Not sure if you are going to read this but it has been a week and I am completely miserable.

I know that cold is every where, well almost every where. It isn't here yet but is expected to be in a couple of nights. Because of these two things I took some pictures of my garden today and yes there are still flowers, roses and lantana there. The pics aren't that great but I thought I would share them with you.

If you are in the cold I hope you enjoy them and know taht flowers really aren't that far away.

After having a rather mediocre holiday weekend it has ended with a positive note. No, not the one I would like to have heard, but still a positive note. I recently bought a low end professional scanner to scan my approximately 2,000 transparency slides to jpg as well as the color negatives. Well, I have been searching for the longest time for either the slide transparency or the color negative film of a couple of photos I took. My search has been to no avail. Well no avail until tonight. I converted them over as back up and yeah I have em.

I would love to share them with you but can't until I get the copyrights registered. I would also love to share it with my art friend but am unable to do that now which is another reason for my not doing so well. But that is another story so I won't stray or ramble on anymore.

The pictures I am refering to are:

A photo taken in London (197 of a subterrainian terrace filled with floral hangings and planters. The arrangements when placed with the worn and weathered cement floor really sets off a marvelous composition. To get the shot I had to balance myself on wrought iron looking down for about 30 min. The height perspective also lends itself to the composition.

The other is of a guy surfing in Santa Cruz, CA and the composition is such that it looks like he is surfing into a cliff. The angle of the breaking wave with a soft focus of cliff angled in one corner of the picture sets off several different lines and balances within the photograph.

Other color negative films I reaquainted myself with are of the gardens of Hyde Park.

Anyway they are special to me and I in fact would have loved sharing them with my friend. Maybe one time I will be able to do that.

Thanks for putting up with my dribble and ramblings.

Tonight I cooked pan seared salmon with bay scallops the rest of the menu is below. I thought it was not my best effort (since I really don't feel like cooking or anything else frankly). The gourmet chef ( and just not applying the tag but literally is) gave me a more than generous B+.

Here it goes hope you enjoy.

Although I don't feel like cooking I have arrived at a menu for this Saturday and it won't include anything having to do with turkey. The menu will be:

Entree: sliced pan seared salmon with sauteed bay scallops served over wilted spinach

Veggie: sauteed snow peas with thinly sliced yellow bell pepper, onion and slided mushrooms

Starch: Long grain and wild rice with taragon bits.

Everything is understood, even the unstated. I, as always, have been supportive of your position and thoughts. I would, however, like to state two things.

Firstly, the light always shines

Secondly, you can't give back what is a birthright.

HOH (oh yes, did that about a dozen times today and always will)

I'm sitting here completely red faced as I, most incorrectly, stated a blog on 11/11 was a Monet. A friend (and resident expert in my life on art} corrected me and I must in good faith fess up to it. Not only that but the attachment was only a inset, a portion of the painting and not the painting as a whole. The expertise and talent to accomplish this painting nonetheless holds true. This artist is extremely talented and only lived from 1848-1884. Young isn't it. Just think what the world was cheated out of with his early death.

His name is Jules Bastion-Lepage and the painting is called: The Wood Gatherer which was done in 1881. Here is the complete painting and what I said below about the inset holds very very true.

I didn't cook last weekend as I wasn't inspired. The inspirations still haven't come back but I did come up with something to cook.

Entree: Pan seared sirloin steak topped with sliced scallions and roasted garlic

Veggie: Pisto Manchego (a spanish tapa which is stewed zucchini, pepper and tomatoes.

Starch: noodles with chopped jalapeno in a cream sauce.

MP, you wrote a blog which was centered around attachments. Well baby, can ya feel the love?

In my blog just below BB left a comment that Monet was her favorite. Well, BB I enjoy Monet as well and this is one of his that is my favorite. If you notice the detailing of her hair, her jumper, her hands, the innoncence of her face and then the detailing of the field. It is simply amazing. Imagine how what the artist sees and how that is communicated through his/hers hands to the canvas. Imagine it then compare any aspect of the painting to your attempt and yes it is unbelievable how marvelous and rare the skill is.