Clubhouse Grille (*** NO LIV DISCUSSIONS ***) (*** NO POLITICS/RELIGION ***)

[SixtySomePing]

Some very good writing in the Grille this morning. Seems the passing of the years and the

changing of the seasons brings on times of relection........I suppose a symbolic smelling

of the roses; taking time to notice the small things.......these little pauses in life where we

think and take stock.

 

Late in his life my father confessed to being in a sort of melancholy for much of his life.

I never noticed. Perhaps I wasn't tuned in and just too busy.

 

Cobi and I were thlnking recently and noticing how much more we appreciate nature as

we grow older. When younger we sort of just take things for granted. Now, we look around

and it all seems so miraculous; which from our point of view, it really is.

 

When I was young I thought old people were boring and led boring lives. I wanted adventure

and fun. I still want fun but now it comes from places and things I would not have imagined

when I was young.

 

We have a Thomes Kincaid wall hanging in our house that has one of his typical scenes

with the words above "A contented mind is the greatest blessing". It takes years of living to

truly understand what that means.

We have 3. As I read this sitting with the laptop on my lap, I looked across the living room at my favorite, I think it's called Stairway to Paradise.

We've had it now for maybe 15 years I would guess. It's very colorful, and even when the lights in the living room are almost completely out, the sunlight in the pic has a way of still looking like it is still shining through...

 

Edit... Ok, so I took another pic with the lights off, and the curtains all shut. You can see the 'sunlight' in the pic shining through so to speak. The guy had an amazing talent to do that. Too bad he died, he would have created so many more wonderful paintings. Oh well, we still have tol :)

[Conrad1953]

Some very good writing in the Grille this morning. Seems the passing of the years and the

changing of the seasons brings on times of relection........I suppose a symbolic smelling

of the roses; taking time to notice the small things.......these little pauses in life where we

think and take stock.

 

Late in his life my father confessed to being in a sort of melancholy for much of his life.

I never noticed. Perhaps I wasn't tuned in and just too busy.

 

Cobi and I were thlnking recently and noticing how much more we appreciate nature as

we grow older. When younger we sort of just take things for granted. Now, we look around

and it all seems so miraculous; which from our point of view, it really is.

 

When I was young I thought old people were boring and led boring lives. I wanted adventure

and fun. I still want fun but now it comes from places and things I would not have imagined

when I was young.

 

We have a Thomes Kinkade wall hanging in our house that has one of his typical scenes

with the words above "A contented mind is the greatest blessing". It takes years of living to

truly understand what that means.

We have 3. As I read this sitting with the laptop on my lap, I looked across the living room at my favorite, I think it's called Stairway to Paradise.

We've had it now for maybe 15 years I would guess. It's very colorful, and even when the lights in the living room are almost completely out, the sunlight in the pic has a way of still looking like it is still shining through...

 

We loved Thomas Kinkade's paintings. Could never afford one. The "Painter of Light". He died way too young.

[billh17]

my favorite

[SixtySomePing]

Our son has this one...

[SixtySomePing]

pl

ek'd

[Conrad1953]

my favorite

 

That is beautiful. He was so good.

[Conrad1953]

Our son has this one...

 

I love it. Every one he did was great. I love looking at them. If y'all have more...post 'em!

[Conrad1953]

Oops, I was mispelling his last name...........it's Kinkade.........plooey!

[billh17]

another one

[billh17]

nothing fancy...no houses...animals....people....simply country winter

[billh17]

thats all i got !

[Conrad1953]

Wel then, the first college playoff ranking by the playoff committee was released tonight........

 

The current top 4

 

1.Alabama

2. Clemson

3. LSU

4. Notre Dame

 

and Alabama and LSU just happen to be squaring off Saturday....home game fot LSU and

Alabama's first real test this season..........I wish I was home to watch it!

 

And Georgia at Kentucky in an SEC east battle; both ranked in the top 10.

 

Gonna be some good college football on TV Saturday. Lots of other good games as well.

