No, I did not not travel with SouthWest:) But wanted to let you know that plane trips sometimes have consequences. For you who think I might have stopped blogging, I need about a month to move to another house to get back in the rhythm of making regular posts and visiting you. Take care, see you back in March________
One months grew to many. All kinds of things happened that were very stressful, and have not felt like blogging. Cannot promise when I come back weekly. but this is the shed with a 6 foot bird – painted by one of the previous owners on our acre property at 4000 feet altitude that takes much work. Up till now, pipes so I can have the washing machine inside, a cement platform for the generator, because in the first month our electricity went out 4 times, fixing the chimney, because at 4000 feet central heat does not generate enough heat. Building another shed to store wood for the wood stove. Enclosing the wall (it is now plastic) in the room next to the living room, so it does not feel the same temp as outside, so you see my mind goes in circlesđŻ Bye for now dear friends!
Back to my 10 x 17 feet painting. It takes a while to talk about 110 people! In the early stages of this painting I had sketched in the ten virgins
Time was in my favor, because at one moment I realized, yes, there were ten virgins but only five made it to the Wedding Feast (the title of the painting), because five did not have enough oil in their lamp.
In need for some warmth of flowers. We had a winter storm last week in TX Every yard was littered with branches and several with trees that had collapsed. Am happy the city will pick up all the debris that will be stashed at the front yards for the next two weeks. One Word Sun FOTD, Garden Affair, Flower Fri Foto
This was the second place I painted on Sunday for a few years. The illustrious building of the Philharmonic Orchestra in Pasadena. Never realized that this capture had reflections of the foyer, like the winding staircase (top right). Weekend Reflection
Another grand building, this one in Georgetown in TX, in Renaissance style, but earlier layout of the town – everything is built around -this becoming the town square MondayWindow
First two days of February – Thankful that this tree in front did not collapse like the huge one in the back yard! Makro-Tex, Der Natur Donnerstag
Just back from some days in California, a story which began when we saw this white peacock in our yard. See the little crown on its head? Had never realized how big these birds are. Its height was higher than my knee.
This bird came walking into our yard when the photographer to photograph our house was there for the sale of our house. After a while it began to pick at the glass of our front door. She probably saw her reflection in the glass, and thought it was another peacock.
The next day it came back and after a while really started insistently pecking at our glass door. Had no idea how strong its beak was, and did not want our door damaged, so hubby navigated her out of the yard.
Since then I did some research. White peacocks are not common, but albino ones with red eyes are even more rare. Supposedly there are only 10 alive in all of the US.
When you have read my blog for a while, you know I pay attention to serendipitous events. I have never seen a peacock, other than one in the zoo, much less a white one. To see one in my yard, on the day when starting to prepare for our house sale, was remarkable.
My favorite doors are white, since they are so Californian. This was the first “foreign country” I lived after the Netherlands where I grew up. In the Netherlands you will not find many white doors. Second place is a black door – so chic;) For One Word Sunday Weekend Reflect
One thing I liked about our condo life in Southern California, was the landscaping, and not having to take care of it:)
Wordless Wednesday &
To explain: the realtor took this with her cell phone, at one of the houses we were looking at 4000 feet altitude. It made me smile, because it is so telling of me struggling, and hubby holding my hand and patiently waiting for me catch up. Height does matter, folks!
What else could I finish with other than a Californian sky? On the route between Pioneer and St. Andreas. Sky Watch
Oil, 9 x 7 feet, The Cloud, St Germain A break in my series of The Wedding Feast
In the Old Testament of the Bible, God appeared in the form of a cloud, and every day a pillar of cloud accompanied them on their travel in the desert during the day. In 1906 a cloud came for some time into the room where believers were gathered during the revival back then.
Even in this current time this same cloud has been seen in gatherings of people. As follows, this type of cloud represents the presence of God. It may appear in the room when people are focused on worshipping God, as in this painting. Maybe you can see that almost on the top of this painting you see two angels pouring gold dust on the people, which is often an accompanying feature.
This is the first painting bigger than 36 x 36 inches. This was meant as a practice painting to see if I could handle this size. To my big surprize this scene only took three weeks to paint.
