How Can I Say No?

A trip to Ogunquit, Maine to walk along the beach during a nice fall day in November.
These are some of the best of those photos. Of course of the photos taken that day have been uploaded to photography folder/gallery on EsBest Artwork & Photography by just clicking on the name shown in blue text. On the way to the beach I also stopped at what I feel is the best kitchen supply store with a functioning sit-in cafe; Stonewall Kitchen. But that story my friends, is material for another blog post that just happen to be right below this one. So after you are done enjoying the best of these photos, scroll on down to read and see what else in store from this nice walk on the beach trip, okay?
Enjoy

Wouldn't Granny Be Impressed?

 I live close enough to walk over to my friends I know, who unexpectantly ask me if I would like to go with them to beach…out of state (although just next door to New Hampshire where I live) to Maine of all places. A place I like to go but do not go often enough. So of course, I said yes. They even stop by my home so I could grab my camera. "Yeah!" On the way, I got another surprise. A pit stop at a location I have never heard of or been too...Stonewall Kitchen. While they have a several locations, this one is located in York, Maine. It is amazing inside to see the place in its kitchen like setup; working kitchen sink and stove included. On every wall there are samples of every category and kind from sauces seen in the picture below, to jams and jellies and so much more. It boggles the mind how much stuff and things you can see in the store of kitchen gadgets, food, candies and kits to make delicious foods using ingredients of the all natural-all homemade and locally supplied food items lining the wall and in the middle of the floor. But hold the phone because it does not stop there! Connected to this masterpiece chock full of eye candy; literally speaking. Is also a well size cafe where you could have a nice lunch or breakfast meal…or even a quick snack if you that is what you prefer. But do not take my word for it. If you are ever in any one of the three seacoast area of Newburyport, Massachusetts, Portsmouth, New Hampshire or York, Maine, be sure to stop by Stonewall Kitchen and see…and taste for yourself. 

Your taste buds will surely thank you. I know mines did. 

Rising to the Challenge

While I do not consider myself a novice knitter, I had yet to make any kind of garment, which in many way defines a knitter's abilities…in some ways but it could be debated. But on a personal note, it is my own personal goal to say that I have knitted a garment. Now, I can proudly say, "Yes, I have knit a garment." I challenged myself to not only knit a garment but for me, a hooded sweater with an opening, made from piece-work would definitely prove myself…to myself…that I have truly grown as knitter.

I present, the Biker Jacket. Ta-dah! It work with Lion Brand Thick & Quick Oatmeal and Wood (colors). What'cha think? Pretty cool, huh? I now feel accomplished…and for my next hurdle; "a lace shawl! …or rather any lace stitch, in general, regardless of the pattern it is the obstacle for me to overcome next time around.
"Stayed tuned."

Fallen & Frosted…death of foliage

I had to go out this morning, or at least I thought I did…I mean I did have to go get some blood work drawn so my doctor could try and narrow down if pains I have been having (for years) is a tissue muscle or actually nerve damage or something else and apparently, one way to check is through blood work. Who knew! Obviously not me. I also had no way of knowing that some of the things drawn from my blood need need to be frozen immediately and sent out from the lab to be check. The lab at my local doctor's office cannot do it so…hence I thought I had to go. Kinda still did but not there at least. Starved myself for nothing (can't eat for 12 hours when that type of test is done). Any who! On the way home…to gorge (not really; I wasn't that hungry but eating was definitely on my mind), I stop to take pictures of this antique Ford truck for a friend who like them.  I was moving to get a different perspective when the back lit glow of rising sun and sparkle of the crisp white frost on the grass blades and other under brush caught my eye. Armed with only my cellphone camera that I was using, I went to work to capture the gems beneath my feet.

This is the best of the moment and poetically the worse too, from the leaf perspective I would guest lying almost colorless on the ground.

T'was a chill in the air, there was. Chilled me right to the very bone it did, 

Fallen leaf,  fell pray to its embrace as low lying ground cover tried to embrace it;

life had slowly left it as it color escape it.

The antique truck and other photos can be seen in my gallery by clicking here: Antique Ford and other frost images

It's A Cover Up

I and other artist are hanging out and working on a cover up; painting mask.

Some as costumes piece for halloween and others like mine's as an art piece to display.

All current, alum and students who are in between courses like myself who are awaiting the spring to take a course only offered once a year as oppose to other course available every semester, can join the club and even encourage to bring a guest or two (provided they are not too young).