[bscinstnct]

Winter can distill our experience. Winter reduces color spectrum, temperature, quantity of things in general. Nature, time, and light become rare.

 

Since winter mutes so much color and leaves us with a great deal of black and white, I find that colors, light intensity and quality become more noticeable

 

[tolmij]

The old masters paintings were in a class of their own, trying to emulate some of their work gives you a major headache, the way they can bend light, the subtle shadows, skin tones light through windows. It’s not something you can learn, it has to be instinctive. I have never had a painting lesson, I would never put myself in their category but painting is about feelling the subject right into your core.

[bscinstnct]

The old masters paintings were in a class of their own, trying to emulate some of their work gives you a major headache, the way they can bend light, the subtle shadows, skin tones light through windows. It’s not something you can learn, it has to be instinctive. I have never had a painting lesson, I would never put myself in their category but painting is about feelling the subject right into your core.

 

Yes, these are artistic geniuses on many levels.

 

But, in fairness, they spent lifetimes on the craft and chemistry of creating the light they saw or interpreted, and applying it to their canvas.

 

Decades of experimenting, days and days on end. Finding a place to observe, looking, seeing, feeling the light.

 

Seurat developed his pointellist technique in a brilliant understanding of how the eye perceives light and color

 

Points (dots!), separate, but in this application, awesome

 

 

I admire you, someone who creates something out of nothing. Cheers, hope you take it as far as you possibly can ; )

[Conrad1953]

Winter can distill our experience. Winter reduces color spectrum, temperature, quantity of things in general. Nature, time, and light become rare.

 

Since winter mutes so much color and leaves us with a great deal of black and white, I find that colors, light intensity and quality become more noticeable

 

[media=]

[/media]

 

In my travels around the country during the winter I have noticed the use of lighting in the

colder states to offset the bleak landscape; especially during the holidays. The colorful

lights add a certain warmth and cheerfulness.

 

Often the small towns are dressed up with lights and decorations and there seems a

certain liveliness that draws people out who may have stayed home otherwise.

 

I don't see this much in the south. We were surprised when we moved here; the lack

of outside Christmas lights and decorations; at least to the degree we would see them

in colder climes.

[Conrad1953]

The old masters paintings were in a class of their own, trying to emulate some of their work gives you a major headache, the way they can bend light, the subtle shadows, skin tones light through windows. It's not something you can learn, it has to be instinctive. I have never had a painting lesson, I would never put myself in their category but painting is about feelling the subject right into your core.

 

Yes, these are artistic geniuses on many levels.

 

But, in fairness, they spent lifetimes on the craft and chemistry of creating the light they saw or interpreted, and applying it to their canvas.

 

Decades of experimenting, days and days on end. Finding a place to observe, looking, seeing, feeling the light.

 

Seurat developed his pointellist technique in a brilliant understanding of how the eye perceives light and color

 

Points (dots!), separate, but in this application, awesome

 

[media=]

[/media]

 

I admire you, someone who creates something out of nothing. Cheers, hope you take it as far as you possibly can ; )

 

I know that music! Vivaldi-4 seasons.

[Conrad1953]

Scotee, I was curious........Washington State U is just down the road from you in Pullman. Are you a fan?

They're puting together a great season 7-1 and ranked in the top 10 and look headed to the PAC 12

championship game.

[bscinstnct]

Winter can distill our experience. Winter reduces color spectrum, temperature, quantity of things in general. Nature, time, and light become rare.

 

Since winter mutes so much color and leaves us with a great deal of black and white, I find that colors, light intensity and quality become more noticeable

 

[media=]

[/media]

 

In my travels around the country during the winter I have noticed the use of lighting in the

colder states to offset the bleak landscape; especially during the holidays. The colorful

lights add a certain warmth and cheerfulness.

 

Often the small towns are dressed up with lights and decorations and there seems a

certain liveliness that draws people out who may have stayed home otherwise.

 

I don't see this much in the south. We were surprised when we moved here; the lack

of outside Christmas lights and decorations; at least to the degree we would see them

in colder climes.

 

Enjoyable post to read.

 

I live in the city now.

