Harvesting a Rainbow (May)

 

Colorful Row of Irises

When do you know you have too many irises? Never!

I just adore a flower that doesn't ask me to do anything for it.  They just come back prettier and thicker every year.

I just Original Palette Knife Oil Painting on 6"x 12" Wrapped Canvas

[SOLD]

The Road Home

Poor Mr. Frost... He had to choose.

Lucky me... I'll take both!

If you find yourself in this exact spot, you're almost here!  If I know you're coming, I'll be on the porch waiting for you! When you get to the fork in the road, turn right.  It's hidden by the trees, but my house will be right there.

As it turns out, however, this painting isn't about turning right. 

Come for a stroll with me down the other way. We'll pass the garden... laugh at the chickens... walk around the pond where we'll avoid (or crunch) pinecones... count the deer in the meadow and watch them scatter... snap a photo of the favorite dogwood (no matter what season)... turn onto the next country road and continue ambling along until reaching the bend in the road where we'll turn back. It takes about 500 steps there and 500 back.

Original Oil Painting on 10"x 20" Wrapped Canvas.

[SOLD]

Back for an Encore Art Showing!

We are thrilled to tell you that our

art is back on the walls of Red Kite

for a second showing!

Stop by during 

May & June!

to enjoy your favorite coffee

and the all the paintings on the walls!

Red Kite Coffee Company

1852 Crossover Road

I Like Thursday 5/24

   Thank you to Leeanne of Not Afraid of Color for reminding me to notice things I like. 

I like that my hens (and Pete) get to roam freely around the yard and woods all day.

I like bulb plants that come back every year.

I like this scraggly little dogwood that shows off in every season.

I like a warm spring day in April when it's time to wake
up this little patch of ground from its winter nap.

I like the promise of summer garden harvests in this rich soil.

I like seeing my little cucumber and okra plants ready to go in the ground.

I like working on my back porch. I have pleasant office mates.

I think they like hanging out with me too.
(That's Eleanor in the wood chip tub.)

I like that my wildlife come close...
unless it to eat something I don't want to share with them.
(Look behind the little pepper plant. Do you see her?)

I like my tiny Bantum hen, Fancy-like. 
She's wanted to be a mama, so I'm letting her have a few eggs to hatch.
(Stay tuned! We'll see who joins the family in a couple of weeks!)

LeeAnne's  get-to-know-you writing topics this month:

What does your name mean? are you named for someone? Do you like your name? Have you ever changed your name as you got older. Would you like a different name?

Helen – I hated my name.  I never knew anyone my age with that old-lady name, and it started with “hel” for goodness sakes!  As an adult, I learned that Helen meant shining light, bright one, one who gives light. Also the most famous Helen was Helen of Troy who was supposedly the most beautiful woman who ever lived. So, I’m good with Helen now.

Margaret – I didn’t much like my middle name either.  When I was little, I could not figure out how to spell it.  I pronounced it /Margret/ but there was an extra “ar” in there somewhere. Now my oldest granddaughter shares my middle name. It means Pearl.  I love that.

 

How do you celebrate your birthday? Did you grow up with parties? Home made cake or store bought? Theme parties? Did you share a birthday with someone special to you? Do you give yourself a gift each year? Do you reevaluate the year somehow?

I don’t have a specific birthday tradition.  A present or a cake or family dinner or maybe a trip.  I share my birthday with a brother. Since we live in the same area now, we make it a tradition to go out to eat with our families on our birthday. A few weeks ago, I turned 60! Ron & I took a lovely trip to Cleveland, ha ha ha, yes, Cleveland! We had the best bed and breakfast ever. We enjoyed the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the Cleveland Museum of Art, and some great restaurants. I'm embracing 60!

What lessons from your childhood have most impacted your worldview? 

Hmmm… I’m going to go with “Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without!” That little quote sums up two important priorities to me. The first is living within our means, and the second is being a good citizen of the earth’s resources.

Do you have a morning routine?

Yes! It depends a little on which day of the week, but everyday starts with the day's checklist.  Perhaps is all those years of being a teacher and living by lesson plans, but I'm still a huge live-by-the-almighty-checklist girl every day.