The Joshua Tree in bloom

I just can't seem to get enough of it. Those white blooms, teetering at the end of a branch. They wear large green spiked collars. For some reason, none of the trees near our house are in bloom. It doesn't seem fair, but then, what in life really is fair? Well, not much. I think maybe this is just God's way of telling me to get more exercise. So I strap on the camera, call for the fuzzy dog, and we are off in search of a tree with a bud or a blossom on one of our many favorite trails. Pono isn't really as interested as I am, but there's always something to sniff, so that's good. It's better that I don't drive, this time of year. If I see a Joshua Tree in bloom, there's a good chance I will veer off towards it - maybe even slamming on my brakes in the process. Perhaps I need a bumper sticker that says "CAUTION - this vehicle stops for flowers."

Here they are.

Wasn't that fun?

I had a photo of a new painting to share with you, but now that I have pondered it, I decided it's not finished yet. So back to the studio I go...
Have a happy Sunday, all you dear things.

Painting and Reading

my palette.

(both photos on this post were taken by Elena Ray.)

It's super windy outside, making it easy to spend the day indoors painting. After an absence from the studio, sometimes the first couple of days back are, well, agonizing. It's as though I have forgotten how to paint. The hard part is staying with it, when things are like that. When you do, good things will happen. They will.

Robyn asked me to tell more about the book I am reading - The Lacuna. Written by Barbara Kingsolver. I am not the kind to go into too much detail about a book, but I will say this: If you don't find a copy of this book and read it, I am not sure we can continue to be friends. It is a delight. It is the sort of book one wants to savor, in the way you would a box of fine chocolate. Hide it in a safe place and take one bit out. Read it slowly, swallow it down. Then, spend the next 5 or 10 minutes thinking about how good it is. You fight the urge to sit down and devour it at once. Some may succumb to the overwhelming urge to do just that. Not I. I have been trying to make it last as long as possible. I do carry it around the house with me, so I can look at the cover. Take another divine little bit in. Like that. So, are you convinced yet?

Today, I got two disks with photos taken by Elena Ray of me yesterday. They sat on the table for a couple of hours. I am not the kind of person who usually likes pictures of myself. I admit, even though I know Elena is a great photographer, my own fear of what I might see kept me from putting the disks in the computer and taking a peek. FINALLY, I managed to do it. WOW! I am so happy with the photos. For the first time ever, I have pictures of myself painting. And quite a number of pictures of myself that I can actually look at without cringing. It's amazing. Elena, you are one talented photographer! My personal hero. And now I can put photos on the blog and website that are actually current. Yay!

Mixing paint.