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Something that needs fixing

The ironing is always behind.

I have to iron. I have to see sharp folds and straight flat edges on shirts and linen and skirts and yes, T-shirts. Except of course jeans. No straight folds there. That makes them look nerdy. I learnt that from my daughters.

Sketches done with rotring artist pen and water wash in moleskine.

Like with a desperate diet, I start off every Monday with the determination to iron immediately when something comes off the line. Just to see my diligence fade into submission by Wednesday. The result is a growing mountain of washing and a leaking cup of courage. So I let the mountain run its course… after all, it is already there….and wait for the magical day when my cupeth runneth over again.

I’ll probably always have this habit that needs fixing.

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South Africa chronicles 1- Fynbos.

Being in slow motion and double speed at the same time is simply tough. My body is with me back here in France, at home, and moving at double time, inspired to get things done and make changes and take on projects, looking good after being sunkissed and feeling good after all the eating?? and yet, it still remains familiar in the mirror. My spirit is still roaming somewhere in the southern hemisphere, not willing to let go of the long summer days, the lingering evenings, the dew filled mornings, the sound of breaking waves, the call of the cows to their calves, the unquiet silence of breathings in the bush. Not that it is bad being home. It is just getting mind and body to function as one again. In the present. Remembering yesterday, but living today.

The Cape is home to an estimated 7000 species of Cape fynbos of which I only know a handful. The sketches below are not even a glimpse of what there is….life got to too much fun and stopping for a sketch got to too hard – too many friends, too much to do, too little time to sketch. The few sketches that I did manage to get my hand on, were all done in my sketchbook, 19x25cm, with pen and watercolor.

The oak tree is not indigenous, but is synonym with Stellenbosch where they tower in all their majesty and grace. When we lived there years ago, I would frequently walk to town to do my shopping and would bring home an acorn every time. When we left for the UK, I sadly had to let go of many years’ collection of acorns… And of course the Aloe, well known for its health properties.

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The protea, our national flower and one of my alltime favorite flowers/shrubs and the graceful Agapanthus, plentiful in every garden.

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 And then there is the widespread Felicias growing on the coasts, with their small blue flowers, succulents like Tertragonias with their thick glistening leaves, and hyobanches, tinted in deep reds and browns, the abundant Delosperma. And we had our own table by the shore among the flora on the sandshores, where we would sit with a coffee every morning, just taking in every thing that our eye could capture and where the view was never the same.

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A view on a sunny day….

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and a view on a rainy day. Pencil, black and grey watercolor wash.

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….to be contiuned.

Posted on by Myfrenchkitchen · 21 Comments

Things to do

I don’t have resolutions. Nor do I have goals. Many moods, but no goals. And a lot of things to do, which could probably be seen as goals. But my list of things to do comes straight down to my current mood when making the list and so, goals are ruled out. Except for the end-of-week goal, or anti-procrastinating-bill-paying goals.

Here is my list which needs checking off as soon as posible, before the wind of moods changes direction.

First and foremost, I have to reach the tighter hole in my belt before the end of January, for after that I can give it up for a bad job.

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My purse is to be ball-and-chained. The only time it can be opened, is when some cash needs to find its way in, which isn’t very likely, so the key will be safely deposited at the bank. Question is, can I trust the bank?

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Because of the very uncharacteristic availability of cookies in this house recently (the result of having a foodblog!) my consumption of coffee needs to be speedily reduced by two cups a day. The empty cookie jars is a sad sight, so maybe this one is easy…

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I won’t bore you with the rest of my “to do list”.

But I do have one resolution actually. Or rather, more of an attitude change. Every year something or someone crosses my path to bring it along. Just recently we spent an evening with a Peruvian family of seven brothers and sisters, with their families, all together for Christmas (here in France). I learnt something from them that evening(apart from their exuberant passion) and especially from my friend Letitia and I decided it would be my perspective as well from now on. I have never heard Letitia passing judgement on anybody. She sees no reason to voice a negative opinion about anyone, whoever it may be and under whatever circumstance. That is an example I want to follow.

Sort of in this spirit of being positive and promoting all that is good and uplifting, I’d like to introduce you to some new artists I came upon whose art is beautiful. I was actually tagged by Cindy(see below), but since I’ve done a tagging just a while ago and instead of tagging 5 other people I want to show some work of artists, which I think we’ll all enjoy more! Have a look at these artists’ work, much to appreciate and much to learn. I’ve copied a painting of each of them underneath their names to wet your appetites, so you can click on either one which will link you to their blogs.

Cindy Revell, who does lovely food paintings!

Christopher Stott,  whose beautiful work I found through Cindy.

D Prizzi, who also does the most beatiful food art and literally had my mouth watering, just seeing this berry tart!

Sandra, with her radiant, yet gentle watercolours AND recipes alongside.

Jerry Lobo, who gives great practical advice with his beautiful loose paintings, which can be applied to any medium.

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To a 2008 filled with creativity, individuality, hard work and exhilirating results!

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Senses

We use our senses every day…or do we?

Do we really listen, concentrate, care, understand, incline, obey, mind, consider, reason…

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Do we really see, perceive, experience, imagine, notice, observe, glimpse, admire, appreciate….

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Do we actually smell, grasp, discover, inhale, breathe, relax, enjoy, long, think….

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Done in pencil and WC in my handmade sketchbook  made by Marta.

Posted on by Myfrenchkitchen · 20 Comments

Chocolate truffles and a corner of the Christmas tree

Sharon suggested we sketch our holiday cookies/baking. I made these chocolate truffles yesterday… for the weekend…for our daughter who’s coming home for the weekend. Recipe here.

Done in micro pen no 8, WC and gold ink for the gold leaf on the truffle and the “glitter”.

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Everybody is so full of cheer and Christmas spirit…it is contagious. So here is a “corner” of our Christmas tree this year, which is a dry tree full of moss, that Hartman went to “pick up” for me by the Loire river. All the decorations are in shades of grey, white and silver.

Done in micro pen,WC,  silver gouache(for the angels hair and glitter) and silver leaf for the decorations.

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The first image is a photograph, of which my lighting wasn’t good enough and I didn’t compensate for the colour reflection, therefore the “blue look”, but it shows the silver better than the scan (second image), where the colours are more true and the paper nice and white.

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