Fall Weekend

It is supposed to be the first weekend of fall and you could see it in the trees a bit as we drove to the cabin on Friday.  I was going to the cabin by myself this weekend as The Hubby had a dance last night but we, I, decided that I would come back on Saturday with him as he decided to go Friday evening.  Yes, our plans often hinge on a whim, a lot of the time.  We left town about lunchtime Friday and on the drive stopped half way there to have lunch at the I Don't Care Bar & Grill!  The drive was nice as we made our way.

As usual I took a lot of snaps of the drive from the truck window.  Hopefully something will make me want to paint it.

Last weekend I got this little gem and this weekend since it was another of the painting weekends I wanted to paint it.

I only had a couple of people show up to paint with me but that was okay, at least I wasn't by myself.  I am going to do it one more time and we'll see if any more come and if not, then I'm done I think.

I've got some more tweeking to do on this but it will be nice.  I left it at the cabin not thinking that I would like to work on it this week but really I might not have time anyway.  

This  week is invoicing week so painting at the studio may not be in the cards anyway.  Plus I'm going to watch little Min (with the help of Auntie Biff) while her parents head to OKC for a pediatric heart specialist appointment for the day.  Lots to get the head around there.  Plus on Saturday is Birthday-palooza Weekend!  Friday would have been my mother-in-law's birthday, this past Saturday was Biff's and last week was the sister-in-laws and this Saturday and Sunday are Snicklfritz's and Min's birthday's!  YIKES!!!!!!!  So Saturday Min's small kiddo birthday is in the morning, nap for her then everyone will come to our house for Olive Garden dinner about 4:30 then Biff, Snicklefritz and her Dad will head to their house for a slumber party to celebrate Snicklefritz's 10th birthday!  Goodness I am going to be worn out as will everyone else.  Not counting the all day Friday watching Min and their parents doctors appointment and we never know what that holds.  

Friday this week too my sis started chemo to fight her inoperable cancer.  So hate this for her and what she is going through.  It's not going to be a good outcome and have to understand that she has limited time left with us.  Heartbreaking, absolutely heartbreaking.  

Inspiration

Yesterday I received a phone call from one of The Hubby's high school classmates, one I don't know very well.  She has commissioned me to paint for her!  That was extremely exciting.  It's a dog they lost recently and I know I can do it, at least I hope I can.  During the conversation she said she really enjoyed watching on Facebook when I post my paintings.  She also said that I had been an inspiration to her with my  food stuff.  So much so that she had taken up the idea of eating that way and losing weight.  Goodness, I seem to have a bit of a following with my food stylings and it is inspiring me too.  I'm truly honored to be the inspiration for others even though sometimes I fall off that wagon, don't we all.  I'm trying to use up a ton of stuff in my deep freeze and hopefully continue the journey.

This is lobster tail and tomatoes and zucchini.  It was quite yummy.

I've also finished this lovely.  I loved doing the clouds and on FB, when I posted it I was THRILLED beyond thrilled to see Patrick S Gordon (Pat) like the painting!!!!!!  He told me once to slow down in my painting and I would get there.  I was beyond happy to have his advice, as my friend.  I might just have sold this one too!!!

"Rain is Coming"

9x12 oil on linen panel

Cows and Landscapes

The weekend, oh the weekend.  Yes it was hot but mostly on Saturday afternoon.  The rest of the weekend was most pleasant, at least for me, summer lover.  I went up on Thursday and enjoyed most of that day by my lonesome on my screened porch and a good book.  

In fact, I read three books this past weekend.  Now that, is a great weekend!  I read The Summons by John Grisham, Class Act by Stuart Woods (not worth it at all), and last night finished off The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner.  

We hosted grilled chicken on Saturday evening with some of the NEW weekend residents of our little cabin area.  They are super nice and it was one of the best evenings.  It was a small gathering allowing us to really visit and get to know one another.  The Hubby wanted to invite more but I had put a limit on that, especially with the Covid numbers rising I didn't feel comfortable with a huge crowd.  We were able to be on the porch and that makes me a bit happier and feel safer.  

I just love capturing the photos as we leave to head home.  Luckily no one was on the road as I drove allowing me to stop occasionally and snap the photos.  I'm sure I will paint one or more of these.

As I rounded one corner it was very evident that someone in the night had driven off the road and demolished the fence allowing these escapees all over the road.  I stopped, rolled my window down and captured their faces.  I wanted to take more photos but it was at a precarious part of the road where someone could have come up on me and smashed my car or the cows so I was quick and moved on.

It will be a busy week for me as I will be watching Snicklefritz a lot.  Next weekend she will journey with us to the cabin.  I always enjoy having her because she is a help and we just enjoy each other a lot.  Maybe next weekend I will load up on our watercolors and we will paint on the porch together.

This week I will also go to my regular doctor and I'm so excited to step on his scale.  According to MY scale I'm nearly 20 pounds down but the last time I was in to see him it will show only 15 from his chart.  I had gained 5 pounds since I last saw him.  The weekend I did derail a bit but that's okay, I'm back to it today, last night.  Again it is a food life change and I don't plan on changing that.

Weekend Getaway's

We've taken every opportunity on the weekends to jet away to our home away from home.  It is so beautiful this time of year in Northeast Oklahoma.  Enjoy the photos and maybe some will become paintings.  In fact the first one is on my easel at this time.

We've refurbished the outdoor screen porch the past few months with a new outdoor fireplace, re-staining the floor and a new ceiling with new can lights.  We also took out a pole that was smack in the middle of the room and put a beam across for holding up the ceiling.  

The yard also is full of beauty with peonies, iris, and roses.  The white peonies remind me of my momma 

Painting In The New Year

Happy New Year...well, this new year it already flying by as it is the 11th of January.  I've been trying to play catch up with work and painting.  My studio mate and I have a show next September and I want to get several of the self-portraits done.  I've got them drawn but have been very hesitant to apply paint.  But this week I decided to conquer the fear and just do it.  So far I am please with the beginning of block-in on this one.  Skin color is so tricky!  

I did finish this one of Moss Mountain Farm.  I've painted it before in a very small version and it sold very quickly but I wanted to paint it bigger.  I'm happy with it. 

On a quick note this Saturday morning...BRRRRR...winter has blown in and of course our furnace is on the fritz.  Of course my do-it-yourself hubby is not inclined to call anyone but wants to tackle it himself.  Righhhhht...I'm cold and thank goodness most of the day I will be moving and grooving with straightening up the guest bedrooms from our company and dismantling Christmas and stowing it away, so I may even break a sweat.  Lots of blankets this evening and I should survive.  My parakeet on the other hand I will move to the bedroom area where we have a split system to keep him warm.

Sad note is that The Hubby lost two cousins yesterday.  They had both been battling cancer.