THERE IS ALWAYS ENOUGH

Oil, 24 x 30 inch, Little Boys Lunch, © St Germain

This is the original painting. The couple who bought this painting
requested I paint a partial bag over the fish and the bread,
which I did,
because it would not change the meaning.

The meaning of what happened then
was that a 10 year old boy offered his lunch,
5 breads and 2 fish, when the friends of Jesus
did not know what to do, when He instructed them
“YOU give them something to eat!” He had given them
the example before in providing food for big crowds of people.
This part of Jesus I have liked more and more, with
the passing of years. Not only did he have killer one-liners,
like – love your neighbor as yourself –
but he took care of daily needs all who listened to him.
Who else, who have attracted multitudes has done the same?!

Delightful Camellias.

Happy Birthday Boo (5th grandchild) last week!

Serendipitously with the painting above, Boo
would have been someone to walk up to adults and say
“Hey, I have some lunch – you can have it!”

For a reflection of the wall of Sutro Bath in San Francisco,
our big boy (6’4″):) Yesterday he told
us on Skype that the day before someone
broke into their apartment in The Hague (Netherlands)
and stole some big items of another tenant and he.
He told us, “I used to come and feel this is home.
Now I don’t feel that anymore .”
Luckily the insurance will cover some of the loss.
Weekend Reflection

The definition of “plain”: “a large flat area with a few trees on it”
This is somewhere on the long stretch called The Grapevine,
between Los Angeles and Sacramento.
One Word Sun

Hard to choose, whether like the dusty plain above more,
or this rugged wall -both have its charm.
Makro-Tex: wall

The bales of hay appeared very late last year …
but this CLOUD!
Sky Watch

MONDAY – Garden Affair * FOTD* Weekly Smile*
TUESDAY – Tue Scribbles * Makro-Tex* Travel Tue *
WEDNESDAY – Wordless Wednesday *
THURSDAY – Thankful Thurs.* Sky Watch* Floral Fri Foto*
FRIDAY – Weekend Reflection * Fli Bliss *
SUNDAY – One Word Sun: Plain* Sun Best*

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

COMING HOME

DON’T FORGET TO LINK TO THURS. DOORS –
SCROLL DOWN

Soft Pastel, 22 x 30 inch Soldier Coming Home, © St Germain

I will never forget this painting in pastel.
At that time, I lived in a street full of veterans, having been in
Desert Storm, Vietnam, etc., so this subject was pretty much
in line with where I lived. What is so unusual,
I was at this point, painting this
for the congregation of a church. I was almost finished,
but I never could finish it, because
covid broke out the next Sunday.
It was literally, a soldier coming home,
everyone came home,
and had no idea we would be home
for months of lockdown.

That you may come to your eternal home in the figurative
sense because the sacrifice he once made, so he could
take you to his home in heaven.

You might not know it, but pastel is as strong and
durable as the oil medium
(Judging from the sketches of well known painters
like Rembrandt, de Goya, etc.).
I don’t use it as much,
since I often paint for audiences, and most of them
have not enough light to see the subtle differences
in colors to see which I should use.
Also, it is more appropriate for smaller paintings.

This paper is from Arches -cold pressed. I like this rough
watercolor paper, easier to handle
since it gives an instant “structure” to what is
painted. With pastel it gives the effect
of little white spaces in between.

Wordless
Garden Affair, FOTD, Floral Fri Foto

Citty dwellers have points of reference that may not mean
anything to someone not living in the city. This is San Francisco.
Waiting at the open bridge …. I look at my watch ….

Palms always give such a punch at the grey road sides
Der Natur Donnerstag

When my kids were at home, one of the inexpensive outings
(since I did my graduate work at that time) with them
– when gas (for the car) was cheap –
was a day at the beach at the pier in Long Beach
we always went to, since this beach was the closest.
One Word Sun – pier

On our walk through the financial district in San Franciso.
Am not sure if the two guys are also part of the reflection!
Jo’s Walk, Weekend Reflection

You cant walk without eating cookies – have some!
We purchase this tin every December
Makro-Tex (Down View)

On the way home, we pass the Amador City sign 🙂
This city has one main street, haha
Sky Watch

MONDAY – Jo’s Walk * Garden Affair * Weekly Smile * FOTD *
TUESDAY – Tue Scribbles * Makro-Tex * Travel Tue *
WEDNESDAY – Wordless Wed. * Der Natur Donnerstag *
THURSDAY – Sky Watch * Thankful Thurs. * floral Fri Foto*
FRIDAY – Fri Bliss * Weekly Reflections *
SUNDAY – One Word Sun. * Sun. Best *

click on Thurs. Doors

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

DAN ANTIONS THURS. DOORS may (week3)

We’re going to hop everywhere today = Old Town Sacramento

Hop all the way to the Forbidden City in Beijing, before the Olympics:)
I realized that is a big door across this square!

