Point Made

 Dawn of Summer The passing of mud season The sun is arriving earlier. It's staying later. The monsoon season has abated. Fireworks lull me to sleep at night. I can sleep without covers. The city is going to allow rental scooters. It must be summer. A recent effort, Oil Painting. I did this piece with oil.  (9 x 12) I painted it for my granddaughter, Violet. I modeled it from a photograph of her posing like this with that impossible knit sweater. Obviously, this is not a current likeness of Vi, but consider she might look like this when she is older. Did you brine your meats? I had a salad at the Knick last Wednesday. One ingredient was roast chicken chunks. I almost couldn't believe the chicken was so tasty and tender. Then it dawned on me. I had my waiter, Devon, ask the chef if he had brined the chicken. He confirmed he did. Brining meat is a way of tenderizing and adding flavor to meats. It works best with meat that is low fat, like poultry, pork, fish, and some cuts of be...

  Looking Back Oil Painting by Poppa Jeff ( Inspired by a work of Carol Rhode Curley ) I'm curious about how many people get this cartoon. It could stand alone even if you didn't recognize the historical movie reference. I know I'm posting a lot of stolen images instead of what my late friend, Whitney Gould, called my pithy prose. But damn it, that's what social media is asking for. At least, that is what I'm told.  As a father, I'm sure I'm not alone as I wait for the flood of emails, phone calls and airplane banners from my family on this Sunday's observance of Father's Day.  Then again, maybe not. I should be content to scroll through Ancestery.com, to see if any more offspring pop up. (This is where you are supposed to roll your eyes and chuckle.)

CatSip As promised, my rendition of Charlotte Evans stroll in a field of wildflowers.   Pain in the backside stuff. This has been my week to concentrate on stuff I should do but keep putting off because I've got plenty of time to get that stuff done, and I don't feel like it right now? The most onerous chore is the amount of work, not because of the subject matter. But, first, I should write and distribute my End of Life documents. The chore that will take a lot of work to prepare for and minutes to accomplish is cleaning the kitchen. After I move everything out of the kitchen that has to be moved, it will take less than fifteen minutes to clean the exposed surfaces, countertops, walls and floors. Another Graphic Interruption. Painting by Poppa Jeff Inspired by Carol Rhode Curley.  Oil on canvas board 9 x 12 New Season. Monday, May 31, is the first day of the one hundred and twenty possible days of good weather in Wisconsin. Note that the other days can be pleasant; however, t...

 This title sounds like the first verse in a country-western song or a dilemma for a house painter. In process A photo taken by either Matt or Amy of Charlotte walking from a field of mixed vegetation bearing a bouquet inspired this painting. Obviously, it's not finished, but it will be by next week. I liked the innocence and joy she expressed with her determined stride and smile. She needs a face and a bouquet. I'll do some shading to give her dimension. The field needs a little more color. Premier League News Leeds United may not be in the premier league next year. Why should we care? The Premier League has a rule that they send the bottom three teams to a lesser league. Unfortunately, Leeds United is in danger of being one of those teams. My interest and concern for this team are because their coach Jesse Marsch is from Racine, WI. He is only the second American to coach in the Premier League. He took the team over late in the season. They did well for a few matches and then...

  This is a landscape I painted with oils.  I used a photograph I took on a road trip to Spring Green. Urban Milwaukee I got an assignment from Urban Milwaukee.  Okay, I begged the editor to let me submit an article. No one except the figure behind the curtian knows how the films we see during the festival and or free once a month, are selected. How do they get them and who makes the decisions? Well Milwaukee Film Festival fans, I in the role of Toto, Dorthy's dog, I will tug on the curtain and reveal the process. ( Please do not send kibble and canned dog food. I'm taking the role, not becoming the character .) I'm looking forward to having some face time with Kristopher Pollard, legendary membership manager for MFF. Futball Does anyone know of a twelve-step program for people addicted to European football? ( aka Futball and Soccer .) The season is closing in two weeks. I can watch the ladies play in the US NWSL. If I can find a streaming service, the MLS is available. I...

  First, we'll laugh. MFF Report In a year that sees us letting our guard down and resuming public gatherings, it's clear my suspicions are confirmed. The in-person attendance numbers are lower. However, as one volunteer told me, not unexpected. There are no final figures yet, but patrons who choose to view the films digitally via the internet bolstered the box office take. Likewise, the physical attendance numbers, while lower, were significant. I enjoyed not waiting in line outside the theaters in our unusually cold, wet spring. ( Some call it spring, I call it mud. ) Instead, every film I attended was seat yourself when you arrive. Aside from the fantasist David Byrne's  American Utopia , my second choice was a documentary, Calendar Girls . My expectation of this was a story about some older women who posed seductively for a calendar that they would sell to raise funds for some cause. So it was not a disappointment when it turned out to be about 'women of a certain a...

 I'm always amazed at surfers and their ability to ride the waves. But, this guy takes it to a whole new level. Many thanks to my friend, David Nitz Milwaukee Film Festival It's that time of year when I wake up in the morning and wonder what film I will see today? Unfortunately, the Milwaukee Film Festival will be almost over by the time I post this. I don't know the actual attendance numbers, but I sense that ticket sales might be down a bit.  Two observations motivate that conjecture. First, there are more offerings of free tickets. For example, Urban Milwaukee advised its members they could get two free tickets per request. Second, The Milwaukee Film Festival has been pumping interest in some films by advertising on social media and theater, including offering free admission to a specific film. Then there's the conversation in line while waiting for seating. ( See my previous posting about that experience.)  First, the lines are short. This might be because I've...