The sky is the same color as the water, a muted oyster color, and the rain is sweetly beating down on the parched grass and needy plants. I am sure Rick from the fruit stand up the hill would have something to say about the lack of water this season particularly as it relates to the price of sweet corn around here. However, maniacal me is delighted in the prospect of a bumper crop of raspberries and peaches to crank out gallons of freezer jam that is now the hometown favorite. I have made two batches which were promptly devoured by the crew, with some more peach, nectarine and sweet cherries to mess with in the next few days. It is such a pleasure to have this wonderful soft fruit to fiddle with. I got a wonderful collection of things from our CSA, Sweet Land Farm from a mess of sweet red peppers, to some lovely carrots that have spurred me to grind and cook and process this morning. I roasted the peppers and peeled them. I made 2 quiches with my egg share. I made a fresh carrot soup for Kitty. I plucked my collection of basil stems and ground it with olive oil to freeze to add to my soup and spaghetti sauces this winter..to promise myself that summer is on the horizon and not to lose hope. Around the first week of February, that is needed. And of course, there is the delicious Cornell chicken marinade which I have a bunch of chicken soaking in. So, we have some culinary traction for the week.
We had a crazy day yesterday with all sorts of car shennanigans--picking up, delivering etc. We got Kitty to her job. Rob a haircut. Alex more progress on his college essays. We had some swimming (delightful, particularly that they promised thunderstorms to no avail). And then a trip to The Haunt to hear Jacob K., Eli and Daniel's band play. It was great. The Haunt is a venue I had never gone to before-- and I was surprised at how nice it was from the space with tall ceilings and the room arranged perfectly for a musical presentation, to the nice porch that stretches down the inlet--by the water--where we sat, had some things to eat and enjoyed listening to Kitty tell us about fashion, clothing, modeling and the thinking she is immersed in with her fabulous job at Petrune. Alex and the boys loved the music, the performance, the scene. Rob and I were planning to try to get to the Rongo for a performance, but things were so relaxed and pleasant, we just settled in for the evening--which was great.
I am beginning to think and agitate about what to enter in the Society of Illustrators "Illustration 54" this year. Maybe some of my rabbits, my green men, the Cornell dog--what else? By the end of October, I should have the two new portraits for the Museum done, so maybe there will be something there. Oh, and I forgot, some of the craziness with the linear advent calendar images that the world seemed to really gravitate to. Hmmm. Then there is Illustration West, Communication Art, and American Illustration. I should get the steam up and enter the Creative Quarterly shows too. What a gorgeous magazine.
The week beckons with lots of visiting and people along with the dose of work and deadlines that keep it interesting. I cannot wait for a little window to draw and mash fruit with pectin. What fun1
Onward to two hours of sports prep for parents at the High School. I hope I can stay awake. Somehow falling off the bleachers in the gym might be a teensy bit embarrassing.
Later.