Freezing at the Boathouse

Daya met all the requirements for graduating high school last year, except for that 4th year of ELA and health.  But she is an overachiever and wants the Chancellor's Award.

I don't actually know what that is but it apparently requires 90 hours of volunteer service, and Daya needs 20 hours more.  By June 6th.  Because she is not already busy enough with dancing at three different places and doing multiple show rehearsals and a gala or two, she wants to finish her volunteer hours requirement at the boathouse.

So we went to the Sunday work day at the boathouse and it was COLD and RAINY and generally pretty miserable. I was freezing cold most of the day but we got a lot of work done.

We are starting a community kayak program at the BMCC pool, and we cleaned and repaired these boats.

This weird picture is about 10 years of waivers people sign when they go on the water.

We are working on recycling them.

Graeme thought it would be fun to do a photo shoot of al the waivers, so we took them all out, took pictures, and brought them back into the boathouse.

Daya got to help do boat stuff and Graeme taught her some woodworking stuff, and they fixed a cart that had been sitting needing repair for the last 10 years or so.

Where is New Jersey?  Is it still there?

This pigeon was also waiting for the train.

This is happening.

Dry bag, watercolors, clip, prep cutting board, museum putty, brushes, command hanging strips, pencil, kneaded eraser.

It's all secured, you can flip the whole thing upside-down and nothing will move.

I am so excited for kayak season!!

Official Info!

There was a Juilliard info session tonight.

Daya could not go because she was in dance, so I went.

There are people who are still waiting on their financial aid appeals!!

Decision Day is Monday.

I'm so glad that stress is over!

Daya starts COLLEGE on Aug 28!!

DUMBO

This weekend my friend had an open studio in DUMBO.

I rat-sat for her several years ago when she went on an artist retreat.

She also went to Pratt, but not when I was there.

We haven't seen each other for a long time and it was so nice to see her again!

I love her work and I bought a print.

I was planning on painting after.... but I ended up not after all... it was really crowded, hot, and there was no place to set up without either being in the way or having people camp out and watch over my shoulder the whole time, and I ate that.  I can feel people watching.  It's not that I'm self-conscious, it's more about their presence being invasive, I can feel their attention.

I don't mind of people stay for a minute or 2, but for people to camp out and watch the whole process... I'm not in the mood.

And today I'm not n the mood for crowds.

Under the Pine Cone Tree

I haven't been to Green-Wood Cemetery in probably 20 years, definitely not since before Daya was born.
And I keep meaning to go.

But it is such a long train ride... I can take one train all the way over, but it is also a local train and makes every single stop. It takes an hour and a half one way........

But I knew today would be a painting day, and I almost went to Roosevelt Island again.... and then thought why not Green-Wood? I can go to the Pine Cone Tree and see what's going on.  Be somewhere new that is guaranteed to be amazing.

On a spur-of-the-moment whim, I texted my friend Catherine (I have three friends named Catherine!) and asked if she wanted to/was available, if she wanted to meet up and paint in Green-Wood.

She said yes!  

I would have been very happy to paint alone today, but I also haven't seen Catherine for a long time and thought it would be nice to see her.  We met while I was out painting in Union Square. I passed on the plein air virus to her.

Here is my painting, standing under the Pine Cone Tree.  It took 2 hours.

8x10 oil, and I am very happy with it.

*****

Green-Wood was stunning today.

The Pine Cone Tree.  One day I will paint the tree.

My friend Catherine.

She is 6'1, and I am 5'0, so together we have the whole vertical spectrum covered.