Chapter 21 - Rain Daze

Rain, rain, go away,

Come again some other day!!

I can totally get behind that sentiment...and do, almost daily.

But you don't want to hear my miserable laments about the wet weather here in LCO. So let's get into it, our adventures on this, yet again, rainy day.

First off, Tom dropped by the other day with the prototype of the bird house the Scouts are going to assemble on March 12th. 

Here's the back story: A while back, the good folks at ASLC were talking about projects here in Lincoln County. I had the bright idea that we could sponsor a project where the Scouts put together bird houses and the ASLC could assist and then get the Scouts to help them set them up.

It would give the Scouts something fun to do that would also be beneficial to the community. Also, it would allows the ASLC to reach out to the Scouts and expose them to the ASLC goals. Everyone would win.

Tom has gathered the material for the bird houses and gotten everything cut so that all the Scouts have to do is assemble the houses and then paint them. Easy!!

Here's a view of the front of the bird house. You can see the two nails on either side...that's to allow the front piece, the one with the hole cut in it, to be swung up to allow someone to clean out the inside of the bird house.

And here it is from the side. It will, eventually, be mounted on a pole and put out along some water feature. We're aiming at attracting Purple Martins. They're having a hard time as they have to compete with the invasive European Starlings for nests. The 'door' is big enough to allow a Martin in but small enough to keep the Starlings out.

We'll have enough to assemble 7 houses and there will be two Scouts for each house. They'll be using hand tools. I'm looking forward to seeing them wrestle with the hand held screwdrivers. Hahaha, OK, I'll have some power screwdrivers there, too.

It's gonna be fun.

And, now, back to the present. 

I always check the weather and I was, understandably, disappointed to learn it was suppose to rain...all...day...long. 

I'm not adverse to a little rain but, well, even after living in Seattle for 8 years, I am still run down by ALL the rain we get here in LCO. A lot.

On a quick aside, this was the view this morning out the front room window. Jonathan stopped by this morning, as he does every morning, and Carol went out to feed him. Naturally, some of the family and friends dropped by to see what he was having for breakfast. I managed to get this shot after the furor had died down a bit.  Rough seas and heavily overcast. Not a good start to the day.

Carol spotted this fellow a couple days ago. He's not the usual song bird we get here and she's been trying to get a good look (photo) of him so she could figure out just who he is. Things finally came together this morning and I was able to get this shot of him.

The verdict is in: he's a Yellow-Rumped Warbler.

There didn't appear to be many opportunities to take a walk, go sight-seeing, do anything that required any outdoor activity. Then Carol mentioned they had a new art exhibit at the LC3 (Lincoln City Cultural Center), and we were off.

It's nice to have someplace to go that is semi-interesting.

A view of the Hardy Boys Mystery House behind us. It is, unofficially, an abandoned house. I think. Cory moved out in October and it is still unoccupied. Plus, I've been around it and I've seen the inside. They're gonna have to do some major repairs on it before it is habitable again.

But I was thinking of the rainy windshield when I grabbed this shot. And the clouds behind the Mystery House. Another gray and gloomy day. Wah, wah, wah.

But we were off to LC3 for the art show. Here's the entrance to the Chessman Gallery. I don't know the guy on the left but I've seen him hanging out at the LC3 several times before this.

LC3 is in the old elementary school building. Built on two levels, the kitchen and a couple classrooms were down in the basement. It's cool, you should come and see all the stuff they do there.

And, this is the artist, Elena Nikitin, we've come to see.

Elena is an architect who has broken out to become an artist. Her blurb for the show says her "ink drawings and creations from cut paper recreate sights and sounds of trees, landscapes and moments in time. "'Another Place, Another Time'" is a show that gives people an opportunity to imagine their own place and their own time in the art work."

An admirable goal, I don't know that it was realized with me. But, then, I am very pedestrian in my tastes and values. I was impressed with her work but there were a couple things I didn't care for. But, let me take you through what I saw and explain it to you.

Hahaha, I knew you'd like that.

Here's the gallery. It's always well done. Someone has a knack for presentation. And the lighting is always complimentary. We've been to several shows here and they've always been professional, clean and they present the art to its best advantage.

The cut paper artwork made up most of the work on display. In several instances, she incorporated a pen and ink drawing into the cut paper display.

Like this shot of a French village house framed by the trees made from cut paper. I admire the work, the tenacity needed to create these intricate and delicate paper pieces. And, honestly, you ain't seen nothing yet.

I do like the pen and ink drawings better than the paper cuts. I did a pen and ink drawing in high school and even got an A+ on it. Ah, it's a shame I wasn't better at it.

This one is of Jelly Fish. Again, you can see the detailed work involved here. I'm thinking X-Acto Knives. What do you think?

These were interesting. I can't see where they would be a practical piece of art, though. I mean, you'd pay hell trying to dust this sucker and not lose the leaves after a while.

And, yeah, I rendered it in B&W. I was thinking it might look better in tones of gray rather than the yellowish color I was getting with my Auto White Balance.

