9-10-2020 Starting the Mid-Tones

After the outline...

the lightest values and highlights...

and the darkest values...

comes the start of the mid-tones

using Payne's Gray, Sap Green and a pinch of violet...

9-9-2020 Darkest Values Next

After the outline and lightest values and highlights

come the darkest values

still using Paynes Gray and Sap Green...

9-8-2020 Lightest Tones and Highlights

After the outline

comes the lightest values and highlights

using Payne's Gray and Sap Green...

9-7-2020 Holly Leaves and Berries

Having a go at painting holly leaves and berries...

wish me luck!

Starting with an outline

using Winsor Lemon and Sap Green...

9-6-2020 💜💜💜

💜💜💜 

9-5-2020 Butcher Block

So proud of my son!

He's working on making a sturdy butcher block table...

Has the tabletop well underway.

9-4-2020 Investigating

The GDs each took down their birdhouses for the summer

and cleaned them out,

soaked them in bleach water,

and let them dry in the sun

so they are clean and ready to hang up next spring.

One of the houses which was occupied

was completely cleaned out already, by the birds!

The other was full of interesting things.

The girls wanted to investigate 

and see what the birds used to build their nest.

9-3-2020 Playing Restaurant

At Oma's house, home schooling looks like this...

playing restaurant...

writing up the menu...

taking the orders...

bringing the utensils and drinks...

preparing the food...

plating the food...

serving the food...

busing the table after the meal...

putting the dishes in the dishwasher...

bringing us our bill...

receiving money and making change.

9-2-2020. Naughty Corner

                                    I started this shawl Oct. 6, 2019...

made a mistake and had to rip out...

made another mistake and had to rip out again...

so it's been sitting in the 'naughty corner' for a year.

Time to get it out and try again.

It was a Halloween Knit-A-Long

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/m125-ghost-of-the-moon-shawl 

with this poem...

a stanza for each of 6 clues/sections:

Section 1 is at the top...plain stockinette knitting...

In the darkest moment of the night the stage is set for autumn fright! Enjoy this quiet peaceful moment, as soon begins your spooky torment…

Below Section 1, Section 2 has little ghosts gliding in the wind...

A wraith glides silent on the wind, starlight sparkles through its skin. Are you worried? Did you fright? Keep knitting through this creepy night…

Below Section 2, Section 3 has V-shaped clouds racing across the sky...

Now clouds race across the sky, wispy grey and moving high. Blotting out the shining moon, ever darker bringing gloom…

Section 4, I am just starting (at the bottom)...

Breaking free for but a moment, moonbeams drift down like an omen. Soon this night will move to dawn, but for now we must knit on…

Darkness cast with moonlight covered, clouds are back and starlight buffered. This time they race the other way, moving in a swift display…

The final moments before light, a mist creeps in to hold us tight. Curling, slinking, wrapping ‘round, its thick white fog obscures the ground. Bind off quick before you sink, dissipate it in a wink!

9-1-2020 Beautiful Clouds...but NO Rain

 And the Iowa drought continues...

driest August on record...

8-31-2020 Swimming

 Swimming is good for what ails you!

Washes away the aches, pain, and bad energy.

DH and I had this pool all to ourselves for several days!

8-30-2020 Symbols

 I may try doing a series of paintings with these symbols (and more)...

8-29-2020 OWL Energy

This morning, I began my 2 mile walk before sunrise.

The street lamps were still on.

After the first several blocks came beautiful sun rays 

as the sun began to rise.

Then, to my surprise, something happened that has never happened before 

in my 15 years of walking this neighborhood...

2 owls flew over my head.

One flew on out the the bean fields surrounding my neighborhood,

the other stayed with me on the rest of my walk

which was several city blocks.

As I turned corners, it turned corners,

always staying about 2 rooftops ahead of me.

When I finally got home I snapped a pix with my cell phone

and bid the owl adieu.

Owl energy for the day!

See clearly what most others cannot...

pay attention to what normally flies under the radar...

wisdom and deep connection to intuition...

see the true reality beyond the illusion and deceit...

explore the unknown.

8-28-2020 Another Vertices Unite Baby Blanket Finished!

 

8-27-2020 Water Lily

 

8-26-2020 Home Schooling At Oma's House

 

Arts and crafts

chosen by the 6 year old...

Using math and learning knife skills

with the 8 year old

to make soup for lunch...

Picking tomatoes from the garden,

watering the garden,

then watering each other...

Working puzzles with the 6 year old

while the 8 year old reads Shel Silverstien poems...

8-25-2020 In School Learning

We'll see how long the in-school learning lasts

before a COVID19 case shuts down the school

and things go to 100 percent online.

Fingers crossed...the schools can stay open!

8-24-2020 First Sighting

Altho we have seen quite a variety of birds

on our birdbath in the front yard...

sparrows, gold and purple finches, robins, cardinals, 

blue birds, robins, mourning doves, wrens, and others unknown,

today we saw for the first time, 

a hawk or falcon

looking for some relief from the 100*F temps!!!

Couldn't really tell from a distance 

from inside the house and through a window screen.

But it was exciting none the less!

8-23-2020 Puffin Lunch

 

Reference Photo by Tommy H Hyndmann

from the Fair Isle

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10223293481508034&set=p.10223293481508034&type=3&theater

While I absolutely LOVE each and every one

of Tommy's photos,

this one just said, "Paint me!"

because it tells a story.

8-22-2020 More Zebras

 Had so much fun painting a few more zebras! 

This was my background music while I was painting.

I found it oddly relaxing!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMpGjox3TBs&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR3F8nxnwxamR1-fm3AcEOkNvaqyqKzzE0jX3UbzVtO2N4iZD5fJv2lys_k

Latin guitar music

8-21-2020 Zebra

My first attempt at painting a Zebra...

needs lots more work!

But more importantly, I had fun painting it!

8-20-2020 Ojo

 A 'negative space' painting...

After painting this negative space painting,

I felt like the leaves were hiding something or someone,

so I painted it again...

this time with eyes!

8-19-2020. Morning Mist

 

8-18-2020 Vertices Unite #5