 

But, nothing beats back as a kid, back in the 3,000 person town I grew up in

 

If you looked around during the day in winter at the woods. All you might see is black and white. But...

 

Rolling down Main Street at Christmas with green and red lights drawn across the way. Shops and homes glowing with color.

 

Nothing like the stillness of winter at night time.

 

 

 

 

 

[scotee]

Scotee, I was curious........Washington State U is just down the road from you in Pullman. Are you a fan?

They're puting together a great season 7-1 and ranked in the top 10 and look headed to the PAC 12

championship game.

 

Yeah it's a big deal up here. They knocked off the Ducks and the Cardinal and are looking strong this year. They got some national exposure when "College Gameday" came to town. Go Cougs!

[Conrad1953]

Scotee, I was curious........Washington State U is just down the road from you in Pullman. Are you a fan?

They're puting together a great season 7-1 and ranked in the top 10 and look headed to the PAC 12

championship game.

 

Yeah it's a big deal up here. They knocked off the Ducks and the Cardinal and are looking strong this year. They got some national exposure when "College Gameday" came to town. Go Cougs!

 

Go Cougs!

 

I've gotten much deeper into college football this season for some reason......I blame it on

ESPNU radio.........I've been listening to it daily on the road.

 

I was listening when College Game Day was in Pullman. Very exciting!

[tolmij]

The old masters paintings were in a class of their own, trying to emulate some of their work gives you a major headache, the way they can bend light, the subtle shadows, skin tones light through windows. It’s not something you can learn, it has to be instinctive. I have never had a painting lesson, I would never put myself in their category but painting is about feelling the subject right into your core.

 

Yes, these are artistic geniuses on many levels.

 

But, in fairness, they spent lifetimes on the craft and chemistry of creating the light they saw or interpreted, and applying it to their canvas.

 

Decades of experimenting, days and days on end. Finding a place to observe, looking, seeing, feeling the light.

 

Seurat developed his pointellist technique in a brilliant understanding of how the eye perceives light and color

 

Points (dots!), separate, but in this application, awesome

 

 

I admire you, someone who creates something out of nothing. Cheers, hope you take it as far as you possibly can ; )

 

 

Thank you that means so much to me. As long as I can sit up and hold a brush I will paint.

[tolmij]

nothing fancy...no houses...animals....people....simply country winter

 

These are some of the more difficult paintings, there is nothing to take the eye, nothing to distract, so the subject has to be perfect.

[Wriggles]

Nice selection of paintings. I always admired art, probably because I've never had any talent. I really enjoyed the few trips I had to the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh. I guess I was deprived or depraved, as a boy. I didn't get to the museum, until I was 27 years old, in May 1979. The alcoholic attorney, then a middle school teacher, and I had a nice day in Pittsburgh together. We had breakfast at a Perkins, attended church in Oakland, visited the museum, and to top it off, a Pirate baseball game. A nice day.

 

The next visit to the museum was in 1983. I was a middle age college student, like my hero, Sonny Drysdale. Went with another pal, to research a term paper for a Humanities class. All that famous art, by the masters, impressed me.

 

A few more visits, the last in 1992 or so. Traffic's too heavy to drive there.

 

Reminds me of a quick Pittsburgh story. Being the kind of guy I was, one day while working downtown, a lady in an elevator commented that I was wearing a nice watch. This was in the mid 1980's, yuppie time at its peak. With my suit, I was wearing a cheap Kelloggs black digital watch that I got with box tops. Funny. I thanked the lady.

 

Gonna watch that Leo Durocher episode now.

[scomac2002]

Nice selection of paintings. I always admired art, probably because I've never had any talent. I really enjoyed the few trips I had to the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh. I guess I was deprived or depraved, as a boy. I didn't get to the museum, until I was 27 years old, in May 1979. The alcoholic attorney, then a middle school teacher, and I had a nice day in Pittsburgh together. We had breakfast at a Perkins, attended church in Oakland, visited the museum, and to top it off, a Pirate baseball game. A nice day.

