April Mini Watercolor

Checkered Fritillaria

This cool flower blooms each spring at the Eccles Art Center.  It is a Checkered Fritillaria.  I would like to get some of these bulbs for my home garden.  I was able to learn more about this flower at: https://www.gardeningchannel.com/how-to-grow-checkered-lily-fritillaria-meleagris/

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.