Wednesday, January 17, 2024

Wove Finish

 

Looking forward to trying this Strathmore product. It's acid free and specifically made for use with calligraphy nibs, pen, and ink.

Here's a little info I found about this paper's so-called "wove finish":

"Wove finish is one of the most commonly used finishes for general printing. It’s the standard paper finish, so if your paper package doesn’t indicate a finish, it’s probably wove.

Wove paper is slightly textured but mostly smooth to the touch. It’s similar to laid paper, but without the textured patterns" -- The Paper Mill Blog

Wednesday, January 10, 2024

Handwriting

 


Speaking (or writing!) of handwriting. I bought this workbook a year or so ago and have really enjoyed practicing some of the author's suggestions. Published in 2021 by Simon & Schuster, it includes "dozens of practice pages to help you create beautiful cursive letters and distinctive hand printing." It also includes recommendations for such things as flourishes, loops, and letter variations. 

Monday, January 8, 2024

Cantique

 


So I've started work on Fauré's Cantique, which means my going through the proper French pronunciation of the lyrics line by line with the help of a coach for whom French is her native language. So many subtle distinctions in vowel sounds! 

Sunday, January 7, 2024

Epiphany 2024

 


Happy Epiphany everyone! Kind of sad to see all the Christmas decorations coming down, but I know there's lot more to look forward to in 2024. So buckle up and let's go! :-)

Saturday, January 6, 2024

Hail!

 


Finished Lazarus' book a couple of days ago. Some familiar stories here, namely Theismann's injury, Riggins' ground game, Art Monk's productivity, etc. But there also were some unfamiliar stories, like Dexter Manley's battle with drug addiction, Gibbs' return after retiring, and Jay Schroeder's trade to the Raiders.

Now what will the renamed Commanders do after this season's over? Will Sam Howell or Jacoby Brissett be back? Will Rivera be back? Speculation is rife.

Friday, January 5, 2024

Mendelssohn

 


Okay, so this is going to be a little bit of a stretch for Skywatch Friday. But since I am spending so much time indoors this week preparing for an upcoming performance of Mendelssohn's "There Shall a Star from Jacob", I thought it was worth it. Right? After all, the magi, whoever they were, were certainly "skywatchers". So, anyway, that's my pitch. :-)