I got this email this morning from a reporter who did an interview with me when I had a Solo show at a Gallery in San Francisco some yeas ago.
I really don't remember what I said, but if you have nothing to do and have internet access on Saturday afternoon, you might try to listen in.
"Hi Merikay,
Hope this email finds you well.
We did an interview several years ago now for my show Animals Aloud.
It is re-running this Saturday on http://www.KUSF.org at 3pm.
It's online only.
The show is about Animals in Art.
Your interview will run around 3:43 pm. ( PACIFIC Time)
I know the Lola Gallery is no longer around, but people can always contact you online if they want to see your work.
Very best,
Déirdre Kennedy
Reporter - Producer "
At the Camel Farm, Julian CA
Friday, March 11, 2011
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Cooking in an RV
Food is a big part of our life. Craig likes to pick out interesting recipes, shop for the ingredients, and I enjoy cooking them.
Mostly, I enjoy is eating them!
As I look forward to the day we are full timing I have been thinking more and more about how small RV kitchens are, and wondering how I'm going to create the types of meals we have become accustomed to.
But, the more I read and the more I think about how I do things now, the more comfortable I am becoming with the idea of an RV kitchen.
I have been working my way thru the RV cooking and kitchen talk threads on the RV Dreamers forum site. Many of my questions have been asked and answered by others there.
Many of the full time bloggers write about what they prepare and post recipes. Some, like Laurie and Odel have a whole side bar of recipes that look very interesting. Knowing they have done some very interesting cooking in their RV is encouraging.
I've also been working my way thru the many episodes of the RV Cooking Show.
The recipes Evanne demonstrates are not very complicated, nor exotic, but for me watching her cook in a small space has been interesting.
I have noticed that although I have a very large kitchen, I actually do most of my prep work in a very small area. If Craig helps, which he often does, he takes his cutting board to our seating area of the island.
My biggest set back is, or was, the pile of dishes I would accumulate and all the cooking "things" and ingredients that got left out on the counter while I cooked.
I do think it's all a mater of changing habits. Changes that are for the good whether I stay in a sticks and bricks or get to move on to an RV.
I started changing last year. It was one of my first accomplishments toward my RV dream. I used to leave dishes in the sink and pans soaking overnight. I try not to anymore. (Well, almost never.) Most nights all of the dishes and pots and pans are done and put away.
I have always been a fan of "cooking shows." And when preparing a dish with many ingredients I usually try to get them cut or prepared and put into separate bowls before I actually start to cook. I have been known to measure spices or sauces like soy sauce into little cups so I don't have to fumble about when it's time to add them.
I think this is a very important habit to have. Not only to have the ingredients measured and ready to use, but to have any preparation mess and tools cleaned and put away before starting to cook, and then to keep washing up bowls and tools as you go.
Earlier this week we made ribs in the crock pot. Since we had some left over I decided to make stir fried rice the next evening. I had some rice in the freezer because for the first time I had doubled the amount of rice I cooked and froze what I had not used.
Instead of using a lot of bowls, I used coffee filters to put my cut up carrots and vegetables into before cooking.
Four less dishes to wash! I could have used one for the meat as well. I also used a prepackaged "fried rice seasoning" which made things even easier.
My kitchen is one thing I will miss, but I think we will continue to enjoy delicious and creative meals on the road.
Of course there will always be nights like tonight, tired from removing wall paper all day, when I ask Craig to bring home
A true no mess dinner!
Mostly, I enjoy is eating them!
As I look forward to the day we are full timing I have been thinking more and more about how small RV kitchens are, and wondering how I'm going to create the types of meals we have become accustomed to.
But, the more I read and the more I think about how I do things now, the more comfortable I am becoming with the idea of an RV kitchen.
I have been working my way thru the RV cooking and kitchen talk threads on the RV Dreamers forum site. Many of my questions have been asked and answered by others there.
Many of the full time bloggers write about what they prepare and post recipes. Some, like Laurie and Odel have a whole side bar of recipes that look very interesting. Knowing they have done some very interesting cooking in their RV is encouraging.
The recipes Evanne demonstrates are not very complicated, nor exotic, but for me watching her cook in a small space has been interesting.
