Thread:Superkenzie/@comment-33437691-20200103172834/@comment-33437691-20200118173254

Goldfinch indeed; we don't have them on the west coast either; no wonder the name escapes me! I had to look up "thistle feeder" as I had no idea what it was; now I do. I've seen them in stores, I just had no idea what birds visited them, though I guess any bird (or squirrel) hungry enough could break in. I also checked to see if I was mistaken about them not being here in BC and was met with headers like "RARE BIRD ALERT! Lesser Goldfinch seen in BC!", including a map noting it's location. Another was seen in Abbotsford (with another exclamation mark).

We're in tune regarding backstitching; I totally agree: when it's necessary it enhances the project. After all, it's not stitching itself that bothers me--why else would I do embroidery, applique etc. So we're in agreement. I remember doing a puzzle of a winter scene with contrasts of stark branches, snow, red berries and cardinals and wishing it was a cross-stitch design. That would have had a lot of backstitch!

I have one original painting that has a very skewed lifeline. I started playing with textures using a modeling paste designed for paintings. I tried several ideas on it, including an El Greco (View of Toledo), didn't like it, experimented with deeper blues and greens, then one day started painting an exotic imaginary bird. I got carried away designing its eye and feathers using metallic paints left over from my Roman floor. Very detailed work. So, there I am in the art studio with half a bird and a huge canvas left to fill and 2 hours to do it in and absolutely no idea what to do other than start over.... So I set fire to it (in paint); I even squirted paint on the canvas, I couldn't get it on fast enough. Peripherally I saw my art teacher walking around the perimeter of the room in a very studed fashion; my first art teacher said she thought I worked better if she stayed away, and Marion said a similar thing. Being in the "class" was inspiring though; class is the wrong word, though. We just came, we painted, we left. The teacher was there to guide if requested, and we had a bit of colour theory now and then.

I would love to have a grand piano and the home to house it. I would actually buy either a baby grand or a medium grand; those full concert grands are meant for auditoriums to pump out the sound. I have a digital piano with a full concert grand piano effect and for my space and money, it works very well. Normally I have the sound dial at the 11 o'clock position; in the full concert effect, I put it at 9:30. It is very loud and soooo resonant. I play classical music, and I have in no way mastered it nor will I. I'm 62 and I've only been earnestly playing for about 6 years. I've known how to read music (as in understand the notation) from childhood--started piano lessons and would have continued, but life got in the way, as it does. So it takes me a long time to learn a piece. I don't have the muscle memory of years of scale practice to make any of it easy, but I've got a few Chopin preludes and nocturnes in my repertoire and the first prelude and fugue of Bach's well-tempered clavier, book 1. Also the first 2 movements of the Moonlight Sonata. I'm on page 4 of the 3rd movement and have a ball playing it at about 1/16 th of the speed it should be played at! Who cares! Possibly my neighbours, actually 😜.

I enjoyed your description of waking up to the sun and the maples and cardinal; it's the feeling of simple contentment. All the best my friend! Must go play the piano now that I'm inspired!