Archive for the ‘Artists' books’ Category

My Moleskine

November 15, 2008

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I  just found this cool site called moleskinerie. It’s all about moleskine books that I am totally hooked on.

People use them for different reasons. My son’s books are filled with words, numbers and letters. My books are filled with pictures. My drawings are neater than my handwriting so I prefer not to put both on the same page. Looking through my pile of moleskine notebooks I came across one page where I do have my handwriting and drawing on the same page. I was in the Pope’s hospital in Rome with a broken femur and a broken wrist. It just goes to show I can integrate the two.

Happy 4th of July!

July 4, 2008

3:20 AM

July 4, 2008

We met at a cocktail party that I didn’t want to go to. He told me about leaving home at fourteen, being in South Africa where he was a lifeguard, meeting twin girls in polka dot bikinis and waiting on tables in New York. (The Mafia and Marlene Dietrich came in for breakfast at 4 AM.) He drove me home in his British racing green Austin Healey. We ran out of gas on the Bay Bridge. As we walked across the bridge he said, “Stick with me kid and you’ll never be bored.”

The Queen’s Swans

June 24, 2008

Last weekend I finished an Artist Book about the mute swans in Windsor, England. A couple of years ago when I was visiting our daughter in England my grand daughter and I went down to the river Thames with a handful of folded Rives paper ; Earlier I had used water color to create a background for our line drawings. We spent the morning sketching the swans. The book is finished now with some stamped text. I’ve added a swan from my other grand daughter’s barbie collection. I plan to enter The Queen’s Swans in Book Works 2008, Pacific Center for Book Arts Triennial Members’ Exhibition.

 

BetterPhoto.com

June 21, 2008

I took a couple of courses from BetterPhoto.com while I was away from my studio. It was fun. People from different parts of the United States and from other countries were in my classes. Each week we would get an assignment. We’d work on it for a week, submit it and then get an online critique from our teacher. Besides getting feedback from our teacher we learned from each other. Some of my photos are there. Try googling http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/gallery.asp?mem=275274

 

Pan

June 19, 2008

Pan

It’s Hot

June 12, 2008

Feeling soft mud under my feet 

I took this picture of the fountain.

The sprinklers were on.

It’s Hot

June 11, 2008

The Sprinklers are on

I hear Pan playing his music.

 

Frost Season

April 24, 2008

Since I wake up to the early morning sounds of the wind machines I have time to look around the internet. Here’s what I found on frost protection.


Orchard Heaters:

Orchard heaters have been used for centuries to protect orchards. Most heaters are designed to burn oil and can be placed as freestanding units or supplied by a pipeline network throughout the orchard. Propane, liquid petroleum and natural gas have also been used as fuels. The initial cost is generally lower than for other systems, but the cost of the fuel makes this system the most expensive in terms of operating cost.

Wind Machines:

Wind machines can be effective during a radiation frost. Their purpose is to circulate warmer air down to orchard level. A single wind machine can protect up to 10 acres. A typical wind machine is a large fan about 16 feet in diameter mounted on a 30 foot steel tower. The fan is typically powered by an industrial engine delivering 85 to 100 horsepower. Helicopters have been used as wind machines. They hover in one spot until the temperature increases, then they move to the next area. Repeated visits to the same area are usually necessary during a typical frost.

Sprinkler Irrigation:

Overhead irrigation is probably the most commonly used means of frost/freeze protection in the southeastern United States. Heat lost from the plant part to its environment is replaced by heat released as the applied water changes to ice. As long as water is supplied at an adequate rate the temperature of the plant will remain at or near 32° F. Advantages of overhead irrigation include lower operating cost, convenient to operate and multiple uses including drought prevention, heat suppression, fertilizer application and possible limb breakage from heavy ice loads.


Dove Comments

April 4, 2008

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I don’t know why the lines are going through the picture. They don’t seem to be going through the dove image. I wonder if somehow the camera picked up the grid of the cage and the colors in the garden.