I have noticed that although I have a very large kitchen, I actually do most of my prep work in a very small area. If Craig helps, which he often does, he takes his cutting board to our seating area of the island.
My biggest set back is, or was, the pile of dishes I would accumulate and all the cooking "things" and ingredients that got left out on the counter while I cooked.
I do think it's all a mater of changing habits. Changes that are for the good whether I stay in a sticks and bricks or get to move on to an RV.
I started changing last year. It was one of my first accomplishments toward my RV dream. I used to leave dishes in the sink and pans soaking overnight. I try not to anymore. (Well, almost never.) Most nights all of the dishes and pots and pans are done and put away.
I have always been a fan of "cooking shows." And when preparing a dish with many ingredients I usually try to get them cut or prepared and put into separate bowls before I actually start to cook. I have been known to measure spices or sauces like soy sauce into little cups so I don't have to fumble about when it's time to add them.
I think this is a very important habit to have. Not only to have the ingredients measured and ready to use, but to have any preparation mess and tools cleaned and put away before starting to cook, and then to keep washing up bowls and tools as you go.
Earlier this week we made ribs in the crock pot. Since we had some left over I decided to make stir fried rice the next evening. I had some rice in the freezer because for the first time I had doubled the amount of rice I cooked and froze what I had not used.
Four less dishes to wash! I could have used one for the meat as well. I also used a prepackaged "fried rice seasoning" which made things even easier.
My kitchen is one thing I will miss, but I think we will continue to enjoy delicious and creative meals on the road.
A true no mess dinner!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Wallpaper Removal Day-5
I guess I'm just scraping by these days. Scrape, scrape, scrape!
Except that it is a very tedious process, the wallpaper removal is going well.
Today I started the hardest part. The ceiling:
This house has many little "interesting" details. In this room the ceiling is a normal eight foot height, except for a 4' X 15' section that is arched from 9' to 11'. The rest of the ceiling is painted. This section was wallpapered.
To me there is nothing worse than removing wallpaper from a ceiling! I got about half of it scraped off, but not washed today.
The bit of the wall showing is a rustic barn wood wall that goes with the retro cone fireplace and corner stone wall.
This is the top half of a "before" picture I took last week. I had to cut off the bottom because it showed all of the "stuff" we had piled up in there and I found the mess embarrassing!
Anyway, half of me wants to paint the wall, but Craig likes it, and maybe the "character" of it will appeal to a future buyer. If not, painting it will be easy for them to imagine doing if that is their preference.
So, thats today's update. I did walk today, and as soon as I post this I'm going out to see if I can pick enough Miner's Lettuce for a dinner salad.
Today I started the hardest part. The ceiling:
This house has many little "interesting" details. In this room the ceiling is a normal eight foot height, except for a 4' X 15' section that is arched from 9' to 11'. The rest of the ceiling is painted. This section was wallpapered.
To me there is nothing worse than removing wallpaper from a ceiling! I got about half of it scraped off, but not washed today.
This is the top half of a "before" picture I took last week. I had to cut off the bottom because it showed all of the "stuff" we had piled up in there and I found the mess embarrassing!
Anyway, half of me wants to paint the wall, but Craig likes it, and maybe the "character" of it will appeal to a future buyer. If not, painting it will be easy for them to imagine doing if that is their preference.
So, thats today's update. I did walk today, and as soon as I post this I'm going out to see if I can pick enough Miner's Lettuce for a dinner salad.
Exercise Goal:
1000 miles on the treadmill,
1000 miles on the treadmill,
2 miles Tuesday
Total walked = 324 miles
Someday I will be hiking 1000 miles in National Parks!
Friday, March 4, 2011
Next Room Decided
I decided which room to tackle next on Monday when I successfully peeled off the first piece of grass cloth wall paper in what is considered the master bedroom. We actually sleep in a different room. (It's another story.) It took a bit of scratching at the bottom edge, but I found once started the dry paper came off in floor to ceiling strips. A fuzzy paper layer remained on the wall.
I knew that before I worked on the paper I wanted to clean the stone wall behind the little cone fireplace. It was really ugly. Over the years I have passed a webster over it a few times a year, but didn't do much else. I started the cleaning process with a very thorough vacuuming with the soft brush attachment.
