I am painting what I planted in the herb garden today, on the eve of a winter storm! It's been so nice that I even dug out a bucket full of henbit for the chickens to enjoy! Winter sowing the seeds, they will get a good start for next season. We are expecting 4 to 7 inches, with 8 to 12 just south of us. Maybe I'll even be painting snow this weekend! Painting number 4769 in 4769 days.
Just a quick sketch of the California loose neck garlic before I planted it indoors. January gardening is the best! This weather has been so mild this month that I've found myself outdoors far more that a normal January. I'm trying this in a container and will plant another variety outdoors. The ground is still workable but we've got a winter storm headed here this weekend with temps close to zero. So, maybe I'll soon be painting snow! Painting number 4768 in 4768 days.
There's nothing like a tiny cheerful flower painting to end the day on a happy note! Michaela and her family stayed over a couple nights in their camper, just heading home tonight. It's amazing how quiet this house becomes after they leave. We're so lucky the kids all live close so we can gather frequently! Painting number 4767 in 4767 days.
After a crazy busy family day, I'm painting the German chamomile growing hydroponically tonight well after dark. Just last month, these plants were bursting forth in a sheltered area near my herb garden. I took two cuttings to try inside, because the blooms on this variety are very large and delicious. They rooted well and this one is already in vigorous bloom! The ferny foliage is also beautiful and tastes delicious in my salads. So, I'm adding this beauty to my nature journal to chronicle it's transition to my indoor garden. Painting number 4766 in 4766 days.
It's super fun to grow fancy lettuce to paint AND eat! Red Oakleaf lettuce is a beautiful heirloom variety to grow. I like to pick up heirloom seeds whenever I find them, and then save the seed from year to year, This aerogarden system has a seeding tray in it, so I can plant the seedlings directly in the ground - if it's warm enough. I'm growing four kales, Swiss chard, breen lettuce, arugula and several herbs in this garden. I LOVE LOVE LOVE gardening indoors while the snow flies outside this evening! Painting number 4763 in 4763 days.
This is my first sketch of these cuties, who just joined our family! Teddy's granddaughter picked them up on the side of the road, along with their brother, and found them homes. It's been almost 12 years since my oldest daughter had to take our two young kittens, because our new lab (Beau) was too rough with them. Those two were also a calico and a yellow tabby. What a coincidence. Already fixed and socialized by her 6 great-grandchildren, they are the perfect additions to our family. I only had time for a sketch tonight, but I hope to commit them to oils one day soon! Painting number 4762 in 4762 days.
First sketch of Lady Belle at sunset in her new pasture and she's such a pretty girl! She comes to us through my dear painting friend, Teddy Jackson. Arriving Sunday afternoon, she is getting used to our family and the new space. She watched me paint her today, as I stood in the middle of the field, without coming closer. As soon as I finished and started walking away, her head popped up and she followed me all the way to the gate. She likes sweet talk, and might have been looking for a treat, but I didn't have one today. I'll have one next time! Painting number 4761 in 4761 days.
This may be the oldest tree on the farm, a large, sprawling hackberry. I love sketching it in ink. Painting number 4760 in 4760 days.
Sometimes all I need is a glass dip pen and a bottle of ink to capture the simple beauty of nature. Another 64 degree day had me spending most of the day outside. I've been winter sowing three more seed varieties, spending time with our new kittens, new horse, and of course the chickens - all with Beau in tow, and a few more outdoor chores. I hope to be painting them soon, but can't seem to burn these beautiful days doing so. So, it's pen and ink tonight of these beautiful pinecones. I'm so lucky to be surrounded by natural beauty in all directions, there's always so much to paint! Painting number 4759 in 4759 days.
I love sketching the delicate beauty of orchids, as their blooms dangle on the stem. These are an annual showstopper, seemingly blooming for months! This has been a day of new beginnings with the addition of our new horse, Lady Belle, and two half grown kittens. Rescued from the side of the road, a yellow tabby and sweet spotted calico have found their way to us - thanks to my dear painting friend, Teddy Jackson. We spent the day outside with family and the animals, still working on Lady Belle's lodging. I will soon be painting these little sweethearts, too! Painting number 4758 in 4758 days.
