On the left is a little watercolor & ink painting that I did for the card I sent to my grandson, Noah, for his 9th birthday. I can't believe how the years are just flying by.... yesterday I saw him being born and today he's 9!...on April 15th...Tax day. Now that's a memorable day to be born!

I'm still painting and doing almost no needlework. I tend to work in spurts...first I'll pick up a needle and then put it down in favor of a paintbrush. Lately the brush has been winning. Painting is where I get to gear up my imagination and transfer what my brain conjures up onto paper, canvas, wood or whatever. Needlework is, admittedly, more relaxing...I almost always stitch what someone else designed...maybe with changes in color...but still not quite all mine. I do more of my own design work in quilting/applique. But it's all me, a surface on which to work, and whatever I'm using (brush, pen, pencil, etc.) when I make art....or make a mess. It's kinda scary sometimes. But once in a while I come up with something that I like. The lady on the right is one of those. I like what I did. I'm happy with the color. I think that she's a keeper. And she almost drew herself...which is a new experience for me. I'm usually grunting and groaning and erasing and groaning some more when I draw. This one was different. I didn't even have a problem with giving her a face....that's really new for me. I've been practicing...but faces have always been near impossible. Maybe all that practice is finally paying off. Do you suppose?

Here I am again...and with another little watercolor to show. I'm practicing how to do faces. At this rate...I might never get to hands or bodies...but that's OK...I can leave that part to the imagination of the viewer. In fact...maybe if I fill the painting with lots of pattern and color....just maybe...no one will notice. Anyway...I kind of like the way this little painting turned out. She looks a little wistful and a little sad...but at least her eyes, nose and mouth seem to be in pretty much the right place on her head. That's no small victory.

Our poor little Pooper Dog still seems a little under the weather...I'm wondering if maybe she's had a little stroke. She's eating well, drinking her water, and going outside to do all of the things that dogs are supposed to do when they're outside (unless, of course, they've already done it inside). Pooper just doesn't seem to want to move. Acts as if even the smallest footstool is much to high for her...and when she sits (waiting for someone to come along, pick her up, and place her in her favorite chair) she sits like an Eeore....head lowered, back hunched, and tail tucked in like she's carrying the sadness of the world on her shoulders. Makes me sad just thinking about it. She doesn't seem in pain...she just seems faded somehow. We're taking her to the Vet tomorrow...maybe he can figure it all out. We're giving her lots of love and tummy rubs and hope that whatever is ailing her gets all better soon.

Blue Kimono....and no doves today!

Well...here I am again today. Did another watercolor...I'll have to stitch after dinner today. Besides my paint pots I was trying to play nurse to my little miniature dachshund, Pooper (yes, that's really her name). She's 13 yrs. old now....and getting a little dotty...but she is such a sweet, lovey little dog...and I hate it when she seems sick. I have a feeling it's just her old bones creaking....I gave her an anti-inflammatory that we got at the Vet's office. She seemed a little better after a while. She's eating and drinking....but just seems to want to cuddle and sleep. That's OK with me...I'll give her lots of love and tummy rubs....and hope that she's back to her normal self again soon.

I'm happy to report that no doves entered the premises today....so I had no dove catching or feather picking-up to do today. Hooray!!!

Girl in the Red Dress

Sometimes I just have to get my inks, watercolors and paper out and have some play time. Actually, almost everything that I do can count as play time...except for dishes, of course, and vaccuuming. I just spent about 20 minutes trying to catch a dove that flew into the house. Success! First I had to get the dogs outside...the other day (thank goodness John was at home) three doves (yes 3) all flew into or were chased into the house through the open patio door. Dogs + birds = chaos. We herded the dogs into our bedroom and went about trying to collect the panicy doves. Found one in the living room trying to catch its breath on the ottoman. Towels are indispensible for bird catching. We breathed a sigh of relief when we released it into the wild...and it flew away as fast as its little wings could flap. #2 wasn't as fortunate. We found it...behind the couch...and minus a tail. (The tail feathers were in the kitchen where the excited pack-o-dogs had plucked them)....another maneuver with a towel and that one was given it's freedom. Surprisingly, it too flew off into the wild blue yonder and out of our yard. The third wasn't as lucky. At first we couldn't find it. Then we heard a commotion in our bedroom. John and I looked at each other with horror and just about bashed in the door while yelling NO!!! during the entire run down the hall. We went in....and there was Kujo and company surrounding an almost dead dove...feathers all over the place. It was a sad and sorry sight. John had to dispatch the poor dove to end its suffering as quickly as possible....and I spent the next half hour picking up bird feathers. The dogs looked quite proud of themselves for the rest of the day. We were sad...the dogs were happy....and such is life, I guess