The Garden As Art

After spending a recent day planting 25 pots of annuals (including buying them, filling the pots with a combination of last year's and new potting soil, deciding what plants go in which pots and where to place the pots, adding the plant food, and watering the whole thing when done), I can say that the garden is ready for viewing. I even gave much consideration to the placement of various rocks, concrete ducks, and even a gazing ball. All of these elements put together, combined with the existing perennials and a few new ones bought from a plant sale, remind me of creating a painting. I plan, step back, walk around, look from different angles, give it some thought, go away and come back in a while to check and recheck my design decisions. Of course, unlike a painting, the garden changes constantly. In the course of one day, especially in spring, new blooms appear, old ones fade. Right now, I love my garden.

Redwings and Cattails, Together Again

There's something right about these two species together in a painting, done before by me and other artists, but Red Wing Blackbirds just go with Cattails. While I was working on the painting, I accidentally knocked over the cattails which were being kept indoors in a vase, and they "exploded" their little fluffy seeds all over everything.

Some Things Never Change, and Shouldn't

The 41st Annual NSUC Art Fair- a lot like the 40th Annual Art Fair, and previous year's shows, and that's a good thing. Same booth location, almost the same artists (one in my section was different from before, that I could tell), same customers, same tireless and devoted volunteers. Oh, and same food - a very good thing. Attendance was high for an indoor show, partly due to bad weather and helped by free admission. So, an enjoyable weekend.

At last!

Soon I will be unpacking the paintings, prints, and cards at my first art show of 2010, the 41st annual art fair at the North Shore Unitarian Church, April 24 and 25. It's all indoors, admission is free, there is good art and good food, it's all good.

A Good Year for the Forsythia

The forsythia in my front yard is very hardy and low maintenance, but its blooms are inconsistent from year to year. Some seasons there are hardly any, some seasons it's gone wild. This is a good-blooming year. With some early warm days and recent rain, things are rolling along.

On schedule

The red winged blackbirds are staking out their territory, making announcements.

They just know.

Somewhere, not far in the distance, I heard a cardinal singing.