TEN BECAME FIVE

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

Sky Watch
Savoring any sun we can get in winter

MONDAY – Weekly Smile* FOTD* Monday Window*
TUESDAY – Tue Pictorials * Makro-Tex*
WEDNESDAY – Wordless Wed * Der Natur Donnerstag *
THURSDAY – Sky Watch * Thankful Thurs *
FRIDAY – Weekend Reflection* Floral Fri Foto *
SUNDAY – One Word Sunday* Suns Best*

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BACK HOME

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

MONDAY – Weekly Smile * FOTD *
TUESDAY – Tue Pictorals * Makro-Tex *
WEDNESDAY – Wordless Wednesday *
THURSDAY – Sky Wath * Thankful Thurs *
FRIDAY – Weekend Reflection *
SATURDAY – Sat. Critters *
SUNDAY – One Word Sun * Suns Best *
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FOR THE FUN OF IT

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

Unedited!
Sky Watch

MONDAY – Weekly Smile * FOTD * Garden Affair *
TUESDAY – Tue Pictorals* Makro-Tex*
WEDNESDAY – Wordless Wednesday *
THURSDAY – Thankful Thurs.* Sky Watch *
FRIDAY – Weekend Reflection*
SATURDAY – Sat. Critters *
SUNDAY- One Word Sund * Sun Best *

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.

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THE PSYCHOLOGICAL SKYLINE

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:)

MONDAY – FOTD* Weekly Smile* Monday Windows*
TUESDAY – Tue Pictorals* Travel Tue * Makro-Tex*
WEDNESDAY – Wordless Wednesday*
THURSDAY – Sky Watch * Thankful Thurs. *
FRIDAY – Weekend Reflection *
SATUDAY – Sat. Critters *
SUNDAY – One Word Sunday* Sun Best *
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GO NORTH

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

MONDAY – Weekly Smile * FOTD * Monday Window *
TUESDAY – Tue Pictorals * Travel Tue.* Makro-Tex *
WEDNESDAY – Wordless Wednesday * Der Natur Donnerstag*
THURSDAY – Sky Watch * Thankful Thurs. *
FRIDAY – Weekend Reflection *
SUNDAY – One Word Sun* Sun. Best*
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NEW YEARS MUSINGS

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!

MONDAY – Weekly Smile * FOTD * Monday Window *
TUESDAY – Tue Travel * Tue Pictorals * Makro-Tex *
WEDNESDAY – Wordless Wednesday* Der Natur Donnerstag *
THURSDAY – Thankful Thurs * Sky Watch *
FRIDAY – Weekend Reflection *
SATURDAY – Garden Affair *
SUNDAY – One Word Sun* Sun Best*

OR ….CLICK ON TITLE: THURS. DOORS (Jan 2023)

A teaser of this Thurs. Doors post!

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DAN’S THURS. DOORS (JAN 2023)

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.

Going back to Thurs. Doors

NEW YEARS WATERCOLOR

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

MONDAY – Weekly Smile* FOTD * Monday Window *
TUESDAY – Tue Pictorals * Makro-Tex * Travel Tue *
WEDNESDAY – Wordless Wed. * Der Natur Donnerstag*
THURSDAY – Thankful Thurs * Sky Watch *
FRIDAY – Weekend Reflection *
SATURDAY – Garden Affair *
SUNDAY – One Word Sun * Sun. Best *

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THE WEEK BEFORE THE BIG DAY

THIS WEEK THURS. DOORS IS IN THIS POST!

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!

EAST ASIA

SCROLL DOWN PAST THE COMMENTS FOR THURS. DOORS!

(Part of the 10 x 17 feet painting)
Sorry this shot is a bit blurry, and because of the lack of detail
I suspect that this is not the last draft of my painting.
Also, a part of another group (disciples) is shown here, because
of the lack of space (intended to have place
for as many groups a possible) between the two groups.

Research for each person here. The kimono tells that the couple
is Japanese. The two people above them are
in that same area. The couple on the left are Indonesian,
and the three girls are Chinese. The couple on the bottom
are Eurasian (originally Asian but moved to Europe afterwards).

Talking about this area, there’s much going on right now.
Fervently hope and pray the protests in China will not end
in a blood bath like Tienanmen square. The Chinese people
deserve their freedom and not be treated like cattle,
like they have been up till now.

Which flower could be better here than the Jasmine?
FOTD, Garden Affair, Floral Fri Foto

A heartwarming moment between two birds,
with the reflection of a puddle.
Weekend Reflection, Sat Critters

Colors for One Word Sunday
Oh … where is my white horse in the tree? …

For a full six years we lived here, this Open Air museum was for sale. Any takers?
Der Natur Donnerstag

In the area I lived before, they are having a winter storm!
Here in Tex. in the 70-80ties this week.
Makro-Tex (November)

A cloud landscape
Sky Watch

MONDAY -Weekly Smile* FOTD *
TUESDAY-Tue Pictorials * Makro Tex * Travel Tue *
WEDNESDAY – Wordless Wednesday * Der Nature Donnerstag *
THURSDAY – Thankful Thurs. * Sky Watch *
FRIDAY – Weekend Reflection *Floral Fri Foto *
SATURDAY – Sat Critters * Garden Affair *
SUNDAY – One Word Sun * Sun Best *

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