It all started with the orchids

It has been such a wet week here in Oregon! We had a good start on redoing our yard over the spring break holiday: large trees and stumps came out, we moved huge boulders from the pasture to the hillside for a future terrace, the greenhouse was delivered, we prepared the site, got dump-truck loads of gravel delivered… and then everything stopped.

Cherry blossoms at the bottom of the pasture

I am becoming well-attuned to the subtle variations of morning fog… one type of light promises clearing later in the day, but this week’s has portended steady gloom, wind and storms all day. My baby chicks are chilled in their coop in the barn, when last week they were out enjoying the sun.

Native Dogwood outside my kitchen window

I’ve felt the flush of excitement over our new accomplishments contrasted with the frustration of being cooped up and stalled by weather in wild swinging moods. I see why it’s called spring fever. I got out today to see my friend Sue’s baby goats… a few may come to live with us in a month or so!  Then I spent an hour or so at a friend’s nursery picking out plants, much to the detriment of my wallet. We’ve been watching eagerly for new fawns from our resident deer, but so far haven’t seen any.

I have a project to do inside, thankfully. I’m painting my daughter’s bedroom the most beautiful shade of robin’s egg blue! I custom mixed the color. I couldn’t find the right blue… one was too cool, the other too warm. So I mixed the two gallons together 🙂 Voila! I’ll try to post pictures when the room is finished.

"Forest Song" Watercolor on Yupo

This is the last week to view my solo show at the Riversea Gallery in Astoria. If you can’t get there this month, they always have my work up… it’s just nice to see them all spread out in a large room together! Thanks Jeanine and Terrie for making the show look so great 🙂

Also, if you’ve been thinking of signing up for one of my classes, check out my new listing on TeachStreet. You can sign up for the whole six weeks, or just a few.  The class will focus on color, and it runs May 20, 2010 – June 24, 2010
Weekly on Thursdays from 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM.  I’d love to know if you’re thinking of coming though… so drop me a line! Or, you can sign up & pay on the Teachstreet website… easy-peasy! I’m including one more image from my show at Riversea below… a nurturing one!

'Forest Whispers' Watercolor & Gouache 22"x15"