Farewell 2017

I sent off the old year with a hike through my little local park.  Wonderful how I can walk to something that feels so far away and just be in the trees.

Then I polished off a sketchbook while sipping tea.

After watching the fireworks in Iceland via Internet, I watched the last sunset of the year in California via stepping outside.

2018 is coming in with a Supermoon which is just now making its way above the trees.  Can't wait to see what else is brings!

They teach you welding

Coffee shop portraits!  With a week of free time, I've been drawing and painting and of course eavesdropping at the coffee shop.  One day I was wedged between a blind date between a construction worker and a bleach blonde bikini model and a some kid enlisting in the military.  Great material: "She's had three coaches quit on her," "I can't put on high heels and teach you how to be sexy," "It's an ass an beauty show," and "do you know where your social security card is?" and "you have to pass a physical."

On Christmas Eve Peet's was giving out free coffee and tea.  Just free - no strings.  Good place, and they were good enough to be closed on Christmas day.  Lots of folks there on the 24th, one set talking about old cars and running into folks they haven't seen in a while "They look the same" "It's infested with rats."

More a few days later, with a couple good ones of this guy.  But they were still playing Christmas music and it was killing me.

Yesterday it was nice out so I was on the patio with lots of other folks and about five dogs.  "She has a dog named bucket."  "I was in medical quarantine." and "They teach you welding" topped the list

Today I went over to Redwood City to do some drawing there (only a few days left in the year and still several pages in my sketchbook!).

Eavesdropping isn't as good since folks were spread out, but it brought some variety into my sketching.

Eucalyptus street

Yes, once again, the folks on Eucalyptus street have kept several local electricians in business and amazed us all with their lights.  It's a little hard to capture with a camera, but unless you have animatronic reindeer and live carolers, you just can't compete. 

Also, just keeping on the theme of pretty things, we've also had some nice sunsets.

Now to have some pie and prepare for Santa - Happy Holidays everyone!

Spider on the tea kettle

Good morning! There's a spider on the tea kettle. I'm awake now...

Christmas, fall and spring

The holiday season in my town kicks off with teacups rides, 4H selling hot cocoa, and a bunch of guys in their 50s singing the stoner hits of the 70's.  It's a little weird to make a reindeer out of pipe cleaners while they're rocking out "Draging the Line" but they're actually really good - I think they've been dragging the line together for decades.

The next day I got in some mountain biking, and there's still some color out there.

Also, my roses are about to bloom again.  California is weird like that.

Cool funky clouds

No, it's not a lensing issue. The clouds really looked like that.

Hawaiian night

Actually, I think every night is Hawaiian night since it's a Hawaiian restaurant, but I seem to have gone when there's also live music and got the table next to the musician, which was perfect since I was going there to draw more than anything...

I've also been getting in my coffee shop portraits.  Some analog...

And some digital...

And did a postcard of GBikes...  These are all over the Google campus since it's so big.

And drew one of the alligators (don't worry, he's fake).  There are three of them hidden in the tall grass, possibly because of the egrets (which are real).   It's hard to explain.

Right now

Please note the cute little sliver of a moon.

More postcards!

Scanned a bunch more postcards - I'm still experimenting with media on these cards.  Some scenes from the Art and Wine Festival:

A few coffee shop people, using markers that aren't exactly people colors, but I like the effect:

And, we went to see Blade Runner on opening day - here's a scene waiting in the theater for the movie to start.  Watercolor added later:

Today was the first day in about a week that the air has been good - it all depends on which way the wind is blowing.

Smoke gets in my eyes

...and my hair and my lungs...  in case you were wondering, yup, I'm breathing the wildfires. How much depends on which way the wind is blowing. Yesterday wasn't bad. Today was. This isn't a picture of the sunset, this is a couple of hours before and the whole day had an orange glow. I can't imagine how bad it is further north.

Coffee shop people

Digital drawing in the coffee shop. If you're looking at an iPad, they really don't pay attention to you.

Procreate is a game-changer. It's really awesome being able to have all of your colors with you in one hand. 

Random postcards

So I picked up these post cards when I was in Chicago.  Blank ones.  That you can draw on.  So I've been drawing on them and sending them out as random analog "hello"s in a digital world.

Tiramisu, when I missed connections with my ride to a trail head and decided that tiramisu was as good as a hike:

Random museum piece, while seeking shelter from record-breaking heat:

Water Dog Lake park; where I go mountain biking:

A wooden Reclining Buddha from the Ming dynasty, now at Stanford, with a headache from the heat and pollution (or maybe that was me, but art imitates life):

Some local band killing the Beatles at the Farmer's Market:

Arguello Park, little hiking spot not too far from my house:

Sunrise this morning

Thunderstorms last night - that's unusual. Pretty sunrise this morning.