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I'm planting and painting the newest seeds added to my garden, Shasta Daisies and Red Corn Poppies! With two trips to the garden center this week, more additions are coming!! I don't think I've ever been so garden crazy in JANUARY, but the balmy weather has me catching up on fall tasks and getting ahead on spring ones! What fun it is to plan out the blooms to come! When Tiffany first started kindergarten, I had a large bunch of Shasta Daisies in my front garden. One particularly cold winter did them in and I can't wait for these seeds to flourish! I love poppies, too, but have only had them briefly thrive. I'm hoping the new spot I chose for them will be their forever home by the cellar! Painting number 4757 in 4757 days.
It's crazy to be harvesting winter cress for my salad in January - and painting it! This wild mustard is a favorite to paint when the meadow comes alive with their yellow blooms in March! I've transplanted a few to my garden to use through the season. With this particular art journal, I have focused on all things nature. It is fun to chronicle little parts of my garden life along the way. Painting number 4756 in 4756 days.
I love sketching the hens, and getting their critiques as I work. Carlotta is full of opinions! They are all very social, so I need to give them plenty of attention before I begin. After greens, treats and scratch, they will let me work for a while without jumping on my lap. What did we ever do without these little darlings and the wonderful eggs they give us? Painting number 4755 in 4755 days.
I love planting in January at 67 degrees, and then adding it to my art journal in ink and watercolor! Last year, I was painting snow scenes here, and tonight I was barefoot in the front yard looking at the brilliant stars! I have only grown this plant once and it was in my hydroponic system. It was not vigorous and only produced a few very small flowers. So, I am winter sowing this seed in front of my asparagus, looking for a beautiful show this summer. I have designated a special spot for an apothecary garden, where mint, wild onions, garlic chives and wild mustard grow. I plan to move a few other medicinal herbs here from other spots, too. I've drawn this in ink, washed in watercolor, and finished with coordinating inks in the fountain pens. All are TWSBIs, the workhorses of my fountain pen collection. Painting number 4754 in 4754 days.
I absolutely love the tactile feel of the glass nib as it glides over the cotton paper, pulling so slightly on the soft texture. Each glass dip pen is different, too. The extra fine ones actually tear at the paper, and the medium ones deliver a better flow of ink. The squirrels have gotten so close to the house lately! They have given up trying to get in my bird feeders, so now they just hang out below them, cleaning up after the birds. Nearly every time I go back to the bay window, I startle one in waiting. After a gorgeous day full of outdoor chores, it's nice to get in a miniature painting! Painting number 4753 in 4753 days.
It's fun to sketch this sweet hen while she's at play! Carlotta is the keeper of the egg box in this flock, always rushing up to the egg box when I go to gather eggs. She waits for my praise and clucks her thoughts to me as I collect each one. She has even alerted me to an egg in the corner that had been pushed out of the nest! She's very sweet and loves the attention she's gets each day. I never knew how unique and different each hen's personality is before raising them. What fun we're all having with these sweethearts! Painting number 4751 in 4751 days.
It was a lovely sunset, as the first full supermoon of 2026,the Wolf Moon was rising behind me! I LOVE the stillness of a winter sunset, and oils are my absolute favorite medium to use for this. I've really been into the ink and watercolor recently, so this return to a medium I love is so rewarding. Our day was full of family and farm chores, dragging those fallen trees to the burn pile until it was just too dark to find them in the woods. A quick paint and I finished the day with a bowl of Calico bean soup by the fire, and watched the rise of the wolf moon. Then, I ruled the night of Kings on the Corner, lol. Painting number 4750 in 4750 days.
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These sweet chickens are constant entertainment for the whole family - and I'm so happy to get to paint them! We're preparing for a new horse to arrive, so our days are full of farm work. We've got two wood piles burning as I clear dead branches from the woods around the chicken coop. Travis was out to help Mike with fencing, and Michaela and her family joined, too. Finishing after dark, we came in for calico bean soup,Yahtzee and a game of Kings on the Corner. Of course, Mom joined us for the games! We've been playing cards a lot while Mike has had so many days off for the holidays. I love these quiet winter days full of progress and family fun! Painting number 4749 in 4749 days.
