Springtime

It seems that some things are a little early this year.  The crabapple is about 10 days early.  This photo was taken a couple of years ago, but it was better than some and it looks the same, covered with beautiful off white blossoms containing a hint of pink.

   

The bleeding heart is knocking itself out.  The plant is beautiful this spring, no bugs bugging it.   Surprisingly the aphids are no where to be found.

  There are many little hearts this year.  I should try painting some of these little things.  Perhaps today would be a good day if the wind is not blowing. 

The tulips are few and far between.  Most are still waiting to unfold.  This is one my daughter brought back from her visit to Europe in 2001.  Wow, time flies!!!  Hard to believe it has been that long.

The daffodils are still holding on, surprising because it was so warm earlier.  These are a later blooming variety, but we have had daffodils for weeks now.  

And last but not least, the greenhouse.  Most of the plants are quite small yet.  I don't like setting the garden plants out until late May.  Most are only three weeks old, but in another three weeks time these little things will be quite large.  Or at least that if my hope.  

I have planted 10 varieties of cabbage, 9 different tomatoes, 6 kinds of peppers, 7 varieties of onions, gourds, different flowers such as verbena, toad flax, African daisies, poppies, petunias, lobelia, and the alyssum will be planted next week.  

The Weather Stick

 I can see this new format will take a bit of getting use to.  I published this post once today, but somehow lost it in translation or somewhere.


To the right is my Vermont Weather Stick .  I received this unique little stick from my husband as a Christmas gift. 


It took awhile to get it hung under the eave, but that didn't matter since we really had little weather of any significance other than wind this past winter and early spring.  


The little stick usually is turned skyward, much more 
so than it is today, top photo.  We are wondering if the poor little thing is defective or just hasn't acclimated itself to Colorado weather patterns and conditions.  Which would be understandable since it grew up in Vermont.  


It is interesting to say the least and surprising that the little stick does move.  I will post a photo of it turned skyward one of these days.  The second photo was take after we received some rain last week.


I am currently taking a journal class from Jane LaFazio on Joggles.  Why, I don't know!!!  I love Jane's classes, but I have little desire to do anything right now.  I guess I am still recovering from being sick and trying to keep up with the daily things.  I did do the first assignment, which is not one of the best things I have drawn and painted.  I couldn't find my good watercolors, they were hiding out down in the sewing room.  Can't say as I blame them.  I do need to get them out and get going on this class as it is fun.  I have at least been reading the lessons.  Not that it gets the work done.  Which is one thing I really want to focus on this year, "Doing the Work!"  It is only mid April, there is still time to kick it in gear.  

So Much for posting more in March

Another month coming to a close!!!  Where the heck to they disappear to?  The only thing I accomplished was a little watercolor pencil work, a sinus infection and while on medication for that, picked up Influenza A.  I totally missed participating in the Silk Dyeing class I had signed up for on QU with Marjie.  I have saved those lessons and will get to them one of these days.  I had really looked forward to that one as well. 

I was already in a class on Joggles with Dion Dior and watercolor pencils.  I did manage to get through the first lesson of that one before getting sick.  The water color pencils are going to take some more work and present different challenges.  It was a great class.

A new class started yesterday with Jane LaFazio. Just got the lesson printed off this morning. It is another "Watercolor Sketchbook" class entitled "Designs from Life" and is through Joggles. Hopefully I will get a little more done in this one than the last one I took from Jane. Don't remember what happened, but I became totally sidetracked in that one.

I did get the color wheel dyed for our Dyehard swap last week and packaged it up at the first of the week.  I didn't think much of the colors when dyeing it, but one should never rush to judgement due to the influence of the soda ash.  It turned out much better than I thought it was going to, particularly the one I used brown as an additive.  That did wonders for the fuchsia!!!   It is a great fall pallette. 

The light color wheel is on the left and the one with the brown additive to a medium color wheel is below.

 

I will have 8 different color wheels coming back from Mary in OR.  Hopefully mine arrived today, it was sent Priority, doesn't mean much at times though.

 

So it is back to the greenhouse and planting this afternoon. I received a very nice Moleskin Garden Log for Christmas from my husband. I have started keeping track of what is being planted. I write it down inside because if I were to take it out with me, it would be a mess. I guess he thought I needed something after seeing all of the papers I leave laying around with names and numbers on them of veggies, herbs and flowers. I have the peppers, onions

planted so far. Only a week late.

So it is back to the greenhouse and planting this afternoon.  I received a very nice Moleskin Garden Log for Christmas from my husband.  I have started keeping track of what is being planted.  I write it down inside because if I were to take it out with me, it would be a mess.  I guess he thought I needed something after seeing all of the papers I leave laying around with names and numbers on them of veggies,

herbs and flowers.  I have the peppers, onions

planted so far.  Only a week late on those.  Hopefully I will have the tomatoes and lobelia planted by this afternoon. 

February post

Not many days left in February, where oh where does the time go?  I think being gone 12 days this month might have made the time go a little faster than it normally does, plus I was sick in between the trips. 

 I didn't post any photos from the Tea at the Brown Palace in the January post.  My daughters gave me this gift for Mother's Day in 2010.  Due to my sister's illness, we didn't get to it right away, but finally made it this January.  The Christmas decorations were still up and it was quite impressive.  