Another flower. I see where these might be easier to create than the one she did with the pen and ink drawing.

This was a free hanging piece. I didn't connect with it and don't really have an idea of where she was going other than, I think, it represented some flowers. 

I think.

Maybe.

Again, it's interesting and makes for a good piece in a show but I can't see where it would work as a piece of art in someone's home or business.

Her framed pieces incorporating her cut paper and her pen and ink drawings were the best parts of this aspect of the show.

Those are flowers in front of the framed pieces.

And, the other side. She's prolific with that ol' X-Acto Knife.

This had to be a bear to make. I mean, c'mon, look at it!! It is life-size and it is intricate.

And the back side is more complicated than the front side.

Jeez, Louise!! I would have hurt someone, or myself, had I tried to create something like this.

I didn't care for it but I admire the time and effort put into creating it. And the vision to be able to see this in your mind and make it so in reality. 

Wow!!

A lot of work, Baby. A lot of work.

Then, from life-size, we go to a "Barbie" size dress.  

Wha....!?!?!

Seriously, a Barbie doll could fit into this.

Kudos for fortitude and patience, Elena!!

She did several with a 'Jelly Fish' theme. These were the largest. There's several sheets of paper here that are layered to get the effect of depth. The lights didn't really add anything to it.

She did this with several pictures. 

Remember, earlier you saw where she combined her paper cutting with a pen and ink drawing and now she's combining her photography with her pen and ink drawings.

I like the drawings...I didn't care for putting in a piece of a picture into it. I can see where she was going and it's an interesting idea, incorporating the photograph of the actual scene into the drawing.

But, for me, it didn't work.

Looking back, you can see two of the oil paintings Elena presented. This woman does oil paintings, pen and ink drawings, photography and paper cuts. She is something else, eh!?!

OK, so here's her oil paintings. I'll tell you which one I liked. They were all well done but, mostly, missed the mark for me. I'm not versed in technique or genre but I do know what I like.

And I like my photography!! 

Surprise!!!

Hahaha, and that's what I did. I approached these with a critical eye and enjoyed them. Then I went at them with my camera and, sorta, deconstructed them, shooting at parts I liked.

I'm all about patterns, colors and abstracts (I think) and so I reached into these paintings and tried to find an some piece in there that sang to me a bit louder than the whole painting did.

And I had fun with it. Hahaha, it's 'shooting small' again but within a defined subject, not the whole world.

So, from this, let's go and see some of the ...

... details.

I'm thinking 'cropping'. It's what I do with my photography. I crop the heck out of most of my pictures. I find, I think, the "picture within the picture." At least I try to find it.

I've pretty much resolved that one of my things is gonna be cropping. Some might frame their pictures so they need no cropping but that ain't me. 

Besides, I like this. I can, sometimes, find two, three, even four pictures hiding there in the shot I took.

Some are winners and some are just interesting.

A lot of them I keep because I can see where I was searching for something. I might not have found it but I can see where I'm making some slow, some very slow progress towards my goal.

And that's a good thing.

A larger detail. 

Here's painting #2 in its entirety. I like the perspective but I can't agree with the large green plant at the base of the tree. Plus, the colors presented as they are seem too hot for this picture.

As it is, I wasn't impressed with it.

But, I had some fun picking out a different way of seeing it.

I've noticed where I do this with my pictures...kinda zoom in on a spot to emphasize it.

Y'know, if I learned some artsy way of saying this, I could, possibly, sell this line of crap. I have long thought that a major part of art is being able to sell it through the words you use. 

Find some line of BS and you can palm off most anything as art. 

And an even closer detail. I can see where the color has changed dramatically. I'm not great at adjusting it with what iMac offers. Ahhh, and I'm too cheap to buy PhotoShop.

I didn't care for the green at the base of the tree in the 'big' picture, but it isn't too bad here.

What do you think?

And here's #3.  I like this one. It's a pretty straight-forward rendition of a fir tree. I like where the artist is going as it's kinda like a detail picture. You don't see the entire tree...just the part the artist wants you to see.

Haha, the more I look at it, the more I am liking it.

And now, the details in the detail. 

I have fun in editing...in looking for another picture in there.

Eh, maybe it's not always a good thing. 

But I'm trying and I'm seeing. And, believe it or not, I'm learning.

And it's fun.

It's challenging and, sometimes, you can find things.

And it's fun. That's the key thing. Having some fun.

 

Here, this is the one I liked the best. It was my favorite piece of the show.

It wasn't until later, when I was talking about the show with Carol, that I made an off-hand comment about the roads and realized it kinds ties into my 'Road' pictures.

I'm so doggone predictable in certain things.

But no mailboxes. Hahahaha...I crack myself up.

But this one is good. I like the pastoral scene. I like the road.

And I really jumped into this one. I had a good time here. There's a lot of pictures in this one.

Like this. There's that road thingie again. 

And, if one detail of a building is good then two must be better.

With a road.

I like the texture you get with oil paintings. And I think she used her colors well. It takes a deep knowledge of oil paints and a keen appreciation for applying them to successfully create a work of art. She came pretty doggone close with this one.

