Perennial Vegetable Seeds

 I've been super busy planting perennial vegetable seeds ahead of a few days of heavy rain, hoping to still get in on the benefits of winter sowing.  I've marked each one, so hopefully I'll see their funny shoots in the coming weeks!  It's fun to sketch my progress through the garden!  Painting number 4812 in 4812 days. 

Carolina Wren in the Snow

This little wren is just one of our many feathered friends who constantly beg to be painted. And in the background, you can see our new Lady Belle, who is also catching my eye!  I think she wants to be painted next, but Travis and Rebekah will be here soon to spend some time with her.  She's such a sweet addition to our family. Painting number 4781 in 4781 days. 

Cardinals in the Cedar

 

It's lovely to take a break and sketch cardinals in the snowy woods! The air is so fresh and crisp after a snow, I love just being in this space and breathing the air.  The birds fly in and out, as if I'm not even there sketching.  I simply become part of the landscape where the wildlife is concerned.  We may have a couple of light snows in the next week, and I'm happy to extend my winter painting in the snow!  Painting number 4774 in 4774 days. 

Sunset Geese

 I am currently mentoring at the High School Plein Air hosted by the Streelville Art Council, and am having so much fun!  For my evening session, we divided our time in half to paint both a sunset and a nocturne!  The kids did marvelous paintings for each, and learned some new skills, too.  We're at Camp Brim Shire, and have had so much fun exploring the whole place with paint!  Painting number 4653 in 4653 days. 

Ponderosa Pines Sketched

 

There is beauty to capture in ponderosa pines for this Day Camp demo!  It was another "red thunder" day, which means we had to paint from under the covered back porch of the building.  So, I looked to the pines for inspiration.  I talked the group through my process as I worked, sharing the pens I like to use.  There were so many wonderful young artists with fabulous nature sketches by the end of our class! It is so rewarding!  My favorite fun fact about ponderosa pines is that their bark smells low vanilla when you get close to them and inhale deeply!  This scent seems to travel in the air after a rain, as well!  Painting number 4574 in 4574 days. 

Ponderosa Paint Demo

Just when I thought we'd be able to find our perfect composition in the woods, the Day Camp group I was teaching was put under a Red Thunder protocol. This means we had to shelter under the roof on the back porch rather than in the open. So, I sketched two trees which I could see, sharing my process in steps while we worked together.  The class was full of wonderful artists!  It was super fun to see what they each did with in and watercolor, while observing their scene in nature.  I hope they all continue this practice of sketching outside in the future!  Painting number 4567 in 4567 days. 

McBaine Burr Oak

I had never seen this massive tree in person, and didn't even know that it was as close as Columbia, until Tyler called to see if we wanted to meet at the tree for a picnic the family.  On our last leg of the trip home from Tennessee, we thought it was a great opportunity.  While the others played and ate their lunches, I sat on the tailgate and sketched this beauty.  Burr Oaks are one of my favorite trees with their fiery red fall color and very large fringe capped acorns.  This tree is thought to be 350 to 400 years old, tied with another tree for the largest of it's species in the country.  It's only half a mile from the Missouri River. Lewis and Clark would have seen this already massive tree when exploring this new frontier.  It was struck by lightening two years ago, so now wears lightening cables running to ground.  She's lost s few of her glorious spreading branches, too.  But she still stands, huge and regal, through all these many years. I'm so happy we got to picnic here today.  Painting number 5137 in 5137 days. 

Starkey Park

 

I love painting the coots in this marshy area in Starkey Park!  There was a good sized alligator by the distant grass when I arrived, but he was not to be seen when I again looked for him.  My brother loves to ride his bike in this park as my nephew hikes.  There are several viewing areas from which to bird watch, each stretching out into the water a bit.  Mom likes to watch the wildlife as water birds fly in and out, never paying attention to us.  Two other ducks were parading along with tiny ducklings much further away, and I couldn't help but look for that alligator again.  Again, my mind is on my dear friend, who will not be able to share such moments with her family now.  How can it be when it seems so wrong?  Once again, I think my practice is daily painting is good therapy, in all the seasons of life.  Painting number 5119 in 5119 days. 

Hammocks at Sunset

 

I like to paint on the beach as much as possible when in Florida. As sunset approaches, locals walk, bike or drive to the beaches just to watch the sun set. Then, just as quickly as they arrived, they pack up their gear and are headed out before it gets dark.  I love watching it, being part of the nightly ritual, and painting it when I can.  There is something magical about the rising and setting sun, and the thankfulness of it all. Painting number 5116 in 5116 days. 

Sponge Boats

The Sponge Docks in Tarpon Springs are a "must paint" for me whenever I'm in town!  It's a great place for dining, shopping and painting sponge boats!! 

Florida Palms

Oh how delightful it is to sketch my brother's palm trees as I sit by the pool, drinking my morning tea! He has a very tropical lawnscape which is perfect for painting!  I'm running a few errands and doing a little shopping with Mom today while the boys are at work, so early sketching is important.  Mom lunches and naps on almost a schedule, which is also a great time for me to paint.  It seems I am always painting around someone else's schedule, lol. Painting number 5106 in 5106 days. 

