Another October Beauty

Butterflies represent transformation.  Eric Carle, author and collage illustrator, has a children’s book named “Very Hungry Caterpillar”, a classic that i now enjoy with the next generation.  We have been watching these orange butterflies in the front garden for a couple of weeks.  Today i was lucky to get a picture.  Usually, as Olivia and i [...]

October’s Light

What i most love about October is the quality of light that we have.  Maybe its because there is no humidity and the air seems so clear.  Colors are brilliant and the sky is the bluest.  Today people came to our neighborhood to tour homes.  Four of the homes were on our little dead-end street.  [...]

Zinnias A-Glow

These three zinnia flowers came from the same plant!  The colors change like a sunset as the flower matures.  What a treat.  Thank you, Mary Lynn, for the original seed that i collected from your patch 5 or so years ago.  My zinnias are glorious right now because i got them in late, and i [...]

Another garden guest

Praying Mantis
This is the most recently discovered guest in my front garden, found in the zinnias while i was dead-heading and looking for marigold seed.  He is even bigger that the grasshopper, but i neglected to go back out with a ruler.  At least 5 inches.  Look at the eyes…he knew i was there!  Through [...]

A Garden Visitor

This guy is huge and probably got that way eating my 4 foot marigold plants.  I don’t really care too much as long as he doesn’t eat the French Marigolds.   Each year i save the French Marigold seed and plant again – saved originally from my mother’s garden after she died 27 years ago.  Just [...]

Leaves for Fall

Well, I just finished drawing on this little gourd bowl … leaves … and realized today is the 1st day of fall.  Typical that i would choose leaves, and a gourd for that matter, to do my little bit of art for the day.  The air is dry, and though rather warm, it was a [...]

It’s Simple

When i am among the trees, especially the willows and the honey locust, equally the beech, the oaks and the pines, they give off such hints of gladness, I would almost say that they save me, and daily. 
I am so distant from the hope of myself, in which I have goodness, and discernment, and never hurry through [...]

Prairie Coneflower

These are blooming in my front yard right now.  As the centers mature, there will be tiny seeds that the birds will love.  This is a native prairie plant of Tennessee that is fairly rare, so i am glad that it is thriving here.  I have finished another wall hanging, mentioned in earlier posts - A [...]

A New Day

   I have decided on the title of this piece.  The sun is finished, using a feather stitch in silk buttonhole thread, to tone down the colors and give some texture.  Now i want to do some more embroidery on the trees and add some plants.  I struggle with the urge to start another project [...]

This Sprout has a Hat

I soaked and planted Martha’s butternut squash seeds this week, and look! there are sprouts this afternoon.  And this one was still wearing its little hat.  Sorry, I still have not mastered the close-up focus on this camera.  I did not start working on the “rooster” project until a couple hours ago, so there is no [...]