crazed for zinnias

I just plopped my State Fair zinnias in the garden.....I LOVE these flowers.....so grand and stately at over 3 feet tall......with fantastic painterly colors to boot! I just wish they didn't take so long to bloom!

So, you will find me the next few weeks doting over these little sprouts like a mother hen.

I have already lost 2 of these precious little seedlings to naughty chickens....who can't seem to resist scratching around in newly turned soil.

what a find!

I was thrilled to meet the talented Dara DiMagno this past weekend at Earth Angels Spring Soiree in Warwick, NY. At this wonderful mix of artists I met this lady who fabricates old into new... past into present.

Each of Dara's pieces are as individual as snowflakes.....jewerly pretty enough to be worn or just to adorn your home. Dara breathes new life into old photos, tintypes, bakelite, watches and vintage finds....fusing them together in clever arrangments.

Every piece of art is a voice from a bygone era...whispering stories and clever sayings!

I know I will be an admirer forever....

Find more of Dara's work at www.earthangelstoys.com

scenic route

I'm very lucky to live in an area steeped in history and lovely views. Vistas and horizons are dotted with centuries old farms, peppered with haybales and simple treelines as well as a colorful array of animals...

Walk down our road and you'll pass a reindeer farm with a clattering of guinea hens, a sheep farm fitted with vibrant peacocks, a cluster of humble brown Swiss oxen as well as landscapes polka dotted with Holstein cows.

Of those I couldn't pick a favorite. I suppose that is why I love painting simple treescapes. Something to be said for leaving your "i's" undotted and your "t's" uncrossed. Sometimes just the thought of a passing cloud or hedgerow is enough.

It's knowing when to put that brush down...