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.
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.
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.
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.
This old piece of a dock sits off the beach in Cedar key. It is locally called the Honeymoon Cabin.
A couple of guys fishing off the dock in Cedar Key.
The bayou from the boardwalk next to the cemetery in Cedar Key.
This beautiful house is in Melrose, near Gainesville. Peggy and I went there to look around and paint. Managed to get a good start before it started raining so had to finish this one from a photo.
And this on the second page..... I'm still working on this page.
and this one in watercolor. Both are views of from our porch.
This one was done from a photo taken on my morning walk on Saturday..... I just can't seem to last sitting out in the sun painting, and there isn't all that much shade around where I want to paint. I need to get an umbrella. This little gouache painting as well as the sunset one is only the size of a business card, whatever that is..... I don't have a ruler. Guess I ought to borrow Van's tape measure.
And in my moleskine, a pine cone..... I was going to paint the whole thing but kind of liked it like this, so might leave it.
I did these on Monday.... the paintings are all business card size
A delightful smelling jasmine, which is twining around my cousin's citrus tree in her back yard which is in bloom. I dare not pick those citrus blossoms, as it is a small tree.
I remember these red seeds from my childhood too..... who could forget them. They are crab's-eye or rosary pea..... I think.... Abrus precatorius. The pod on the top of the page is a morning glory of some sort.... I had found in in my book but can't now and will have to edit this later.
Not much time to write much before the library closes... I could and might go out on the bench in front afterwards. And now I see that some of these photos of the paintings are out of focus. Well, darn. 
This was from the side curb by the Baptist Church... I go there to make phone calls sometimes. Its on a hill near downtown and in the shade in the afternoon. That's a cedar tree.
This is an oak tree.... I posted the sketch I did on site on my last post, and finished it with gouache from a photo.
This is my cousin Martha's house across from where we are staying here in Cedar Key.... I love the crossed palm trees in front.
And this of a renovated historical house, relocated to the grounds of the very interesting museum grounds here.
On the way here, we spent a couple of days in Juneau, staying at the Extended Stay Motel. This was the view from our window over towards the glacier.
This was from Alaska Airlines flight 10 on Saturday, February 21... somewhere over Oklahoma or Texas.
Sunday, February 22, from the bench next to the lagoon looking towards my brother Ken's house near Lake Wales.
On Sunday, we drove to Lake Kissimmee State Park where we walked around.... visited a "cow camp", saw some wildlife and enjoyed the hugh live oaks..... I had time to do this little sketch with watercolor pencils. Yesterday, I painted over it in gouache and will put on the next post.
We came to Cedar Key on Monday, Feb. 23, and are loving it. This is the view in the west from our porch.... the bayou, painted with gouache in the morning.
and this with watercolor.
Afternoon and high tide, the colors are quite different.
I've started painting little botanicals in an accordian Moleskine.... so far using gouache. I'm hoping I can fill it up with Cedar Key plants while I'm here.
This is a sprig of cedar from which the town was named. There was a big industry here years ago using the cedar for pencils.
We are in an upstairs apartment on a canal. This is looking across the canal South. First painted in watercolor then a lot of gouache on top.
Another house across the canal done in watercolor
