Night Iris

I spent the whole day working on the garden, getting the trellis work half done before dark.  Planting a few more herbs and all of the squash, I came in exhausted and hungry! There's no time for eating when there's work to be done!  After a shower and a meal, I am able to get a tiny painting in, this iris blooming just off the front porch.  And tomorrow, I'll do it all again.  Painting number 2671 in 2671 days.

Milk Barn and Wild Mustard

Oh how I love the saturated color after a rain!  This pasture is growing so tall - and STILL the wild mustard is glorious!!  I only have a couple of stands on the property, and I am taking full advantage with my paints!  Today was very windy with gusts to 45 mph, so I found a rather sheltered place from which to paint.  After blocking in the masses, I grab my palette knife for that finish work.  It is super fun to lay down that thick paint - and I might have gotten a little carried away here!  The strong winds, fresh smells rising from the wet land, and the experience of standing here with paint in hand - all pours forth into my painting.  Who am I to reign that in?  Painting number 2670 in 2670 days.

Tulip Tree

Early this month, my tulip tree was in full bloom. After two heavy frosts and a hard freeze, I thought this season's blooms were over.  The blackened blooms fell off, and so many buds were still emerging from this tree!  It is now heavier laden than it was before, with no end in sight!  I hope to sketch these blooms often, to gain a complete understanding of their cup shaped blooms while I still can.  Like every other blooming tree, once they are finished it is another year before they return.  Painting number 2669 in 2669 days.

Earl of Essex Iris

Another full day outside of working in the gardens - with a wonderful break where Tiffany and her boys came out for an outdoors visit - social distance style!  It was great to see them, and the weather was perfect!  We walked back to the woods, down to the pond, and back to the house.  Little Augustus couldn't quite walk all the way, so momma carried him half way up the lane.  Nice to relax and enjoy the day - then right back to work until dark!  Love these beautiful days!  It is so hard to come inside when it is so gorgeous out still!  Painting number 2668 in 2668 days.

Artist Tulips

Another full day spent in the gardens - weeding, planting and mulching.  These gorgeous Artist tulips are almost full blown now, so I'm painting them before those petals drop.  They sure have put on a show this spring - I will definitely get more of these!  Painting number 2667 in 2667 days.

Swizzle Zinnias

Sometimes, I can't find a moment to paint until day's end!  I was so busy in the gardens today, that it seems I never came up for air.  The golden hour was majestic, and still I worked.  The sunset was glorious, but I was still picking up tools.  So, here I return to my potting table, where tomorrow's work awaits, and do a quick ink and watercolor as I lose all light in the sky!  Love this fancy zinnia, by the way!  I have never seen this variety before, so I HAD to have them!  Swizzle Cherry and Ivory Zinnia - what a name and that bicolor is awesome!  Painting number 2666 in 2666 days.

Violet and White Pansies

I found some amazing new pansies at the Country Mart today in Peculiar!  I love this little grocery store in that small town!  I feel safer shopping there during the covid lockdown because it is never as crowded as the Belton markets.  Additionally, they have a wonderful display out front with garden plants and flowers, just like in days gone by.  The plants are so healthy - I have brought home a flat full with each visit!  So, before I start planting, I get painting!  Painting number 2664 in 2664 days.

River Willow on the Pond

We have been clearing away brush and trees around the pond the last couple of weekends.  My intention was to remove these old river willows, as they litter branches and limbs and are scrubby looking.  But as we cleared other brush away, I could see the beauty of these large old trees.  So, we are pruning them up and will enjoy them until they drop.  I especially like some of the long branches that lean way out over the water.  They are pretty cool after all.  Painting number 2663 in 2663 days.

Lilac Impressions

All day long as I worked in the garden, these lilacs called to me. With so much to plant before tomorrow's rain, it was deep in the golden hour when I got to them.  Maybe because I felt rushed all day - I got a little crazy with the palette knife!  At one point I asked myself - "what am I doing?!!" Well, I went a little further before calling it!  Painting number 2662 in 2662 days.

