Colorful Abstract

I've been trying to come up with a few little hand projects to take on an upcoming girls trip....more on that later. My evening paintings have been piling up....and I thought they needed a little something before I made them into cards.  

So I'm going to add black thread details on this one....and to be honest it was hard to stop once I got started.

So why stitch rather than use a black pen or paint? 

1. I like to stitch.

2. I like to mix my media.

3. It adds texture.  

4. But really.....I just needed a little hand project to take on my trip.  

😉

I tried another painting experiment last night....and it had the potential to go terribly wrong. 

I gridded the watercolor paper with washi tape.  I knew I wanted touches of black....but I'm not always successful adding them at the end.....so this time I added them at the beginning. I used my fineline applicator and black acrylic paint and just scribbled. At this point I thought....oh no....this is not going well.  

It felt a little hopeless....but I channeled a little Jackson Pollock and just went for it. I already thought it was going to be terrible.....so why not go for the full monty and see what would happen. I dabbed, swished, and splattered....all the colors.

But it's not all that terrible. It's kind of wild....and with a little restraint I think there's potential with the concept.

And if you isolate some of the squares....they're kind of interesting...in a crazy and colorful abstract kind of way.  There's a couple I actually quite like.

And speaking of colorful....look was Paul came across on his morning walk in the rain. No, he didn't pick them up.  I love this little assembly of trucks and vehicles....and it makes me smile thinking of some little boy or girl making up stories and their head as they dug and loaded the mulch.  

Colorful creative play....just like what I did with the paint.

In The Neighborhood

There's a tree in the neighborhood that drops these skinny leaves in the spring.  I did a little research this evening and found out that it's a Little Leaf Linden...and one site called these "leaf-like wings" that surround the flowers. It will flower in the summer and the bees and hummingbirds love them.

I pick some of these up every year....I just love the color and shape.

I'm now seeing the little buds that will bloom on down the road....and I'll be looking out for them.

I'm going to watch them for a while and see how they dry....along with the daylily blooms I deadheaded.  One lily bloom is from a couple days ago....and the other two from this morning. I'm kind of chuckling as I just wrote that wondering who in the world cares about when I deadheaded my daylily.  So either you've stopped reading by now anyway....or you're just humoring me.....or maybe you understand why celebrating little things is a good thing.  It's a joy thing.

Also in the neighborhood I put the last little bit of mulch on Jim and Sandy's garden this morning....and it's flourishing.  It makes me so happy that they're enjoying it so much.....they've got a nice view of it from their patio.

I love having these two in the neighborhood.

Slow and Steady

Sometimes joy looks like a little pile of puzzle pieces ready for tomorrow's breakfast.  

It's slow and steady...but I'm making progress on "Vintage Tins." This one is more challenging than the "The Book Shelf"....but I'm really enjoying it.

This was a late night painting that I wasn't all that fond of....so now it's become an experiment in doodling.  

Sometimes you just need to pause and draw a few little dashes during a busy day.  

River Trail

"We are dreaming of a time when the land might give thanks for the people."  Robin Wall Kimmerer

Today....I am giving thanks for the land.

I'm more of an urban neighborhood kind of walker....but every once in a while Paul gets me into the woods....and it never disappoints. He's good for me that way. This morning we walked part of the Presumpscot River Trail I've not done before....and it was just lovely.

We drive over this bridge all the time to go to the grocery store....and don't think much about it. But today....this is where our walk began.

The trail meanders along the Presumpscot River......with interesting wooded areas, a few meadows, and of course the river.  You would eventually get to the Presumpscot Falls on this path....but we didn't go that far.  That's another path.....on another day.

There was a second point where we passed under the Highway 100....and it was strange to feel so far away from things...and yet hear the cars rumbling above.

This was an interesting section....with a HUGE patch of bamboo just getting started.  It will be interesting to go back when it's bigger....it was just thick.

This was fun....a couple of very long vines that had been cut down low....so were just tangling from the tree.  I actually took a video...or thought I did....but somehow it ended up being just 2 seconds long.  I think it would have been kind of cool....so I'll try again next time.  

And look what we stumbled upon....more Ragged Robin.  It's become one of my favorites. 

And just like that.....I have three daylily blooms.

Paul told me there was a couple of days he didn't get my post in his email...including the one from last night.  In case that is happening to you I have no explanation.  I write every day and and the online posts can be found at:  http://joyfulputtering.blogspot.com/

And sometime soon I'm actually going to have to deal with the "subscribe by email" issue.  I've clearly been avoiding it.  I just keep waiting for the tech fairy to come and save me.  

