Radically Retired

Tag: Art

  • The Eye of the Beholder

    The Eye of the Beholder

    Last week, I made my annual Christmas macarons.

    I make these every year as a part of our Christmas gifts to our friends here.

    I decided this year to paint them with edible glitter paint. This was all good and well, until I discovered that the food grade paint brushes I purchased, were too thick for the designs I wanted.

    I persevered. The red ones have a vanilla bean ganache filling. The painted tops were “supposed” to be gold ribbons and bows. Instead, they came out looking like mahjong tiles.

    The white ones have peppermint white chocolate ganache filling. They’re “supposed” to have holly wreaths painted on them. They’re close, but not what I had envisioned.

    The green ones have a rum/dark chocolate ganache filling and the painted designs are “supposed” to be abstract Christmas trees. Oh well.

    The good news is, they came off the mats beautifully, they matured to the perfect consistency, and all of the fillings are delicious.

    As the old saying goes, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”.

  • Sand Sculpture Paradise

    Sand Sculpture Paradise

    Every year, before Christmas, we make the hour drive over to South Padre Island, TX to take in the new sand sculptures.

    These amazing works of art are sculpted by sand artists from all over the world.

    The only sculpture you’re allowed to touch is Santa’s chair, and I once again tried it out.

    “I’ve been a very good girl, Santa!”
  • Love is All You Need

    Love is All You Need

    My cousin, Carrie has visited us in Texas a few times since we bought our place here.

    Hubs and I have enjoyed touring her around and I’ve especially enjoyed the fact that she loves to walk and hike.

    My feature photo was taken at Quinta Mazatlan, a fascinating and fun place to visit in McAllen, Tx

    We found this mural while hiking the trails that surround the historic adobe mansion.

    As I was making this post, I was reminded of the Beatles’ song, “All You Need is Love”.

  • Oh to Have 8 Hands …

    Oh to Have 8 Hands …

    … Not just for the many flavours of ice cream, like the fellow in the mural, but to get everything done that I want to in a day.

    This time of year is usually busy for me, as I prepare for Christmas.

    Either this year is busier than usual, or another year added to my age has slowed me down a bit. Hmmm – I wonder which is true.

    My goal for tonight and tomorrow morning, is to try to get caught up with the bloggers I follow.

  • Steamroller Blues?

    Steamroller Blues?

    I’m out of sync with my regular post times this week.

    This is a busy week, so today will be my only post.

    On Saturday, we made the two hour drive to Kingsville, TX to take in the Ranch Hand Festival.

    This was our third trip to the festival and our second trip there with good friends from home who winter in a park near here.

    One of the demonstrations that was new to all of us was the one by TAMUK (Texas A & M University Kingsville) arts department Javelina Printing Club.

    Their printing press was a steamroller! My feature photo is a screenshot from a movie I found about them on Facebook – not my own.

    The process: Designs are carved into a block of wood, and then ink is rolled over the whole slab.

    This is a clip from a movie I shot

    Once this step is complete, the slab is laid face up on the ground and a large sheet of paper placed over it, and then thick matting is layered on top of all.

    The steamroller then drives over and backs up over the lot.

    And voila!

    This is my own photo of the finished print being lifted off the ground

    It was fun and interesting to witness this unique process!

    There were many prints done over the course of the day, and this was apparently their 12th year at the Ranch Hand festival.

    Google Image

    I don’t know how we missed it on previous visits, but am happy we found it this time!

  • Home Grown

    Home Grown

    This mural, on the side of a roadside service station in Saskatchewan, Canada – although weathered, depicts some history of the pioneers and farming in our province.

  • Cats and Colours

    Cats and Colours

    We’ve been stopping in Llano, TX every year on our way south since 2019.

    I found the subject for my feature photo during a walkabout on our first visit there.

  • A Timely Message

    A Timely Message

    Now that we’ve finally settled in to our winter home, I’m able to resume some of my normal routine for blog posts.

    I still have several murals to contribute to my Monday Murals theme, and a couple of other travel posts to add to my 2016 theme.

    The M/W/F posting schedule seems to be working out, so my plan is to continue with those days.

    I’ll also continue with Foodie Friday posts.

    The mural in my feature photo is in Weslaco, Tx (a town a few miles from here that we visit often).

    The mural’s message is a good reminder.

  • Taos Plaza and Pueblo

    Taos Plaza and Pueblo

    In 2023, en route home from our winter in Texas, we explored New Mexico from bottom to top and side to side.

    My feature photo is of a mural at the Taos Plaza in downtown Taos – an extremely artsy and cultural area.

    Our main reason for visiting Taos, NM was to tour the Taos Pueblo. Both the town and the Pueblo were among our favourite New Mexico stops.

    We did a leisurely self-guided tour
  • They’re Everywhere!

    They’re Everywhere!

    In 2013, hubs and I spent 10 days exploring the Caribbean island of Curaçao.

    On a walkabout around the capital city of Willemstad, we came across a courtyard adorned with two giant murals that depicted both every day life and some of the history of the city.

    Here’s a closer shot of one of the sections of my feature photo:

    Here’s the historical one:

    This one needs lots of post processing. I’ll edit out a few of the distracting elements in the photo, and try to improve the clarity. This is a complicated one so I’ll wait until I’m further along in my photo editing course.