Talking to strangers

Today she sketched Catherine Way playing her harp at Casa Feliz. Afterwards she took her weekly Park Ave. stroll and made a stop at "The Bookstore".  Catchy name for a bookstore, agree? This store has been open perhaps a year. Today she sits in one of the small rooms and strikes up a chat with a couple admiring the finger puppet display. The man in a ribbon decorated navy blue military ball cap was generally of a certain age and so was his wife. That means above 50, but only  they know how far above. The wife was picking up the puppets showing her husband , he said no I don't know Pete Seeger. So they needed info, she  has to speak and explain Seeger. The wife was really enjoying the cutenss of these puppets of famous folks . She picked up James Joyce and turned a quizzical face asking by her expression, So she explained Joyce and how he gained fame by publishing the most famous banned book..A book perhaps few would ever have read if not for that pre internet viralness phenomena of banning a book.  When the woman asked her who Emily Dickenson was , she found herself quoting a few favorite or at least memorable lines....and asking this lady, incredulously, what do you do? I am a realtor. The realtor asked her how do you know these things? As the lady realtor left she turned and said I'm going to take your suggestion and put on a little puppet show, she bought 4 puppets.  She really liked Twain, the puppet's bushy white hair could have made him mistaken for Einstein.  She said she knew who Mark Twain was but balked at the challenge of naming 3 books he wrote. Her husband knew Twain had written a biography about Ulysses S. Grant . She picked up Thomas Jefferson and declared she knew who he was. They were visiting from Houston. She asked for info on the Zora Neale Hurston puppet whose fame inspired a local festival that so happens to be taking place locally in Eatonville, this week.

Sunday 1/17/2016 Music at the Casa . Casa Feliz.
Matt the " Saxman" .  Matt usually performs with Michelle but today he was soloing it sort of anyway He was accompanied only by his synthesizer.  Occasionally he sings.  His sax is not a tenor sax,  She supposes perhaps it is an alto sax, but not being exactly sure,  she really should have asked him.  Two sweet children came to check out her sketch and compliment her efforts. She encourages them to draw everyday .

The sketch of Matt with his vintage saxophone is posted on Facebook .

 She took  a stroll down the avenue to sketch the peacock fountain again. Funny how many times she has come to sketch this peacock but never thought to step across the street and frame him though the arch . Since she had to stand to sketch from that vantage point, it will need a few more trips to render Perci from that view..Perhaps it will require some type of portable seat.
  She sketched on Sunday in Winter Park. She strolled alone down the avenue.
She recognized the owner of a local gallery sauntering along . She stopped in the Morse gift shop, and purchased a book , a gift , for her Aunt who loves trees. "Oak, one tree ,three years, fifty paintings"....author, Stephen Taylor.
Oak,

The 99th reason walk.

The link should go to Facebook, if you don't do Facebook .....What is your  fav way to connect ?
Saturdays she takes walking adventures with a friend . This year the plan is to take 100 adventure walks together. Last week's walk was a stroll in the fog across the bridge on hwy 92, across the Halifax river in Daytona Beach.
This week the camellia society folks are presenting and competing at Mead Gardens in Winter Park.
They arrived in time to see the room full of  hundreds or thousands of camellia blooms set up on tables in every hue of pink, and red and white and blends of those three colors. The blooms are here  to compare petal perfection and flaunt the beautiful aesthetic of each awesome blossom. The room was closed while the judges chose which beauties deserve the blue, or red or white ribbon for their grower. She envisions that behind the closed doors the judges whisper terms of endearments to all the participating blooms. So gorgeous, lovely, beautiful, pretty,  Que Bonita! Alas they will only give us 5 blue ribbons, 10 reds 20 whites ,, and so really we would just like to give all of you gold ribbons for you are all wonderful ,,,, here ,,now each of us close our eyes and throw these 35 ribbons in the air and see where each lands.    Shhhhh it is our secret don't say a word, sit here in silent agreement and then we will open the doors.
They strolled the gardens. Taking the boardwalk through the swamp they arrived at a pond where she was surprised to see robins in January . Usually it is February before they show up in Florida on their migration back north.  There are several paths around ponds in the gardens, each with a pleasing opportunity to sit a while to enjoy the reflections and look for the sketch. Too full of color for just a sketch . She pulls out her book , sketches notes, she will need return trips maybe several.
Watercolor pencils will be needed...making a list in her mind she muses....
.. Another lunchtime picnic sketch adventure?
She asked her friend for 3 adjectives to describe this day.  His first choice surprised her. Exciting . Hmmm she thought and waited for his  second adjective. Calming.  Yes,  she agrees with calming . The stillness of the water which had perfectly reflected the tall cypress trees has a calming effect on the psyche.   She realized the two words together create a balance. Like  the way a ripple on the water is a calm rhythmic but exciting break in the smooth cool stillness.   Walking along the shores together elevates the mood and the warm sunshine sets the heart to enjoy the pleasant peaceful pleasurable moment of this day.

Today the temperature has dropped and it is sweater weather. 3 sweaters. I took along  a new sketch book to Casa Feliz.
 For some reason when I sketch from a new book, it is more difficult than usual for me to orient my sketch on the blank page. I could also blame the weather or just admit some situations such as today's quartet are challenging to me. I decided to accept what was on the page when the quartet took their break, unfinished  and out of perspective. Elise is lopsided. Abby is missing half of her body and  most of her cello.  I suppose this out of kilterness matches my lopsided mood.  This is a sketchbook I have inherited from my artist, sister in law, she has left her earthly journey.  I am thinking of how she wanted to plan to come with me to Casa Feliz on a Sunday.  So her sketch book comes with me.
Go to Facebook to see the sketch of Paint it Black a string quartet, well  sort of , a string trio,
2 cellos, violin,   and a flute.

Today it is cold and raining in Winter Park, Florida. This is our second day of  winter.
The last one was back in early December . My journal knows that was the day I wrote Brrrrrr.
When the temp drops below 70 here, we reach for our woolies. Today it is apparently 55 degrees.
Of course if you are from Russia you know to wear a turtleneck. Yurin Vasily, switch that, his name is Vasily Yurin, is from Russia. He plays a beautiful classical guitar. He was a pleasure to sketch. Gemma and her parents were at the house today. Gemma likes to sit by me while I sketch. I enjoy little Gemma. She definitely is a little gem. Vasily tells me he has not yet composed. I have a prediction he will soon be composing a very interesting piece.
To see a sketch of Vasily under the arch at Casa Feliz, go through the Facebook icon
The Facebook badge on the right will take you to see the page:
She sketcheson Sundays.
Like the page, share the page.
Make a comment, speak some Russian, listen to the art to hear the music breath to you .

Shout out to God to bless Frank, father of a Sarah , Thank you God for placing this man in my path today, may he and all his family be showered with wonderful blessing from you this year and always as you repay him a hundredfold for the kindness he showed me today by going the second mile

There are so many good people in this world, people who walk dogs, who have jumper cables, who drive cars backwards on one way streets to help a stranger, who offer their phone, and when all is still not enough, drive 3 miles out of their way to give more than this Sarah even thought to ask.  Thank you Frank. 

She Sketcheson Sundays Inspired by Monet, to go visit the lily pond, she arrived as the sun set on Sunday afternoon over the lily pads on the lake. Looking and pointing her lens toward the vanishing point of the sun,she pushed the white circle and captured the gift of light.   Oh what a glorious gift!   The photo that emerged made her exclaim to the world . 
I want to live with the one who created the sun,,,, go to the Facebook page scroll for the Dec. 9,the photo , zoom in zoom out and enjoy the gift God showers on us every single day the gift of light!,....