Keep Calm and...

Have you found your muse?

Creative Minds are Rarely Tidy

Given butterfly wings..

Given Butterfly Wings...

Where would you fly?

Crab Apple Star

This is how the end of the branch looks on my prairie fire crab apple tree. I just loved the composition it shows off and wanted to share it with all of you so you can experience it's brilliance too! I love the way it starts as a long oval shape radiating out of the middle like a spiral creating a lovely firework of glorious color. It is the star of the yard at the moment and well, it really deserves the title wouldn't you agree? I love this tree!

White Really?

Another shot of the crab apple trees, are you sick of them yet? I sure hope not. They just make me smile and this photo makes me really want to show you how we perceive the value of white. Look in the blurred background on the right, that is a true white. Now look at the blossoms, although we know they are white, and we say they are white flowers, are they really. Look deeply into each bloom and you will see a multitude of lovely colors just waiting for your discovery. There are soft creams, greens of various tones and hues, a touch of pink coming through some and look at the lovely darks that are included. I do hope that if you were to render them in a painting, you would think to put all those lovely color varieties within their blossoms. Now where is my sketchbook...

Checkers Anyone?

This is the year, I can finally show you the amazing checkerboard fritillaria in clarity. I only have one bulb that survived and it is situated right outside my studio window so I don't miss the beauty of it. This year I was blessed with four blossoms, all in various stages of blooming, just precious. Can you just imagine Mother Nature when she came up with this specimen? I bet she was singing and dancing around for days with the joy of how creative she is. I know I am very grateful for that special moment she shared with her muse!

Cherry Freeze

This is another shot of our brilliant cherry tree this year and yes, I have given it another dessert name, only this time in the form of a slushy LOL This photo happened by mistake, the wind was really blowing so I changed my setting to the "running man" camera speed and this captured beauty is the end result. Not bad really and luck was for sure on my side to have gotten this shot. I loved how it blurred the background but kept your focus on the delicate white and pastel pink blossoms really making your see all their wonderment. Enjoy today!

Lovely Lilacs

I love lilacs and we have so many that when they are in bloom you can't help but be overwhelmed by their intoxicating scent. I was just able to catch them as they bloomed this year and then headed to San Diego to teach colored pencils and mixed media to a group of lovely ladies. When I returned, there were no blooms left, just the faint hint of the blossoms that were there. Thank goodness I have several Korean lilacs, their scent isn't as strong but I do get to smell the aroma - ahhhhh....

Front Yard Blooms

This is the front of the property welcoming all that enter, see the driveway just past this beautiful crabapple. Yes, Venus treats everyone with the same shameful gaze as you enter, but it is one you will not forget. The crabapples are by far my favorite springtime gift to our yard. We have them everywhere because of their beautiful color variations and the fact that they produce a fruit for the birds in the winter is a huge plus for us. The long driveway blooms in white and pink and lets us know the other glorious colors will follow soon. It is a tremendous gift to show us that winter has passed through - ahh, the beauty of it all, just pure goodness!