A Little Of This And That

I started a doodle painting recently for an online class I’m taking with Jennifer Mercedes. It is on 24″ x 24″ gessoboard.

It does have a bird in it, although not terribly weird! Can you find it?

I’m not sure about these colors… what do you think? I’m painting with acrylics.

I will add some other colors this week and show you my progress next week.

I wanted to show you a little of this and that I have been doing this last week.

A turtle jigsaw puzzle I recently completed:

It was a challenging puzzle but fun!

And a view of the lake in the winter:

Happy Wednesday!

Cheers! 😃

Pretty In Pink

I enjoy going to different garden stores and seeing what unusual flowers they have for sale like this pretty in pink peony:

Last week, I splurged and took home a little something for me! 😉

I adored this pretty in pink petunias and verbena hanging flower basket:

It adds a lovely pink color to my backyard perennials, don’t you think?

I love all color… Lately, I am in love with all flowers in pink!

What color of flower attracts you in a garden?  I hope you share it with me!

Cheers! 🙂

Cat Napping

I’m amazed how relaxed my cat can be…

When sleeping on the couch like this, you see:

I wonder how he can be so unaware,

Yet seems content when I take his photo there.

I thought this was a funny pose for my cat so I had to share it with you.  If we could all sleep so soundly and comfortably.  Lol!

Cheers! :-0

Sense It

The lake once calm and smooth like glass,

Feels the wind upon its surface,

It hears the rumbling of the clouds,

And its waves turn into white caps…

It tastes the raindrops from above,

And smells a fresh clean scent…

Then it sees the sun peak through the clouds,

And knows that it can rest.

I wrote this poem about the lake when I was 13-years-old.  Sometimes the lake seems sense it before the weather changes.

Cheers! 🙂

Summer Clouds Reflect

Summer clouds reflect,

Another season ending…

Autumn’s chill arrives.

My hubby and I went kayaking Saturday before the big chill arrived at the lake.  The early morning rain shower on Sunday brought a new layer of cool autumn air.

We close up at the lake soon.  I always feel a little sad to see another summer season end…

We feel blessed to have so many wonderful memories and seasons with our friends at the lake!

Cheers to good memories! 🙂

P.S. What memories do you cherish with friends?  I hope you share them with me! ❤️

Autumn’s Display

Fall was in the air this last weekend at the lake!

I always like when the wild rose hips turn a blushing reddish-orange:

I did a pencil sketch of them in my journal:

I enjoyed taking these photos of Autumn’s Display to share with you:

 

I hope they brighten your Monday!

Cheers! 🙂

 

Chasing The Sun

My hubby and I spent many hours chasing the sun this last weekend at the lake in our boat:

A feeling of Fall was definitely in the air…

The lake water temperature had dropped about 6-8 degrees to about chilly 62 degrees… in only two weeks, making jumping in the water, a very brisk dip:

We spent a lot of time changing clothes… between the warm sun, coolness of the clouds and the occasional breeze:

Seems like Fall wasn’t the only “change” going on! Lol! 😉

Wishing you a sunny day!

Cheers! 🙂

Wildfire Season

Smoldering sun glows, we cannot breathe…

Thick gray smoke, blankets the sky.

No rain forecasted, we cannot see…

Wild fires blaze, trees and homes burn.

Devastation seen, we cannot touch…

Sparks ignite, wildfire season.

The air quality has been at a hazardous level where I live in the Pacific Northwest.  I took these photos yesterday at the lake in Northern Idaho.

We seem to be surrounded by the thick smoke everywhere… lake and home.  Looks like I will be spending much of my time indoors this week. 😉

I’m so thankful for the firefighters who continue to fight for your forests and homes… yet we badly need rain.

Hope you stay safe…

Cheers! 🙂

Oregano And Chives…

Bet you thought I was going to say, Oregano and Thyme! 😉

I used to have “Thyme” but the Oregano kind of took over… haha 🙂

Oregano and Chives are “perennial herbs” meaning they come back each year.  (Thyme is too but more temperamental where I live).

I decided to try painting them in watercolor on Arches 300 lb cold-press watercolor paper.  I went with the wet-on-wet technique at first:

Painting from my memory, I realized afterwards that I didn’t have the colors quite right!

So I added more watercolor paint… and less water.

More paint made it worse, so I let it rest for a day.

Since I didn’t really like it, I added Posca paint pens:

It still needs more pink but decided to call it a day.

I learned that painting from memory is not as accurate as painting from the real life or a photo.

Do you like to grow Oregano and Chives?  I would love to hear how you cook with them!

Cheers!  🙂

Small Treasures

If you were to draw, paint or photograph ten items that YOU treasure around your home, what would they be?

For the second assignment for Lynn Whipple’s online class, The Essence of Still Life, we were to draw ten items on our table:

I had fun selecting different items – some treasures and some I just like to draw, like the pear… to complete this still life on a 10 x 10 inch wood panel.

Please check out Arlene’s blog.   She is also taking Lynn’s class.  Arlene’s art style is fabulous!   I like what she chose to draw for her still life.

I’d love to hear about what items you treasure…

Cheers! 🙂