Oregon Inspiration

My friend, François Raynal, regularly goes to Portland-area (Oregon) wildlife preserves, and photographs and logs the plant life. His pictures not only make me yearn to see them for myself, but also inspire me to paint!

Here's one, slightly stylized...

Thanks, Frank!

Swiss Chicken

The best part about this is seeing your sister across the table, and your brother and parents down either side...

Swiss Chicken

6 Chicken breasts pounded to 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick

Roll up (or fold) with these fillings (use toothpicks if needed):
- Fresh apple slices (or dried fruit, like pears or peaches), 1 medium/large => 4 pieces each breast
- 12 slices Swiss cheese  => 2 slices each breast

Dip in 2 beaten eggs w/ 1-2 tsp smoked paprika

Place in casserole pan; add any remaining fruit and egg mixture to pan
Sprinkle w/ bread crumbs*
Bake @400 ~55 min**
- 40 min covered
- 15-20 min uncovered

Serve (6-12) w/
- Broccoli or asparagus cooked 7 minutes in a little water and butter, then stir in cream and nutmeg
- Green salad
- Chardonnay

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* mix with butter for better browning
** time will vary depending on how closely packed the chicken is in the pan (this time is for a very packed dish)

Painting Cordi Winery

I have my Painting Partner* back!
We took over the kitchen table, set up our paints, and started "arting" - what fun!
While we both painted from our photos of Cordi Winery, Dad is going more detailed; I went with more of a posterize-it, then slap-it-on approach :-)

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*aka Dad (Linda will have to join us sometime soon!)

Cordi Winery

Cordi Winery is on the North side of the Sutter Buttes; here's a little photo-trip (sans hiking)...

Besides grapes, they also have a nice bunch of Flor de Itaba! These flowers are edible; the first time we saw (and ate!) them was in Costa Rica (seeing them here brought back some nice memories)

Speaking of memories, I couldn't resist pulling over for a picture of this crop duster; they  were a constant in my childhood :-)

Ginger and Jute

I tried something new!

A number of years ago, I tried my hand at making a fan - I loved it, and it was *very* useful in Costa Rica. I used acrylics to paint flowers on muslin, then sewed it to thin ribs of wood. I started another one, but wanted to use umbrella parts instead of wood. But at about this time, we were moving around again, and I just never got the fan put together.

Well! Today, I finally framed the fan painting! It is, of course, in a fan shape, so I opted to mat it with raw jute*. While I like the outcome well enough, and I'm happy to have found a way to frame my fan, this will definitely be the last time I do that...

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*Jute (aka burlap) is a lot easier to find these days; craft / sewing material stores have many choices by the bolt. However, it is a HUGE pain to work with - it is difficult to line up and keep it where you want it, and just when it's right, you find that you have lint inside your frame. Ugh. I did find a lot of jute "ribbon" that is hemmed, and would be interesting to use as a fillet, but (definitely) not on a curved edge.

Cupid's Span to Giant Red Arrow

"Why Albuquerque?" is *the* question posed once people hear we have a new home base.

Well, there's the practical answer:
- Years ago, we each (and separately) took the online test at Find Your Spot; Albuquerque was one of the recommended places
- In 2008, I zipped through NM on a road trip, and never really forgot it
- There is a lot of interesting technology here (and we both like that)
- The Affordable Care Act passed. Yes, that! This meant we could actually afford to live in the states without fear. A medical emergency or chronic condition will no longer threaten to put us in the poor house
- We spent a few weeks here over a year ago, and found a lot that we liked! We decided to give it a try :-).  Some of what resonated: music scene, film making vibe, ART, tech, sunsets...

Then there's the whimsical answer:
- a bumper sticker that said "keep the quirky in Albuquirky" (that would be us)

But then, there's this - we threw a dart at a map...

Since 1961, a 20 foot tall Giant Red Arrow has graced midtown Albuquerque...
Maybe, like us, it came from Cupid's Span :-) 

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Coming up - a critial year in review, similar to what we did in Costa Rica.

Flamenco!

Albuquerque has a flourishing Flamenco culture - this weekend is the Yjastros XXIXth Season, and we went to the opening performance last night!

From their event description:
"The National Institute of Flamenco and the National Hispanic Cultural Center proudly present Yjastros XXIXth Season, debuting the choreographies of Manuela Rios and Pedro Córdoba and presenting the dynamic works of José Maya and Concha Jareño.

Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company celebrates its 29th season with wisdom, grace, and gut-wrenching honesty as musicians and dancers interpret the fervent and masterful styles and intentions of the iconic flamenco artists visiting Albuquerque from Spain each year through the University of New Mexico’s Visiting Guest Line."

I swiped this phone photo from an "anonymous donor" :-)

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Coming up is the 28th Festival Flamenco International de Albuquerque, June 7 - 13

More Mosaics!!

With my niece in town, I just had to show off some of the mosaics! So we went back to the convention center in downtown Albuquerque and got a *lot* more pictures!

This previous post caught only one side of the building - now I have the rest (and some close-ups, by special request)

And here she is :-)

Sandia Sunset

Scouting is done, sunset is pegged at slightly after 7:30, cameras, snacks and camp chairs are in the car...

We had a lovely visit waiting for the perfect photo moment. I think I need Photoshop...

Casa Rodeña Winery

My Niece-From-Napa apparently can't get enough of wine! So, we spent an afternoon at the Casa Rodeña winery :-)

Sandia Sunset Scouting

My niece, The Photographer, is coming to visit, and one thing on our list is to get a shot of the Sandia mountains at sunset!

So I scouted a few places:
- Rio Rancho is on a rise to the West, and has a nice view (we stayed here when we first got to the Albuquerque area)

- West of the Rio Grande shows Downtown in the foreground. Pat Hurley park is multileveled, and includes a nice observation platform on the bluff

- Closer to the Rio Grande is Valle del Bosque (yes, a valley ;-) ).  So it is more difficult to get a clear shot of the mountains

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Green Report: many trees are full of leaves, some flowers are gone, but quite a few are still coming in. But today, this...