Big Snow 2010

PS - still no thaw. It snowed again on Monday evening. No snow yesterday, but still cold. I was very brave on Monday and drove to a customer all by myself. As soon as you leave the main roads, it's like going cross-country skiing. I had no problem, except for sweaty armpits!

Just Like Heaven

I reviewed Just Like Heaven before. I saw it on a flight - was it to Australia? But I had great memories of it, so when I saw it was showing on the telly, I asked Brendan to tape it for me (I still haven't mastered the UPC remote control).

And I loved it just as much this time - it's romantic, it's funny, it's sad, it's happy. It's such a rare treat nowadays to find a good romantic comedy.

Hey, I just found my original post about this film - February 2006! Tempus fugit and all the rest.

Mad Men

Great season of Mad Men this year (Season 4) - I felt it had more of a storyline than the previous series, which were all style and anguish, but little action. This Season had more of a sense of purpose. Don tries to give up drinking, he meets a career woman who is very much his equal, Peggy grows more confident and learns how to say No, Sally Draper (Don's daughter) goes to therapy, Joan's husband goes to Vietnam, the world is changing, and the Surgeon General declares that cigarettes give you cancer! Betty is the only one who doesn't move on - she is still stuck in an "everybody's out to get me" funk.

Don't read too much of the site if you haven't seen the season finale, though - it gives away a lot.One section you can read is the 1960s Handbook - really interesting to see how much of the background stories are fact-based.

And of course, don't forget the Fashion File (although there are some spoilers in there to). I didn't read it all - it looks like every episode is dissected with fashion scissors.

Star Trek movie

OK, it's just called Star Trek, and I'm probably the last Trekkie fan to watch it. We had downloaded it a while back, but I felt that an iPod Touch screen would be too small for it really. So when I got my lovely new iPad, I transferred it over and watched it last Thursday or Friday.

At that stage, I had all my paperwork up-to-date, I had done everything I could for customers who needed our help, and I wasn't going to set foot outside in the snow, so it was the perfect time for a movie.

It was very good - if you're a Star Trek fan, that is. The first part is pure Star Trek - big space battle scene, big baddie, big hero, big human angle. Then it moves more into a standard Hollywood film for a large part of the action - chase scenes, cheeky chappie, tongue-in-cheek dialog, to appeal to the younger generation, I guess. It moves back to classic Star Trek mode for the final part, as Leonard Nimoy's Spock makes an appearance. Though I have to say I've grown quite fond of the young Spock as played by Zachary Quinto (of Heroes fame).

I'm a Next Generation girl, but I know my classic Star Trek characters - James T. Kirk, Spock, Sulu, Dr McCoy, Scotty, Uhura, and it was very entertaining to see them all as just-graduated cadets and to discover how they get to meet each other and how they interact.

Big movie needs a big screen, yes? Well, I just watched the first scene back on my iPod Touch, and it's actually quite good - very sharp.

Hey, look at that, someone went to the trouble of creating a little collage of the old and new Star Trek actors. They look good!

Derrynane

One of the places we visited on our trip to Kerry in October is Derrynane. The local tourist map was indicating a  good beach in the area, but we had some trouble finding it - it's well hidden, and all the better for that! My tip is that you should follow the signs for Derrynane house, associated with Daniel O'Connell (not to be mixed with Daniel O'Donnell)

We parked in the car park beside the house, which was closed. There was hardly anybody there - the weather wasn't great - we had to run back to the car as a shower approached. When we set out again, the sun was shining, and stayed with us for the duration of our walk.

Aine McAteer's chocolate chip cookies

After a week of snow and ice (and no end in sight to slippery roads and footpaths), I felt  I needed a treat. So I baked Aine McAteer's chocolate chip cookies, and I felt better immediately! They are the perfect comfort cookie. And while they are not exactly slimline, they are much better for you than store-bought biscuits.