My Lantana in the backyard. The sun was shining finally …but there was a gusty wind, so it’s a bit blurry. FOTD, Garden Affair
He was helping out his brother at an art market, but when he saw this dog, he had eyes for nothing and no one else. For the love of dogs:) Makro-Tex
Can’t figure out why the reflections on top are upside down, but not on the lower half? One Word Sunday
This rabbit looks like it could eat some more … sorry little guy, nothing to eat in our backyard! Der Natur Donnerstag, Sat. Critters
Most of the week I will not be home, but I hope you still will comment. If linking at the Ipad does not work out, I will catch up with you guys, the week After.
The left side of the Northern part of the 10 x 17 feet painting. My apologies for my Western interpretation! Well, actually not apologies, but I know that I could have painted a different view of the bride and bridegroom, but since I live in the West part of the globe, more people in the West are likely to see this, than in other parts of the world.
Actually, except for the size (people who are7 feet in height) this was the most uncomplicated part of the painting, for I had seen this view before, when I complained to God that I had to move from the church I so loved, and I had no idea where I would end up next. I was standing, and in a second this view rolled out in front of me (you may know I am only 5’3″) In shock, I looked up and down and had to agree I would not be able to paint this in my condo.
At the end of this series, when I have shown all the views of this painting, you will see the bride and bridegroom from top to bottom.
It brought me a big smile when they gave me the roomy foyer with big windows to use (so I don’t have to deal with light when we are painting) for the Art workshops and small group meets. Also happy that since the first workshop a few guys have decided to join. Weekly Smile, Monday Windows
About the TITLE of this post, more underneath the last capture
Just playin’ with the hydrangea FOTD, Makro-Tex(pretty colors), Garden Affair, Floral Friday Foto
Don’t know why most farmers in California and Texas mainly have cows, and hardly any sheep, it’s not only meat but also wool:) Sat. Critters
Wordless Wednesday & Blurry, but this is exactly how it looked like. Hard to see where the plants go over into their reflection of it. Weekend Reflection
The Clouds for Sky Watch and the Sky Line for One Word Sunday
Debbie from One Word Sunday has a great variety of subjects, and she can, because she is a seasoned traveler and an excellent photographer. The skyline may be far off, yet, it is still visible. It immediately brought me to the psychological skyline. The point where earth and heaven meet. Heaven is the unthinkable, the impossible. Yes, it takes traveling and growing, getting over big rocks maybe, but it’s worth it, isn’t it? Although the valley is comfortable and safe, I like to see what’s beyond the horizon – the unthinkable, impossible – I am all for that:)
The North Region of my 10 x 17 feet painting The Wedding Feast
The human side of this project
This is the right side of the North. Sorry because of the lights in the studio the colors are less saturated than this, but Photoshop elements did not let me come closer than this. The background mountains are a view of an area in the Grand Canon called “the bright angel.” Fitting, eh?
This view shows that every little detail required research, I mean, research as in graduate school, hours and hours on end, eating and sleeping it for a whole month, even before I painted anything. For the Northern parts (ethnic groups) there were not many images available. The lighted city is a representation of the heavenly city Jerusalem. Also that required reading in the book of Revelation: 12 gates! For me it is fun to watch when people start pointing, recognizing as they say, “Oh, that is…” Somehow visitors always know that there are two president faces on top. Left is Lincoln, the right: take your pick.
Blooming on my plant bench as we speak FOTD, Floral Fri Foto
I love it when kids are SECURE in their abilities One Word Sunday
Borrowed from my Thurs. Doors post for the reflections in Old Town Sacramento Weekend Reflection
Melting snow at Yosemite National park Makro-Tex, Wordless Wednesday, Der Natur Donnerstag
One of these rare occasions where I have my camera with me at the right time! Sky Watch
scroll down for THURS. DOORS underneath the comments here!
Since on the Wedding Feast I painted 110 people, we are not done yet! This group are the disciples, or followers of Jesus. They were a fairly unusual bunch – probably around Jesus’ age. Some were local fisherman, a tax collector (Mathew), a financial advisor (Judas) Do you see they hold up a fish, and a coin is coming out of its mouth? The start of this story is that they asked Jesus if they should pay their taxes to the (despised by the Jews) Roman government. This was Jesus’ answer – the coin!
Buildings for Makro-Tex
At that time we lived in Southern California, and back then this was a new color combination Monday Window and Weekend Reflections
We found these in Huntington Garden in Pasadena FOTD, Floral Fri Foto
This cloud shape looks like the profile of a man and shoulder, who wears a hat with large plumes – what do you see? Sky Watch and One Word Sunday – my own One Word Sunday!
