Thursday, June 30, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
FIGS & PEARS
FIGS & PEARS
My grandfather had Fig orchards in the Central Valley of California...(.San Joaquin.)
I worked in a Pear shed sorting them during my teenage years to earn college money, in Lake County, Ca.
Thought I would paint them together...in Watercolor & Ink...:)
This did not turn out as well as I was hoping, but I would have mud if I played around much more...:)
Monday, June 27, 2011
SUNRISE & UFO'S
SUNRISE & UFO'S
I don't know what the 2 spots in the sky are??
But I think we might have a warm day...:) :)
Sunday, June 26, 2011
THE RUNT
THE RUNT
A bit of Whimsey....When I was a girl we had a large Jersey dairy and also raised purebred Hampshire hogs, Suffolk Sheep and Hampshire sheep.
When the hogs farrowed(gave birth), there was often a 'runt' in the litter, and sometimes I was given the job of bottle feeding it.
I was trying to remember what a newborn 'runt' usually looked like here.
Here is more about our hogs.
www.flickr.com/photos/27259847@N00/2275017450/in/set-7215...
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Friday, June 24, 2011
CAPPERI...CAPERS
CAPPERI...CAPERS
This is a rather whimsical version of Capperi...or Capers. They are produced on a lovely vine.
The actual flower petals are whiter than this shows.
I like Capers in certain foods...a lot!
This was done with Ink, and Watercolor Pencil.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
RAISED BED GARDEN
In the last 3-4 days we have had times of off and on pouring rain, Tornado watches, and warnings, tremendous thunder and lightening, and on one occasion the weatherman on TV said there were 3 thousand lightening strikes in less than 5 minutes !!! I knew there had been a lot but didn't realize there had been so many. At one point it rained so hard I could not see the trees across the driveway and it was 90 degrees with 90+ humidity!
During a break in the rain today I went to check the garden and it was mostly Ok....:) :) The 3 garden photos have not been cropped or edited in any way.
I wish we could share some of this rain with those of you who are so parched and dry.
DILL UP CLOSE
In the last 3-4 days we have had times of off and on pouring rain, Tornado watches, and warnings, tremendous thunder and lightening, and on one occasion the weatherman on TV said there were 3 thousand lightening strikes in less than 5 minutes !!! I knew there had been a lot but didn't realize there had been so many. At one point it rained so hard I could not see the trees across the driveway and it was 90 degrees with 90+ humidity!
During a break in the rain today I went to check the garden and it was mostly Ok....:) :) The 3 garden photos have not been cropped or edited in any way.
I wish we could share some of this rain with those of you who are so parched and dry.
DROOPING DILL...RAIN DRENCHED
In the last 3-4 days we have had times of off and on pouring rain, Tornado watches, and warnings, tremendous thunder and lightening, and on one occasion the weatherman on TV said there were 3 thousand lightening strikes in less than 5 minutes !!! I knew there had been a lot but didn't realize there had been so many. At one point it rained so hard I could not see the trees across the driveway and it was 90 degrees with 90+ humidity!
During a break in the rain today I went to check the garden and it was mostly Ok....:) :) The 3 garden photos have not been cropped or edited in any way.
I wish we could share some of this rain with those of you who are so parched and dry.
DAISY REMAKE
DAISY REMAKE
This one is going to my Mom for her 93rd Birthday this month!!!
It is a remake of a card I painted long ago.
Watercolor & Ink
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
SUMMER WHIMSEY
SUMMER WHIMSEY
SOMETIMES WE SHOULD ALL GIVE IN TO WHIMSEY!...:)
I painted this with Watercolor, Ink, and Acrylic. Yes, I used a lot of Opera and Vermilion!...:)
Monday, June 20, 2011
DEAR OLD LONELY PINE
DEAR OLD LONELY PINE
Sometimes I have to just sit down and scribble out a tree.....I love them so much!!!
This is Watercolor & Ink.
PANSY DELIGHT
PANSY DELIGHT
WATERCOLOR & INK
When I was a young girl, I would lay on the lawn and look into the faces of the Pansies in the flower bed. I had names for them and we held imaginary conversations.....I was quite a day dreamer then, and still now. I ''dreamed'' this Pansy before I painted it.
I'm glad I have never lost my sense of the wonder and joy of life....and I must give my love for Nature credit for this.
On this day after Father's day, I must give my Dad credit for instilling this in me. I think he began to show me the ''wonder'' before I could walk. I am always grateful for this.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
COLEUS IN MORNING LIGHT(UNEDITED)
MY COLEUS IN MORNING LIGHT(UNEDITED)
This is my Coleus, a Solenostemon hybrid called ''Henna'' taken in the morning light
When I was a girl, I loved to go to Grandmas house. She had a wrap around screened back porch with a ledge/shelf all around it that she kept plants on. She had all sorts of plants, and one of the colorful ones was her Coleus. Back then there seemed to be about 3-4 different colored and patterned Coleus.