 

The next visit to the museum was in 1983. I was a middle age college student, like my hero, Sonny Drysdale. Went with another pal, to research a term paper for a Humanities class. All that famous art, by the masters, impressed me.

 

A few more visits, the last in 1992 or so. Traffic's too heavy to drive there.

 

Reminds me of a quick Pittsburgh story. Being the kind of guy I was, one day while working downtown, a lady in an elevator commented that I was wearing a nice watch. This was in the mid 1980's, yuppie time at its peak. With my suit, I was wearing a cheap Kelloggs black digital watch that I got with box tops. Funny. I thanked the lady.

 

Gonna watch that Leo Durocher episode now.

 

I think you might have missed out there Wriggs. She probably knew it was a cheap watch and was making conversation. May have had something else on her mind if you had picked up on it. ;)

[scotee]

Winter can distill our experience. Winter reduces color spectrum, temperature, quantity of things in general. Nature, time, and light become rare.

 

Since winter mutes so much color and leaves us with a great deal of black and white, I find that colors, light intensity and quality become more noticeable

 

[media=]

[/media]

 

In my travels around the country during the winter I have noticed the use of lighting in the

colder states to offset the bleak landscape; especially during the holidays. The colorful

lights add a certain warmth and cheerfulness.

 

Often the small towns are dressed up with lights and decorations and there seems a

certain liveliness that draws people out who may have stayed home otherwise.

 

I don't see this much in the south. We were surprised when we moved here; the lack

of outside Christmas lights and decorations; at least to the degree we would see them

in colder climes.

 

Enjoyable post to read.

 

I live in the city now.

 

But, nothing beats back as a kid, back in the 3,000 person town I grew up in

 

If you looked around during the day in winter at the woods. All you might see is black and white. But...

 

Rolling down Main Street at Christmas with green and red lights drawn across the way. Shops and homes glowing with color.

 

Nothing like the stillness of winter at night time.

 

Speaking of winter art. This scene is by a local artist and is especially interesting to me because I purchased this little Rail station in 1983 and remodeled the freight half of the building into my office. The attorney that bought the passenger end of the building saved the original wainscoting, benches and ticket window. He has the original painting hanging in his office. I have the old Diebold's Special safe with gold leaf O. R. & N. CO. (Oregon Rail and Navigation Company) which later became Union Pacific. I have a collection of old rail tools, photos, lanterns, oil cans etc. decorating the place. I have a copy of an old early 1900's photo of the building with horse drawn hotel drays parked out front on the unpaved street waiting for passengers. I also have a nice framed photo of my grandfather taken before his retirement at the Santa Fe rail yard in San Bernardino Ca. I have some mixed feelings about having sold in anticipation of retirement.

 

 

 

 

[scotee]

pl

 

Plop

[scomac2002]

Make sure that you take a few momentoes with you, scotee! Pretty cool place to have called home for the past 35 years!

[scotee]

Yes. I did take a few special things before I sold and he knows that I will take the safe and a couple of those framed pictures. He wants to have the photo of the old building copied and framed. Early on one of my patients brought me a trunk load in his car of old RR tools from the junk yard where he worked out by the Snake River which I think was Burlington Northern stuff. There is an antique wooden rail level that spans the rails that was used to super or bank the curves in the tracks. Rail tongs and rail tie tongs, wrenches, and some really cool oil cans. Most of the stuff I am leaving as I don't have room or need of it. I kept a lantern that my grandfather gave me and a steam whistle mounted on a nice board and one of the oil cans. Railroad enthusiasts would go nuts for some of this stuff. I gave the museum in town the scales head that was in the middle of the room. It has decorative wood pillars and some brass parts with some gold leaf and is in very good condition. The big works for scale is still under the building crawl space and would be impossible to move.

[tolmij]

Awesome scotee, love the old stuff, made to last forever and so interesting to touch and handle, I like to imagine the workers using them and the precision they could achieve with such crude tools. The sophistication of today unfortunately does not make people any better at the jobs, just gives them am easier time. Good for you donating the significant pieces to the museum.