Keyholes

A new development.

What does it mean?

A key might be necessary.

Borscht

Borscht is a favorite recipe from my husband's family.

A delightful and refreshing cold summer soup.

The color is a fantastic shade of pink!

Thyme

I love the scent of lemon thyme.

I potted a few more herbs for my kitchen garden this week.

Beautiful and tasty too.

Blue Sky

Billowing clouds and a deep blue sky.

It has been so beautiful the last two days.

No more rain!

Lulu and I walk every day.

We often pass this beautiful farm,

with its endless rock walls and specimen trees.

This is our destination.

A big open field behind the church.

The Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance.

Luna Moth

The Luna moth is quite a sight to be seen.

This magnificent, large scale moth lives for only one week 

and flies by night. They are a beautiful shade of green, 

marked with little "eyes" and fern-like antennae.

It is pretty exciting if you happen to find one!

Jars of Love

Food for the heart and soul.

A campaign to raise money for the homeless in Washington, D.C.

Spread love and compassion when you shop from 

my HEARTS section on Etsy.

I will donate a portion of the proceeds to So Others Might Eat,

a community organization in the City of Washington.

Click HERE to read details about my effort.

Visit the S.O.M.E. website to learn more about their tireless work 

to break the cycle of homelessness. 

Firefly

Fireflies for Father's Day.

The summer season has officially started!

My Dad made a special request for fireflies in a jar.

I have been doing little studies of them. 

I love those summer nights when fireflies flicker in the sky.

We used to catch them and collect them in jars.

I'll post the painting when it is finished.

Mosquitos

Mosquitos love me.

Too much.

I don't love them.

At this time of year I am covered with welts.

It's not very pretty.

I decided to paint a little collection of them.

They are growing on me.

Starfish

Three new paintings in my shop!

A collection of starfish, sand dollars, and shells.

Painted with a pale aqua blue and a bit of rusty red.

All mixed with a silver luster.

Shimmering stripes and polkadot patterns.

Almost as good as the real thing!

Lazy Days

Lazy days of summer.

Eyes are getting sleepy.

Whimsical Nature

Lulu and I couldn't resist snapping a few pictures on our morning walk. 

Take a look at this magnificent Southern Magnolia blossom.

Peek inside and you will find the most beautiful patterns and textures.

I'm amazed at how whimsical the natural world is. 

It's kind of other-worldly too. 

Click on the image to see it larger!

Cicada

I love the summertime sound 

of the cicadas humming in the trees.

They are very noisy little creatures!

Golden Sprouts

Jars of golden sprouts.

Tender shoots.

Two new paintings in my jar series.

Terrariums, greenhouses in a ball jar.

Earth toned stratum, heavily patterned layers.

The patterns remind me of Grant Wood's 

stylized pastoral landscapes.

Verdant Green

A walk around my small garden.

Oakleaf hydrangeas are blooming.

I love the conical shape of each cluster.

Creeping Jenny is taking over.

What a lush, verdant green ground cover.

Its color adds a wonderful contrast in the garden.

In the winter it is tinged with red.

Still Life

Old plaster frames and whimsical candles.

A collection of new and vintage vases.

Cast iron insects.

A summertime still life.

Mosquito Hawk

Did you ever wonder how such a dainty insect got its name? 

Don’t be lured by the dragonfly’s dazzling colors and fairylike wings. 

Truly, the dragonfly was named for its mighty mandible. 

The dragonfly is a predatory insect,

known to many as the mosquito hawk.   

So the next time a dragonfly blithely lands on your toe, 

remember that this pretty little insect is searching for supper.