A Few More Chicks

September 30, 2019Leave a comment

From Boone NC. really they are Key West parking lot chicks from the Wildlife Rescue.

Class tomorrow at Cheap Joes.

140# Fabriano rough press

Trying to decide whether or not to crop the fourth hen/rooster on the right. He she looks odd as in stuffed into the page. And it’s neither a rooster or a hen. Hmmm. Think I like it with just the three better but the blue feet on the left one GOTS to go.

Class w the delightful Fealing Lin tomorrow. She’s across the hall from me.

Margaret glad to be in the cool rainy weather of Boone NC. I think I remember rain. Xoxoxox

From the Nose Bleed Seats

September 29, 20192 Comments

At the Imperial Theater waiting for Ragtime to start – Key West Chicks!!

140# rough press Fabriano. Dries so nice and flat for Fabriano.

Margaret xoxoxo heading to Boone NC in the am for a week with Fealing Lin at Cheap Joes.

Another day another seascape

September 28, 2019September 28, 2019Leave a comment

One of our jokes is that if we sold enough of my paintings we could afford to live in a house boat year round in Key West. There are houseboats of every kind on any piece of water off Key West. Free mooring.

Personally I would want a yellow house boat to contrast with the blue water. 🤣

Of course after our near Miss with Dorian maybe we don’t want to live there year round. I think winter months could be enough. I don’t like the heat of August or the no see ums that chewed us up everyday.

Margaret xoxoxoxo

Hogfish Grill time

September 27, 2019September 27, 20192 Comments

When in Key West a trip to Hogfish Grill for some Hogfish is ReQuIrED!! Yummm.

I no longer can count the meals of delicious hogfish I have eaten dockside at Hogfish Grill on Stock Island right before you drive onto the island of Key West.

It’s the island that they used to keep stock on because Key West has no room. The two islands are separated by a small channel that old timers used to swim the stock across in the days before the bridges.

This is the marina along side the dock. Think it’s called Peace Marina. On the other side of Hog Fish Grill is Gate harbor that American forces used to launch the Bay of Pigs Invasion of Cuba back in the 60s. As small as it is there are two armed force bases on Key West – navy and coast guard.

There’s a manatee in the water. Can you find it.

Back to the news. The gift that keeps giving. Margaret xoxoxox

Eaton Street #3

September 25, 2019Leave a comment

My favorite so far. Not sure if there’s another one.

Drawn on Fabriano rough press. Impossible to draw straight lines on it which I think caused its wonkiness which I like.

Margaret who needs a nap. This heat is ridiculous. Can’t wait to head to the mountains. Xoxoxoxo

Eaton Street #2

September 24, 20192 Comments

For Sale – 9×12″

And there’s one more to come. Thinking it’s easier to paint palms on larger paper. Maybe this will be the Eaton Street series.

Dark sky is cerulean cobalt and a bit of ultramarine splattered with dioxzine purple.

Paper is cold pressed fluid 140#. Dries flat as a flutter no matter how much water you put on it.

Margaret who has to get ready for book club. Xoxoxox

Thank you notes

September 24, 2019September 24, 2019Leave a comment

I have a sweet friend who is always doing wonderful things for her friends like organizing a Downton Abbey tea party in a wonderful old Victorian Bnb in North Aigusta Rose Hill so I drew Downton Abbey for a thank you note for her. Right now it’s under a heavy book flattening out. I HOPE not that she will care.

Downton Abbey is a lot harder to draw than you would think. It took about an hour to draw and it’s only about 4×6″. For once I actually used a pencil before I inked it.

Painted it in layers. Quin gold with burnt sienna on the left half and layers of burnt sienna dioxzine purple and cerulean on the right side of the building also known as Highclere Castle. The cerulean made great greys on the building and drive.

Pen is an ultra fine uniball on superaquabee paper.

Margaret whose ready for bed. Xoxoxo

Eaton Street #1

September 22, 20196 Comments

If you ever go to Key West you really should go to Coles Bakery on Eaton Street. Great food amazing deserts and breads. At least half the restaurants on Key West use Coles Bread. Delicious.

I drew the view out their windows at least three times and various houses in various arrangements. You can always suit yourself since you are in charge and draw one or two houses add people chickens cars and do it in the air conditioning while you enjoy those delicious lunch.

Stillman and birn Zeta uniball micro because I keep ruining clothes with my Lamy splatter is permanent ink. Sadddly. I do love my lamys but the uniballs are waterproof and a nice change. So annoyed I ruined a nice red and white striped linen shirt from LL Bean with my Lamy vista.

Funny story. A couple of guys were sitting at a high too between the scene and myself so I kept craning my neck to see around them. One guy actually thought I was drawing him. Came over to see how it was going. I did tell him I often did but today I was more interested outside the windows- a theme of mine in this miserable heat that keeps giving. Glad I am heading to the mountains later this week.

Margaret off to Goldfinch but glad she finally got painting. Only about thirty sketches to go. Eeekk. Xoxoxo

Did I say I love an ibis

September 19, 2019September 19, 2019Leave a comment

Such goofy looking interesting birds with their pink knobby kneed legs, a pink hooked bill and bright blue eyes.

And friendly. They will share your lunch with you if you let them.

I read about them on Wikipedia and found out they use that long bill to probe the mud for goodies to eat. There’s also a bright scarlet version. Would love to see one of those.

And where else but key west can you draw an ibis and call it urbansketching? 🤣

Margaret trying to get back to blogging. Xoxoxo but I got a wasp sting today. How many ways can I say OUCH?!!

Washington DC and the Marine Corps Museum

September 17, 2019September 17, 2019Leave a comment

Visited the museum on my drive home yesterday after we buried Dad in Arlington Friday.

This is his quote on the wall of the Marine Corps Museum. You can read more about it on my old blog.

Dad was 96 and ready to fold up his tent and go home so the funeral was more of a wake than a sad time.

He was the first lieutenant in an amazing, terrible battle called the Battle of Fox Hill during the Choisin Reservoir campaign during November 1950.

Mom listened to the news back home saying he and all of the two regiments of the first Marine division -10000 men- were lost in frozen North Korea surrounded by 100000 Chinese.

His Marine rifle company Fox Company – about 220 men – was holding the retreat at Toktong Pass all alone, surrounded by 10000 more Chinese. Everyman was wounded but half of them survived the vicious five day battle to fight their way out on the coldest longest retreat in US Military history and enter the legends of which Marines are made.

To this day Marines and West Pointers study Dads battle plan on how to set up a defense using a small rifle company against overwhelming enemy numbers.

According to Dad one of his gunners Hector Cafferati killed 3000 Chinese but dad only wrote him up for 500 when Cafferati got his Medal of Honor because Dad thought no one would believe the real number.

You can read more about Choisin here or buy the book The Last Stand of Fox Hill on Amazon.

Rest In Peace Major Dad. Margaret xoxoxo