Next I washed the stones. Starting at the bottom I used a spray bottle with 50% water and 50% vinegar to drench each stone. By tucking Sham-wow cloths under each row, and towels on the floor, I was able to catch the run off as I went. I figure I used about two gallons of liquid.
It took two days to do, but it came out quite nice. I will be cleaning and repainting the fireplace as well. It's a rather retro feature, but can be quite pleasant.
Then I started ripping off wall paper.
I also cleaned off the under layer of paper and glue with DIF, a scraper, and a three step wall washing process.
I've finished getting all the paper off and am about 1/3 of the way thru the removal of the under layer.
I'll probably be at it most of next week.
Tomorrow, Saturday, I going to preview a local monthly Flea Market. It is said to be one of the better ones, with fewer really junky vendors.
You have to apply for a spot a month in advance. I sent in the paper work for the first Saturday of April. If I don't get a spot for then, I'll try again for May. But I want to take a look at what people are selling, their pricing, and their display methods.
It is supposed to be a quite nice day weather-wise.
Didn't walk today, but I'm really tired from scraping and washing.
Next I washed the stones. Starting at the bottom I used a spray bottle with 50% water and 50% vinegar to drench each stone. By tucking Sham-wow cloths under each row, and towels on the floor, I was able to catch the run off as I went. I figure I used about two gallons of liquid.
It took two days to do, but it came out quite nice. I will be cleaning and repainting the fireplace as well. It's a rather retro feature, but can be quite pleasant.
I also cleaned off the under layer of paper and glue with DIF, a scraper, and a three step wall washing process.
I've finished getting all the paper off and am about 1/3 of the way thru the removal of the under layer.
I'll probably be at it most of next week.
Tomorrow, Saturday, I going to preview a local monthly Flea Market. It is said to be one of the better ones, with fewer really junky vendors.
You have to apply for a spot a month in advance. I sent in the paper work for the first Saturday of April. If I don't get a spot for then, I'll try again for May. But I want to take a look at what people are selling, their pricing, and their display methods.
It is supposed to be a quite nice day weather-wise.
Didn't walk today, but I'm really tired from scraping and washing.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
On the Lighter Side!
 |
| He puts a little butter in the egg. |
Of course he had to use his little chicky egg cup. I don't know where it came from, but I do know we have had it forever, and it will come with us!
Exercise Goal:
1000 miles on the treadmill,
1000 miles on the treadmill,
2 miles Thursday
Total walked = 322 miles
Someday I will be hiking 1000 miles in National Parks!
 |
| Death Valley |
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
March
Evelyn asked about my reference to a "Audio Ebay." No, there is no Ebay for just audio equipment. I was referring to is sites like AudiogoN where you can list used high end audio equipment and sell it with auctions as well as fixed prices. You can also use the Paypal system for payment.
We have a lot of things that need to be listed!
It's hard to believe we all ready starting the third month of 2011. So far his year, I've accomplished what I set out to do, maybe a little bit more.
I started work on the master bedroom yesterday. I'll have to do a post about what I need to do in there. It will be a busy month.
One thing I'm definitely planning is a day of relaxation and fun with a fellow blogger, Levonne. I hope to meet up for a nice walk on the beach sometime this month!
Exercise Goal:
1000 miles on the treadmill,
1000 miles on the treadmill,
1.5 miles Wednesday (plus a whole lot of upper body exercise using the wall paper scoring tool!)
Total walked = 320 miles
Someday I will be hiking 1000 miles in National Parks!
 |
| Capitol Reef, Utah |
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Like a puzzle
A while back I emptied the attic of everything except empty boxes, send a lot to the trash or the flea market piles in the garage, but some is in boxes in a hallway upstairs. Not gone. But not back in the attic.
When I painted the living room a couple of things got shuffled to the dining room, then when I painted the dining room, they got moved to a bedroom. Now I'm eyeing that bedroom as my next project and I am moving them up into the hall.
Yes, I know I have to move them OUT, but they are some things I could list on the Audio version of Ebay.
One of these days ...
I do have two things on Craig's list this week ...
Everything WILL fall into place.
WALKED TODAY!
Exercise Goal:
1000 miles on the treadmill,
1000 miles on the treadmill,
2 miles Monday
Total walked = 318.5 miles
Someday I will be hiking 1000 miles in National Parks!
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