These days many new ones have been developed and I have seen some pretty spectacular ones.
MY COLEUS IN MORNING LIGHT(UNEDITED)
MY COLEUS IN MORNING LIGHT(UNEDITED)
This is my Coleus, a Solenostemon hybrid called ''Henna'' taken in the morning light
When I was a girl, I loved to go to Grandmas house. She had a wrap around screened back porch with a ledge/shelf all around it that she kept plants on. She had all sorts of plants, and one of the colorful ones was her Coleus. Back then there seemed to be about 3-4 different colored and patterned Coleus.
These days many new ones have been developed and I have seen some pretty spectacular ones.
Friday, June 17, 2011
POPPY JOY
POPPY JOY
I am always inspired by Anne Blockley's work. Her newest book comes out in the US in August, but just looking at the cover on Amazon, turned me on!!
This is Watercolor, Ink, and Acrylic.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
MYSTICAL BIRCH WOODS
photo
MYSTICAL BIRCH WOODS
WATERCOLOR & INK
ALL GREENS WERE MIXED FROM YELLOWS AND BLUES ON THE PAPER.
While I was painting this I was thinking of a song I loved as a child...and still do...:)
By Jimmy Kennedy
THE TEDDY BEAR'S PICNIC
If you go down to the woods today
You're sure of a big surprise.
If you go down to the woods today
You'd better go in disguise.
For ev'ry bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain, because
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic.
Ev'ry teddy bear who's been good
Is sure of a treat today.
There's lots of marvelous things to eat
And wonderful games to play.
Beneath the trees where nobody sees
They'll hide and seek as long as they please
Cause that's the way the teddy bears have their picnic.
If you go down to the woods today
You'd better not go alone.
It's lovely down in the woods today
But safer to stay at home.
For ev'ry bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain, because
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic.
Picnic time for teddy bears
The little teddy bears are having a lovely time today
Watch them, catch them unawares
And see them picnic on their holiday.
See them gaily gad about
They love to play and shout;
They never have any care;
At six o'clock their mummies and daddies,
Will take them home to bed,
Because they're tired little teddy bears.
Monday, June 13, 2011
SUNFLOWER CARD
SUNFLOWER CARD
Another neighbor has a Birthday and I was thinking of Sunflowers.
This is Watercolor & Ink
Saturday, June 11, 2011
DAISIES IN THE FIELD
DAISIES IN THE FIELD
This is my field out back behind the Garden.
It was still too wet from yesterday's rain to get a close up.
I have been worried that they will mow it before I get to explore the wild flowers at close hand...but hopefully they will wait until I get a good look!!
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
POPPY CARD
POPPY CARD
This is a Birthday card for another neighbor.
Watercolor & Ink
I put a frame on it here because I like the way it looks...:)
MY OLD MARTIN GUITAR & MOM'S QUILT
MY OLD MARTIN GUITAR AND MOM'S QUILT
This is a repost, because I wanted to add that this quilt was begun for me when I was a little girl by my great grandmother who passed away before she finished it. My mom finished it for me in the 1980's.
My mom is 93 this month...:)
photo
MY OLD MARTIN....A 1947 ..0-17 MODEL
THE STORY OF MY OLD ''MARTIN''....
When I barely became a teenager in a highly musical family, we were always singing...around the piano, in the car, in church, performing on stages ....on the farm...everywhere....mostly my dad and I...Mom played the piano and sang a good alto though...my brothers didn't sing with the family...unless forced...:)..which usually didn't happen.
I loved guitar music and wanted one...so I signed up with a company to sell ''seeds''...flower and vegetable...in packets to anyone I could find to buy them, because one of the prizes, if I sold enough was a guitar.
I finally sold enough and practically held my breath waiting for the guitar...which finally arrived...and it was painted a very ugly GREEN...sort of a yellow/green/grey combo....Actually quite a shock...and it was made of some sort of pressed wood/cardboard combo! The plastic strings would not hold a tune for more than 3-4 minutes....and it was heartbreaking!
However...I did learn to play a few chords on it....but not too great..needless to say.
One day, my dad came home from the weekly livestock auction he attended...(buying and/or selling)...with a guitar!
He said, " Anyone who can play a tune on that green piece of junk, deserves a real one!"...and there was my beautiful Martin...a used one...but a real one...:) Dad said a ''down and out cowboy singer'' was at the auction and needed money, and wanted to sell it...so dad helped him out(as he often did for many people).
I still have this guitar....which was well used in the early 50's when I got it....the frets are worn down, and the ''Ivory'' on the tuning keys has deteriorated....but it still has the marvelous Martin tone...I have loved it for over 50 years.
