Summer Breeze

I know a lot of people are not fans of the summer heat. Beach people tolerate the heat better than most creatures. My cats stretch out under the ceiling fan, how nice to not have to move, ever. In another life, I hope to have a small cottage on the beach. I could listen to crashing waves and the snap of the brisk wind thru the curtains all day, every day. A glass of wine would complete this picture in my head.

Here are my recent grocery store treasures.

Small Painting

The challenge this week is to paint very small. 2.5 by 3.5. Made popular by The Artists Trading Cards of recent, this is harder than it seems but fun.

This painting was inspired by a group of Birch trees on Presque Isle State Park in Pennsylvania.

Inspiration in the grocery store.

I only hope that there are other people who shop the produce department of their local grocery store for painting inspiration. The next subject will be that perfect bunch of asparagus with its lovely blue rubber bands.

I found these wonderful cherries in the sunshine hard to resist.

Excitement

My muse is definitely Lake Erie. Misunderstood, in the past the object of many jokes. I find it's beauty mysterious, ever changing, and a constant source of inspiration.

If I was not a painter, my second choice in life for favorite past time would be a storm chaser. On the day I took this photograph, a severe weather statement was issued for Presque Isle. I grabbed my camera and took an amazing set of photos. I love when a storm bellows in across the lake. You can see it coming, the winds pick up in seconds and a colorful sunset can change its pallet in a blink. I love it.

For the DPW challenge of painting my muse, Lake Erie Storm Warning.

Summer colors

What started out as a very cool and lengthy spring has now blasted into an inferno of a summer. Summer is my favorite season, but the heat for most of the country is nothing to joke about. Living next to one of the Great Lakes cools the air a little.

My daughter brought me this huge pot of colorful flowers, this is a painting of just one section of this lively mix. I wanted to paint it loose and used a large brush to give it an abstract, impressionistic feel. I don't know if that happened but it was fun to paint.

Yesterday, my daughter took her beloved budgie to the vet. She was 15 years old, her mate died last March. It was very sad to see what old age does to the avian world is not far from what happens to everyone and everything. My daughter was 13 when we got Scully and Mulder, and I feel very differently now about caging beautiful birds. They did have a lot of spunk and I believe a lot more intelligent that they are given credit. Will miss them both.

Serenity

Finally getting back into the swing of things, a lot going on the past two months. Additions and subtractions to the family.

This weeks DPW challenge was to do a painting from a photo taken by a mobile phone. I will post more at another time.

Congratulations, Now What?

This has been quite a Spring. Alone in my thoughts a lot. I took this photo at Presque Isle State Park last night. The weather forecast was wind and waves and I love a good howling storm. It was actually quite beautiful, no storm.

My son graduated last Friday from High School. I did not attend. The reason it would be beyond my emotional control. I have a child with very involved special needs, intellectual and medical. It has been quite a journey. We have worked hard, my son, my family and an amazing variety of people, I consider it an honor to have known. My child is a gift, I have learned more from him than I could ever possibly acknowledge. He is my hero, but one of the best gifts I received from him was meeting the dedicated people that support a child and family with Special Needs. I have met an army of heros, people that are selfless, giving, heartfelt and genuine. None of us will be acquisition wealthy, but wealthy in ways far beyond what I could even imagine. To these people, I will always be grateful, for your support for Kevin and for me, too. In the beginning of the journey, you do not realize how easy it is to become isolated and alone, excluded. It starts simple with no longer receiving invitations to classmates birthday parties, and eventually you fear behaviors will not be accepted in Public situations. Always stressful! A lot of planning.

We had a lot of rough days, years, and we worked hard together and succeeded. My son is a beautiful young man with an amazing potential. Everything I had hoped for...We got there, together.

Due to severe budget cuts in the State of Pennsylvania, he is now retired. Not one to easily give up, my caring army and I are taking a week off and back to work. Thank you Rhonda, Ann, Joy, Kim and Debbie. There is a greater purpose and really good people out there! Every cloud does have a silver lining.