I haven't posted here lately because.....

I have been so busy redoing my garden areas. I have been neglecting my art by mostly gardening but the weather will change and I will be done planting and it will be back to painting for me! My gardening blog is at: MyGardenRoom.blogspot.com.

Day 27 - Yellowstone Wetlands

What beautiful scenery in Yellowstone!
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Yellowstone Valley 2

A beautiful sunrise going through Yellowstone Park. Day 26

Poor Vincent

Vincent (Starry Starry Night) Don McLean

www.youtube.com

A slideshow of Vincent Van Gogh's work set to the song "Vincent" by Don McLean. It's part of an art and creative writing lesson plan for the patients at Mississippi State Hospital at Whitfield.

This is such a touching song combined with Vincent Van Gogh's paintings. It is so beautiful and touching and brings to mind the sensitivity and care we need to give those with mental illness and also what they can give us.

Day 8 Leaving Cimmaron

A nice peaceful ride with lovely landscapes heading for Colorado.

Cimmaron

Day 7 we stayed in the prettiest area east of Taos, NM. Lots of Fishermen. Nice Campground

Day 4 Grand Canyon

Day 3-FRIDAY June 11th Grand Canyon

This was painted the day of the STORM! It left quite an impression on us, the storm that is!

Time Lost - Calico

Calico Ghost Town is in San Bernadino County. The mailing address is Yermo, CA It was originally a silver mining town. When the silver ran out the town fell on hard times. They mined borax (remember 20 mule team borax soap!) but when the depression hit, the investors lost all their money and the town became a ghost of what it had been.

Calico is on the edge of the Mojave Desert. It is now a regional park run by San Bernadino County. There is a campground which includes several cabins with electricity (a short walk to the restrooms). The town consists of some restored original buildings and some reproductions of buildings that burned down in a fire a while back. The town is up on a bluff and behind some mountains to hide from the wind. There is a climb on stone and wood stairs. There is a back way up for disabled to get to the town.

Since the town is on a bluff there is a nice view of the valley and desert.

I would not recommend tenting here, the wind is like a small hurricane! We had reserved cabins (thank heavens!) and pebbles blown up on the porch hitting the door were hard to sleep to. We turned on the air conditioner to mask the wind noise! RVs would probably be fine, especially if you pick a site that is protected by a hill. The town is interesting although we did not experience much of it since we arrived in late afternoon and left just after they opened for the day.

The two best things we experienced here was: 1.) The amazing rock formations all around the town. The kids felt this was one of the best experiences they had on the whole trip. 2.)the lack of city lights at night. When we got up in the middle of the night the wind had stopped and the stars were so beautiful!! They looked so close as to touch them! Wonderful!

Day 1 Along I-5

My eldest daughter, her 3 boys and I started from the San Francisco Bay Area on June 9, 2010 at 6 am to meet with one of my sisters and her youngest daughter at a rest stop on highway 5. They will join us on the complete 31 day trip. We will also have 2 friends and each of their sons joining us on the first part of our trip.

As we drove down the central valley of California it was so evident how beautiful our state is. It was morning and the sun was just hitting on the hills on the West side of the Freeway. There are lots of orchards and farming going on. Lots of golden California here!

We are HOME!

A wonderful trip, now lots of stuff to put away and lots to catch up on!

5 days before we leave!

My painting backpack is packed in my sister's car She gets to haul all my stuff, lucky her. The other van is packed to the hilt.

22 days before we leave!

We are all getting very excited. The Grand Council of the Treehuggers will meet tomorrow. This group consists of participants over 18 year of age......My grandson had to be told, "no, you cannot miss school for this meeting. You are not part of the GRAND Council!"

A Quiet Moment

This photo really needs to be redone! Every so often I can really get a good photo without glare. Not this time!

39 Days til the Take-off of Our Slice of America Trip!

Only the things that can't be done earlier are left to do!
All my canvases and wet boxes are ready to go!

Rain, Rain, Go Away! We want to go paint!

After several years of drought we are really getting the rain this year! And when it is not raining it has been really overcast or windy foretelling another rain storm coming. Today is really beautiful but life is in the way......BUT TOMORROW! We are going painting in Sunol Regional Park again! Looking forward to it!

Painting Day at Sunol

We had a great day painting at Sunol Regional Park. The weather was so beautiful, just right temps, not too hot and or too cold like predicted. After all the rain the creek was really flowing and everyone was there with their dogs and kids...Easter vacation!

Warming up for June 9th!

Lots of things have been keeping from much painting but every chance I get I am doing studies to be prepared to hopefully painting every day on our slice of America trip!

So Wonderful to Get Out and Paint!

Took a break today to go painting with Sheryl at Sunol Regional Park. There are so many scenes to paint there. Hills, lots of Oak and Sycamore trees, water (especially now) in lovely forms, serene and waterfalls, and hikers too.

It was a great time and especially welcome after my month of hospitals and rehabilitation with my aunt and now my husband.

It is so nice out! Nature is calling!

I hardly have had time to bask in the beautiful weather we have had for several days. My poor hubby had a bicycle accident and broke a couple of ribs then seems to have gotten a flu or something with real stomach problems....not complications of meds since he hasn't been taking them. He has been so weak, can't eat anything so I have had to be close by at all times. Poor dear.

Meantime I have been working on projects for our Slice of America trip to keep my mind off the thought of going painting!! Tomorrow we will go into the doc again and maybe we can solve this part of the situation. If it gets taken care of then he can come with me while I paint. He just needs help getting up with those broken ribs and being so weak.

Anyhow, I will do a study in the studio if he is still not well after the doc tomorrow.