I wonder does Aine have a good, easy, recipe for apple tart? One of our customers kindly gave us a bagful of apples from her orchard. I've made an apple & pear crumble, but I've got tons more apples to use. I've never made pastry, so I need a very simple recipe!

Christmas Tree ornament

I couldn't resist buying some of my own creations on Zazzle, including this gorgeous little Christmas tree ornament based on this drawing I did with Sketchbook Pro on my shiny new iPad (I love it, I love it). Also available in green!

Angel

Here is a little angel I drew yesterday, using Sketchbook Pro on my new iPad. Isn't he pretty?

Big Snow 2010

And now, the doomer and gloomer pictures. After more snow this evening.

But I'm happy to report that most kids appeared to be at school today - at least they were not on the green throwing snowballs at passersby!

Pictures of the Big Snow 2010 - Part 7

Here is the last of the pretty pictures, from last Sunday.

Pictures of the Big Snow 2010 - Part 6

It looked pretty last Sunday, but, at this stage, I've had enough of it. And we had further heavy falls this afternoon and during rush hour. I just want things to go back to normal (though I did enjoy watching a movie this afternoon!)

Pictures of the Big Snow 2010 - Part 5

Strange plant in Airfield

Those pictures were taken on Sunday, and we've had a lot more snow since. Plenty yesterday, and it's starting again this morning. Definitely more snow than last January. And no thaw at all. 

Thugs

Thugs is the only word I have to describe the boys on our estate who are throwing snow balls at all cars going through the main road into the estate. And not only that, but also at women walking by. And don't try to point out to them that it's not funny. Those boys are operating in packs and they'll talk back at you, then throw another snowball at you as soon as you have your back turned. Little rats is what they are.

First Christmas tree

We saw our first Christmas tree today! Do you believe it? Very christmassy with the snow!

Pictures of the Big Snow 2010 - Part 4

Leaf on the Snow

Pictures of the Big Snow 2010 - Part 3

Chicken houses at Airfield

Pictures of the Big Snow 2010- Part 2

Cherry Blossom Trees in Airfield

(or maybe they're Apple Trees?)

Pictures of the Big Snow 2010 - Part 1

The moo cow:

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

It snowed on Friday night (with - really weird - thunder and lightning), but the roads were not too bad. We managed to take our trip to Ikea, as planned. It was very quiet there - perfect! I got Kassett boxes to tidy up the shelf in my little office. The motorway wasn't great, but it was driveable (though not at the speed that some lorries were going at).

But then, it snowed again last night - we had 2-3 inches (5-7 cm) of snow this morning. Real Winter Wonderland stuff, powdery snow, lovely and crunchy underfoot (but apparently not good for snow balls and snowmen), blue skies, freezing all day. Temperatures went as far as -5 last night (we have a thermometer that keeps track of lowest and highest temperatures). Really unusual for here, particularly so early in the year - some of the trees still have leaves - it's a really strange effect. The laburnum in our back garden has been shedding leaves over the snow all day - thermal shock, I'd say!


We decided to take a walk to Airfield this morning, as I wanted to make the most of the weather but obviously didn't want to drive anywhere. It was gorgeous - we even saw a fox. The lake is frozen and the cows are cosy in their shed. The hens are all hiding under their houses. There was hardly anybody there. Really peaceful. The oaks have been shedding their leaves over the snow too.

Siobhan Ryan - 25 November - cognac top and black skirt

Another good outfit for Siobhan. A brandy-coloured top with a flower pattern, and a simple black skirt with a golden belt detail. Of course she is so slim that even a hessian cloth sack would look good on her.

Aine McAteer on RTE1

Aine McAteer was on the telly last Thursday - she did a cookery demonstration for Four Live on RTE1. I thought she was really natural - wouldn't it be nice if she had her own cookery show on RTE?

Never watched Four Live before, but Mary rang me to say that Aine was on, and the bit of the program I saw was pretty good - I enjoyed the gadget slot, where they were reviewing gadgets to help you sleep. Some stocking filler ideas in there!