To a prior school night in Auburn (near Sacramento) . In the back is a door:)

Back to Thurs. Doors

THE LITTLE YOU HAVE COUNTS …

Oil, 24 x 30 inch, the Widow’s Coin, © St Germain

Give and it shall be given to you – a Biblical principle.
Worked a long time on this one to show
it in a more classical style. Explained to the audience
was that Jesus in the background is not judging,
he is waiting (because in the US culture, having one’s
arms across the chest means: closed off –
not so in other cultures.)

A hard thing to get over, if we have a hard time
making ends meet, that any little gift counts.
Jesus is in the background notices it,
and later he comes back to it, “She has given everything!”
So true, our gift depends on what we have.

Yesterday I saw of a video of a man with a big bag,
asking passers by, “Do you have a few (or two) dollars?”
Then, when the person opens their wallet, he opens his bag
and gives back a hundred times of what they gave.
Wow, wow, wow, but that exactly what God does.

FOTD, Garden Affair, Floral Fri Foto

An icon I never get enough of when walking along the waterside
in the harbor of Sacramento
Jo’s Walk

A tire reflection and birdie
Weekend Reflection, Sat. Critters

Wordless Wed. and One Word Sunday: Sea at Corona Beach
(notice the birds!)

Nothing better than a feathery sunset
Sky Watch

MONDAY – Garden Affair* FOTD * Weekly Smile* Jo’s Walk *
TUESDAY – Tue Scribbles * Makro-Tex: Flowers* Travel Tue.*
WEDNESDAY – Wordless Wed. * Wed. Scrib *
THURSDAY – Thankful Thurs. * Sky Watch * Floral Fri Foto *
FRIDAY – Weekend Reflection * Fri Bliss *
SATURDAY – Sat. Critters *
SUNDAY – One Word Sunday: sea* Sundays Best*

CLICK HERE FOR – Thurs. Doors

DAN’S THURSDAY DOORS – MAY (2)

Front door to a small shopping area with restaurants
Sacramento Calif.

The backdoor of a creperie
Sacramento, Calif.

The gold screen is a nice touch (Georgetown, TX)

Back to Thurs. Doors

UP AND DOWN THE STAIRS

DON’T FORGET TO CLICK ON THURS. DOORS, at the BOTTOM OF THIS POST TO SEE THE SOCKS DOOR

Oil, 36 x 36 inch, Angels’ Staircase, © St Germain

Waited a while, first showing you plenty of other subjects,
earthly, current, political, seasonal, so you know my life is
not in a cathedral, but in a regular house in a suburb,
and my life is as such. Yet, angels are as real as
the things you can touch and feel, like a camera, a car, etc.

This was a dream Jacob had at night,
while sleeping in the outdoors. It was of such importance
that it literally changed his DNA!
He saw angels ascending and descending on a ladder.
Angels are NOT little cute cherubs. What I know from
angels, I have read in the Bible, and have seen a few.
Many are much taller than human beings.
They are definitely more beautiful than people on earth.
They have no gender. Some have no wings,
others have 2 or 6. They differ in rank and purpose,
and is seen in what they wear.
They carry out God’s commands.
They can be fierce and extremely strong.
Just one example in 2 Kings 19 : 35 -at night
the angel struck 185.000 of the Assyrians dead.
They help people out of many messes:)
(Disclaimer, the yellow in the painting is much stronger,
wile the lighter blue on top is not as dominant)
Diversity in Angels – One Word Sun.

Added to the ABOUT section – HAVE A LOOK
( click on the middle of the 3 horizontal lines
on right top of blog)

Hubby has a good steady hand for these kinds of flower captures.
Wisteria in our previous back yard
Garden Affair, FOTD, Floral Fri Foto

A larger view, if you look closely you see the bird house
in between the bare branches on the right side
(the round hole opening and the pointy roof).
Der Natur Donnerstag

Wordless Wed.

Nature as good as it gets!
Makro-Tex: May, Weekend Reflection

Who says the country side is boring?
Always another view of the sky, the fields, streams,
flowers, weather conditions. All from my deck or across the path.

MONDAY – Garden Affair * FOTD* Weekly Smile*
TUESDAY – Pictoral Tue * Makro-Tex * Travel Tue *
WEDNESDAY – Wordless Wednesday * Der Natur Donnerstag *
THURSDAY – Thankful Thurs.* Sky Watch* Floral Fri Foto*
FRIDAY – Fri Bliss * Weekend Reflection *
SUNDAY – One Word Sun * Sun’s Best *

Thurs. Doors (click)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

THURS. DOORS – May (1)

OLD TOWN SACRAMENTO and FOLSUM

Looking at this room to the left before getting to our table
in the restaurant in Folsum (one of the suburbs of Sacramento)
with my daughter’s family..

