Art. Art. Art.

Between managing projects for the CLAY Festival, trying to promote our downtown art scene, and fulfilling my domestic duties, my painting time has taken a back seat.

It's sad.

Especially because it's one of those things that - once I'm engaged in it - I find peace and rest in.  It soothes me. It centers me. Why don't I pursue this more?!?

Day by day efforts, I guess.
That's what I need to do.

My hope is to add a touch of color to the above piece. I'd love to make it available as a print for my Etsy shop!  So there you have it. A new goal... :)

xoxo,

-jlt

[Futuristic] Kitchen Garden

For Christmas, my lovely mother-in-law bought me an Aero Garden.
Have you ever seen these things?
They look like they belong on the Mir Space Station.
True Story.

I set mine up that very day, planting my herb seed pods and everything with maybe a little too much excitement.
You should know, I sort of hoard plants.
I think I have about 19 inside the house.
Add my Aero Garden, and well, I've got a lot of plants.

So here it is after about two weeks.

It's so small. And cute...? Can plants be cute?
As you can see, I'm growing some basil.  Three different types, actually.
Outside the shot are four more sprouts of mint, thyme, marjoram, and dill.

Here's a shot of my thyme looking fly at four weeks of growth.

Now, it's like a jungle in there.
I've been pruning and cooking up the herbs in a lot of my meals just to keep up with their craziness.
It's so fun!
Just the other night, I used a ton of basil to make my own pesto.
The verdict: delicious.

This is before I raised the lamp arm and trimmed some more.
Last night, I grilled some tilapia and then garnished it with some marjoram and fresh squeezed tangerine juice.It was my first time cooking with that herb.
All I can say is fresh and tasty.

Some more glamor shots. Above: thyme and basil.
Below: dill and marjoram to the right.

So yeah.
Growing my own herbs is pretty dang fun.

My mom and dad just sent me a package (for my birthday!) of some more planters and seeds to grow salad greens, beets, and the like!
Can't wait to get planting!

And can I just say how nice it is to have green living things to brighten up the place?
Well, excluding mold.
Nobody wants that.

So how about you?
Are you growing anything these days?
Anything you wish you could harvest?

Sneak Peak...

Busted out the watercolors last night and
a new seascape will soon be making its way to my Etsy store...
Gosh, I miss the Pacific.

Pomelo?

I've been trying a lot of new foods lately.

You know, attempting to feel good 

on the outside and the inside.

One thing I recently tried was a pomelo

or a pummelo.

It's like a grapefruit, 

only sweeter, bigger, and less bitter.

I love them. 

You should try one sometime and split it with a friend.

Seriously. Do it.

Look for a giant yellow-green citrus.