Wildflowers in January

The day before yesterday, Matthias and I went for a really nice day hike, in some mountains about an hour from our house. It was a good hike, the weather was wonderful, but the best part of the whole thing for me was the discovery of TONS of blooming wildflowers!!! I couldn't believe it. I know I am new to this area and all that, but all the literature I have picked up about wildflowers have said that most of the flowers really bloom in February and March. So this was a lovely surprise. I don't have a book of the native flowers yet, so I won't be able to accurately identify most of them for you. I am sure you will enjoy them, anyway, as I did. I took more photos than this, of many other different varieties, but not all of the photos turned out. So sad. I guess we just have to go back so I can try again!

I am quite sure this area has gotten more rain than we have at our house, because it did seem greener. It would stand to reason, with all of these wonderful flowers! I love flowers. I am pretty sure these are probably California poppies (orange) and some kind of desert lupine the purple ones). Don't quote me on that. Here was one big clump of yellow flowers. No idea what kind, but they were at least as tall as my waist, if not a bit taller! Fabulous!

We timed our hike right, because yesterday the weather turned much colder. I spent the whole day painting. The results were varied. My favorite painting is still the one I posted in "Persistence Pays". I am probably going to rework most of the ones I worked on yesterday. Here is one of them, which I am probably going to change a bit. I am not happy with the oval element in the middle of my "tv" screen. I think I will scrape it off. We'll see. There's the blue again! My current color love.

I have also won two awards for my blog!!! Thank you to Anke, from "The Artist in me..." and Melissa & Emmitt, from Pugnotes. You have made my day!

These awards are similar in idea, and here is the description:

Give the award to up to 10 people whose blogs bring you happiness and inspiration and make you feel happy about blogland! Let them know by posting a comment on their blog so they can pass it on.

The thinking blogger award is for a blog that makes you think, of course. I hope I got this right.

So I am going to send the thinking blogger award to Priya at the Plum Tree.

The You Make My Day Award is for both Melissa and Anke (above), and for Carla. Also for Linda at Abby Creek Art.


There are many other wonderful bloggers out there, and I will send them awards too, but I really really need to get back into the studio now.