the coffee stained blog

So this isn’t the journal entry for today but it looks really similar so here you are. There’s a neighbor of mine that is giving away flowers from her garden and after I took one vase full I made this painting as a thank you. I love that people are so naturally good.

I really love coffee. I mean in a legitimate unhealthy way. But once again it’s reassuring to know even in these crazy times the norms are still in place... and I really just love coffee.

I think this post says it all really. I just wish we could stop being such a selfish society.

Today I loaded up my car with water, supplies and Miss Amber and head off to my favorite local state park for a hike. There i found this: and I think it finally set in the state of the world. It's frustrating in the very time we need it for mental and physical fitness, that we can't go anywhere. It makes me realize what we have and what we take for granted. Here's to hoping things get back to normal as soon as possible.

I've been thinking a lot about how little I used to think about food. When I was hungry I went out to eat. When I needed coffee I went to the coffee shop...now I hunt for pasta like I'm Indiana Jones. So I decided to paint a clementine today to really look at something I've always taken for granted. Please enjoy.

I think this, being the end of the second week of stay home, my isolation crazy is showing. My poor dog is taking the brunt of my weirdness and I find myself having full (if not one-sided) conversations with her. Today she looked at me as though I was a nutter and I realized this is the look I needed to capture. Thanks dog friend...let's keep chatting.

So this weird community activity seems to be happening in my neighborhood. Each day the rain comes, and goes, then the streets are flooded with dogs and their people. It's damn near like a religious ceremony. It's comforting to know that even when the world is crazy, the norm still exists and dogs still need to poop. So here's to dogs that get us out into the world.

Last year around this time I painted this Heritage Tree as part of the Urban Sketchers sketch hunt. I wasn't totally satisfied with that piece so with the beautiful day today, I took another swing at it. I feel like this one is an improvement. ***April Fools, I actually did this one on 4/5/20***

Today I got back to basics. I love this little stickman. Somehow I lost him under the furniture and I did a quick sketch of him as a bit of a throw back. I love that the human body is so logical, I mean every person is "8 heads tall". Our faces are all set the same, eyes are one eye apart. Lips extend to the middle of the pupil. nose as wide as the eye...etc etc. It amazes me the way we work. So after you read this, look at yourself in the mirror and check it out...

No lie...when I finally found Kraft Mac and Cheese at the store I literally did a little dance. What strange times we're living in that a couple blue boxes of processed food can feel like manna from heaven. Still looking for a source of TP and pasta, but for now I'm happy with my mac.

Rain day is definitely not like a Snow Day. The later is the dream of every school kid (and adults as well) and the former is depressing and annoying. But I'm getting into the swing of things and using this time to be creative...hoping to jump from journal to easel and get some good painting done. But, right now I'm loving the sketching so I'm running with it. I highly recommend doing something creative right now: something that will use your brain but also make you feel good. It doesn't have to look perfect and you don't have to share it with anyone...but just make something, It's good.

So rough day today. I love miss Amber, but with rain, gloom and stuck at home, we were getting on each other's nerves. I am realizing I'm not a very good dog trainer but no one is open to get assistance from. Ahhh this pandemic. Anyway, we sorted out and had a good night's sleep to start a new day.

I'm using this time, stuck in quarantine, to start a visual journal. As I am incredibly lucky to work from home in my job, I've been able to keep my position. However, I'm finding I really miss other people and I'm not loving working in my house. So my first journal entry is my key needs in keeping me focused...coffee (obvious with the name of this blog) and knitting/ art projects to keep my hands occupied. Stay tuned as I offer up a page a day for the next month. Stay safe, wash your hands, and do something this week that you've always wanted to try but didn't think you could...I mean, who's going to see it?