February's End

Baked Oatmeal is in the oven, the children need to be woken up for the day, but I thought I would quickly download pictures and give a February's end update.

Wacky late winter weather with cold temperatures and snow.  It looks like it might even out now with chilly rain and sun breaks.  There must be something about the location of this farm because rainbows literally end (or begin) here either in the North Field, or above the trees at the creek bottom.  Below, the rainbow is touching my concrete pillars.



The saucy robins, nice and plump, are everywhere.  They are filling the walnut trees and even perching on the little Weeping Katsura whose branches are barely big enough to hold them.  It is so enjoyable to watch the birds.  The herons fly low over the fields.  The Chickadees and the Robins are always about.  I saw a Bluebird.  Occasionally, I see Flickers. While I don't see Redwing Blackbirds, I hear them singing especially in the morning.  The raptures have territories that I can identify.  I am eagerly awaiting the Spring migration!



Phil pulled an all nighter on Thursday preparing for the house inspection.  We didn't pass (we figured there would be some things that we had forgotten to do.)  This weekend he worked on getting those items completed.  He has everything crossed off the list except a piece of drywall to texture and paint and we are waiting on the plumbers who need to put in a vent.  The next hurdle is getting the appraisal inspection to pass.  I am a little worried about that one.  There is a lot unfinished and while Phil doesn't seem to think that will be an issue, I worry that what we have done won't be enough.  We sign papers to close on Wednesday but we don't get financed until the inspection and appraisal reports are accepted.  Phil is so looking forward to this!  The deadlines and paperwork have been a tremendous amount of pressure for him and we have money owed everywhere that we are eager to pay off and have consolidated in the house loan.  We still have so much to do so from my end of things/my perspective, it doesn't feel like less pressure.  We still haven't finished unpacking, there are still tools everywhere, this is still a construction zone mess.  There are still big projects to finish that will take lots of time.  I just want to be DONE.

I had my second painting class.  I have to say...I am not at all where I would like to be with painting.  My goal is to be able to make abstract, impressionistic art that represents places I have been and things that I have seen and the expression/mood of those places through art.  I don't want to paint lengthy realistic pictures.  I want to "journal" quick sketches with a splash of watercolor in 15-30 minutes, or use acrylics and oil paints if I have a little longer (or from photographs).  I want to use those journals in my fiber art to inspire location, light and shadow, color, movement, texture, etc..

After 2 days of guided instruction and trying my best to make 4 hours of painting look like 30 minutes, it is stiff and all the colors look blended.  It doesn't have movement, it isn't expressive...it looks like I was trying to make a realistic picture without having the skill to do so.

In contrast, here is our instructor's.  She used this canvas only for quick demonstrations and then worked on it in very small snippets on day 2 in between helping others.  If she had 15 minutes in, I would be surprised. 

The water had to be shut off one evening while Phil was working so I couldn't get dinner going.  I quickly put together this felt painting.  I used a photograph that I took on our Southwest trip as inspiration.

Here it is felted down.  I don't have much needle felting to do besides shaping the mountains in the back and then I can start machine stitching.  

Morning clouds



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