Dunedin Causeway Sketch

The tide left behind tethered trails of debris on the white sand, and they called to me.  As I grabbed my watercolor gear, Mr Great Egret returned to my side to assist me.  This time, I sketched him in as he waded along the water.  I'm told they follow the fishermen.  It is truly surreal to have a 4 foot tall bird stand by me, cocking his head as I talk as if responding.  I am thankful for the many blessings in this day!  Painting number 5105 in 5105 days. 

Santa Elena Canyon

 

Sketching Santa Elena Canyon in my travel journal while in Big Bend!  What an amazing place to capture in ink and watercolor.  The trail along the canyon climbs to this perch before hugging the wall and descending to the water quite a ways in.  Wild horses walked the bank before crossing the water, coming very close.  They are quite tame and walked towards me at the sound of my keys jingling. This is bear and cougar country, so I hook my keys on a belt loop when I'm hiking and painting.  I love putting these places into my travel journal. I've left room to write about the day's adventure on the left, and I'll fill that in when I get the chance.  Sketch first, write later is my Journaling motto.  Painting number 5099 in 5099 days. 

Flower Benches

 

Thanks to Suburban Lawn and Garden on Overland Park, for welcoming a few artists into their greenhouse to sketch on a cold January day!  The blooms are always inspiring, and they greeted us with a tray of cookies and bottled water. They had THE CUTEST valentine cacti that were literally the shape of a great in a tiny red pot. They are painted on that bottom shelf - and I bought one for each child and two for me (and three other plants)!  Who wouldn't love a living heart shaped cacti greeting them every day as a little reminder of how much they are loved? Painting number 5083 in 5083 days. 

Flower Benches

It was super fun to gather with artist friends to paint and shop at Suburban Lawn and Garden this morning!  The three tiers of blooming plants instantly grabbed my attention, so I set up on the spot to paint in this newish leather bound art journal.  The cotton paper is very soft and thin, but I am finding a way to make it work.  I sketched this one first with a Pitt pen, then started washing in the watercolor layers, working a little drier than I normally would for increased pigment strength.  I popped in with more ink and then more paint until I reached the effect I was looking for.  It's fun to explore my mediums in this way - I learn something from every painting!  Painting number 5081 in 5081 days. 

Wooded Winter Creek

If you look closely, my altoid tin palette has chomp marks in it - left by my pictured painting assistant above!  I pulled my pallette from the freezer and set it on the stairs as I gathered my thumb box and bundled up.  I rounded the stairs to find he had my palette in the front room, trying to get into it! Thankfully, he did not get any paint, but it will no longer close right.  So when this paint is gone, I will load another.  Silly dog!  He has not gotten into my paint for 10 years - and then, he licked all the cad lemon yellow off of a fresh forsythia painting!  Another day, another adventure, and this is painting number 5062 in 5062 days. 

Pin Oak in the Snow

Oh what a lovely snow we have after yesterday's blizzard! Only the 4th one in KC's history, it was glorious to behold. Wild and blowing, it was hard to see into the pasture.  This is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, and I hope to get several more paintings in the snow completed before it melts.  Thank goodness for the extreme cold this week, though it will take me a few days to acclimate!  My fingers were pretty cold by the time I got back inside today!  Painting number 5060 in 5060 days. 

Parsley Seeds

 

I was just sharing seeds with Rebekah when I only found one flat leafed parsley seed in my collection. The very next day I found this parsley plant growing in my garden!  It's been so warm and misty that many plants think spring is here! I brought it inside, hoping it will grow in my hydroponic system!  It's a little wilty now, but I sketched the leaves before the droop.  

In the new year I want to plant more, paint more, and fill out some of my sketchbooks, among other things.  So, here I am on day 1, ticking three of my boxes and pursuing a desire to sketch my own seed packets, too!  Yay for starting the year off right and having some family time with Tiffany and Gus, Tyler, Nolan, Quinn and Layne.  It's always a great day when those darlings come to play!  Painting number 5055 in 5055 days. 

Hay Bale in Autumn

 

I love how the oaks retain their autumn leaves long into the season.   That gorgeous orange red is so inspiring, I just had to paint it.  We've been very busy with family activities, and it has been hard to find that painting time lately.  But the daily painting habit is a well oiled machine that finds that little painting window every day.  Painting number 5203 in 5203 days. 

Big Creek Country

 

I hear this historic theater is a great place to take in a country show - I'm glad to get a chance to paint it while in charming Pleasant Hill!  Now that I know where it is, I'll have to catch a show with the family one night soon!  We're seeing a community theater production tonight at the Memorial Station in Belton.  Present Laughter sounds life the perfect ending to a wonderful day - and I'm sure Mom will especially love it!  Painting number 5130 in 5130 days.