Regarding my dad....he passed away at the age of 56 ....lung cancer...he never smoked in his life....but he did spray a lot of ditches to kill weeds for irrigation purposes on the farm with 24 D and 245 T and Malathion and DDT were also used on the farm.....before they banned it.....and breathed a lot of dust from grinding his own grain etc for all the livestock....we had a lot of them.
MY OLD MARTIN GUITAR AND MOM'S QUILT
MY OLD MARTIN GUITAR AND MOM'S QUILT
This is a repost, because I wanted to add that this quilt was begun for me when I was a little girl by my great grandmother who passed away before she finished it. My mom finished it for me in the 1980's.
My mom is 93 this month...:)
photo
MY OLD MARTIN....A 1947 ..0-17 MODEL
THE STORY OF MY OLD ''MARTIN''....
When I barely became a teenager in a highly musical family, we were always singing...around the piano, in the car, in church, performing on stages ....on the farm...everywhere....mostly my dad and I...Mom played the piano and sang a good alto though...my brothers didn't sing with the family...unless forced...:)..which usually didn't happen.
I loved guitar music and wanted one...so I signed up with a company to sell ''seeds''...flower and vegetable...in packets to anyone I could find to buy them, because one of the prizes, if I sold enough was a guitar.
I finally sold enough and practically held my breath waiting for the guitar...which finally arrived...and it was painted a very ugly GREEN...sort of a yellow/green/grey combo....Actually quite a shock...and it was made of some sort of pressed wood/cardboard combo! The plastic strings would not hold a tune for more than 3-4 minutes....and it was heartbreaking!
However...I did learn to play a few chords on it....but not too great..needless to say.
One day, my dad came home from the weekly livestock auction he attended...(buying and/or selling)...with a guitar!
He said, " Anyone who can play a tune on that green piece of junk, deserves a real one!"...and there was my beautiful Martin...a used one...but a real one...:) Dad said a ''down and out cowboy singer'' was at the auction and needed money, and wanted to sell it...so dad helped him out(as he often did for many people).
I still have this guitar....which was well used in the early 50's when I got it....the frets are worn down, and the ''Ivory'' on the tuning keys has deteriorated....but it still has the marvelous Martin tone...I have loved it for over 50 years.
Regarding my dad....he passed away at the age of 56 ....lung cancer...he never smoked in his life....but he did spray a lot of ditches to kill weeds for irrigation purposes on the farm with 24 D and 245 T and Malathion and DDT were also used on the farm.....before they banned it.....and breathed a lot of dust from grinding his own grain etc for all the livestock....we had a lot of them.
Monday, June 06, 2011
Saturday, June 04, 2011
WHITE PEONY WITH A TOUCH OF PINK
This is on the same plant as the one I posted with a lot of pink in the middle last week. Each flower is slightly different.
Friday, June 03, 2011
LILACS NEAR THE PATIO
LILACS NEAR THE PATIO
Sitting on the patio is heavenly with the fragrance of these in the breeze....:)
BIRD FEEDERS AT PATIO GARDEN
BIRD FEEDERS AT PATIO GARDEN
Taken a few minutes ago...early evening...I love to sit out on the patio, especially when the birds are around! I love being out in the garden and on the patio where the bird feeders are.
The birds are loving it too...all kinds of them...Hummers, Goldfinch, Red Cardinals, Chickadees, and numerous others.
Tonight the fragrance of the lilacs was heavenly!
YESTERDAY WE HAD HIGH WIND THAT KNOCKED OVER THE TALLER IRIS!...:(
A LITTLE QUICKIE SKETCH
A LITTLE QUICKIE SKETCH
I could not get into painting today, but managed a little quickie sketch.
I love being out in the garden and on the patio where the bird feeders are.
The birds are loving it too...all kinds of them...Hummers, Goldfinch, Red Cardinals, Chickadees, and numerous others.
WHITE PEONY
WHITE PEONY
The white peony opened this afternoon!...:) The fragrance of Peonies is heavenly!!
The weather was gorgeous today!
GARDEN ASPARAGUS
GARDEN ASPARAGUS
A neighbor gave me a lot of these, fresh picked from the garden!! YUM!!!!
FOUND DAISIES...SEMI ABSTRACT
FOUND DAISIES...SEMI ABSTRACT
More fun!
Plastic wrap and Watercolor first, and then I found the flowers...with Watercolor and Ink.
Flowers are sunshine, food and medicine to the soul.
~ Luther Burbank
Wednesday, June 01, 2011
AN APPLE AND A HALF
A little Ink and Watercolor sketch.
I still am mixing all of my own greens.
I find them more pleasing to my eye and there is such a variety of greens that can be mixed.
SPRING RAIN
Last night we had severe storm warnings...and it missed us entirely!!!!
It is cooling a bit...maybe in the 70's all week...I hope!