 In the fore-front a club member is working a half mask design and in the top middle of the image, instructor and club leader, is working on her design on a full face (cover) mask in the art room of Manchester Community College in Manchester, New Hampshire

 A chinese dragon is  my own work-in-progress on a half mask

 A eery blood dripping smile mask lays complete and dry on the table; another members project

  He designed, sculpt and painted the mask shown here displayed on a Styrofoam head, all  by hand himself. Pretty impressive, right? Well, he and all of the art club members got it like that. A very talent group of individuals from the students right up to the their very talent leader and instructor, Marcia Gardner, Art Department Head at Manchester Community College

Now complete, sitting on my kitchen counter, is my own half-mask 

Who Knew! Not Me

I would find this yarn and fiber store that from the outside look small and limited in inventory but step in side…even non-knitters will be completely amazed at the large interior, layout and vast inventory with not just small square knit samples known as swatches for someone to see what the yarn would like work but an equally large selection of completely knitted and crotched garments for sale as well while doing a great job of double duty showing as the yarn sampling its drape, look and feel.

The Yarn and Fiber Company  is on my way to the office park in the town of Derry, New Hampshire, a place I do travel to very often and do know my way around, I found what I consider a diamond in the rough. I consider it that because when the temperatures drop outside, I do more creative things inside like painting, drawing and knitting. However, when it comes to creating, the necessary supplies in order to do are not always easy to find. It can be somewhat disappointing. For me personally, I prefer to buy certain thing from a retail store than online because you try feel the fibers of yarn or misjudge the is weight if you can actually hold it, feel it or see for myself. Not to mention, how I cannot always find what I am looking for online, if I did look for it. Knowing this, you can now imagine my joy when a large signage for yarn and fiber store caught my eye. I made a metal note to stop by on the way back home and hope I would not forget; something I often do. But not today! It is this knitter's paradise of yarn, fibers, sample and more…oh my.

 Unlike most stores, the clearance section is extremely easy to find; it is a shelf right inside the door

 While I do own every type of yarn or fiber, I thought I had seen them all until this massive and thick yarn sample caught  my eye. I guess the only way to covey the thickness was to scale it with this pack of double pointed knitting needle that slightly larger in diameter than a number 2 pencil. The thickness of this fiber was that of the color crayon I remember using as a child that came in a box of 8 basic colors of rainbow and about a 1/2" thick in diameter. Are you getting the grasp of how surprising the scale of the thickness of this yarn truly is? 

The inventory is massive and shelves are long and wide. There is even a well lit seating area with natural light and play table for little ones. Such a wonderful yarn store. I have never seen anything like it. If only there is such a thing as yarn lottery to win as any and as much yarn (and other supplies) as my heart content.

Natural light spilling in at your back while lounging and work your project or just perusing a magazine or book in search for a project inspiration looks comfy and inviting. A great interior design choice with a place for little one to play and stay occupied close by

 There are so many well designed and well knit lace shaw and other knit samples throughout the Yarn and Fiber store in Derry. The designs are really catch a person eye like this beautiful pattern. If you could touch, you feel how luxurious and soft the various yarns and fibers are too, you see for yourself how exceptionally nice that are. Even I had to admit that high prices I often cringe at the thought of are justified…a little by feeling them myself but I really do understand why they cost more just sad I cannot afford them

This wall display of what is referred to as hanks of yarn, are pure pleasure to the knitter's eye. 

Nope, This is not Stone Hedge

But it is a head…. a head located at St. Anselm college in Manchester, New Hampshire, where my two sons, Brandon and Christien and his girlfriend, Lizzy, and I all went to see their high school friend start in his first college football game. click here to see a clip His team from Merrimack college where the guest against St. Anselm college.  It is a new experience for all us to attend a college football game. I discovered the head on my way to use the restroom. It is very large too. If I took a guess, since I did not have a measuring tape with me, ha ha, I'd say, it is at least eight feet tall or taller.

Who Doesn't Love a Freebie or two!

…but there is only one here; just so ya' know.

But before we get to the freebie, I shall back track to how it came to be...

 It all began with dance of color right outside my window that dance like fire ambers

and on another day swept across the ground and back up into the evening setting sun

 so as I was driving along, I was compelled to pull over and capture some of these golds of amber spread out on the ground...

…golden ambers of light among the fallen leaves.

It was then I got the idea to give a photograph away that taken with the last two photos (not seen here) but is among the photos in my online gallery on artist website Deviant Art.com. You can see the free wallpaper image with fall foliage theme if you click here (the other link will take you my wall where you can see all of my gallery). Where I am giving away Free wallpaper for fellow DA (Deviant Art) members. But you too can have  this  free download by clicking the "download" button on the Deviant Art page page after clicking the "free wallpaper" link above.  Just my way of saying thanks for reading my blog and to have the beauty that is the fall foliage in New England with you always... even if you do not live here. 

