Patchwork Snow

The abundant snow in our front yard is a patchwork quilted together by dog trails.

Snow

Yesterday morning, we woke to snow on our lawn.  It was a fine, wet snow that stayed much of the morning.
Later, the clouds moved on and the sun shined.  The snow retreated to the shadows.

Crabapples

 The Crabapples are numerous this fall. I expect that we will be visited by Cedar Waxwing and other birds that will harvest the colorful crabapples. 

 

An Apple

This tree put all its efforts into creating one apple. 

Rainy Morning Moment

While driving to work this morning in the rain, the clouds broke over the mountain.  Sunlight streamed through, I was in a pool of light.  Just ahead of me a rainbow, of bright color arched into a grove of golden cottonwoods.  This morning I did see gold at the end of the rainbow.

Monarchs

At work we participated in the creation of a temporary art installment based on the migration of the monarch butterfly.

Weekend Walk & Watercolor

 Mollie and I visited Pineview Reservoir on Saturday afternoon.  We were looking for Fall color, and were surprised with how low the water was in the reservoir.  Usually the foreground of this second picture is covered in water.

  Later after returning home I tried to paint a small watercolor of the scene.

Historical Photograph

Ogden Canyon in 1924. Only partially paved.
-J. Willard Marriott digital library

Latest Woven Project

  The beginning of the project.

And then the finished piece.

Water

Yesterday,  we finally had a little rain.  It was heavy at times and came down off and on for a three hour period.  This morning the Smokey the Bear sign says that fire danger is very high.  This sign since mid-July has been telling us that the fire danger is extreme.

Last night, we had a hail storm.  Pea size hail.

This morning, I was excited to see fog hanging in the mountain valleys.

The rain water refreshed the colors.  Autumn tints are already showing on the mountains.  Last night, autumn color was added to our walk with leaves that the hail had helped to fall.  Looking up I notice that the acorns are starting to ripen to brown.

Patio Post Mini Watercolor

A Mini Book for Hazel

What to Paint?

Sunset red smoke skies
The scent of honeysuckle
Flash . . . hummingbird wings.

Roadside Sunflowers

Friday, I saw this year's first roadside sunflowers in bloom.  My sister felt that these were the first herald for back to school.

Another Plein Air Watercolor

Last night I sat outside, trying to capture the gray cliffs above my home.  I think that I went too dark, but by the time I was finished it was getting dark.

May be I should just crop it?

Watercolor

Painted at the cabin on Sunday

A Foreground was needed.

Summer Rain

An evening summer rain. Large, quick drops, splash through leaves and drum on the roof. The scent of heat and earth.  A rain dance.  As a child I loved to dance in a warm summer rain, as I got older I shared this joy with my niece.
The growl of thunder.

Mini Fiber Art Designs

 After obtaining inspiration from an article in the magazine "Daphe's Diary"; I created the following small woven fiber designs.  My friend Kathy had given me these small canvases last summer.  The are an inch and a half square.  I designed the sunflower first, then the poppy.  As the poppy need something more, I added a sink art lady bug.

Memories from a Creative Writing Class

While cleaning, I came across a tattered pink pocket folder filled with assignments written by my teenage self.  The assigments are from a high school Creative Writing class with Mrs. Phyllis Gillin (a tough but fair instructor).
The assignment is a story, "Jenny's Whistle".  The story of a young four year old spending the day with her grandfather in her grandmother's garden.  The grandfather whittles the young child a willow whistle.  I recall my teenage self asking my grandfather to take me through the steps for making a willow whistle.
My story reminds me of the taste of the whistle.   " The wood felt smooth in her hand....   Grandpa tapped the willow whistle surface with the handle of his pocket knife... Grandpa  slipped the bark handing the round inch long bark to the child/ teenager.   ...the underlieing wood was a blondish green.  Grandpa cut a V-shaped chip.   Then took the bark ring back from the child/ teenager and slipped it back on over the wood whistle.   She put the smooth whistle in her mouth, it had a spicy, green taste that matched its spicy green scent."
In the margin Mrs. Gillins has written the note "great".  My adult self is pleased with this notation as I am sure my teenage self was.
At the end,  Mrs.  Gillins writes "This is the best writing you've done. Your grandparents are a rich source for your essay, too."  I don't recall if I used my grandparent as a source for my essay, but they were a strong influence on my childhood.  They were my and my bother' s and sister's caregivers while we were growing up.
In the story the child " kisses his clean shaven face, that smelled of his signature aftershave."   My teenage self describes "Grandpa was sitting on the front steps dressed in his gray work clothes.  His funny, old gray hat covers his shiny white hair, and his worn wooden cane lays close by his right hand.  In all her four years of life, Jenny had never seen him walk without it."
Later "Grandpa slowly gets off the steps and offers his hand to Jenny.  She puts her hand into his large gnarled one, which completely covers her small one.  She slows her pace to his."
My present self through these written descriptions is reminded of his love, making a me a little sad, but joyful that I was loved by him.

Watercolor Leaf Buds

The leaf buds are getting ready to burst open.  Inspiration for a small watercolor painting. 

Thinking of Spring Flowers, Watercolor

Grape Hyacinth stems and Violets

Foot prints in the Snow

 

Puddle of Winter Sunlight

I walked into my bedroom to see a puddle of winter sunlight, and I jumped in.  My bedside table held a book which I opened to read.  I snuggled under a sun warmed blanket.  All that was missing was my warm ball of fluff, Mollie.  She as is her usual way was out patrolling the yard, barking at a fisherman.

Watercolor Snowdrops

 

Here it is February, and we are having temperatures in the 50s.  Very odd for this time of year.  The snowdrops are up and blooming.  So yes, I painted a few and worked on interesting backgrounds.
Later, I turned these miniature painting ino embellishments for the front of cards.
I thought they would be fun for the month of letters project, I  thought I would participate in this month.

Watercolor Still Life in miniature

  I painted a miniature still life of the salt hen created by an artist friend.   I like how the background worked on this piece.

Working on Backgrounds

  I have been working on making more interesting backgrounds for my paintings

Minature Herbalist Still Life

Just a small painting and close-up of same.