Lots to Do, June 28 & 29

This is from a few days ago, but I finally took a picture.

Yesterday we caught up with the other Vermonters in the valley. It was so great to hang out, go to the vineyard and to Brico Point…a teeny, tiny, home depot. It is about the size of Aubuchon’s downtown, but with a second floor of home furnishings. I got a teeny, tiny stool to put 1/2 of my pastels on so I only have to bend over 1/2 of the time and a large watercolor brush so I do not have to paint the background with the one hair brush.

I did get to work on an afternoon painting and then we had FOUR people over for wine and dessert. The Vermonters brought the wine and we were able to put a dent in our abundance of sweet things. They did not eat one apricot. (I have had 4 today, along with 1/2 an orange, grapes, cherries and a large piece of watermelon. What can I do? All the amaretti are gone.) 

Today I felt effervescent from the time I woke up. The sky was dark blue and the humidity was low. Sometimes when I am walking up to painting spot it reminds me of summer camp in Oklahoma. The air is so dry and you can smell the plants and the dust as you walk. Also, the large amounts of scary bugs are the same. I started a new painting this morning, took a photo of the next painting I want to do and drew it at home. 

Yes, there are still amusing T-shirts.

And amazing small things. This shutter holder is about 2 inches tall.

We went to see our friend at the Commune and our neighbor was there as well. By good fortune we were able to finish the letter about the water damage in our houses. It turns out that the next neighbor down from us also has damage. Salvatore and I had taken pictures of the water full of concrete dust coming down from the new construction and I feel like the mayor really understood how bad it was. Then I came home and organized my three pastel boxes. I had totally forgotten how many pastels I have here and then I brought some more. I worked on one of the portraits a tiny bit trying to make it a teeny bit better after some input from a mutual friend. 

At 4pm I went back to my painting spot from yesterday and finished that picture and then went to my spot from a couple of days ago and finished that one. It is not really a lot of hours of painting, but it is quite the climb to the top of CVS. In the shade it is pleasant, but in the sun it is a little tiring. 

Jim did two really nice drawings today. He brings them home, adds watercolor and then goes back to the spot and uses pastel pencils. The drawings look really great!

I spent some time sitting around with my first friends in Castelvecchio: Linda and Olga. They were upset about something, but I am not sure what. I just kept saying, “I’m sorry”.  Linda's husband, my friend, Amalfio die in the fall. We are all missing him. 

Amalfio