Had this capture for years in my archives, but I suddenly realized, there is the door on the right side! I kept this beautiful window, because hubby had worked for this couple in Southern California for a short time. Remember distinctly they were Russian and we talked about Putin and he said, “Never trust him – he was KJB!” People have a long memory for bad things…
I like the pillars on the side of this business door
A house in my neighborhood – it ss special to me, because the house where we lived in for 15 years, had a door like this.
Location: runoff of Bridal Veil Falls, Yosemite Nat. Park Had been eyeing these geometrical rocks other times, but two years ago I took the jump to paint it.
To my surprise we were greeted by a group of people who formed an arch and said, “Oh yeah, you can come here, but we do have a wedding here in a few hours.” Not used to by such private information when in this park, I nodded, and just said, “Thank you.” By this dramatic introduction, I should have known as a psychologist that would not be the end of it.
I set up my art stuff, and eventually one after the other of this group disappeared, until two family members were left, sitting on the rocks nearby. Had no idea that in the coming hour, while painting I would hear the greatest gossip of the whole family. Every family member was raked over the coals. I wondered, if they thought this is normal? What was the sherade with the wedding?? What could I do than silently endure the verbal garbage, until I had at least a good draft for my watercolor:(
Happy to say this was the only time this happened. Because with the next time I had decided I would not be silent!
Was not satisfied with my first try at all. It had nothing of the geometrical shapes that got me so interested in this heap of rocks. I found it to be sloppy, messy and third range, but did not do anything about it until last year January
Last year around New Year, I happened to see the photo in my digital file, and being in my watercolor mood around that time of year, I started thinking about how and what style I wanted it to look like.
In my planning I decided to focus on the shapes and the shadows. The leaves had to support that, instead of letting these overrun the design. Moving very slowly, I stayed with darkening the shadows. When it was finished, I was pleased with a tight rendition that echoed the wonder of all these rocks fitting into each other like a puzzle, of the affinity I felt and the surprise of what nature had built, when I saw it first.
Wordless Wednesday and to clarify
A random watercolor, not related to the January story. My then 16 year old girly girl, who is now a teacher and mom of 2 pre teens and a teen.
A hydrangea with roses and a reflection of my easel! FOTD, floral Fri Foto, Weekend Reflection
One livingroom wall completely taken up by the window – I miss it. Monday Window
CHIMING IN 2023 AS A YEAR OF JOY, COMPLETION AND NEW BEGINNINGS.
Memories of these huge chimes (hubby’s estimation at least 4-5 feet) with an enormous bass sound reverberated in the sky when at the garden store in Austin. Makro-Tex, Der Natur Donnerstag, Sky Watch
My Christmas decorations always have been sparse, as well as the tree. This is the first nativity scene I ever purchased because the crown shape encapsulating the difference of this birth from other births.
This baby is called the Rose of Sharon, Prince of Peace, Almighty God, and a host of other names FOTD, Floral Fri Foto, Garden Affair
Do you realize there are several animals in the Christmas story – the sheep, the animals in the barn, the donkey on the flight to Egypt. These two deer (Mama and Bambi) were in our street when I quickly snapped a shot:) Sat. Critters
The colors of my Christmas tree pieces At the end of this week, have already a memory of this year Colors: One Word Sunday Memories: Makro-Tex
Dressed up Wordless Wed. and Thurs. Doors
This is why I love trees as well as water. They cannot be contained in a box or other container. They take their freedom! Tiny reflections – Weekly Smile, Weekend Reflections
A MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL we are having beef brisket, with sauerkraut and potatoes … (cranberries of course) and desert … What will you have on your table?
Hoping for no rain; on the other hand, it would not be a disaster Sky Watch
MONDAY – Weekly Smile* FOTD\ * TUESDAY – Tue Pictorals * Makro-Tex* Travel Tue* WEDNESDAY – Wordless Wednesday * THURSDAY – Thankful Thurs * Skywatch * Thurs. Doors* FRIDAY – Weekend Reflection * Floral Fri Foto * SATURDAY – Sat Critters* Garden Affair * Weekend Sky * SUNDAY – One Word Foto * Sun. Best * ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________THESE ADS ARE NOT PART OF MY BLOG!
living between two realms 