Portrait Of The Artist, Heather Green

Yesterday,

January 29, 2013,

I had the distinct pleasure

to photograph the portfolio of paintings and drawings,

a beautiful and interesting collection,

of the artist 

Heather Green.

I will be writing about her art in my next post.

Meanwhile, here is Heather:

If you are looking for distinctive portrait, nature, or documentary photography,
or someone you know is looking
for photography that helps to create a more artful and beautiful life,
please contact me.

Full Moon With Branches

Sunday

January 27, 2013

If you are looking for distinctive portrait, nature, or documentary photography,
or someone you know is looking
for photography that helps to create a more artful and beautiful life,
please contact me.

Portrait Of A Woman Contemplating Nature

Woman Putting On A Shoe

Letters From My Mother

Sunset And Sunrise

Last night:

And this morning:

One Big Difference Between A Baby And A Puppy

This is a post about one puppy, two or three pizzas, and many photographs---mostly of food.

I have had little time the past two weeks to devote to my photography.

I did, however, complete the book cover commission. I created five different cover images for the author. And she wrote to me: "Bravo, Bruce. I knew you'd nail it."

Most of my time, though, has been spent with Freddy:

The instructions from the breeder are quite clear (abbreviated here):

• 6:30 am: wake up, go outside to potty
• 6:30--7:00 am: breakfast and then potty outside again
• 6:30--9:00 am: playtime/a few minutes of training, with potty breaks when needed
• 9:30--12:00 nap in crate
• 12:00--2:00 pm: potty, lunch, play/train, potty breaks when needed
• 2:00--4:00: nap in crate or tethered to you or desk if you are sitting at it
• 4:00 pm: potty, play/reinforce good habits
• 5:00 pm: dinner, play, potty (crate while you eat dinner)
• 8:00 pm: we remove all water 
• The evening is a good time for playing and snuggling, though he will probably take some naps also. Always keep your eye on your puppy and watch for signs of needing to potty as well as chewing in appropriate things. It's a good time to show him what he can chew and what he can't.
• 10:00 pm--11:00: potty, then crate for bedtime
• 3 or 4 am--outside for potty? (Only did this for first few nights. Freddy as been "sleeping like a baby" through the night.)

"This schedule is just a guide, adjust it to your lifestyle."

When we last chatted, you and I, it was Susan's birthday. For breakfast I made her Pear Whole Wheat Bread French Toast with Prickly Pear Syrup:

 And for her Birthday Dinner, I made Lamb Biryani:

One day it rained, but I don't remember when:

And one morning, I did have time to read a few Gary Snyder poems, which made me think of this photo:

There was Shetland Salmon one night for dinner, which I served with Mashed Red Potatoes and Roasted Green Beans with Red Peppers and Pine Nuts:

Many nights we had pizza. We had pizza because we were simply too tired from training and playing with Freddy to cook. I put Shiitake Mushrooms, Red Peppers, Speck (Smoked Prosciutto), and Fresh Sliced Tomatoes on this one:

On another night, with the leftover Salmon, I made Salmon Cakes, which had Diced Red Pepper and Corn in them. I served these with a Red Potato and Green Bean Salad:

 And day by day, Freddy is growing and getting slowly but surely bigger:

HA! But not quite a big as the stick he lugged around the yard! 

And when Freddy wasn't playing with the sticks in the yard, he was looking at himself in the mirror. "Yikes! Who is that?" he seemed to be thinking!

  
One morning I made my self a Poached Egg, which I had with the leftover Potatoes and Green Beans--I turned them into home-fries. YUM!

Susan and I feel very blessed. It is as if an angel brought us Freddy, a little bundle of joy!

On Sunday, I roasted a chicken (And I made chicken stock!):

And on Monday, we enjoyed Chicken and Sausage Chili!

On Tuesday, we gave Freddy his bed:

For breakfast, I enjoyed a Whole Wheat English Muffin with Cream Cheese and Olives, which always made me think of my Mom as she would often send me off to school with Cream Cheese and Olive Sandwiches!

