HAPPY NEW YEAR!

One year ends, another begins.  Sun rises  on a new year - we turn the pages of the calendar, start afresh.

Wishing a joyous, prosperous, creative, healthy  New Year to each of you!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Wish you and yours a joyous Christmas!

The Brown Barn in the Snow

Still wishing for snow on another unseasonably warm day.

Let There Be Light

Painting -- "Let There Be Light"

Red Barn - Long

A dear friend of mine gave me a pad of narrow long sheets of watercolor paper -- I'm painting small snow scenes on these.

BTW, it's in the 70s, sunshiny, not a hope of snow anywhere ... but somehow for the holiday spirit, I paint snow and dream of a white Christmas ...

Joy Wreath

Journal Tip In - Working small these busy days ... preparing for holidays ....

Merry Christmas Card

Preparing for Christmas ...

Winter Creek

Journal - Another rainy day ... Winter rain is different to me than rains in spring and summer.  Somehow, winter rain is darker, heavier, more somber.

And so I paint snow ... for the lightness of it, the joy it brings me ... and because of its rarity ...

Joy Poinsettia

Journal -- A bit of poinsettia for the holidays.

Chestnuts

Journal -- Always LOVE chestnuts especially this time of year!

Holty

Journal -- my holly is full of red berries, but instead of the traditional colors, thought I'd try something a bit different ...

Getting Ready

Getting ready ......

More Fog

Journal - More fog and rain today -- but that kind of light lends to wonderfully saturated colors!

My Backyard in the Fog

Journal - Leaves still clinging to the trees - but rain, fog and cold signal that winter will soon settle in.

View from the Lake

Journal -- Such a colorful fall -- here it is almost December, and still the colors and feeling of fall lingers......

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

The Old Cabin on Hebron Road

The Old Cabin on Hebron Road - Oxford, NC. Fell in love with this old cabin...

My Backyard Trees

Journal Tip In -- My backyard trees.  Though most of the leaves are on the ground, the landscape is still mighty colorful.  The view is looking out from my dining room window.

Cahors, France

Journal - Still thinking of Paris this morning and remembering the beauty of the French countryside and the kindness of the people ... From my recent trip - Pont Valentre, Cahors France ...

In sadness, support, and prayers!

Cutchogue Old Suffolk Free Library

Journal Tip In - Cutchogue Old Suffolk Free Library -  While in New York last week, I had an opportunity to take a day to sketch with my friend Joan Szalay Tavolott​.  It was a beautifully warm day, filled with sunshine and the brilliance of fall colors.  We traveled to the North Fork of Long Island and visited the town of Cutchogue.  We stopped at what we thought was a church and sketched it before realizing that this building had been converted to a beautiful library.  We went inside to enjoy a terrific art show, and then later explored the Art Guild Gallery with a variety of oils, watercolors, acrylics, sculptures, paper crafts, pottery and more.   Thank you Joan for a really fabulous time!

My Driveway

Journal - Returning to North Carolina after helping settle my mom's effects brought me rain and cold -- but still marvelous colors.  There are more leaves on the ground it seems than on the trees ... trying to catch the color before winter settles in.

Leaves of Fall

Journal - Despite the rainy days, the trees are so vibrant and the leaves so colorful, that I continue to try to capture them in my journal.

Happy Fall!

Journal -- Rain greets us as we welcome November and the peaking colors of Piedmont, North Carolina.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Journal - HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!

A Window in Frayssinet

Journal - A window in Frayssinet.  On one of our last days, we took a walk around the town and found this window -- bedecked with bright yellow flowers.

A Door in Frayssinet

Journal - A Door in Frayssinet

A Bike in Gigouzac

Journal -- After sketching the 'bake house' in this charming village, I walked around the town and found this iconic scene .. I fell in love with all that foliage as well as the 'mode of transportation!'

Some of the Awesome Meals at Le Lieux Couvent

Journal - Some of the foods served at LeVieux Couvent. There was so much more lusciousness than shown here!!

A few Cafes at St. Cirq LePopie

Journal -- A few cafes at St. Cirq LePopie 

Some steps at LeVieux Couvent

Journal - Some steps at LeVieux Couvent

For all the Grapes and Wine in France

Journal - for all the wine and grapes in France -- delicious!

Church of St. Peter, Frassinet, France

Journal - Church of St. Peter, Frassinet, France

This church was located across from the convent where our workshop was held.  The bells chimed the time each hour and each half hour -- with an extended 'song' at noon and 7 am and 7 pm.  I LOVED hearing those bells.  

The church tower was chock-full of pigeons that would circle the church throughout the day.

The entire view -- including pigeons -- reminded me from scenes from Mary Poppins!

Journal - Another View of St. Cirq Le Popie

Cave Painting - Pech Merle Caves, France

Journal

One of the many highlights of my France trip was a visit to Pech Merle Caves. These caves featured stalagmites and stalactites over 2 stories tall and true, actual cave drawings done 230,000 years ago.
Please see http://www.pechmerle.com/english/introduction.html for information and google Pech Merle for more images. Since we couldn't take photographs, we created our own 'cave paintings' when we returned to the studio. FUN!

St. Cirq Le Popie

Journal - St. Cirq Le Popie - I really enjoyed this hilltop village while in France - the artisan shops, the quaint twists and steps of the narrow allies, and always, the rich, incredible gardens, even in the tiniest places!

Our Foods - Le Vieux Couvent, Frassinet, France

Le Vieux Couvent, Frassinet, France - some of the utterly INCREDIBLE food we enjoyed.