It’s summer, ya’ll! And I’m loving this particular one. The weather has been mostly cooperative, I’ve had time to finish up projects and have fun, and it’s been good to get back to some of the things I love most. Here are a few of my faves this season.
Farmers Market Flowers
I’ve mentioned a time or 20 that the farmers market is one of my favorite places. I frequently have my fictional characters buzzing through them, because… why not? They rock. I like getting veggies there, of course, but also the flowers, which are so fresh and beautiful and really cheap. That bundle you see above was just $8.
I have this theory about things like art and flowers, in that they do wonderful things for a home. You just can’t walk past a flower bouquet and not take a moment to appreciate it.
Shrimp Boil Packets
My cousin posted these a few months ago, and as soon as she did I sent it to my hubs who was like, “Let’s make these.” They are not only easy and delish, but you can do them on the grill or (if the weather doesn’t cooperate) inside in the oven. I used this recipe and just tweaked it a bit, using butter instead of olive oil, a bit less Cajun seasoning, and leaving it in the oven about 10 minutes longer. If you do this on the grill, be sure to microwave the potatoes for just a bit to make sure they are done.
Recumbent Bike
While I do like our daily walks with our puppy in summer, I don’t usually get outside to exercise. I like doing it in the morning when it’s cool or when I just have a few minutes between projects. That’s why, I’m loving this recumbent bike. It was under $150 (with free delivery!) and came partially assembled. My hubsy was able to put it together in under an hour and for all those reasons we felt like it was a good value.
My new thing is to jump on the bike while listening to podcasts. I’ve been listening to Here’s the Thing, The Creative Penn, and just about any podcast having to do with writing or art.
My Bottle Flower Stand
You know all those glass bottle flowers I like to make? (Like… here and here?) This past weekend we were out at a garden center and spotted these little bottle flower stands. How cute is this? I think we need to get a few more.
Ruth B
I’m totally hooked on “Lost Boy” by Ruth B, but this whole this mini albumy thing is good. I’ve been listening to it while I prep canvases or get prints ready to send, or even while I’m doing paperwork. It’s a nice vibe and isn’t so earwormish that it will annoy you.
Raiders of the Lost Art
I’m totally hooked on this show “Raiders of the Lost Art” on Ovation. They cover the untold stories of art, like art theft and how paintings get acquired and lost and found… it’s all really fascinating. On one recent show, they talked about Van Gogh’s sunflower series, and told the story of how this painting is believed to be destroyed because of WWII.
It pains me to think that this painting is gone. It truly is one of my favorites and Van Gogh has been such an important influence for me (as you can tell by my artist statement). I love that he focuses on things other painters don’t, like flowers that are cut and dying, people that are old, desperate situations and things that other people wouldn’t see the beauty in. The sunflowers series is wonderful, of course, but this particular painting really speaks to me.
If you have an interest in art and need something cool to watch while you unwind during these long summer days, check out this show.
