February 14 Day 365 3×5: “oo oo oo what a little cecile can do to you”

My farewell 3×5 is for Cecile and the standing ovation LOUD applause she received with her trio. Imagine a young woman with the future of classic jazz in her heart and you will understand. Per Wynton Marsalis: “She has poise, elegance, soul, humor, sensuality, power, virtuosity, range, insight, intelligence, depth, and grace.” And all of that is true. You can hear the brain behind the voice and phrasing. And her Mack Avenue musicians mesmerized the audience.

She gave the audience a Valentine, both bitter and sweet of the following:

I Only Have Eyes for You
Nobody
If This Isn’t Love
Laugh, Clown, Laugh
Step Sister’s Lament
I Get a Kick Out of You
So In Love With You Am I
I’m Hip
You Bring Out the Savage in Me
I Didn’t Know What Time It Was
What a Little Moonlight Can Do
There’s a Lull in My Life
Something’s Coming

So here is a sparkling farewell and a shout out for a voice to follow for many, many years. Merci Cecile.

Thank you also to those of you who showed some interest in this project. I will add some remarks to the About page tomorrow, which, is, as Scarlett O’Hara said, another day.

February 14 Day 365: “high volume”

“Make something loud today. And let everyone know it’s the last day of your year.”

First, Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone. Second, what a way to end a year. My brother-in-law got us tickets to hear Cecile McLorin Salvant at Stanford tonight.

Go to cecilemclorinsalvant.com to find out about this extraordinary singer.

February 13 Day 364 3×5: “garden b-day song”

So here is out little ditty, to be shared with friends who love the garden/farm/ outdoor world, getting their knees and nails dirty and sipping tea between tasks. A perfect way to celebrate getting older. I can’t wait!

Only one more 3×5 card to go and the year’s creative adventure is up!

February 13 Day 364: “new b-day song”

“Create a new birthday song or tradition. Bonus: Get people to sing or do it at the next birthday party you attend.”

When we were young, my cousins made up a funny birthday song for their dad: You’re getting older/ Too bad for you!/ Do not panic? For we are here/ To help you? Forever more!

My song and new tradition inspiration came from a favorite book, Sarah Midda’s South of France: A Sketchbook. A small but fat volume with watercolors and drawings of everyday things and people, fruits and vegetables, trees and mountains. I love the way the back cover is an index of color for daily delights. Add a tea bag and some old garden tool button and we are almost there.

February 12 Day 363 3×5: “les olives”

Nothing like a hot day in the olive groves of Provence. I enjoyed the dashing effect and using oil pastels. As my favorite French prof said: the beauty is in the movement. I hope Van Gogh had a good day that day.

Perhaps I should not consider a career of art forgery.

February 12 Day 363: “paint outside the lines”

“Extend an existing photograph or painting beyond its current edges.”

Many years ago my son and I were horrified by a mom and her little son. They were painting a plate to be glazed and fired in a kiln for the boy’s father. The looked at the boy and said: “Now Shreve, don’t paint outside the lines.” Poor kid. I bet it has haunted him his entire life.

I actually spent many happy hours doing just this in 1989 when travelling alone in Switzerland and France. A great way to pay attention and dial in to details around you.

February 11 Day 362 3×5: “rainbow tea with ant and bee”

A perfect combination of beloved things: tea, tea cups and saucers and books.

February 11 Day 362: “rainbows”

“Make a rainbow from everyday objects. They can be all the same item (like book spines) or a collection of random things.”

Now book spines was very tempting for this project as we have SO MANY books in this house, but I would have needed to take a week off work to arrange them all by color.

So back to an old favorite of Ant and Bee, Ant and Bee and the Rainbow! These industrious little insects make a rainbow out of an old tire as they search their neighborhood for rainbow colors. If they can be that creative, so can we!

February 10 Day 361 3×5: “go with the flow”

I am sure the impetus for these little pieces comes from volunteering at the Monterey Bay Aquarium where one of my favorite guide stations was working with the micron microscope. Imagine enlarging phytoplankton and zooplankton 300 times!!

So, my mum’s clumsy creation of bleach stains on her greeny blue top become little critters… far more interesting when put under the scope to better see their fluid parts and go with the flow of the current movements. Instead of living the sorry life of being a laundry accident, now these creatures are liberated to pursue their admittedly short-lived but vibrant lives. So go with the flow little guys!

February 10 Day 361: “bleach”

“Work with bleach to make something by taking away color.”

I am not a big fan of having bleach lying around, HOWEVER! This prompt reminded me of a Vera top I have, vintage 1965, from my mom, who was definitely laundry challenged. I have a few of Vera’s pieces, and the eternal connector is her fluid signature, often combined with a tiny ladybug-esque insect.