Rembrandt Tulips

These were my very first tulips to bloom, and here we are after a hailstorm and several hard freezes, and they are still striking!  I purchased these bulbs simply because they are Rembrandt tulips - how could this artist resist that?!!  These gorgeous blooms are my perfect reward for that decision, and I commit them to paper with ink and watercolor.  I used Robert Oster's Great Southern Ocean in my fountain pen for the ink work.  I tend to migrate to the blacker inks, but this wild departure is exhilarating! I REALLY love the turquoise turn of this ink with the addition of water.  I even popped it into a few shadow areas after the watercolor work!  Painting number 2661 in 2661 days.

Artist Tulips

I bought these tulips in the fall for one reason only - the name!  How could I possibly resist a tulip named after my profession?  Wow!!  What a showstopper!  The very large, fancy, feathered blooms twist and curl, showing off at every turn!  That color variance is fabulous!  I hope these multiply beyond measure, for I will surely move them to every bed on the place!  Painting number 2660 in 2660 days.

Lilacs!

Oh how I love these lilacs!  I can remember my grandma bringing in these blooms when I was very small.  She would hold them down for me to smell their heady sweet fragrance, then put them in a vase to waft into the rooms of the house.  I look forward to these every year, and they are especially beautiful this season!  I think they are grateful that we trimmed out some limbs from overhead last year, giving them plenty of sunshine.  I hope I get a chance to paint them in oil before they fade!  Painting number 2659 in 2659 days.

Purple Pansies

These purple pansies light up my garden with their shining faces!  We've had several freeze warnings - tonight included, so I just keep covering them up and hoping for the best.  So far so good!  Hope they survive another night!  It makes me smile just to paint these darling blooms - and I have several other colors to get to before they fade!  Painting number 2658 in 2658 days.

Sunset Solitude

On this wonderful day, as I worked in the flower beds I kept an eye to the sky.  The sunset the night before was gorgeous against the fresh spring greens of the landscape, and I was watching for hints of the colors to come.  I grabbed my thumb box and headed to the orchard for the glimpse of sun peaking through the distant trees.  I have never painted this view here before, but this place called out to me.  It is a real benefit to be spending so much time on the land lately, I am constantly seeing new compositions at different times of day.  Tonight I noticed how very black the pond water looked at dusk, and it started calling my name..... Painting number 2658 in 2658 days.  Well, actually my numbers are now messed up because two posts failed to post this week.  I'll go back and fix them when I can.  Silly internet issues out in rural Missouri....

Orange Pansies

sold

Early this afternoon, our very first granddaughter was born!!  Everyone is well, and we are so happy to welcome this sweet little darling into our family.  Since we can not be at the hospital due to the COVID rules, I have instead found the happiest pansy in the garden to help me celebrate my joy!  This little orange pansy survived last night's freeze and is now my subject du jour in oil!  I can hardly wait to hold this beautiful little baby girl in my arms!!  Painting number 2657 in 2657 days.

Orange Tulips in Vase

A beautiful Easter morning turned windy and cold by late day.  Burning wood down at the pond until the rain really started, we headed for the house and dry clothes.  Once our late lunch was under way, I went out to find these poor tulips beat to the ground.  I brought them in, covered most of the others, and now I can get a little painting in.  The winds are blowing strong and it's going to 25 degrees tonight.  The multiple of spring blooms sure were gorgeous today.  I wonder what will be left after this.  Painting number 2656 in 2656 days.

Flaming Flag Tulips

I planted these bulbs in the fall, hoping for beautiful blooms in the spring.  Wow!  I love the vibrant red and white striations - such a perfect addition to my garden!  They are not as big and vigorous as some others, but they make up for it in "wow factor"!  Oh I hope I get to do these in oil before they fade!  Painting number 2655 in 2655 days.

