Goodbye Summer 2010!

I just love the windmill near the end of Mill Street at Russell in Olde Sandwich Towne!  Just down the path you can see in the bottom left corner of the picture, is the Mill Street dock; there is park land on both sides of the path lots of benches and places to watch the birds, ducks, and if you go near the wooded areas, you may see some four-legged creatures! But you have to watch, and be quiet!

I took this picture last month when I was down there for a walk, and decided to come back with a camera at least three more times this year. I want to get the four seasons in pictures. I plan to go back within the next two weeks for the fall shot. You can't see it from this shot, but the low bushes in front of the windmill have red flowers, I don't know what kind of bushes they are, but they are very beautiful. I was also interested in the twisted branches on those bushes.

I found them interesting, and will draw them at some point, maybe incorporate them in one of my other paintings!

The twists in these branches, remind me of our lives in Christ. He leads, and guides us through many twists and turns, some good, some not so good, some sudden and some not quite as planned. Sometimes we wonder how we can go on, but just like that small piece of sky in the last picture, He shows us where He is, and how, in His strength, to survive another battle.

Have a Great Day!

Phoebe

Saying Goodbye

Today I finished a painting I have been working on for some months. It is taken from several pictures my daughter-in-love sent me from Izzie's dance class. Finishing a painting is like saying goodbye to an old friend.  I have struggled, slaved, loved, and made a friend of the subjects, in this case, people, and the background, making decisions, and making the work a part of my life.

I have already started several nature paintings, I find them more restful than portraits and people! I needed a change!

In a way, I am taking the completion of the 'Dance Class' as when I had to say goodbye to a client two weeks ago.  As I have mentioned before, I am a Personal Support Worker, and work in people's homes to help them with their daily personal care. In this case, the man had an injury, and he recovered from that injury; so I was no longer needed for him. It was a good goodbye!  Most of the time when I say goodbye to clients, it is because they have to move to a nursing home, the hospital, or when they pass away.  At least this time the man got better!

Goodbye's are a part of life, but that doesn't make them any easier. When people we get to know and care about have to leave us; when someone is a part of our daily life, and then they are no longer there, we miss them, and it is hard to get used to not seeing them. Well, now I am waiting for my company to 'replace him' with a new client!  I wonder who that will be?  I still have six other clients,  So there it goes! At least I won't be bored!

Have a Grest Day!

Phoebe

The Garden Helper

This spring I have been so busy with work, keeping track of World Cup Soccer, and my garden, I have hardly had time to turn around!  At least this summer has been hot and wet, and my garden is doing very well so far.

When it came time to plant my seeds for snow peas, yellow beans, and Swiss Chard, I was well supervised by my two trusty helpers, my son Paul, and our dog, Thomas. Tom can only reach one corner of the garden on his chain, the corner he can reach is near when I have planted the snow peas. As I was planting them I put down the package of seeds, and ZOOP! He grabbed them and took off down the grass, shaking them all the way! I wonder if it's the pug or the beagle in him that makes him so fast? At least I got some planted, but there are no seeds left for a second harvest. I have always had an interesting array of green things growing in my grass; maybe if I didn't cut it I would get more snow peas?

This past weekend, I tackled the big job of trimming the several Rose of Sharon trees at the side of my lot, between my house and my neighbour's, we like the sound barrier and the privacy.  The trees are about twenty years old, and occasionally I have to trim them away from my house.  Well, to our dog, they were just a new toy!

He helped me move the large branches in the back yard for trimming mostly because it was his choice. When it came to the cutting up and putting them in boxes so our Public Works department in the city would take them away on 'pick-up day'; Thomas decided to take them OUT OF THE BOX for further playing! He loves to chew wood, to the point where my friend Maggie, calls him The Beaver. His favorite is the dead wood, maybe because it falls apart better.

Hope your summer is going well, and have a great day!

Phoebe

New Portraits

Hi!  I just finished some new portraits, now on to the action picture I was planning!

Hope you enjoy them, and have a great day!

Phoebe

The Lap Dog

I never set out to have lap dogs, it just kind of works out that way! Even when I was young, at home with my  parents, we always had rather large dogs, for example, a beautiful black lab/boxer mix; her name was Tammy, and her favorite place, (when mother wasn't looking) was our laps. I am just a drippy mess when it comes to those big dark sappy eyes, along with the constant adoration and unconditional love which absolutely oozzes from any family dog I have ever had!

The first family dog in my own family, supposedly bought for our oldest son (back when I had a husband) was also a black lab, his name was Boots. In no time at all I had him spoiled, and his favorite place, when #1 son Bob was not around, was my lap! He liked to sleep with Bob, later, Paul and Bob! Boots was followed by two German Shepherds, and a Rotweiller, all were big lovable sappy lap dogs! They were all the best friends of my sons, and when their time here with us was done they were mourned like family members.

So, this time, I decided not to have a real large dog, just a medium size one. I'm older now, and not as strong, when it comes to training them. Well, Thomas is really not a lap dog, he is still too large to be one. Says one of my friends: "Phoebe, really! He just doesn't fit in anyone's lap!" "But" I answer, "You haven't known me long enough to see my other dogs!"

Tom sleeps with Paul, (sometimes under the covers), when we are quiet in the house, he either naps at our feet, or on our laps! That's it! I've done it again, knuckled under; given in to the total love and adoration of another family dog!

So be it, I guess there are worse things in this world we can do!

Have a great day,

Phoebe

Ta Da!!!!

One portrait down and one to go!  Then I will start on my larger painting! This is Izzie visiting a medieval tent at a local celebration. Hence, the head gear.

I will continue working on my maternal grandfather's portrait, and hopefully finish it this weekend. In it I will institute more of the 'dry brush' technique.  The bright colours are more fun on younger persons!

Hope you enjoy, and have a great day,

Phoebe

Spring -- Or Later April Fools?

I couldn't believe it!  When the snow melted, there were my dafodils, tulips, and even my summer lilys all shooting up, some over three inches among the leaves I put down every fall to keep them warm! Is spring starting already - or are we in for a rude awakening later?

It's a good thing they're in the front yard, because I also think our dog might want to try them out for taste! He has been curious about the sprouts in the back yard, and since the weather has broken, the back yard has been THE place to be. This will be his first spring with us, my, how time flys!

This week will be the "tell"; the weather calls for

warm all week. and lots more sun, I'm expecting
to hear more "Hi's" on the street, it's amazing what a little sunshine and warm weather can do for the spirit! My own spirit is also feeling strong, but my brain is telling me it's only March, and I remember big snows even into April.  What will happen to my young flowers then???

Even if it doesn't last, I still just love seeing the new, re-born flowers. Every spring I remember God's promise for rebirth, the buds on the trees, the grass growing back, and all the other miracles of this re-born world.

 As far as my 'portrait project' is going, well, I should be posting one of the new ones later this week! 

If you are having good weather, enjoy!!  In any case, have a great day,

Phoebe