Pink and orange

I had pinks and oranges following me around yesterday.  One of my favourite combinations.

I never leave the house without a bundle of books in tow.  I have a very start and stop life of rushing to get someone somewhere and then waiting for them to be done.  I live in a village a little ways out of town, not too far but far enough that it doesn’t make sense going back home in between.  At all.  Sometimes I run errands but the small village is beside a small city that shuts down early every night . It’s tough to even get coffee after 8 unless you know your spots. Occasionally I sit and zone out, away from phones and computers, but usually I spend the time parked close to a streetlight so that I can get some writing or drawing done.  Often it’s in the pouring rain.  Once a little skunk was running around the parked cars.  When walkers or cyclists go past I try hard not to look like a random creeper.  I also try to not drain my battery by listening to good music.  Complicated stuff, right??

Before I run out of the house I grab a couple of the bunch of books I have on the go, so I can have a choice of places to draw or write. I have some of the yummiest coloured books going.  So yummy that sometimes I look at them heaped on my car seat and have to take a picture.  Distractions everywhere!

Yesterday I scored half an hour in the orthodontist’s office and happily sat trying out a few germs of ideas for canvases in my bright orange book.

These were in the tree outside the office.  I have no idea what they are but they made my day!  They looked like balloons going up towards the sky.  So exotic for Vancouver.

I’ve got an unfinished painting sitting on my easel in the kitchen.  It started out very grey but the pinks and oranges are slowly starting to come into it.  I imagine it’s working it’s way towards a lot more orange and pink, but I want it to look soft so I’ll have a lot more playing to do I think.  Hard to believe for a while it was leaning heavily towards the greens and blues.  Gotta love acrylics.  Something not working? Gone! I’ve just gotten the headboard close to what I want (I think) and it probably has 10 layers of paint.

I’m dying to hit the hot pinks and oranges like I did for this one.  I wake up looking at this one every morning, although these mornings at first I see it through the dark, and then the gloom, and eventually the light.  Such a great start to the day.  I haven’t even finished it, the middle of the flower is sort of uneven,  and I haven’t signed it yet, but I’ve pretty much decided not to go back and change it because I like it how it is!

All this orange and pink reminds me of these days.  The smooth sand is where I’ve dragged the towels up away from the rising tide.  Sigh. Sadly beach times are done for the year except possibly briefly, very briefly, revisited this weekend, Thanksgiving in Canada,  if I follow through and get myself in that water one last time.  Yikes.  I’ve been intrigued by the tale of someone else at the beach who did it last year, and I’m competitive enough that it might help.  I just might get in.  Wish me luck!  Unless it’s sunny I won’t even try it but it looks promising.  I don’t know… is that good news?  I’ll have to make sure I bring the right coloured towel to spur me on!  And something bracing to drink as I shiver back up the hill.

***  I forgot one, I forgot one!!  An early morning Scout caught in the act of pretending she’s Superman!  Inspired by the pink and orange around her!