barn quilts

Finally finished my barn quilts I've been painting for our covered bridge. Unfortunately, I will have to wait till it's warm enough to put a stain on the barn before I can hang them up.  My first barn quilts - they were fun to do. These are 3 x 3 on MDF board. I didn't realize how much tape or calculating would be involved, but it was worth it.

Anticipating Spring

Too much snow!!! I've already developed cabin fever - and now Spring fever is beginning to show in the things I find myself enthralled in. I'm looking thru seed catalogs and already nurturing plants in the greenhouse till outside planting season begins.  But the draw of the hummingbirds return in April has me guessing and anticipating the date these little creatures once again will alight on my salmon angel salvia flowers. I plant the red and salmon colored flowers each Spring especially for the Hummingbirds and Goldfinches. They look like little angels atop tall stems and the birds just cover the plants, particularly in the late Summer and Fall season. In anticipation of these little beings, I spent some time today just doing a little sketch of my favorite bird.

The snow missed us

The snow missed us this time. Instead we were hit with a huge ice storm. The power keeps blinking on and off, but so far (knock on wood), we still have power.

I must say it is beautiful outside - a winter wonderland. A good day to stay inside, bundled up in front of a fireplace with a good book.

Guy has rigged a line on a pulley system in the back yard to keep our white squirrels from destroying the birdfeeders. The line is encrusted with ice and we can't get it drawn in to remove the ice. Hope it doesn't break.

I the meantime, I'm enjoying the wildlife today and especially the little goldfinches. I love this feeder - it looks like a chandelier or a fancy merry go round with the goldfinches surrounding it. I've also noticed that the goldfinches seem to be getting brighter colors on their heads now - getting ready for spring mating season, I suppose. It is nice to take a day away from your regular work when you can sit back and watch nature at it's finest.

Squirrels playing house

Silly squirrels playing house this morning in the new snow. I have at least 9 white squirrels who frequent my yard and feeders every day. They were absent yesterday. Maybe they were holed up in there nest eating acorns? I don't know. But they are out today in full force. Trying to snap a photo of all of them together is rather difficult. So when I saw these two together, it was a perfect opportunity.

We had about 10 inches of snowfall and the mountain road has not been scraped as yet. Great day to stay home, snuggle in at the picture window and just observe the wonder of nature in my yard.

Turkeys, where were you on Thanksgiving?

My neighbor had a healthy group of wild turkeys atop her fence post today. Not the least bit skittish. They acted like I wasn't even there. I suppose they know that turkey season is over and they felt like I was no threat to them. Hardly a week passes that I don't pass these guys on my trip down or up the mountain.

Reflections and Anticipations

"Great Day In The Morning"! We've made it thru another year and we've got a great new year of exciting possibilities to look forward to. And I do look forward to this time with anticipation for all the wondrous things that lie just around the next corner. The older you get, the more precious the days are (especially if you are in good health). I Thank God for giving me a healthy body and mind to enjoy all that he has placed in my walk of life.

Reflecting on the past few months,I feel so blessed to be reconnecting with my family through Facebook. Relatives I haven't seen for years (including some new ones coming on that I have never met) have enriched my life in numerous ways with their reminiscing and photos from the past. The stories being told could fill a book if I were a writer. But I'm a 'simple person' and my main objective this coming year is to simplify my life and enjoy life a little more - more time for Grandkids, nature walks, photography and artworks.

I need to find a way to keep myself accountable. I've had this blog for a couple of years and it has just been sitting here, gathering dust. I think it is about time to make use of it. This is a brand new year with new adventures, new friends and a world of possibilities. I live on an amazing mountain top with an abundance of wildlife (woodland birds, white squirrels, a resident cougar, bobcat, deer, wild turkeys, etc) for neighbors and I am totally fascinated by these creatures and can spend hours watching them. I hope to record some of my sightings thru art and photography, so if you have any comments or suggestions to make, please feel free to do so.

Trip to Jonesborough, TN

We made a little fall excursion to Jonesborough yesterday via Sam's Gap. Fantastic fall colors which did not show up well in my photos. My camera wouldn't pick up the bright yellows that were almost blinding our vision as we traveled across Sam's Gap into Tennessee.

However, I did get a few good photos of Jonesborough itself. This is a little town like you would picture in a Norman Rockwell Illustration. It's the oldest town in Tennesse, home and burial site of President Andrew Johnson. If you are ever in this area, Jonesborough is a must see. This is also the Storytelling capital that will take you back to yesterday.

oh my, a bear

What do you suppose I would almost run into with my car on my way home today . . . a very large black bear. I rounded a corner, and there he was, looking straight at me. I managed to come to a stop about 15 feet from him. He startled and ran across the road into a field while I anxiously plummaged thru my bag for the camera. By the time I found the camera he was already in a field of tall grasses and fall flowers. Such a beautiful sight!

Here in the Western North Carolina Mountains we have numerous wildlife that we frequently have crossing our paths and each time I see something as magnificent as this black bear, I am in total awe. There have been so many new homes built here in the last few years and we are gradually encroaching on there territory. It's sad.

I really must take time to study and paint this magnificent creature.

hummer frolicking in water spray

Just had to do a little sketch of my visitor today. This little fellow discovered the garden hose while I was busy watering the garden. He had a wonderful time bathing himself and taking a drink from my hose. He flitted back and forth thru the water. These little guys are so much fun to watch.

Jo

Three Pears Watercolor

The actual painting shows three whole pears on a table, but I was playing around with framing in psp and liked the cropping it allowed. It looked a little more dramatic. Hope you like it!

Jo

pink cup still life in acrylics

acrylic still life

Tho't I would post this 20 x 16 acrylic still life painted on canvas.

I'm anxious to get outside and start painting my garden. Only problem is - the freeze we just had has killed or damaged most all the perennials.

Saw my first ruby-throated hummingbird late yesterday. He spent a lot of time at my feeder. I will have to make sure I have plenty of nectar, as there are no flowers in the yard right now. And that also means I'll have to plant a lot of annual plants to ensure they will have a good supply of natural nectar.
Jo

watercolor rock study

Just a little study of Blue Ridge Mountains and rocks. I like this! It has a fresh, airey feel to it. Spring has sprung and life is beginning anew.

Although the weather this week is far from springlike. It actually snowed yesterday. We probably had about an inch of dusting on the ground and trees.

Jo

watercolor wipe-out

I'm so thankful for beautiful spring-like weather. Yesterday we had temps in the high 50's. Perfect walking weather, sunshine for some good ole vitamin D and no chilly winds. Today will be a great walking day as well. Temperatures should hit 70 degrees. Wow!

And this change in the weather is great news, as I have been under the weather for a few weeks with some kind of flu varmin bug. So that means I haven't accomplished very much.

I did, however, complete a little practice piece using sap green as a basic wash and overlaying it with french ultramarine blue, then doing a wipe-out. It's a 9 x 12. Something a little different. Hope you like it!

Jo

watercolor wheel

It was an absolutely beautiful day today, but I was stuck inside all day with a bad cold. Ugh! Hoping to get over this so I can get back to work.

Just a simple watercolor wheel, but you can learn a lot from making these. This is for Kate Johnson's online watercolor class. I'm really enjoying this class as I usually work in pastels. This is a great opportunity to learn a new medium. I plan on doing more of these wheels as the class goes along.

You learn so much from working with a group of people like this. One of the things I want to improve on is my stick-to-it-ive-ness. I start so many projects and tend to quit before finishing. Got to learn some discipline!