  The Grand Champion Steer from the Stock Show had been in part of the lobby of the Brown the day before.  An old tradition and it still surprises me that they continue to do it.  I have seen a number of grand champion steers in my life time, perhaps that is why I have no need to see one in the Brown.


The tea was very good and there were scones with Devonshire cream, delicious finger sandwiches and little pastries.  I had black tea, "The Brown's Crown Jewel".  It was a very nice afternoon spent with my daughters.  


There is an old church diagonally across the street from the Brown that I would like to get some photos of one of these days.  I will have to get one of the girls to drive me down there on a Saturday morning as it is very silent down there that time of the week.  



I believe I posted that I was headed to Oregon the first of February to make up the Portraiture class with Hollis and if I didn't, it really doesn't matter.  It is the third class in the Master Series I am taking and needed to make up.  Enjoyed it, surprised that I did as well as I did.  Oregon is much prettier in June than February.


My next trip was to Texas, New Braunfels to be precise.  This class was Year # 7 in the Master Series with Hollis.  We quilted for five days, really began to understand hue, value and intensity and that everything is relative when it comes to color.  It was a very interesting five days, it was good to see everyone again as well.  


I snapped the roadrunner sculpture at the hotel in San Antonio.  I would have liked a better photo, but the elevator arrived just as I was taking it and there was a gentleman on it waiting patiently for me to get in the thing.  


As we were leaving the yard, the wild turkey herd that has taken up residence here this winter were wandering through the trees.  The Toms were strutting their stuff.  I must get the telephoto lens on and get a better photo of them.  

It's Been Awhile

Hard to believe that January 2012 is coming to a close.  I am still trying to find October, November and December of 2011.  Where has the time gone??!!!   Might explain why I haven't posted in some time.


The photos are of fabric I dye painted when I took a class this past fall on QU with Marjie McWilliams.  Enjoyed that class immensely, learned how to dye paint using a different technique so that was good.  


Currently I am getting ready to travel to Oregon next week.  I will be taking the 3rd class in Hollis' 10 year program there.  Then after my return from OR, I will leave for Texas and will be taking class number 7 in the same program.  So I have two piles of items on the bed in the spare room waiting to be packed in the appropriate suitcase.  Sure hope I remember which is which.


Taking an online class through QU with Elizabeth Barton.  It is a very good class and I am learning a few new things and it is a good review of things I have already learned.  Never hurts to review as things just don't stay put in there very long anymore.  Maybe they just have a hard time finding their way into my mind anymore!!!    


I need to paint, I need to sew, I need to draw, I need to dye fabric and of course I need to clean.  So life is pretty much the same around here.  

What a difference a day makes

  I signed up for another sketchbook watercolor class taught by Jane LaFazio on Joggles.  I am enjoying it, the Allium was last weeks assignment, sort of.  We were to introduce some other elements in our sketches, but after I completed the sketch and painted it, I wasn't going to ruin it.  Some areas need a little work, it has been months since I last painted.  Have no idea why I don't get the watercolors out more than I do.  I guess it is like everything else, I have to have a reason.  One reason I took the class.  This week we are making backgrounds to paint on, which aren't completed yet.



Amur Maple is almost bare, only a few leaves remain.  It is the one tree in the yard that actually has more color, more often than any of the others.



The trees in the yard have been exceptionally colorful this fall.  I have included a few photos of them that I took yesterday.  The sky was a beautiful blue and the reds, oranges and yellows looked especially nice against it.

All that changed this morning when it started

The aspen tree has finally turned a golden yellow. 
The first time this has ever happened!!! 

snowing!  I didn't think we were going to get very much, but it was a nice amount of moisture.  The snow was wet and it will help the wheat, as it was a little dry.  It looked terrible after the winds we have had this fall. 



Half of the cottonwood tree in the backyard.



The deck late afternoon.

Much of the snow melted as it fell this morning, but by evening there was a bit of snow covering everything in the backyard.  This is the deck, looking out the patio door.  I do believe summer is over and the plants have seen better days. 

What a difference a day makes, from blue, cloudless skies to a snowy backyard.   



October

It is October, hard to believe.  Corn harvest is here, they are trying to get the wheat planting finished up and the wind is here.  October also brings with it Breast Cancer Awareness month and that means "Race for the Cure" is here as well. 
This is the second year we have been in the 'Race for the Cure'.  My part is more of a short walk.  I think we probably get a 2K in by the time we walk from the Light Rail to where the walk starts and maybe a 3K by the time we get back to the light rail.
I thought about trying the 5K this year, last year, but that didn't happen.  Fortunately I had forgotten that I said that.  One of the good things about getting older, I guess.  The knees are another year older as well and the problem.

  Jennifer organized our team again in memory of my sister Julie.  We didn't come up with any new buttons this year, sort of hectic for all of us.  I think I am going to dye t-shirts next year, pink ones!!!  One very nice thing occurred, my sister's sons were able to join us on the walk this year.  Most of our team did the 5K, the new mommies, little boys, grandpa and I did the Family Walk.   
  I think the photo says it all.  The 5K walk in Denver is the second largest in the country.  It is impressive to come around the corner when walking in the 1K and see all the walkers coming over the viaduct, upper middle of photo, and back into the Race grounds.  Lots of people.
  Our team was on Channel 9, live.  Jennifer was the spokesperson.  The rest of us just stood in the shoot, thank heavens!