And this morning, Wednesday morning, we woke to snow:

 Freddy had a blast running around the backyard (He is sleeping in his crate right now, which is giving me the time to  write this short update.):

And I said to Susan: "You know Susan there is one big difference between a baby and a puppy and that is we do not have to put a snow-suit on Freddy."

Let's Play Catch! As in Catch-up! From Christmas Eve to Susan's Birthday!

We got a dog

but more about Freddy later.

Our Traditional Christmas Eve Family Party was a great success.
We served homemade lasagna and baked mac & cheese,
shrimp cocktail and homemade rye bread and kielbasa,
cocktail turkey meatballs,
cheese and crackers, wine and beer.

Here is a photo of Susan and I before our guests arrived:

 On Christmas Day we went to Susan's sister-in-laws home.

Susan made her special creamy mushroom casserole:

And I made no knead cranberry walnut bread:

I got to photograph one of my favorite "model,"

My great-niece, Lauren:

We had left-over shrimp from Christmas Eve so on December 26th

I made a Thai Shrimp Stir-fry;

Gosh was it great!

On December 27th it snowed.

Snow falls
Three in the afternoon
Sparrows flutter at the feeder
Doves peck at the seeds on the ground
In summer I buried a sparrow
Injured by our cat
First I dug a hole in the earth
Placed the dying bird in it
I let the shovel fall too
Into the hole
And it was still
Quiet now
A red cardinal
Rises from the snow
Where in summer I grew
Peppers and eggplants
The sparrows rush away
Upon arrival
Of the cardinal
The BlueJay
I watch, I am
Witness

One evening we ate meatloaf;
made with ground turkey and apples and walnuts:

And on another evening
we ate Harira:

And we enjoyed a kale and mushroom pizza:

On December 31st we visited
the breeder and saw our new dog
for the first time.
And we celebrated New Year's Eve
enjoying stuffed artichokes;
stuffed with kale and garlic and Parmesan cheese:

And roast chicken, asparagus, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce:

I woke New Year's Day and gave thanks,
greeting the new year with great expectations.

Later in the day we celebrated
enjoying a roast beef dinner,
with mushroom gravy, mashed potatoes with ricotta cheese,
and green beans with caramelized onions. 

On Thursday, January 3rd,
we brought Freddy home;
he was barely bigger than my shoe!

Freddy, named in honor my wonderful Dad,
 who passed away a few years ago; Alfred, aka Fred or Freddy!

Here I am on Sunday, January 6,
reading The New York Times
with Freddy; he is a smart dog!

What was cooking in Bruce's Kitchen this Sunday?

  Susan and I are made a special meal for my son, Daryl;
 he graduated in December from University of Texas Graduate School
 with a Masters in Structural Engineering
 and leaves for Houston in a few days
 to start his new job at Fluor Engineering.
 We are all so proud of him----but we are going to miss him so much.

Here is a photo of Daryl and his girlfriend, Julia,
taken on Christmas Eve at our party:

 
 So as a send-off we had cooking no-knead pear bread,
 two different sauces for pasta
 (Susan's famous tomato sauce and a Pumpkin Parmesan sauce--a Christmas gift from Daryl),
 turkey meatballs stuffed with capers (a fav),
 and ricotta cheesecake with pine nuts and raisins. We'll also enjoyed salad and wine.

Care for a piece of ricotta cheesecake cake?

Here is a photo of my daughter, Danielle, on Sunday afternoon,
 her Bella, and our Freddy.
 Both are mini labradoodles;
Bella is 35 lbs. and Freddy will be about 18 lbs.

And today, Tuesday, January 8,
is Susan's birthday.
This morning I gave here a Birthday Card
 from "The Beautiful Card Shop," an original print of this photo:

 
. Later, I'll be making her a Special Birthday Dinner!

Why not visit "The Beautiful Card Shop;" Valentine's Day is right around the corner! 

One last photo:
Susan and Freddy:

Now I must get back to work!
I have been commissioned to photograph an artist's paintings
and I have also been commissioned to photograph an e-book cover.

If you are looking for distinctive portrait, nature, or documentary photography,
or someone you know is looking
for photography that helps to create a more artful and beautiful life,
please contact me.