Metamorphosis

Labor Day

Last week, I mentioned that Labor Day weekend was coming up. For the most part, a holiday which was set aside to honor the efforts and achievements of the American work force has morphed into another reason to celebrate with a three day weekend, BBQs and getting the kids ready to go back to school. Not that I'm arguing with any of those points, mind you. But its arrival also opens the door to the holiday season, and the merchandise is already making its way to the shelves. Let's face it, we've passed the point of no return.

Once upon a time, traditions associated with this weekend also suggested that we were supposed to put away our white shoes until the spring, but really now- In southern California, it's too hard to even tell what season it is on any given day, especially lately. For that matter, I don't believe I've even owned a pair of white shoes since I got married quite a few years ago! That's what happens when we've been around for awhile. Nothing is ever the same as it used to be.

Recently, our beaches felt the effects of Hurricane Marie. Roaring up from the south, it brought no rain here, but pounded the coast with large waves, delivering an early holiday gift to experienced surfers and misfortune to those whose physical limits were no match. For those of us who chose to wait it out before venturing back to the shore, we were met with a rearranged beach, piles of cobbles that had been churned up littered the high tide line and as the ocean surged, rocks continued to tumble back and forth. As each wave receded, it could potentially expose an array of shells and some of my favorite glittery treasures, sea glass. 

If there is ever a positive effect of littering by human hands, let it be captured in these little fragments of colorful glass, tumbled into soft shapes that hardly hint at their once razor sharp edges. A tiny bit is like a metamorphosis this way, a souvenir from a trip to the beach that parallels changes that we'll meet as we hang around this planet for awhile. What was here yesterday isn't necessarily going to be here today and if it is, we might not always recognize it in its current form.

And so it goes. And it will continue to go. I'm going over to Illustration Friday now, and am hoping I can post this before next week's topic changes!

Skull

Numb Skull

Here's a little brain freeze for Illustration Friday.

It's not exactly an ice cream headache, but all I could offer since I couldn't get the term "Numb Skull" out of my head this week!

Don't let the threat of Labor Day weekend fool you-

There are still plenty of warm days ahead to enjoy a few more frozen treats.

Journey

Trippy

This might not be exactly a well planned journey, as prompted by this week's topic at Illustration Friday, but this little girl's definitely going places. 

Have you ever felt like the rug was yanked out from under you? 

Let's Get Figgy!

Hello to all my adventurous art and cooking friends out there!

You're probably already familiar with They Draw and Cook, the Internet's largest collection of illustrated recipes created by artists from around the world, brought to you by the most dynamic duo of creative siblings teams, Nate Padavick and Salli Swindell. 

I'm thrilled to introduce their latest published collection of recipes for fig lovers- Let's Get Figgy, containing 30 delectably illustrated recipes. The recipe I submitted for the Year of the Fig contest was among those selected. If you take a peek, you'll understand how excited I was to be included- little ol' me stirred up into the mix of all these talented artists and chefs!

100% of the proceeds from the sales of this book will assist in the relaunch of their new website, which is scheduled to debut this fall. Check it out here and be the first one in your neighborhood to get your copy! Stay tuned- They'll surely be dishing up platefuls of tasty surprises and inspiration, delivered directly to you from kitchens and studios from around the globe!

King

King Neptune

A favorite king of ours, whose name equates with a place to hide out on summer days when the water is warm and the cares are few. Yes, Neptune has been kind to us over the years, at one of the area's best kept secrets.

Sharing this painted version via Illustration Friday today and calling it good...Hope the summer has been treating you royally!

Peace

It just wouldn't be a happy eve of Illustration Friday without another trip to the cemetery, now would it?

Even though this might seem to be an unsettling vision or just give you the plain ol' creeps, I do find a sense of peace visiting some of these old grave sites, especially if my ancestors have found their final resting places there.  According to a Chinese proverb,  "To forget one's ancestors is to be a brook without a source, a tree without a root."

The farther out there my life strays, the more securely connected I feel when I look back to honor these lives well lived. May they all rest in peace, though the rest of us still have quite a bit of living to do...Hopefully, quite a bit!

Golden

Thought I'd try to sneak another Thursday afternoon quickie in for Illustration Friday.

Yes, a quickie- If "quick" was the point, then I should have picked something 

in the golden yellow family that was quicker and easier to paint, 

like a lemon or a sunflower or even a poppy, 

being a native California girl...

But then I couldn't say in that lull, "Silence is golden," now could I?

I'll return with more words later!