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the best of Estello's Best images on your screen.

New Chapter...

As one door closes, another one opens.

The Columns & Blogging course ended at the Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications but bonds have been created and new and existing writers, armed with a fire of inspiration burning in their heart's and knowledge too, move forward to bigger and better things both as individuals and as a group; a new beginning blooms in horizon. "Onward!"

No Words Can Express...

…just how giddy with excitement I am today.

"INTERNET, INTERNET, INTERNET…
EN-TER-NET!"
I finally have internet in my new home. Tee hee.
I am too happy to be upset that one of my other blogs, refusal to update, bother me.

But I got more cool stuff coming to also share. Don't wanna post too much in one day. So come back again real soon for some more cool and exciting blog post. You'll be smiling like this too once you see it what I got to share.

So what do you think we can find today?

What a pleasant surprise to see I have not miss a chance to go to Manchester farmer's Market before season ended while heading to the city library on the same block. It was not just fruit and vegetables that I look at today. Sadly, there was no fruit. However, it was nice to still be able to buy some summer vegetables. But the highlight of the day, at least for my youngest son, Christien and his girlfriend, Lizzy, was when I brought them baked goods from the Blackberry Bakery who store is located in Londonderry, NH. Goodies galore? Click here. I also treated myself to a small loaf of homemade bread. I could not resist myself, it was cutest lil' thing I had ever seen and being small enough to find into the palm of hand, I did not think it would hurt my more health-conscience dietary way of thinking to avoid carbs. I mean come on, just look at the pics below and you will see what I mean. I thought bread only held this shape in illustrations not real life bread loaves! 

Goodies purchase for my sons and their friend will play his first starting college football game

Three cheese bread purchase at the farmer's market looks too good to eat sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar

A wider shot, it is just so darn cute! I swear it is the cutest li' homemade bread loaf  shown still in its wrapping

Ugh! My Mind's Tongue Swells at the thought of having to say it, does your's?

…the word, "Triptych"

I cannot be the only one, who often quote exclamations in another language! Heck, I also verbally turn into the iconic Looney Tune cartoon character, Yosimite Sam, during a random outburst of frustration. This is the mental toilmoil that I experience at the idea of trying to pronounce the word, triptych. 

Daniel Webster dictionary defines the word as, a picture (such as a the paintings above) that has three panels next to each other,  or in this case, aligned vertically. While I have a strong passion for art, the love is lost in saying the title to this form of art. How 'bout you? Do you trip (flip out in frustration), trying to say the word or any other word? 

Any who, this triptych was a class final exam project for my watercolour course last fall. While I hate the word, I do have a passion for watercolor and really enjoy creating with the medium. I plan to do another…err…it's okay, it is only being typed not spoken. I can do this…but not really because spelling it is hard too. Just do it fast like pulling off a bandaid; "Tripych!" Whew! There, it is done…or is it?

Note: I apologize for the weirdness of the last two paragraph. For some odd reason, this particular blog has kink in it and will show the additional text (update) without highlighting the text with a background color. It is not a intentional to look this way but cannot be help. :(

~UPDATED~ Let the oohs and awws begins...the fall foliage has begun!

People come from miles away, sometime even out of the country or from all over the world to take in the what I consider the beautiful splendor of earth tone colored rainbow, that is the fall foliage. The best thing for me... having it all right in my own back yard! Back yard of course being literally behind my house but also including the easy accessibility  to go seeing it all anywhere among in the entire New Hampshire state. 

I went on a very tranquil and relaxing kayaking trip with my sister-in-life, Pauline. Our little excursion brought was at the Gilman State Park in this small quaint and scenic little town of Exeter. It is the first town I had ever been to that has a band stand dead smack in the middle of its main city streets that are filled with equally impressive  and very uniquely design store front shops. All the store are small in size but big in grandeur at how they just captured my eyes. Some of the stores had picture windows showing their wares for sale and others with old fashion hanging signs to draw a patron attentions. As I drove by them all, I found myself having to be mindful to keep my eyes on the road and not to drive too slow or stare too long at any one local; safe driving practices and all. But I am getting side track for the real purpose of this post...the kayak trip and fall foliage. The wonders of the scenic downtown, Exeter, will just have to wait for another post of a trip for me to photograph and share. I know, I know, I want to take photos of that town full of scenes like eye candy to me, as much as you would like to see them; next time though.
This time, you get to see the best of selection out of over a hundred images (with more to come as I go through them) to see today.
UPDATE: Here is a link to an album on Facebook, where you can see even more images you do not want to miss! "Hey, click here for more foliage and town eye candy!"