Wild Mustard in Bloom

As I began my outdoor chores this morning, I noticed something had changed.  The radiant wild mustard had started to bloom!  Sweeping across the meadow like a yellow carpet, I knew I would be painting this when I finished my work.  Hauling limbs to a nearby burn pile, I kept an eye on the mustard.  Once a painting starts forming in my mind, it doesn't matter what else I'm working on, I am already painting in my mind.  By the time I got to the panel, the paint flowed from my brush.  So much of the feeling of a place pours right into the painting en plein air.  What a gorgeous day to paint.  Painting number 2654 in 2654 days.

Redbud and Old Seeder

Yay!!  The redbuds are beginning to bloom - and for a change, I am in town to see it happen!  I hope to paint many of these beauties dotted all over the homeplace.  With the fabulous sunlight popping in and out, I drop in those highlights quick and loose.  I find I am only using a few favorite brushes each time I paint - I think it is time to clean out my supplies again!  I am always quick to add them to my boxes, but not so quick to remove the extras!  Beau loves it that I'm painting so much at home - as you can see!  Painting number 2653 in 2653 days!

Rip Van Winkle Narcissus

I have admired these beautiful blooms my whole life.  Grandma Frank planted them farther back than I can remember, and I've spread them around the yard.  They are vigorous and showy, and a perennial favorite.  I am painting them as the wind is giving them a beating, I sure hope they remain a little longer.  Painting number 2652 in 2652 days.

Crossing the Mississippi in Dubuque

I found this bluff top view strictly by accident while looking over another house for a commission.  When I came around the curve and saw this - of course I had to stop for a quick watercolor!  I was on my way out of town, so this ink and watercolor has not been seen.  I will definitely return to this spot next year to paint this beauty in oil!  Painting number 2651 in 2651 days.

Delta Pansies

The gorgeous weather drew me outside early.  Intending to share a cup of tea with the wildlife, I moved right on to gardening!  Days like this are a gift, so I took full advantage!  Between the various yard chores, I took time for a quick sketch before planting these beauties.  I had my eye on them all morning, and it is so hard to stop working to paint!  I stayed out until dark - so now I'm taking my photo inside!  Can't wait to see how these birthday pansies grow!  Painting number 2650 in 2650 days.

Milk Barn Forsythia

Though I love my oils for this landscape, I thought I'd just try my ink and watercolors today for this favorite scene.  Of course, The ink is very natural as I sketch out the lines first.  As I add the watercolor, I like the amount of light that comes through those translucent colors.  That is the real benefit of watercolor.  I can allow as much light to shine through as I want.  Another benefit?  This media is so fast to execute - I can get right back to my chores without missing a beat!  Painting number  2649 in 2649 days.

Peace on the Winding Creek

What a difference a day makes!  From 70s to the 30s - we now rain freezing on the trees!  The cold and rainy day has me longing for yesterday, but at least the atmosphere is saturating those colors.  That is always the silver lining of a dark, rainy day!  I love how the new spring grass pops against those old fall leaves, adding so much interest to the landscape.  Spring is still here, though it sure feels like winter today!  Painting number 2649 in 2649 days.

Forsythia by the Corral

I can remember climbing over the rails of this corral when I was little.  My brother and I would wait for the cows to move to the back pasture, then run out to play here!  The cows are no longer here, but I've planted forsythia and lilies around this area.  I just knew these scenes would be perfect for painting one day!  Painting number 2648 in 2648 days.

West Light on the Milk Barn

gifted

Oh my, how I love to paint this place!  I planted the forsythia years ago, looking forward to painting it one day.  I found another plant on the  opposite corner - but it was only emerging from the ground.  Could deer have totally mowed it down?  The light out here was amazing - golden hour, and it had to be painted!  I'm normally too busy this time of day, but made it happen.  Dinner is overrated anyway.  Painting number 2647 in 2647 days.