The missing link.

For years and years and years I have wondered, "Oh where, oh where, did my artistic 'abilities' come from?" Well, today my Mom relocated from the upstairs couch to the downstairs couch (she is recovering from surgery) and turned on the TV to a Winslow Homer documentary. I have always been a fan of Homer--probably because he is such a magnificent watercolorist (ahem, I LOVE watercolor), and he was able to create great and substantial work in this somewhat neglected medium (FYI: in my opinion bigger is not better, and painting in oil does not make your work more meaningful. Sorry). Anyway...after watching for about two seconds my Mom said, "Hey, I'm related to him! You know you are related to him, right?" Um, HELLO! I had NO IDEA! And I am so excited because I feel like my insatiable watercolor/American landscape tendencies/cravings make a lot more sense. Also, my love for Homer makes so much more sense now...and my Mom's name also...doesn't make more sense...but is suddenly cooler.

GO UTES!

I just wanted to reiterate that in my heart I am still a Ute.  I have never claimed to be a cougar in my five years of college.  I was a Ute fan before we won today, and after we won I was even happier.  I wore red tonight and got harassed for doing so.  It was awesome.

And I am still a Ute even if I attend the big BY.

You cannot take that away from me.

I'm alive.

I'm sure none of you were worried about the fact that this past week (that is not over) could possibly take my life, but I just wanted to let you all know that I am alive and frantically researching the man that painted this beautiful landscape (among other things).  And yes I have changed my research topic three times over the past week.  Don't worry about it.  I have until Monday morning.

PS - Hope you are feeling better, Dad.  It was good to see you last night!

PPS - Lizzie, I'm calling you Tuesday and I miss you lots!

THIS could very well be a preview of my final show.

So After an enormous amount of deliberation I think I have decided on what I am going to sell my soul to for the next five months.  The above painting is a very unfinished piece (that I have already spent more time working on [after the above photo] and plan to spend even more time working on in the future).  For a few years I have been toying with the idea of painting landscape, and I have finally decided (I THINK!) that there is no better time to do this than right now.  So, I have a million pictures that I have already taken (I have been "thinking about doing this show" for years, like I said), and years of experience hiking through these canyons, so all I need to do now is paint them and make them good.  

Think I can do it?  Anyone?

Yummy!

So for FHE tonight my apartment was in charge of the activity.  So, of course, I came up with the brilliant idea of making caramel apples (and by "came up with the brilliant idea," I mean that I copied my friends FHE activity from last week).  It was such a blast!  I just thought I would share the recipe we used...

CARAMEL APPLES

6 apples

14 oz individually wrapped caramels (unwrapped of course) 

2 tbs milk

DIRECTIONS

1.  Remove the stem from each apple and press a craft stick into the top.  Butter a baking sheet.

2.  Place caramels and milk in a microwave safe bowl, and microwave 2 minutes, stirring once.  Allow to cool briefly.

3.  Roll each apple quickly in caramel sauce until well coated.  Place on prepared sheet to set.

They turned out great.  My only suggestion is that you make sure your apples are washed and dry before you use them.  And try not to get waxy apples...they make it so the caramel doesn't set very well.  Also, we melted the caramels in the microwave and then put the gooey caramel in a pot on the stove on low so that it stayed at a good consistency.  When you dunk the apples, make sure you let them sit there for a sec so that the caramel can start setting.  Also, there will be lots of excess so make sure you get it off.  I guess I had more than one suggestion.  Anyway...happy fall!

Charming, right?

Thanks, Giacomo Balla.

Favorite season?

Okay, so, most of you know that I LIVE for Summer.  It is absolutely my favorite season.  I love the sun, the fact that it shines, the fact that it makes me warm, the fact that it makes me tan, etc, etc.  I am also IN LOVE with the fact that I get to wear ridiculously, sinfully bright colors that shouldn't be legal in any of the fifty states.  I also love lime popsicles, pebble ice, going swimming, laying by the pool, hiking in Zion, going to the condo...the list goes on and on.  

Well, today I was thinking that I might possibly have a new favorite season: Autumn.  Okay, that's a lie. I guess it's not my favorite but it is rivaling my love for Summer quite forcefully.  I think it could be my favorite season, but only under certain conditions.  Wait, I have an idea.  What if we made Autmer, Sumtumn, or something like that?  The last two months of Summer, the first two months of Autumn...that would be the perfect season.  Any thoughts?  Lime popsicles AND nutmeg all in the same season?  I think I'm on to something here!