A more westernized Mexican restaurant

Delicieux!

The door of Olive Mix – the brown and blue barrel is a nice touch. In Old Town Sacramento they have a few olive stores.

One time I posted the right side of the Sole Mate sock store – this is the other side:)

Back to Thurs. Doors
to Jo’s Walk

ACRYLIC ADVENTURE

DON’T FORGET to scroll down to the bottom of this post for
DAN’S THURS. DOORS

Acrylic, 24 x 30 inch Flames of Fire, ©St Germain

What is displayed here is the moment the fire of the Holy Spirit
came on the believers, while a cloud is unseen to the natural
eye is hovering over them (the latter is a sign
of God’s presence). The circles of light radiate, enveloping them.

This was fun, and almost like a new thing. Almost,
because I did one of major significance
at least 25 years ago. Went with harder
lines to make it easier on myself.

Photographically, I’m not at the place I can show
that the cloud is filled with pearl (silver) iridescent and gold.

This brings me to nature, which always has
the most balanced shapes –
not too sharp or invasive, infinite variety, and alive looking!
Weekend Reflection

Early crocus spring bloom
in my previous forest yard
Garden Affair, FOTD, Floral Fri Foto

Celebrate life – eat cake!
This slice makes me smile, because
it looks bright and messy.
It reminds me on some of my paintings:)
Weekly Smile

One Word Sun.: drink
An American, who was a chef married a French girl.
They became our friends, and when we
invited them to our house he showed us a crate
with wines, because he did not know what we liked:)
Since we ate fish that day, we chose this one.

A piece of text for Makro-Tex in a painting I am still
working on.

Am jazzed am in another state where sunsets
are very frequent and can be bright.
Sky Watch

MONDAY – Garden Affair * FOTD * Weekly Smile *
TUESDAY – Pictoral Tue * Makro-Tex * Travel Tue *
WEDNESDAY – Wordless Wed. *
THURSDAY – Thankful Thurs.* Sky Watch* Floral Fri Foto*
FRIDAY – Fri Bliss * Weekend Reflection *
SUNDAY – One Word Sun * Sun Best *

THURS. DOORS
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

DAN ANTIONS THURS. DOORS – April (4)

A reflection of this cute clothing store in Senora

Even though this is the country side of California,
there are not that many farms.

In Old Sacramento – since they kept several relics
from the gold rush, this archaic fence looks like one

Back to Thurs. Doors

AFTER EASTER AND EGGS

DONT FORGET TO VISIT DAN ANTION’S THURSDAY DOORS – at bottom of this post (after the comments)!

Oil, 18 x 24 inch, The Story of the Finch, © St Germain
(the original is a bit darker)

You know by now, that there is no painting
for this painter without a purpose or a story.
Was writing an Easter story once
that led to this story of the finch, who
was asking if her neighbor had her eggs ready for Easter.
Then the bird in the next tree, mentioned it
would soon be the birthday from a 7-year-old boy,
who would love a computer for his birthday.
He for sure knew his parents could not afford this.
After many birds told this news from tree to tree,
it happened to reach his parents’ friends.
When the friends took out the family
for dinner, they had a little flat package for
the birthday boy.
One Word Sun. – Eggs

In the Netherlands Easter is in general for the Christians
(at least it used to be) a bigger deal than in the USA.
Like for Christmas, 2 work days off.
That’s probably why the windmill came to mind.
Weekend Reflection

Wordless Wed., Der Natur Donnerstag
Somehow this reminds me on the grave of Good Friday
except for that the big stone must have been man-height

In any case, it is a colorful and festive day, remembering
the resurrection of Jesus who paid with his life for you and I,
so he can take you to his eternal home in heaven.
Garden Affair, FOTD, Floral Fri Foto

Wordless Wednesday

ABOVE: with my 10- and 11 year old partners in crime:)
HERE -part of a painting that I am still working on –
but it does have text:) Turning out to be very timely,
because this year many more eagles have been spotted.
Makro Tex:

Even though this old farm was falling apart,
every time we drove by, I remembered
what a great looking farm this was in its glory days.
Sky Watch.

MONDAY – Garden Affair * FOTD * Weekly Smile*
TUESDAY – Pictoral Tues. * Makro-Tex* Travel Tue. *
WEDNESDAY – Wordless Wed. * Der Natur Donnerstag *
THURSDAY –Thankful Thurs.* Sky Watch * Floral Fri Foto*
FRIDAY – Fri Bliss * Weekend Reflection *
SUNDAY – One Word Sun.* Sun Best*