Shining a little light....

Did this over the weekend. I really am enjoying all the letter styles and chances to draw (which I seldom do, much more likely to stamp something) and color the end projects in these classes I am taking. I think I will use this as part of my Newsletter article for the summer.

Thanks for dropping by.

Saturday evening....

Oh, how I ache.

I was weeding today, a chore I used to love to do. Could edge the flower beds, be on my knees for hours, make many trips to the compost pile with the filled wheelbarrow.

A few years ago, I would have done 3 times what I got done today and still have energy to make dinner, do some wash, make some cards. Now, I'll be lucky to get back up off this chair. The knees ache, there is a soreness between my shoulder blades, my hands are cramping. Maybe if I take a warm shower after dinner some of the stiffness will go away.

Oh, look, what I did weed does look nice. Just around that one tree... another tree to go and then the long border in front of the house and then the circular bed around the crab apple tree. Hhhmmmm.

Maybe I can do a little more tomorrow.

Taking a day off...

Hi, I'm blogless today while working on other things. Enjoy your weekend!

Artful Alphabets...

 While some of us were slaving away with our  Blogging from A to Z Challenge, some of us were also working on another Challenge. I am taking lettering classes from Joanne Sharpe and loving every minute of it. Thought I'd share a few of my practice pieces with you the way I did when I was taking Letter Love.

We started with simple print and script alphas and have progressed to colored in, patterned letters so far. Today we started painting letters with a brush and watercolors. You'd hardly know I'm left-handed.

I have a long way to go to produce projects similar to some of my
classmates. I just need to keep practicing.

With all the great online classes I've been taking, by the time I retire, I will have so many projects to pursue. I certainly won't be bored.

Thanks for stopping by. 

Our Local Arboretum...

This is a tulip!

 Gary and I treated ourselves to a walk in our local arboretum a few Saturdays ago. Our weather patterns have been a little off here in lower New York State. Due to a few late frosts and a very dry spring, the tulips were not at their best, but, we managed to get some great color shots despite the ragged petals. Hope you enjoy.

I love wisteria.

Photographing the photographer, Gary.

Tulip.

Tulip.

This was a tree/shrub with no name.

Weeping Redbud?

Thanks for visiting.

Back to Normal Again...

I know it is a little behind the date, but, I wanted to start the month of May off with something bright and cheery after all the alliteration in April's Blogging A to Z Challenge. I wrote this poem for the Library Newsletter several years ago.

2012 Spring/Easter card.

Nature’s Easter Bonnet Parade

The Snowdrops shyly start the march
    Their white hats peeking out,
From under snowdrifts
    Or the leaves that blow about.

The Crocus follow slowly with
    Their caps of purple and gold
Waving gaily in the wind
    What a sight to behold.

Then suddenly the Daffs are up
    Across the town so strong.           
Their brassy trumpets playing
    A familiar Springtime song.

And Tulips slide up next in line,
    Their rainbow bonnets high.
They smile up at the cheering birds
    Who call down from the sky. 

Hyacinths bring up the rear,
    Regal in their crown.
The bumblebees come flying by
    And knock them upside down.

Hope you catch this yearly show
    The colorful bulb brigade.
Humans have nothing to compare
    To Nature’s Spring Parade.