What Washed Up This Evening

If you were walking along an empty beach and spotted a small lavender bag, would you not want to know what was inside?

I picked it up. Tom said, "Linda! Throw that down! Who knows what that is!" But I couldn't resist. (Again, I ask: Could you?)

I need to carry a knife because it took me a while to tear it open––but look! Nine pennies, a shark's tooth, and a handful of shells.

Another World

After 8 hours at the computer ...

it's amazing to behold another world.     (7:20 p.m. Coastal Trail)

um...uh...Toastmasters?

This evening I attended my first Toastmasters meeting. It was held at the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park––that building behind the trees. The setting is almost beautiful enough not to make you scared silly, isn't it?

The prez said that before I choose a group to join I might want to try out several different locations, because each club has its own personality. Then someone mentioned the fact that one of their members makes chocolate truffles for a living and often brings them to meetings. Wow. I was sure that this group is the one I would want to join, though they seemed surprised that I thought wine would be served. Toastmasters + no wine = false advertising, don't you think?

Cloud Report

6:24 p.m.  El Camino Del Mar

Kuler Color Palettes

Namowal, I tried your suggestion and made the color palette above from the colors in the photo below.

Your comment was such a coincidence. In desperation I had tried Kuler earlier in the day to create a color palette––and I ended up feeling like that one palette helped my work immeasurably. (I hope I'll feel the same tomorrow!)

If you're using Illustrator you can use Kuler straight from within the program––otherwise, you can easily import the palettes you create from Kuler into other programs.

Along the Coastal Trail

Looking up

Looking down

Summer

And here I sit wearing a sweatshirt with a turtleneck underneath. The electric heater going under my desk. I'm not complaining!

Silly Sea Rock

What I felt like after Day 4 of the Children's Book Conference

Children's Book Conference Day 3

I learned so much from this woman, Gennifer Choldenko, author of Al Capone Does My Shirts, Al Capone Shines My Shoes, No Passengers Beyond This Point, and many other books.

Children's Book Conference Day 2

There were too many inspiring sessions to mention. This is Lissa Rovetch, illustrator of There Was a Man Who Loved a Rat and Other Vile Little Poems. She led a fun and madly productive writing exercise.

An excerpt from my madly productive writing exercise:

"HOLY COW! What's that?!" There was a furry mass behind the milk carton. Was it something Fawn had left behind? Was it an old ham?

Melvin snatched a spatula out of the drawer and tried to dislodge it. It would not budge. In fact, it seemed to glower at him. Was it a giant scallop with hair? 

There was a knock at the door. Melvin stuck the spatula in his back pocket and straightened his glasses....