Lunch With Someone Special.

On Saturday, I had lunch with someone very special: my granddaughter, M. She is a girl I wish I had been - smart, savvy, thinking ahead, determined to achieve her goals. I'm not kidding. She's the best.
We met at Jamba Juice and talked over our lives, the meaning of reality, commuter travel, parents, mothering, the cost of education and much more. She is attending the Art Institute in Portland and working about 35 hours a week too. She is a busy, busy young woman. (At first I said "girl" but that's not right. Not any more.)
As you can see in the photo, I had a picture for her. It was taken around Christmas about four years ago, maybe. We sat outside in the October sunshine and drank our healthy juices and enjoyed each other's company. A great way to spend part of a Saturday.
Today was a warm, sunny day too. An Oregon October day that makes you glad to be alive. If only the warmth could last a big longer. The Mister was busy in the back yard and I was busy inside. I raked leaves for a while, but then got busy on my pumpkin: The 3 Faces of Eve.
Translating drawing to sculpture - with a paring knife - doesn't always go like you'd wish it to. A once a year sculpture doesn't keep your skills very sharp. But this pumpkin did end up with three faces and I can twirl it about and try each one out in the dark. Folks will see it coming and going on Halloween night - although I doubt it will be very frightening.
I have a picture I took of it in the dark. I started at 1:38 p.m., as you can see above on the microwave clock, and gouging away at it I made quite the mess.
My hands and arms were very tired. This was a thick-skinned pumpkin!
I also got terrifically inspired by Gabrielle, the chef at Out Aza Blue, the restaurant I told you about in Friday night's post, so on Saturday I cooked acorn squash and carrot soup, flavored with sage and rosemary. We weren't hungry for it last night, so we had it tonight. Delicious if I do say so myself. (And I do.)
I love places like restaurants and art galleries that inspire those instincts. They are like matches to us candles - femminismo