The following paintings are inspired partly by a Japanese tale, Hanasakajijii, also known as “Grandfather Cherry Blossom,” and/or “The Old Man Who Made Trees (Flowers) Bloom.” I heard about him through a CD called Floating World by a band called Anathallo. Anyway, I thought it would be interesting to see what might happen if Hanasakajijii had a dog. The first two breeds that popped into my mind were an Akita or a Japanese Chin. I once knew a Japanese Chin named Sushi, and an Akita named Kushi.

This is not finished yet, but here’s a sneak preview. For the complete image, see below.

This is not finished yet, but here’s a sneak preview. For the complete image, see below.

What a fun day at the Co Op! The fifth of each month is Customer Appreciation Day, and today I created a new sandwich and had samples available. It was turkey and cheese on our own sourdough bread with ginger spread, dried cherries and romaine lettuce. I think everyone who tried it liked it.