i'll just be here. painting birds!
dreaming of snowy mountains. sleigh rides. roaring fires. shaggy fir trees. redwoods. the pounding wintery ocean. do you see where this is going?
my version of a white christmas. because blue is the new white.
heading here in a couple of weeks. another solo adventure, but i'll be joined by one of the new mexico moss women.
solo time with a sister chaser… so to speak.
and a live redwood christmas tree.
i hope you're own holiday plans are shaping up to be splendid. happy times spent in the company of others or your own fabulous self.
!
Is it bad that I just want to eat up that little chickadee? It’s just so damn cute.
Love your birds. That whole way of putting a color down, then another and another and then, there’s a bird. For some reason, that photo makes me think of Big Sur, although not nearly enough trees. We have a neat Christmas tradition – the husband and I. We cook the turkey on Christmas eve. Then, on Christmas day, pack a really grand picnic lunch and ramble up the coast. Usually end up at Point Vicentes. Last year, sitting in the sun, we spotted 3 whales and many dolphins just swimming by. Have fun at your new destination and how wonderful that new mexico moss will be joining you.
I am reminded of a poem (which I just now wrote): Little birdie in the tree, why’d you do that on my knee? Sure am glad you didn’t pee. How does one decorate a redwood? Very carefully I imagine.
Happy-Happy. Where is that last photo?
I’m excited to see where you land, the view already looks pretty dang amazing. Far as my holiday plans, probably close to home seeings how I broke my leg last last night, slipped on a patch of icy snow that I swear reached up and grabbed my leg to pull me down. Just about my left ankle. GRRRR. Anyhoo, i’m hobbling around in a splint and waiting to see the the ortho guy in about an hour to find out what the prognosis is. I’d be happy to just sit this holiday out at home but then again, I really don’t want to have to slow down, as it is our house is not crutch friendly so the sooner I heal the happier I will be, in the meantime visiting all my favorite blogs since going down the stairs to my art room is a process that does not bode well with ease. Your sketches and watercolors are making me smile with glee and that sweetens the day nicely.
I too am totally loving these birds you have painted!! I hope you enjoy your Xmas holiday, looks like an amazing place to spend some time. Hopefully the dispatches will continue while you are there. 🙂
Now you’ve hit upon my first love: Birds. I’m an avid bird watcher of manic proportions. I travel to see birds, keep a state, No. America, and yard list which total in the hundreds. Got a new life bird, a Lapland Longspur, just two weeks ago. A big deal when you’ve been birding as long as I have, it’s very hard to add to a life list.
Your Christmas retreat looks like the northern CA coast…lovely. Hope you have a wonderful week.
where ohhhh where will you be ??? your new white-which-is-blue looks splendid – is that a castle you’ll be staying in ???? that coast looks a lot like the “gold coast” up by cambria ???? glad your new mex sister will be joining you – nothing like sharing the beauty – but hope she won’t make a sound – not a peep – hahahaha : )
your current passion for drawing birds is EXCELLENT – love each and every one of them critters : ) my birds don’t stay still long enough for me to capture them on paper let alone watercolor ha – but I do have a few bird books which I like lots : ) does that count ?? I have taken some pics of them but they are blurry – oh well (sigh).
Hope you’re having a good week – you’ve been a-little-bit-quiet ???? stay well and stay strong – pet cat-boy lots and always dream big !!!!!!!
Blessings – Sandra in AZ : )
Where is that place? It’s probably not this, but my first thought was the Wayfarer’s Chapel (aka The Glass Church) on the PV peninsula. When I was in daycamp, back in the 1950s, we always used to stop there on our way to Marineland — way before Marineland became a total faux pas.
Hope you have a delightful holiday with your sis. Great birds, too! xo
Christmas plans? On Christmas eve, I should be getting my final release from my knee surgeon. What does that mean? Just that he turns over my care to me I suppose. While I ‘could’ drive now, I am waiting til then to strengthen that ‘new’ knee in case I need to jam on the brakes. I am quite enjoying being a homebody for the past weeks and nesting near a gas fireplace or a gas Jotul. Click and it’s on!
I may or may not see any family but as most 40somethings have Busy Lives, right now I leave them to it and send checks. Works for us.
The funny thing about birds; one day you just start noticing them and thinking ‘How jolly and fascinating!’ and that’s it. Suddenly your garden has bird feeders, bird baths, bird fountains, bird nesting balls with alpaca fur to help them create more well decorated nests. Clearly they must be drawn and painted. I love yours!
Holiday in what looks like the Redwood Curtain, where CA suddenly becomes the Pacific Northwest I think? Just gorgeous, girl. Have a beautiful peaceful week. Hugs.
Your birds take my breath away – they have such life, such personality! The colors on the chickadee are amazing; that blush/undertone of pale pink in the grey is perfect; you have captured them all so beautifully. Love the serendipitous detail of the ledger page mixed in, giving things a real “field guide” feel ( the red french label painted border on the page number adds to this feeling too ). You are simply amazing; so glad you will be able to have another stay on the coast this holiday season and can’t wait to see what you share with us. May you days be filled with happiness and inspiration!
Your bird paintings are just excellent!!
Oh what a grand time will be had by all! We are hunkering down under a cover of snow…our first White Christmas in four years (no snow in Hong Kong!). Can’t wait!!
Loving your birds. I think you’ve found your sketching niche. Looks like you have a fun little adventure ahead too-can’t wait to see your snapshots.
The time around christmas and new year has become a bit of a traditional retreat for me over the past years. For two weeks I’ll be going offline (no blog, no facebook, no internet, no nothing) and just hibernate on my island. I may visit a museum or go to a christmas market. I will definitely go on long walks and read books and cuddle up with a cat. I might even write or draw or somehing. But I make no specific plans, no appointments, have no get togethers. Just me myself and I for two weeks. People will just have to pretend I don’t exist. Just a little over a week to go and I will have 18 whole days to myself. Yay! I love this time of year. I’m just hoping we’ll have a little winter too. Right now it’s storming again. Oh well…
THE BIRDS ARE…WELL, REAL.
REALLY, REALLY, REAL.
Love the birds! All of ’em. And love your Christmas plans. This will be a quiet Christmas with both daughters and their families staying home in California. My son and his family will fill the holiday nicely, if more quietly than when the whole clan gathers. Tonight was the kindergarten Christmas concert at their school….and it was as adorable as you might imagine. My favorite was the little girl dressed in a white dress, complete with angel wings. She had completely covered her sneakers with white cotton balls. Trying to make clouds? Snow? No idea! But she sure was darling. A lovely evening full of carols and kids and lots of laughs.
XO
Sending you Holiday cheer and blessings in the year to come. !
Your birds are just beautiful! How fun it must be to create like you do!