Clear As Day

I'm reaffirming my own mantra today....there's always joy.  

I woke up this morning with a couple of things causing me frustration and concern.  Nothing for anyone to worry about....things will be fine.....I'm certain of that....but I was in a grouchy and kind of sad mood that I wasn't sure I would shake off.  But a friend helped remember that it was OK to feel that way sometimes....which reminded me that even in the midst of tough stuff there is always joy.  Today, even with my angst, was no exception.

1.  I woke up to the first bloom on my tiny yellow daylily...a plant that has moved with me from house to house  It was like full sun on what ended up being a cloudy chilly day. 

2.  A friend shared some really good news about a health concern....such a relief. That alone, would have been enough.

3.  While trying to tidy up the garage I came across my mosquito.....a treasure from a sister gathering.  I love this little guy and am so happy to have him back on the patio.  You can read that story here: http://joyfulputtering.blogspot.com/2015/08/bonding.html

4. Janice came across some "found objects" in her lawn and took the time to send me a photo.  I warned her that it doesn't take long to get hooked....so she'd better find a jar.

5. Then.....during my garage project I uncovered the little aqua candlepin bowling ball Janice gave me years ago....and now it's in my front garden.  It was a "re-found object."

6. Anita sent along 2 beautiful photos she knew I would love from her daughter Becky who is vacationing in Iceland. Nothing like a couple of rainbows to cheer you up! 

Paul has always dreamed of going to Iceland....which made this even more fun.

7.  An ongoing conversation over messenger  today with my sisters sharing stories of fixed car air conditioners, bamboo....and strawberries.  I love these virtual conversations where we share our lives.  One sister was in England, one in Evansville, WI, and the other on a now not so hot drive to Sioux Falls, SD.

8.  Paul made a fabulous dinner.....as he does every night.  Yes...he's taken over the cooking....almost completely.  

Some days the joys are subtle and you have to look for them...and other days...when you need them most...they are clear as day and practically smack you in the face. Today was one of those days I needed to be smacked in the face.

Everything is going to be just fine.

Sunflowers

If you know me at all.....you'll know how much joy I got out of these photos Barbara had on her Instagram Stories of Eliza.

Sometime soon I'll get her journal back to work on....and she's already working on mine.  And if I'm reading this photo correctly I may have some sunflowers in my future.  And that makes me pretty happy!

I'm pretty jealous of that hat!

And I'm a little late on this project.....but maybe....just maybe I'll have some other sunflowers in my future too.  My sister Nancy overbought sunflower seeds....so she shared some with all of us sisters.  

Mine have been sitting in these envelopes for quite some time....lovingly labeled with all the directions.  They've even had coffee spilled on them.  

I'm going to give Eliza credit for the nudge....and getting me thinking about sunflowers.....because now the seeds are out of the envelopes and in this big pot. I don't have any garden in full sun....but I can move a pot around to maximize the sun I do have on the patio.  My sister Marilyn had good luck last year growing sunflowers in a pot...so maybe I will too.  Time will tell.

I just deadheaded the last rain lily....and they are taking a little bit of a break.  I know there are more to come!

Abstract Experiment

My dwarf goat's beard is blooming.......

and doesn't it look pretty with the Bowman's Root.

This is one of my long-time loyal plants.  I started with just one years ago and have divided and given it away again and again.  The foliage is kind of lacy....and stays pretty all season.....so it fits my "handsome plant" requirement for a perennial.

The plants are in my corner woodland garden....they get about up to 2 feet high with blooms on top of that. I just love them this time of year.  

And nothing like a few hot humid days in a row to encourage these little guys to pop up. at the corner of my fence.  It makes me smile to see the little chunks of mulch on the top....kind of like cookie crumbs.  I embrace the mushrooms.

I won't paint every night....but I did last night....this time it was a bit abstract experiment.

I taped off a grid with washi tape and just dabbed and doodled.  It's no masterpiece....but for a quick project it's not all that bad.

This is my favorite little corner.

Popping Open

We've had several really warm summer days in a row.....so the Bowman's Root buds are popping open like crazy.

They're such sweet little flowers....so I picked a sprig for my window sill.  I have an image in my head of these slender buds unfurling....I'm guessing they twist open.  I would love to watch it in a time lapse video.

As often as I can I still paint a little late in the evening...I'm finding it quite meditative.  The doodling was an afterthought this morning.