TREES

Spruce trees in the woods North of our house. I painted with gouache, but wetter than usual.

ORCHID

Today I drew and painted the orchid that I intended to paint yesterday. This is one of 2 orchids that I bought in Costco while in Juneau..... at only $10 each, I couldn't pass them up

SENORITA

I set my orchid on the table with intentions to paint it, but the senorita that my potter friend Olga Locher gave me years ago was on the table and it got priority. Maybe tomorrow for the blossoms.

A SHELL AND A BOAT

Yesterday's postcard.... a quick painting of a shell with sample paints from Daniel Smith.
And today, our boat, the F/V Apex. Van left to go fishing today and I did this just before he left. Lots of snow still on the mountains. Some people still have lots in their yards.

WHITE CHRISTMAS CACTUS

I bought this little cactus right before Christmas, all full of buds that fell off within days after bringing it home. When I got home from Florida and went to get it at the school where Annie was taking care of it, it was blooming. I wasn't sure it was mine, but Annie was sure it was the same one.

BACK IN ALASKA AND SOME FLORIDA POSTCARDS

I'm so glad to be home! And now that I've kind of caught up with things, I'd better get back to my painting and blogging. I must admit to not painting everyday during the last month, but now that I am back home and the internet connection seems to be working better these days, I'm vowing to get back with daily posting of daily paintings. I did do more than a few paintings, I may have even averaged one little painting a day before leaving Florida, and here are a few of them.

The wisteria at Martha and John's house. It was a stick plant at the beginning of March. Soon after painting this, the flowers were all gone after a winding night.

This is one of several attempts to paint mangroves from photos I took while kayaking near Palmetto. This is the best one.

One of the houses seen from our porch
I did this page while sitting in the rowboat while Van fished. He didn't even get a bite.


One of a couple of paintings from this vantage point of our residence in Cedar Key.


Several hibiscus were blooming in our yard.


This and several other of the paintings were done in my new sketch book, one that I started using after taking the Journey Daybook class taught by Peggy Herrick. I can't remember the kind of paper, but I like it.... sort of like Arches hot press. This page was done on the back porch of Peggy's home.... you can read about Journey Daybooks by clicking here.



Another view of the bayou from the porch, and a couple of doves out there too. The marshes became green in April.
Our last week in Florida was spent at my brother's home in Lake Wales. I did a few things while there and this is my favorite.

A few days in Juneau on the way home. I did these while on our boat there
The first few days in Alaska and back home were beautiful, warm and sunny. On Saturday, May 2, I kayaked to P. Island on the annual rowing/paddling trip. About a dozen boats went across and enjoyed a picnic in the sun. So good to paint outside in Alaska again. This is one of the rowboat.