Day 11, Level 2: "Busy" beach, DIY, fresh fish, radio, upside-down and moon and mars

It didn't feel like spring today at all - it felt like summer!

I took a rare day off all work stuff - but still did productive things amongst a bit of Sunday relaxing!

Brett called in this morning - he'd been at a "Boys' Fish Feast" last night at a friend's place about 20 minutes from Omaha in Scott's Landing. This is an annual event where a whole group of blokes who've known each other for years get together and go fishing, and then cook up the catch on the Saturday night. They all camp out at the house (it's a big house!) Brett couldn't partake in the fishing bit as he's busy at work and couldn't take Friday off, and yesterday (Sat) was playing in a golf tournament. But he did go for the Saturday night feast. 

So this morning he came to Omaha and delivered fresh fish!!! We had a coffee and croissant on the deck, then he had to disappear back to Auckland to go in to work - he has some big deals on at the moment and is a bit under the pump.

What a stunner of a day it was - definitely the best day so far this spring. No wind. Sometimes the day can be a stunner but the wind can be pesky. Not today. 

The beach was in top form and it's been many months since I've seen it so busy - but, in comparison to other beaches in this world, it's not busy at all! It's school holidays and there were lots of families enjoying sun, sea and sand. Plenty of people sunbathing in bikinis etc (yes, it was that warm - about 22 degrees). 

Omaha Beach - on a perfect spring day!

In the afternoon I did some DIY that involved hammering nails - I hung things up in the understairs cupboard to get them off the floor (broom, bags of rags etc) and hung some artwork that I hadn't got round to yet. 

I also spray painted a little side table. I'd done it's smaller sister a few weeks ago. A deep chalky teal colour with copper accent. Perfect day for spray painting outside this afternoon due to no wind. Undercoat and one top coat - done. Tomorrow, another coat and then a spray varnish. Add the copper accent. Done. 

I also created my Inktober artwork for today - prompt word RADIO. 

Hmmmm? Aha! I got the old transistor radio that has been listened to for countless hours here at Omaha (mostly for the races) - and I created a wee inkwork based on that. I had fun! 

I really am enjoying doing these creations - quite a different style for me to my usual inkworks. I'm liking the discipline of doing it daily - and managing ok so far. For this, when it came to doing the Sharp logo - I actually did it backwards. Often, drawing back-to-front or upside-down is the best way to get a true likeness as your brain is drawing only what it sees, not what it might want to interpret - it uses the right brain, which searches for the space between abstract lines, rather than trying to draw hands etc. 

One of the best examples of this is the "upside down man" - a drawing of Ivor Stravinsky by Picasso. It is often used to showcase this phenomenon. Even someone who has never drawn a thing in their life can create a good likeness if they turn it upside-down and just draw what they see. Try it!

Fresh fish for dinner - obviously! First I cooked some aubergine slices - slow cooked with olive oil and chili sauce until they caramalised. Yum. I already had some left over roast veges. 

The fish went in the same pan as the aubergine, which still had some of the chili olive oil residue. Fish gently pan-fried. And then an impromptu sauce quickly made in the same pan after the fish fillets came out. I crushed up some coriander stalks and sizzled them in the chili oil. Added a dollop or two of sherry to deglaze and liquify, and then added a few dollops of vanilla-coconut yoghurt, swirled it all around, and then poured it over the fish. Squeezed lemon on top and a sprinkling of coriander leaves. One of the nicest white sauces I've ever eaten - and three minutes before making it I had no idea that I would even be making a sauce, letalone one made of those ingredients! It was very much a spur-of-the-moment thing - and it worked a treat. 

The fish was so fresh it melted in my mouth, and the coconut from the yoghurt shone through, with that hint of chili and coriander. Must remember that little concoction!!

Trump - say no more!

SHARE-NOTE OF THE DAY:
Moon and Mars ...

It's a few days since the Full Moon - but it is still spectacular in the night sky.

Moon poking through the clouds.
The white spot towards the top is Mars - clear and strong in the sky
(but hard to photograph!)