Monday, January 19, 2015

#197 Jack and Ander's Way


It's like spring here in Portland today. Makes me want to jump in our boat and head out for a sail. This is Perry Creek on one of those rare occasions when there were very few boats anchored. We took a ride up the creek and on the way saw this dinghy ashore.

Jack, the name of the dinghy, also happens to be the name of one of my grandsons. He and his brother Anders are celebrating their birthdays this week. To give equal play, I will name the walking path, marked by the buoy, Anders Way because I know Anders will likely want to lead the way when we all take a walk down this path, this summer, on an overnight to this very spot.

Jack and Ander's Way • 8" X 8" acrylic framed to 12" X 12" • $200

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

#196 Extreme Cold



I don't find much use for cold like this other than the spectacular color of the sky on a clear day. But surprisingly, there are a few theories out there about the benefits.

Extreme cold will off disease-mongering insects and microorganisms. Though, let's face it, those suckers will evolve in to it - probably way faster than we've managed to.

Cold weather may also help us slim down by stimulating metabolically active brown fat. Brown fat is the heat-producing, calorie-burning fat that babies need to regulate their body temperatures. Most of it disappears with age, but PET scans have shown that adults retain some brown fat.  So if you want to loose a few, go out and shiver for half an hour. Of course you might catch a cold, but that will shed a few more pounds.
 
"Whole-body cryotherapy" was developed in Japan to treat pain and inflammation from rheumatic and other conditions. Patients spend one to three minutes in a room cooled to -166. Finnish researchers reported the results of a study of 10 women who for three months took cold-water plunges (20 seconds in water just above freezing) and submitted to whole-body cryotherapy sessions. Blood tests were unremarkable except for a two- to threefold jump in norepinephrine levels minutes after cold exposure. Norepinephrine is a chemical in the nervous system that wears many hats, including, possibly, a role in pain suppression.

This was kind of interesting too. Taller people tend to get cold faster than shorter people because a larger surface area means more heat loss. And fat's reputation as an insulating material is well deserved, although for warmth during the winter, you want it to be the subcutaneous fat layered under the skin, not the visceral fat that collects in the abdomen.

Extreme Cold • 10" X 10" acrylic framed to 18" X 18" • $500









Wednesday, January 7, 2015

SOLD - Thrashing Around


I haven't skied for a long time. I haven't painted for a long time. Figured I'd combine the two and do what I do when I haven't done either one in a long time. Bite the bullet and thrash around until I can imagine it again.

Thrashing Around • 8" X 8" acrylic framed to 12" X 12" • $200