Saturday, June 27, 2009

Lily of the Nile


This is my Agapanthus, or Lily of the Nile, which hardly ever blooms. Butterflies like it, and so do I.
I was listening to an old episode of "Gunsmoke" while painting a large and complex commission the other day. I used to be such a fan. Wouldn't it be nice to have a big tough authority figure in town like Matt Dillon, who always gets the bad guys, and ties up everything neatly in the end? Of course, after another of his successes, he goes down to the Long Branch to have a beer with Miss Kitty. As a kid, I didn't realize that Matt just might have a little problem with alcohol, and Miss Kitty was a woman of ill repute. I'd hate to see how all this would be depicted on TV today. Just let me remember Matt Dillon as a sort of Superman in cowboy boots.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Shameless Self-Promotion


My teenage grandchildren just read my little book, The Story of Cindy Rella, and they laughed out loud. This encouraged me to mention it once more. My friend, successful author Carol Jose, says to always mention the title of your book frequently to plant it in your readers' or listeners' minds, so check out my book, The Story of Cindy Rella, at Amazon.com. Just click here: The Story of Cindy Rella.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Bougainvillea, 6x8


It's a jungle out there...in my backyard, I mean. It's all so lush and green and blooming. And hot. For June, it is unbelievably hot. The pool is already like soup. What's it going to be like in August? It's a challenge in Florida at that time of year, between the heat and hurricane season. After two hurricanes pretty much destroyed our yard, I really lost interest in gardening for a long time, but have recuperated nicely. We have a loverly bunch of coconuts, papayas, tomatoes, lettuce, eggplant, peppers, lilies, bromeliads, philodendron, elephant ears, lantana, heliconia, palms, ferns, hibiscus...I could go on and on, and usually do, but it's time to get ready to join my Peeps the Pieces of Eight and do some painting and mutual uplifting.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Veggie Plate, 8x10


These are a few of my favorite things...this painting was done from a photo provided on the blog Different Strokes from Different Folks, where artists are encouraged to paint or draw their own interpretations.

I am so happy to have won First Place in the Miniature Show at the Art & Antique Studio in Melbourne last weekend, and two members of my painting group, Pieces of 8, won Second and Third Place! Click here to see our work.

Friday, June 5, 2009

Chulie's Vase, 8x10


My rain lilies are going crazy. They do love the rain, and they are springing up everywhere, even the middle of the lawn, and to think I started with a handful of seeds. They go nicely with my grandmother's vase. She would enjoy the lilies. She was one of those people who are at one with the land. She could grow anything, and when she was in her yard she was like Snow White, birds and butterflies flying around, squirrels frolicking, and she was even friendly with a snake that lived in the garden. She taught me everything I know about growing things, and I never have my hands in the soil without thinking of her.