More details. It's almost like creating a new picture. It's interesting, taking one work and then finding the other pictures in it.

OK, so this one was predictable. Who wouldn't zoom in on the flowers. I missed the mark, though.

And, that was the show. She's got an eye and is, obviously, talented in several different mediums. I like her pen and ink drawings, sans the paper or the photographs. And, best of all are the oil paintings.

As for the paper things, it's a novelty for me to come and see...once. I doubt I'd go back again for another paper show.

And it was enjoyable. I like seeing the new art and then having a minor discussion about it with Carol. It's interesting having to explain what you find in a work of art. It's a good way to pass a rainy afternoon.

As a small disclaimer, I fully realize I've borrowed Ms. Nikitin's art. I can only justify it by acknowledging that this will be the only place, this humble blog that no one, really, reads, where I will use it. I did it for the intellectual and artistic challenge it presented. The challenge to see this art in a different way. So, please don't think too harshly of me. I won't be profiting from it.

And there's more to the LC3. They've got artwork up and down the hallway.

And they have a really great gift shop where they feature a lot of local artists. And, doggone it, they're pretty good.

All kinds of interesting things. 

The LC3 is one of the secret, well, semi-secret treasures of LCO. They have something different going on every week-end. They have a new art show just about every month plus they host the LCO Farmer's Market.

But out of all they offered, here's what I bought.

This is kinda cool, they've got 24 'Quests' in the book. For each Quest, you must travel to a start point and then, following the map, read the narrative and find the clues. Once you've found them all, you have to find the Treasure Chest. Inside is a sign-in book and a stamp.

You get your book stamped and once you've got 10 stamps you're eligible to get an Oregon Coast Quests patch. And the Quests run up and down the coast.

It looks like a lot of fun. We'll get to see some new places, learn a bit about them and have some fun solving the riddles.

Hahahah, keen fun!! You'll be seeing some Quests in the near future. Guaranteed!!

OK, that was the late morning and early afternoon.

Then, later on, I remembered that it was Happy Hour at the Chinook Winds Seafood Grill. Then I realized it had stopped raining.

Quickly adding up the situation, I came to another of my of my off-the-cuff, split-second decisions. 

And we were off for the short walk to the Seafood Grill!!

And Happy Hour!!

As we were cresting the small hill to our north, we saw the layered clouds hanging out over The Knoll. It's been that kinda day...overcast and moody. But now we were getting a small break in the clouds.

And with that break, we got this great rainbow. 

When we cleared the brown house, we were able to see the complete arc. The whole thing!! If you look a bit to the left of this rainbow you can see the faint outline of a second, dimmer, rainbow.

And then it started to fade. But, Man, while it was there it was way cool.

It's less than a half-mile to the restaurant and we made good time getting there. It's the same place where the American Legion meets once a month. The Legion is more like a lunch club than anything else. Not much gets done but we do get together and, yeah, there are things the Legion here does. I just haven't seen any of it yet.

But I digress...we're at the Seafood Grill for Happy Hour. And for the show. The restaurant fronts onto the ocean and has a long row of windows where you can sit in comfort in front of a fire, eat and drink, and watch the tide roll in and then roll out again.

And the tide was out while we were there.

A seriously good view of the ocean. Mike and Bron told us they come here to watch the storms. I think we might try that, too.

We sat at the fireplace and had our drinks and then got some appetizers.

I got myself some Cod Tacos. Not bad. They could have used some guacamole.

And Jeff, the bartender, fronted us a fresh loaf of bread and some oil and elderberry balsamic vinegar.  I loved the bread...it was warm, chewy and tasty.

I usually enjoy oil and balsamic but this elderberry stuff was too sweet and it sorta ruined the taste for me. I'd prefer just some regular ol' balsamic vinegar.

But the bread was tasty!!

And Carol got some calamari. She didn't think it was as good as the calamari she had at SurfTides. This was bigger and it was fried differently. I tried some and, yeah, I preferred the calamari over at SurfTides, too.

The best part was the service, then the view, then the music, then the appetizers.

See what I mean about the view?

That's the roof there in the foreground just beyond the windows. You can see the storm clouds off on the horizon.

Plus the sun was beginning to set. The clouds had parted and it was getting interesting. Really nice, listening to groovy tunes, sipping a cold Bud Light and watching the waves roll in and then out again.

My last shot from the restaurant.

Fed, watered and content, we headed back. 

I can see where we might be doing this again. A very strong possibility.

And what a good day. 

We had a mini-adventure over at the LC3. Got to see some good art and I got to take some pictures. Always a winner for me.

Then we got to go out for a while, get something good to eat and I got to have a beer, or two, while enjoying the view.

You make your own adventures, y'know. It doesn't take much effort but you must be open to adventure from any direction. It might not always be dramatic or fabulous, but it can always be fun. We've gotten to be pretty good about finding adventure in even the most mundane of activities. 

And, in the midst of all these adventures, I am constantly reminded that, Life is Good.

          Hooah!!