Water lily studies

Went out Saturday morning with a little group from "Plein Air Austin" and painted. So good to get the brushes out and get into the painting rhythm again. I did a couple little studies, each about an hour. Had some frustrations with paint consistency, since I had run out of turpenoid so was using "turp natural" which is NOT a good thinner, makes the paint very slick and strange. But did the best I could with that weirdness. Actually very happy with the results.

Also got a really nice email yesterday from Susan G, for whom I'd done a cat portrait a couple of years ago. She was recommending me to a friend and basically the friend now wants to buy a commissioned portrait of her dog, so yay! The friend, Victoria, had been bidding on this year's MSW auction item and was outbid at the last minute. Not only can I really use the moulah, but it's great for my artist-ego and building that confidence.

Shortly after I got that email, I got one from a member of the Plein Air Austin group saying that she "couldn't stop looking" at my lily paintings - what a stellar compliment that was, and from an artist whose work I admire too.

It's interesting to me how these things popped up right after I made a conscious decision to focus on my art life and think about what I want out of it all, what my goals are, what would make me feel successful. I hope it's another one of those indicators that it's really true about how things grow when you pay attention to them.

Also created a blog that has just artwork on it, without any distractions, bitching, moaning, personal tidbits, so I can point people to that and it looks more professional.

http://picturesfromkate.blogspot.com/

Flowers from Porter

Flowers from Porter
Originally uploaded by pamplemousse2007

Here are the beautiful flowers that appeared in my office on Thursday thanks to my thoughtful sis. Enjoyed a mellow birthday on Friday and hunkered down preparing for a storm that never was (at least never was in Austin.)

Got lovely cards and other thoughtful things from Mom, Gardner, Susan, Laura. Feel so popular!!

I went around the office on Friday saying, "Yeah I look pretty good for 80."

A New "Toy" for my Deck

It is a challenge to have plants on my deck as the sun does not reach down to the floor... I found this wonderful plant stand that will lift up the plants to the sun. It has a shelf on which I placed my bird seed and water for birds to drink and "bathe". The metal is the same color as my little wire fence that I love. I put heather into the pots, two lilac and one white....


It was fun to go to the West Side Nursery, a favorite of ours during the years when we actually had gardens to plant and flowers to grow. I do miss getting my hands in the dirt. Having a few pots of flowers and plants helps.

My deck opens from two rooms, I have a big sliding glass door that leads out the the deck from my bedroom. I am very grateful to have this deck and the beautiful views that transport me to the creek and mountains beyond my railings. And I love sitting in my chair in my bedroom in the mornings and watching all the birds come for breakfast and a shower or two.

Could not resist the sock monkeys!

Well, luckily for me, God loves me despite my defects since I have once again been tempted to put a bid in for a "tribe" of sock monkeys on eBay. But how could I resist? Look at them:

visit to the pediatrician

Elsa has an ear infection. Her first.

But, the good news is that she is now on antibiotics and should feel better soon.

In other good news, she continues to be ginormous:

• height: 30.5 inches (90th percentile)
• weight: 23.3 pounds (50-75th percentile)
• giant melon circumference: I forget the exact measurement, but it’s 90th percentile