Oh, and while I was going through the Four Live website, I found this interesting article about rodent control, where they say that the rodent problem this year is 40% higher than previous years, and as temperatures get colder in the winter, they become more of a nuisance around the house. Well, thank god we have a cat. He's never caught anything inside the house, but has been a good hunter in the garden!

Well, I might not become a regular watcher of Four Live - I tend to be still working at that time - but I'll certainly try to catch up on the website every so often!

And here is the link to Aine's recipes. It's also on the RTE Player until the 16 of December. I might try the hemp milk some day. I think there is a recipe for almond milk somewhere. I must dig it up, since I don't tend to drink cows' milk. I got into the habit of drinking rice milk and I love it. I alternate between the organic variety and the version with added calcium. Why they can't do an organic one with added calcium is beyond me - I want both in the one carton, surely that's what everybody wants?

Oh, and while I'm talking telly, great Toy Show last night (on the RTE Player until 17 December). Ryan Tubridy was wearing the perfect Christmas jumper - tacky and tasteful at the same time! And he's really funny and very good with the kids!

Arlington Road

I'm on a roll - still catching up on books and movies read/watched weeks ago, maybe even months. Arlington Road - I was sure I had seen this movie before, but we watched it there on the telly a couple of months ago, and I swear to god I had no memory of it whatsoever, though I did guess the end (and I'm usually not that bright).

Jeff Bridges, Tim Robbins, Joan Cusack- great actors. The movie is an good thriller with a great plot. I jumped in my seat a few times, but nothing spooky. I'll have to wait many years before I can watch it again, though, or wait for another onset of Alzheimer, as it's all about the ending.

Don't read the full Wikipedia article, as it will tell you every last twist. I hate that!

Dawn/Dusk at Caraguilhes

I haven't been drinking any rosé lately - the current weather doesn't really work with cold rosé - or is it that cold rosé doesn't work with this weather? Anyways, I was looking through my stock of inspiration photos, looking for a suitable subject to apply the six-way wash watercolour technique from the Nita Engle book I mentioned in an earlier post, and found this gorgeous picture I picked up from the Château de Caraguilhes website a while back.

So I set off to work last Sunday afternoon, working on the back of a failed project, and not even bothering to stretch my paper properly, as I was thinking I was only trying out a technique, not painting a real painting. And I was using leftover paint from Trees in Yosemite, so surely it wasn't going to be worth the effort... Well, I'm sorry now, aren't I, because I'm probably never going to be able to paint such a smooth sky ever again! And I don't think that pressing the paper under layers of heavy books is going to iron out all that buckling. (I'm going to try anyway, but I don't think that's going to work). Ah well!

Great Offer

Costelloe+Costelloe have a fantastic offer - if you buy €100 worth of goodies in their Chatham Street store, they  give you €10 towards your taxi fare home! Check their Facebook page for more great offers!

2012

Brendan got a loan of 2012 on Blue Ray a few weeks ago. I wasn't expecting much - I thought it would be another "The Day after Tomorrow", too serious and heavy, and full of stereotypes.

Well, 2012 couldn't be more different. Yes, it's a disaster movie, and yes, there is a cute American kid or two. And, OK, it's the end of the world as we know it, so there are plenty of serious and sad moments. And they can't seem to be able to kill off the American President, making the movie longer than it needs to be. (He does eventually die, so those scenes could have been cut without changing anything substantial, but I guess Danny Glover didn't come cheap, so they wanted to use up all his screen time).

It was great fun (apart from the millions - or is it billions? - of people dying). The action is fast-paced (except the scenes with the President of the United States, and a few other sub-plots, which should have been cut), John Cusack is brilliant in it, and the special effects are like I've never seen before (check out the video Blog to find out how it's all done). For me, the driving-out-of-L.A. action sequence alone makes the movie worth watching, warts and all.

