River water flowing both ways (it is a tidal estuary still up this far so it reflects the tides) and the snow on the rockface across the river and even the green of summer over there, although winter is much, to me, more beautiful, is something I treasure. 


 

 

 

 

Recently at the Met

The Met Lobby at night is magical...

Aren't these something wonderful? I suppose the Met could save money by skimping on flowers, but I hope they don't. The lobby is always spectacular. I went on Friday night recently, and it was not overflowing with people, you could see the paintings and, without an eternal wait,

you could get a drink and listen to music and admire the lobby over the railing.

This guy was right near where we were sitting, and quite handsome too!

This guy probably would not have approved of our drinks, but he was the very first thing I ever drew at the Met years and years ago and I have an inordinate fondness for him.

I have been staying home a lot lately, those of you who secretly harbor the idea that I have at least a touch of agoraphobia are probably right, except that I walk the dog 3 times a day, go to class twice a week and generally meet someone for an evening out at least once a week. But.... if I can stay home in my jammies I will, so there. I did finish the stole, and even blocked it, but then it seemed a bit small, so I thought I would extend it without redoing the cast off. I picked up stitches along the top and did an addition, hated it, took it out and tried again.

It doesn't photograph well, but I will give it a try later when Miss Ella and Sienna are not rocketing around the house chasing each other. (Miss Ella is my neighbor's pup who is playing with Sienna for the afternoon). So, for those of you who were wondering if I had given up, here I am, and I have been posting pretty regularly on the photo blog, so all is well. I may just rip out the addition and stick with what I have, we shall see. Perhaps I shall ask for votes from my reader.

Friday Evening at the Met

Spent Friday night at the Met for the Bonnard show, which is one of my not to be missed shows, as Bonnard is one of my big heroes.  No photos allowed, alas, but I did revisit some of my old faves.  The head above is one of the very first things I ever drew, and I still have the drawing somewhere.  Perhaps I will find it as I refine the studio.

Then there is this guy.  I love him too.

The lighting in the cafe was pretty dramatic both above the tables and on the tables themselves.  Wine, music and little bites.  A nice end to the week.

For one other really delightful show that I almost missed, see here  The African Textiles, while a very small show packed a big wallop with some really beautiful things.  I will be running a series over on the picture blog for the next weekish.