My 2nd favorite was this $1 purchase. It's a huge-ass canvas with a timid and badly done set of boots. I'm going to use it as a base for a western painting with pentementi. Not sure how that will work out, stay tuned.

I'm back on my garage sale kick. My favorite thing this weekend was this (maybe) milkglass fruit bowl. There's no maker's mark on it, but I'm still delighted. I'm waiting for better light so I can see how translucent it is.

Got my installation done for the Shelton Art Walk, which runs from noon to 6 pm tomorrow. Come take a closer look at Tollie's Cafe, 118 S 3rd Street, and get an iced latte - they're fab. Everything looks absurdly small (to me) hanging in a commercial space, but hey, there's a lot of it.

"En Plein Air: Watercolor: Expert techniques and simple step-by-step projects for creating dynamic landscapes in the open air with watercolor"-Ron Stocke #booksky #251 ⭐⭐⭐/5 Solid short book on watercolor that delivers on its title. Too many pages on materials, but that's my common complaint w/these

"Radiant Star" -Ann Leckie #booksky #250 ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 Excellent stand-alone novel set in the Imperial Radch universe. Read the others first, but my current fav because it's so contained and interwoven. Leckie makes me love space opera again.

"Open City" -Teju Cole #booksky #249 ⭐⭐⭐/5 Was serving Tues w/Morrie vibes, so I was a little startled to learn (halfway thru) this was fiction. By turns reflective, problematic, and believable walking journeys through the human condition.

"You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train: A Personal History of Our Times" -Howard Zinn #booksky #248 ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 I'd only read his history books, & knew little about his work in the civil rights movement. Good memoir covering that time & Vietnam protest movement. Get inspired & into good trouble.

"Big Thrift Energy: The Art and Thrill of Finding Vintage Treasures-Plus Tips for Making Old Feel New" -Virginia Chamlee #booksky #247 ⭐⭐⭐/5 Good for the list of resources & motivation to get back into thrifting/the hunt for garage sale finds. Skip to the end.

"Push the Wall: My Life, Writing, Drawing, and the Art of Storytelling" -Frank Miller #booksky #246 ⭐⭐⭐/5 He spends this memoir avoiding anything truly personal. Flowery & poetic mentions of his inspirations & art, but not much compelling storytelling. Good for fans of Sin City & the Dark Knight.

"The End of My Life Is Killing Me: The Unexpected Joys of a Cancer Slacker" -Annabelle Gurwitch #booksky #245 ⭐⭐⭐/5 By turns amusing & sad, this memoir covers all the indignities of a stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis & her response. Didn't get much from it (other than I don't want to be a merch girl).

I've been off my reading pace because life, but I may still be able to hit 400 books this year. TBD. Anyway, "The Bullet That Missed" -Richard Osman #238 #booksky ⭐⭐⭐ Finally got the 3rd book in this series. Still posh, still elderly, well plotted and amusing. Hope there's more planned.

Went on at an art hike at Cape Perpetua yesterday, despite the weather, and was happy we did. Was the weather great? No. The view? Also, no. But we were the first to show up and hang out w/the park ranger leading his inaugural tour. Encouraged him to keep doing it, had fun, made bad art. Glorious.

Ahhhhhhhh. This is my Shawzy, power napping.

"Supergay -Frankie Grande #booksky #237 ⭐⭐/5 Really wanted to like this, but as a memoir, it comes across as all glitz, no substance. Even the rough patches were told w/winks & jokes or were super-maudlin. YMMV, obvi.

"Tea with the Black Dragon" -R.A. MacAvoy #booksky #236 ⭐⭐/5 This wasn't my "cup of" bc the only one w/agency was the dragon -- everyone else was more or less passive. Also, it was not well written, the perspective shifts were odd & the endless fascination w/dragon hands/ethnicity was distracting.

"A Key, an Egg, an Unfortunate Remark" -Harry Connolly #booksky #235 ⭐⭐⭐/5 An elder Pacifist keeps the Seattle magic community from tearing itself apart while solving a murder mystery & passing the reins to the next gen. Wish this was a series because it was an interesting local set-up, but alas.

"The Last Devil to Die" & "The Impossible Fortune" -Richard Osman #booksky #233-234 ⭐⭐⭐/5 The Thursday Murder Club Mysteries are posh, British & with the times. Blends murder mystery w/elder experiences that are, by turns, emotional & amusing. There are real stakes while still being cozy reads.

Proof of holiday: a multi berry slump

The deer are startled to learn that a deck full of flowers is guarded. Obviously, more surveillance is needed before the heist.

Fuck Spotify. I've got choices.

"Reflections: The Ever-growing Gash" Triptich, series of 5x7s, mixed media July 2026

Chillin'

"The Man Who Died Twice" -Richard Osman #booksky #224 The second of the A Thursday Murder Club Mystery books; continues to be very posh, British, and entertaining. I should be so fortunate to retire near an ex-spy to keep things interesting. Interjects a fair bit of violence & dealing with old age.

"Yesteryear" -Caro Claire Burke #booksky #223 ⭐⭐⭐/5 A decent into mental illness with a trad wife hook while pumping out babies. I almost DNF'd at the end of chapter 1 when she got backhanded across the face. The whole thing is a hot mess & on the whole, not that entertaining.

"I Want to Burn This Place Down: Essays" -Maris Kreizman. #booksky #222 ⭐⭐⭐/5 Angry white girl discovers capitalism is bad, ACAB, and the healthcare system is stacked against us. It's brief, funny, but there are other books on current political realities that go harder.

"The Crane Wife" -C.J. Hauser #booksky #221 ⭐⭐⭐/5 A series of essays about her love life, walking away from a wedding & learning her own worth. Introspective, edgy, and worth the trip. Some essays were better than others, prepare to skip around.

"Flux" -Jinwoo Chong #booksky #220 ⭐⭐⭐/5 Another sad sack changes the outcome of his life via time travel. This one is more interesting w/a better resolution. Twinges of wanting to smack the MC. Time travel seems to be based on an ability to obsess over the worst possible moment of your life. Ugh.

"All Our Wrong Todays" -Elan Mastai #booksky #219 ⭐⭐/5 A sad sack changes his life & relationships by stumbling into different time streams. I fought the urge to DNF the entire time & mostly wanted to smack the MC. Interesting concept of time travel/challenges though.

"A Big Important Art Book (Now with Women): Profiles of Unstoppable Female Artists--And Projects to Help You Become One" -Danielle Krysa #booksky #218 ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 A nice round-up of more contemporary artists and the various mediums the work in, challenges they face, and inspiration. I really enjoyed it.

I don't remember the genius account that posted about subbing in ripple potato chips for half the cereal, but you were so right. Delish. #ricekrispytreat