F5: Hot Town, Summer in the City...

...or town, or suburb, or hamlet, or burg, or unincorporated zone, or rural area of your choice---pretty much anywhere but the southern hemisphere, it's summer. (Australians and others, consider this an invitation to take a break from winter for a while.)

ReverendMother outlined today's best ever Friday Five; in the interest of actually finishing it in a reasonable time, I'm doing a short version of everything, making it mostly about my current technically metro living location:

1. Favorite summer food(s) and beverage(s):

Burgers, Burritos and Beer, preferably all in the same meal.

2. Song that "says" summer to you. (Need not be about summer explicitly.):

Oh, too, too many; but for a pair of unforgettables: on a nearby beach radio, Seals & Crofts, "Get Closer"; in church, "Immortal, Invisible" with sunshine and a light breeze wafting through the open sanctuary windows.

3. A childhood summer memory:

At least a million of these, too, but for now I'll choose just-picked beefsteak tomato, mayonnaise and fresh-ground pepper sandwich on home-baked white bread for lunch with my grandmother at her kitchen table.

4. An adult summer memory:

Lots here, as well, but two involving food along with casual conversation include weekly midweek early evening (Wednesdays, maybe?) church potlucks on the beach; more recently, summer monthly Friday church potlucks at the cove.

5. Describe a wonderful summer day you'd like to have in the near future. (weather, location, activities):

All this assumes warm-to-hot ambient temp with almost cloudless skies:

to stay local and focal, sleeping-in until about 6 (I'm usually early to bed and very early to rise, so 6 is late for me), slow breakfast, meeting a friend for a drive up the shore for a day that includes lunch (food again) along with shopping at local produce stands and maybe hitting on a clothing outlet or two. Back early evening for (more food) BBQ with neighbors.

Optional: Does your place of worship do anything differently in the summer? (Fewer services, casual dress, etc.)

Special music in place of choir anthems.

Creativity!

Hey, I needed to blog this again--two or three years ago I posted it plus commentary on citysafari/city delights. This is a major part of my story...

From an old ad about one of my favorite activities...
oh, yeah...I'm definitely a grown-up person in the visual arts!

---

In the beginning...a small bell chimed

Creativity! It chimes like a small clear bell at the heart of the human spirit.
Remember the first time you spoke to the world from a piece of shirt cardboard?
Chances are we made some of that board for you...
Now that the quality of your message has changed, however,
you really should know more about some of our professional products.

...for all kinds of grown-up people in the visual arts.

Columbia 1776 Illustration Board

County Fair Results: Images

As I previously blogged, my County Fair entries yielded a First Place Blue ribbon for my Earth Day Stamps; my 67 Wellesley Park got a Blue, a Best in Class and a Best of Show!

County Fair Results

Hey, I just found out my County Fair entry results: I got a First Place Blue ribbon for my Earth Day Stamps; but my 57 Wellesley Park got a Blue, a Best in Class and a Best in Show! I have the pics in pdf form, but need to reformat them in order to blog them, which I hope to be able to do on Saturday.

Getaway Island Edition Friday 5

Great Idea Friday 5

Cathy blogged,

We snitched a bit of time on an quiet island nearby this week. It was a last minute plan, escaping with a minimal amount of preparation. One must have essentials that make it a relaxing time. Perhaps you have had this opportunity to escape, or maybe it's only been a thought to get away. However, suppose you were told to pack some essentials for a trip to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Describe your location, in general or specific terms and....

Location, location, location:

1. Sonoran Desert or Southern Utah;
2. Cape Cod beach house, ideally right on the beach so we can step out the door onto the sand; or
3. Big City anywhere on any continent, though I need to be real about the $$$ cost of getting to where I'm going and staying there.

1) What book(s) will you bring?

Bible; Nan C. Merrill's Psalms for Praying; stack of wide-ruled looseleaf paper; 3 70-page notebooks - one each for writing theology, making Commonplace Book-type notes and miscellaneous other stuff; 1 spiral-bound journal book for actual journaling. In addition, 2 or 3 still to be determined books I want to read, though how much reading I end up doing always is up for grabs.

2) What music accompanies you?

MP3 player with a few dozen faves; the car radio (assuming I drive there and do some driving while there) and the songs that play a lot in my head.

3) What essentials of everyday living must you take (as in the health and beauty aids aisle variety)?

Shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, toothbrush, sunscreen, deodorant (need I mention that?), razor, comb, lots of body lotion; makeup for when we go out for a nice dinner. Oh, you know the rest, since most likely I've omitted something.

4) What technological gadgets if any, will you take with you or do you leave it all behind?

MP3 player; cell phone

5) What culinary delights will you partake in while there?

All the local specialties, and depeneding on the length of time away, at least 2 or 3 full lunches or dinners. Despite loving breakfast, I don't like to spend $$$ on it, but at least one opulent breakfast spread would be great.

As a bonus question, what makes for a perfect day on vacation for you?

Before I noticed Cathy had asked "a perfect day on vacation" I'd written,
A full day to pack and prepare before leaving; a full day back home before returning to a more usual schedule.

I'm leaving that on this blog and will describe my vacation day, too: out of bed at first light or earlier, depending on the time of year; coffee on the deck or veranda; prayer time; breakfast; ...low-demand trail hiking or urban trekking; local lunch; fine art museum or nature walk; tasty dinner; evening conversation.