CEDAR PLUG

Leap Year.  Such a difficult time to remember one's birthday.  Is it Feb. 28th or Mar 1st?  Well, I never know so I just forget about it until I remember that I forgot about it and then I panic. Panic might not be the best word, I get "anxious" to send a card and a present.  This year, I waited a couple of months to send the present, but I had a good excuse.  I wanted to do a watercolor portrait of Chris' dog, Cedar. The dog died a couple of years ago and Chris was heartbroken.  It's difficult to lose someone you love, the pain lingers.  I had a photograph of Cedar snuggled up to one of his toys, a large pink polka dot fish.  I loved the colors of the fish and the dog and the towel Cedar was laying on.  Chris lives in Florida and the colors are very much Florida.  I waited to post this until I knew that Chris had received the painting.  He has, so.....This is Cedar. Don't you love his big brown eyes?  Happy belated Birthday, Chris.

Happy Mother's Day

Today was a very wonderful Mother's Day.  I woke early.  The sun shone, briefly.  My youngest son got up and fixed us breakfast. What miracles!  I talked to all my kids on the phone, spent the day painting with my brother, (more on that later), and produced this little painting I call "Room for One".  Beau came by to plant some raspberries and play with the dog. My son, Jordan, cooked dinner for me, my daughter, grandson, sister and brother. We watched a funny movie and now it's time for bed. It was a beautiful day.

We found this little bird's nest outside one day.  Jordan brought it in, I believe.  The kids all know how much I love to paint nests.  I appreciate the intricacies of them and the many colors and threads of grasses and leaves and moss.  This one even has some insulation stolen from a house, I guess.  I had a dyed egg left over from Easter and plopped it into the nest just to give it some shape and definition.  I liked how it looked even if it was a bit (a lot) too big.  I imagined a small bird laying this large egg and giggled, then I thought of a large bird using a teeny tiny nest to lay her egg and that made me laugh, too. 

And so I wish all the mother's out there, no matter how large or small, no matter what your abode, no matter the number or age of your children,  HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! from one mother to another. God bless our kids.

Nanny

May 1st and perhaps spring has come to the northwest!  I woke to a beautiful sunny morning.  The birds are chirping and my grass is growing. I notice, however, that my windows are dirty, the deck needs to be cleaned and the lawn mowed. Should I wish once again for the rain and gloom of winter? Not a chance!  I will gladly take on all of the outside chores just for the opportunity to stand in the sun.

The fruit trees have taken on a grace and splendor that only comes during this season. The pinks and whites and new greens are so lovely and the smell so fragrant. Nature is amazing how it entices the bees and birds to pollenate the flowers. As the blossoms reach maturity and the wind blows, they drop their petals and it looks like it has snowed.  A beautiful pink snow. It coats our cars and the streets.

One beautiful spring I painted this little elf I named Nanny.  We had a lovely apple tree in our backyard, full of the promise of sweet fruit. I imagined a little lady elf taking care of the eggs and young birds while the parents were searching for food or just out flying around and having fun.  Parents need a break, too.  She sits so calmly in the nest knitting and warming the eggs.  The flowers embrace her. She is nurtured and nurturing.  This picture speaks to me of promise.

This pictures is the script page. It is about a month later. The blossoms are gone, the eggs are hatched and the daddy bird is overseeing the babies. I think that mommy is out searching for worms.  All is good in my little apple tree.