Lo and Behold

While getting the mail on Thursday, I might add only a day after I posted regarding Bruce bringing me home a newspaper article, I saw a familiar blue wrapped package leaning against the front door. What was inside you ask? Why the new Anne Tyler novel, The Beginner's Goodbye, reviewed here on NPR.
I'm sending you to that review because apparently the NYTimes does not think much of the novel, but I did. I'll agree with the Times that she has written a variation of this novel before, but by golly, Monet did a version of Water Lilies more than once. In fact, he practically made a career out of repetition! What author/artist/ musician doesn't? Reading an Anne Tyler novel feels comfortable for just that reason--you pretty much know what to expect. For me, that's just fine. I'd much prefer to read her work over most of what is out there!

A lovely weather weekend my dear ones. The markets were busy with shoppers and people out enjoying the cooler temperatures. At the Winter Garden market there is a woman who not only sells hoola-hoops but gives classes on the lawn adjacent to the market.

 We now have a sweet young man selling fresh flowers there as well as at Lake Eola.

As you can imagine Easter morning was slow, as it should be, but after church, the folks starting coming out. While I was talking to my friend Denver, I'm pretty sure one of these ladies took a camera phone shot of the Shepherd Fairey piece which irritates me to no end. Spend the thousands of dollars to go to London yourself thank you very much!

I'm hoping I am wrong. See the brown basket on the little table? The book hanging over the edge is Anne Tyler's latest which I put aside once Denver arrived. Lord, that man can "out talk" me by a mile!

This morning I was super busy from the time I got up around 6. There was the market album to do, send more photos for the Red Chair project by email, and the major task of burning the discs of images to take with me on my visit to Sun Dance today.

Leaving a little early, I made a stop at Wal Mart for pots to fill the white plant stand I painted last week.
Bruce brought home one clay pot to check for fit which did fit but looked pretty uninspired with the white paint. I found these, albeit three times as expensive, which I think will perk it up just fine.

Choosing the plants is now the tricky part because it won't be long before it gets so hot many of the flowering plants will not be happy! According to my friend Sam, the most reliable bloomer we can plant, impatiens, has some sort of disease which is killing it off. I may be able to attest to that because all of mine are looking bedraggled! In fact, I'm taking a little break to go inspect my remaining plants for downy mildew. Okay, they don't have that disease, but something is causing them to die off which is indeed depressing.

Not far from Florida Mall is a big office park which houses Sun Dance Graphics. I met with Sarah who introduced me to all the staff of which there were many. Touring around the place, I was very impressed with what all goes on there. In addition, I was very, very impressed with my first in-person sighting of a Hasselblad camera which is used to photograph the art work. For those of you unfamiliar with Hasselblad, it is a very, very expensive camera from Sweden.

It combines sixteen images for the final image! We looked at the press:

as well as the warehouse where the art work is stored:

Not only do they print art work, but they are a commercial printer as well, doing work for some of the largest companies in our area. I met the ladies who pull the orders, the men who work in the binding, those who shrink wrap, and others who sort. There are graphic people and sales people, and even a Yorkie who sits by his owner's side during work hours.

It is a big operation I'll tell you that much. Printing on just about any material you can think of, including this floor decal, is done there. Furthermore, there are two folks who work with manufacturers putting the art work on plates, shower curtains and the like. Everyone was as nice as could be. My expectations are low only because my work does not fit into any of their categories, however, as Sarah said, we can't know until we try. Indeed.