It's not an intellectual movie, and there are some lame lines and silly moments, of course, but it doesn't take itself too seriously. And the director is not afraid to kill off a few central characters too, which is really unusual in Hollywood blockbusters nowadays, but then again, he is German (and also co-producer and co-writer). If you need good entertainment for the holiday season, you could do a lot worse than renting out 2012.

Autumn colours

You know I love mixing my PB29 and PY184 (Ultramarine Blue and Vanadium Yellow to you and me) to produce the loveliest greens.

A mix I had experimented with while reading Blue and Yellow Don't Make Green, but that I hadn't tried out in an actual painting is Bright Red Violet (PB29 + lots of PV19) and Green Yellow (PY184). It's the mix I used for my trees in Trees in Yosemite, and it worked beautifully, from the rusty yellows to the deep oranges. I think I'm going to use it a lot more.

Another mix I re-discovered is PB29 + PY35 (Ultramarine + Orange Yellow). It makes a vibrant olive green - not dull at all - it's the bright green in the water in the bottom left corner of my Trees in Yosemite.

I must go back to that book and try out more mixes.

I love colours!

Jean Byrne - 23 Nov - Leopard-print top & black belt

All I can think is "oh-oh" It makes her look big - it's just not a good look for TV

Salem Falls

Salem Falls explores some of Jodi Picoult's favourite themes - there is a police officer or two, a single mother, a few lawyers, some children in trouble, and, of course, all is not what it seems, but I found it quite different from her usual stories. The main contrast is that it's the father-daughter relationship that's developed, rather than the mother-daughter/son. And there are a few layers, going back in time to also look into the main protagonist's relationship with his own mother - in a life that's completely different from his current existence.

The plot follows Jack St. Bride, a young teacher who went to prison for the statutory rape of one of his teenage pupils. Having served his prison term, he moves to a new town, hoping for anonymity and a new beginning. But things are never that simple. And a small town will be quick to find him guilty again, except for one woman, who loves him and believes in him.

It wasn't as much of a page turner as some of Picoult's other books, but it was compelling in a deeper way. One of those stories that makes you think about the basic principle of Western law that one is innocent until found guilty. And can what's right in truth and in law keep a mob of men who love their daughters from going on the war path for what they believe is right? Well, you'll have to read the book to find out!

The White Queen

I've read a few Philippa Gregory books. She is a master of historical fiction - taking characters from British history and filling in the blanks with her imagination.

This time, with The White Queen, she went back to 1464, and the War of the Roses, and if anything, court life is even more violent than with the Tudors. The book follows the path of Elizabeth Woodville, who marries Edward IV. It's a time of intrigue and constant fights for the throne. I found the Elizabeth depicted here to be not as likeable as some of the other characters in Gregory's other books, The Other Boleyn Girl for instance.

While Mary Boleyn appears to be a victim of her circumstances, but a nice person, Elizabeth Woodville is very much in control of her life. What's wrong with a strong woman?, says you. She is ambitious, for herself, her family and her children. But the choices she makes have repercussions beyond her cunning and magical plans (her mother was believed to be a witch, and Elizabeth is presented as having some knowledge of witchcraft), and everything seems to slip away from under her. When she becomes Queen, she becomes obsessive about placing relatives in positions of power, which backfires, as it causes a lot of resentment amongst other noble families, who start plotting against Edward. And yet, she keeps on fighting and manipulating, using, and losing, her parents, brothers and children in the process

So this is very much a book of the rise and fall of a powerful woman. Could she have used her powers more wisely? Could she have learned the lessons earlier and retired to a peaceful (and powerless) life, and saved her children in the process? Or was it just that there was so much rivalry between brothers and cousins that her fate, and her family's, was sealed the moment she married Edward IV?

Airfield - aquatic plant

Another aquatic plant in the pond at Airfield. More inspiration for paintings.