June Gloom

It's June 20th, the day before the first official day of summer, and we're all bursting with impatience to have a bit of sun come out. I wish it were more summer like, but thus far the weather has only to disappoint. We've had a few hours of sunshine here and there, but it only lasts for so long before it starts to get gloomy and cold again. What's a girl to do?

Well, as they say, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. So I made lemonade. With vodka.

Making homemade lemonade isn't too hard, providing you don't have any cuts on your fingers and don't mind getting a little sticky. We halved several lemons and a few limes, and squeezed hard to get every last drop out like our lives depended on it. We added simple syrup, ice, and vodka in varying quantities, and sat down to enjoy a drink in honor of the absent sunshine.

The sunshine doesn't stop there. We made a blackberry peach cobbler to go with the lemonade, and served vanilla ice cream on the side. The ice cream melts slightly and mingles with the warm berry juices, creating a delightful contrast. Cobbler a la mode, with lemonade? Can't get more summery than that!

Here's to you, summer! We hope to see you soon!

Mansfield Park, you've been wronged.

I just finished Mansfield Park, and in my post-Austen flurry, I scrambled to find the movie version which I loved so much more than any other Austen adaptation. I remember falling completely in love with it, even though my sister, the Austen expert, didn't enjoy it as much as myself. Let me excuse myself by mentioning that before that movie, I had never read any of her books, so I had no idea that they were doing it completely wrong.

Are there any good Mansfield Park adaptations out there? Patricia Rozema's film totally changes her character, the 2007 Billie Piper also tweaks her character, and the 1983 Mansfield Park is so old it's almost impossible to watch. I say this after watching maybe 40 minutes of each version, just because the faults of each were so overwhelming I couldn't watch anymore at the time.

Fanny Price is a weak character in the beginning, and I didn't enjoy reading about her poor health and timid manners, but after having dealt with the dramas of the Crawfords, she really turns out to be very strong and iron willed. That resolve of hers is what I love about Fanny!

Let the creativity flow!

You might remember watching this Mr. Roger's segment when you were a kid. Remember how exciting it was to work with crayons, and most particularly, all the different colors? It was so much fun! As an adult, I've been trying my hand at watercoloring in an attempt to relax and work my artistic muscles. I'm not very good at all, but I enjoy playing with colors and composition. People look at my work and don't really say anything terribly encouraging, but I laugh at myself anyway and keep working.

We've had a few get-togethers in the last couple of months loosely centered around crafty projects such as watercoloring, mostly because it's nice to see what people come up with, and because artistic projects should be undertaken by everyone! Some people are generally gifted and talented at art, and, sadly, lack of talent makes others feel like they shouldn't even try it at all. I try to do away with that nonsense by providing some all-purpose lubrication in the form of booze. Wine loosens up inhibitions just the slightest bit, and even the most reluctant artists take a stab at putting something down on paper.

A friend of mine recently shared an idea for an event involving Bob Ross and The Joy of Painting. The idea was that the group would watch an episode of Joy of Painting, and while watching, would follow along on their own using whatever art supplies were around. I guess the outcomes are pretty interesting! Haven't been able to pull this one together yet, but hopefully we can arrange it in the future.

The plus side of having people come over to paint/draw/whatever is new art to put on your walls! I am tickled every time I look at my friends' art on the wall, mostly because I remember the good times we were having. It really has been fun seeing what other people can do with art, and I hope that it inspires them to spend a little more time on art in the future. All you need is a little practice!