It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (May 14): 05/14/18

Hosted by Kathryn of Book Date.

Last week I started on a painting to give to a friend. It feels good to work with acrylics after two years. I stopped just after I finished the avian portraits because I didn't have room for any new pieces in the condo and then we were suddenly deciding to move.

I plan to do ten new avian portraits, again from birds I've photographed. I probably won't restrict myself to the county I live in this time. I did that to fit the rules of the library's call for art.

Before beginning on the birds, though, I painted a still life of some tomatoes a friend of mine grew last year. She sent them home with me when I had volunteered to watch her twins. They were so pretty — a herritage variety, mostly yellow with some red to the skin. So I photographed them before I cooked them. Those photographs became the reference for the painting.

"You Say Tomato" ©2018 Sarah Sammis

What I read:

• The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum; personal collection / research
• Don't Cry for Me, Hot Pastrami by Sharon Kahn
• Bloom: A Story of Fashion Designer Elsa Schiaparelli by Kyo Maclear and Julie Morstad
• If I Had a Little Dream by Nina Laden, Melissa Castrillón
• Dear Mrs Bird by A.J. Pearce; personal collection

What I'm reading:

• Depth by Lev A.C. Rosen; personal collection (audio)
• The Wicked Will Rise by Danielle Paige; personal collection / research
• The Shadow Cipher by Laura Ruby; personal collection (ebook) / research
• The Journey of Little Charlie by Christopher Paul Curtis; personal collection (audio)

Up Soon:

• Jess, Chunk, and the Road Trip to Infinity by Kristin Elizabeth Clark; personal collection (ebook) / research
• Welcome to Night Vale by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor, personal collection
• Bad Neighbors by Maia Chance
• Runaways, Vol. 1: Find Your Way Home by Rainbow Rowell

Posts:

• In the upside-down: the hobo life in Oz

Reviews Posted

• This is Paris by Miroslav Sasek; library book
• Dear Mrs Bird by A. J. Pearce; personal collection
• Slider by Pete Hautman; personal collection
• My Little Pony: Micro-Series: #2: Rainbow Dash by Ryan K. Lindsay; library book
• The Mad Apprentice by Django Wexler; library book
• The Night Garden by Polly Horvath; library book
• The Bicycle Spy by Yona Zeldis McDonough; personal collection

Comments  (20)

Comment #1: Monday, May 14, 2018 at 03:28:04

Mystica

It is a lovely thing to be able to get back to a craft that you love (and are obviously so good at).

Comment #2: Tuesday, May 15, 2018 at 09:05:00

Pussreboots

Thanks. It feels good to paint again. It's my way to unwind.

Comment #3: Monday, May, 14, 2018 at 11:11:52

Angelica @ Paperback Princess

Amazing painting, beautiful art. You are extremely talented. I couldn't do this if my life depended on it.

Comment #4: Tuesday, May 15, 2018 at 09:08:00

Pussreboots

Like any skill, it takes practice and dedication. I've been painting since I was ten.

Comment #5: Monday, May 14, 2018 at 11:48:56

Kathy Martin

Great still life. I admire anyone with artistic talent since I have none. All of your books are new to me this week. Come see my week here. Happy reading!

Comment #6: Tuesday, May 15, 2018 at 09:10:00

Pussreboots

It's been a while since I've done a still life. I might do more interspersed with the avian portraits I'm now working on.

Comment #7: Tuesday, May, 15, 2018 at 07:03:16

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz

I am eager to read Dear Mrs. Bird. I have it here.

I love This is Paris. The pictures are so perfect.

I’m glad you are painting again.

Comment #8: Tuesday, May 15, 2018 at 09:19:00

Pussreboots

Dear Mrs. Bird is delightful.

Comment #9: Monday, May 14, 2018 at 13:52:49

Katie @ Read-at-Home Mom

I tried to read a digital ARC of The Journey of Little Charlie and had a hard time with the dialect and gave up. But I love Christopher Paul Curtis and have been meaning to try the audiobook.

Comment #10: Tuesday, May 15, 2018 at 09:21:00

Pussreboots

I originally started the book with a print copy from the library. Like you I found the dialect terrible. The reviews of the audiobook were good so I listened to a sample of it. I liked what I heard and bought a copy.

Comment #11: Monday, May 14, 2018 at 17:43:34

Laurel-Rain Snow

Love what you did in the painting! Thanks for sharing...and enjoy your books, too. Thanks for visiting my blog.

Comment #12: Tuesday, May 15, 2018 at 09:23:00

Pussreboots

Thanks! I think this week's books will be good ones.

Comment #13: Monday, May 14, 2018 at 21:59:10

Ellen Pilch

Your painting is beautiful. Looks like you got a lot of reading done too.

Comment #14: Tuesday, May 15, 2018 at 09:24:00

Pussreboots

Thank you. I got a fair amount of reading done but not all that I had wanted to.

Comment #15: Monday, May 14, 2018 at 22:45:44

Susie | Novel Visits

Love the tomato painting. i always wish I had the talent to paint or draw, but alas...no!

Comment #16: Tuesday, May 15, 2018 at 09:26:00

Pussreboots

It takes practice, just like anything. And the amount of practice requires that it be fun to do.

Comment #17: Monday, May 14, 2018 at 23:29:37

Cheryl Malandrinos

Wow! You're so talented. That is a lovely painting. Lots of great books here. I've never read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz but I would love to one day.

Hope you have a great week. Thanks for visiting my blog.

Comment #18: Tuesday, May 15, 2018 at 09:29:00

Pussreboots

Project Gutenberg has copies of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz for download if you ever want to read it and see the original illustrations.

Comment #19: Tuesday, May 15, 2018 at 02:47:30

Greg

Ooh nice. I like a good juicy tomato and when a picture makes me hungry you're clearly doing something right. :)

Hope Night Vale is good.

Comment #20: Tuesday, May 15, 2018 at 09:31:00

Pussreboots

Thanks! I don't think any of my art has made anyone hungry before.