It's iris time.....

I've been busy with my camera these past few days! When the irises are ready, I have to be! My work these past couple of years making a new perennial bed have begun to pay off.

These irises have adapted quite well to their new environment. I'm not sure of their names- I just know that I like them! I really enjoy doing simple paintings of single irises. For the yellow iris I will probably use a lot of Windsor Lemon, with a little Dragon's Blood for the rust colored sections near the base. The blue iris will call for Cobalt Blue with some Windsor Blue as well. I like that the foliage is slightly different shades of green for each iris. These will be SO much fun to do!!

First iris of the season.....

The first iris of the season is always a surprise. This beauty is in a new perennial border garden that I made to surround my large vegetable garden at the back of our property. We had to fence in the garden, due to the hungry critters who would snack on our veggies! I didn't like the look of the ugly, but necessary, metal fence, so I decided to create a perennial garden to help disguise it- and I thought it would be nice to have flowers back there keeping me company while tending to the garden. This iris really surprised me. I had looked out there the day before and hadn't thought the irisies were close to blooming. The next morning I saw the bold blue/violet color catch my eye in the morning, and I was so excited to see that iris time is upon us.
I'll be taking lots of reference photos now. My neighbors very kindly let me come over and take photos. I'm hoping the weather reports are accurate (!) and that there will be sun and warmth for days to come.

Tulips, apple blossoms and more.....

Yesterday was a gorgeous day. There were rumblings of stormy days to come, so when I had a few minutes and saw that the sun was shining, I grabbed my camera and headed out to get some photos. These tulips, pictured on the right, grow beneath a weeping cherry tree in my front beds. I love the dappled sunlight that comes from the tree above. Not sure what the name of these tulips are, but I love them just the same. I love the blue of my forget-me-nots contrasted with the pinkish-coral of these tulips.

I have 2 apple trees in my back yard. In all the years that we've had these trees, I've eaten a grand total of 1 apple from them! I guess the squirrels and deer and other assorted wildlife back there dine before I do! I love apple blossoms. Their delicate beauty and their equally delicate fragrance. To get this photo, I clicked on the flower icon on my Canon camera to get such a nicely detailed close-up. I use the flower icon when getting most of my close-ups.

This will make a nice painting- pretty flowers against a blue sky.

Considering that today is stormy- lots of wind and rain, I'm glad I took the time to get these photos. These flowers may be gone tomorrow!

Florida vacation.....

It was so nice to get away to Florida. I didn't do any painting while we were there. I brought a sketchbook which I got to use, but this trip was more for relaxation. I always suggest to fellow artists to keep you camera with you wherever you go- you never know what a fabulous photo op will occur! This gorgeous sunrise we witnessed while sitting in a fishing boat in the middle of Lake Placid. With digital cameras getting ever better, and smaller, it's so easy to stick one in your pocket and carry it along....even while fishing! Fishing was good, and the sunrise even better. Now if only I could do it justice in a watercolor.....sigh!

We went to visit former neighbors who took us to lunch at a fun, beachside restaurant at Flagler Beach. Couldn't resist getting a photo of some motorcycles parked there. No surprise there would be so many bikes, so near Daytona! The Tides restaurant has great seafood and you get to dine overlooking the ocean. Ahhhhh!

The photo on the left I took while fishing. Never in a million years did I ever think I would be that close to an alligator......and not be at a zoo! That was really something to see. That section of Lake Placid reminds me of Africa. A very still lake surrounded by trees, some of which are dead, that host very large turkey vultures and eagles who silently perch and survey the area. SO quiet and still, with all the wildlife around you, the bird noises and the fish jumping and the alligators silently cruising their lake. And I emphasize the word "their." For you feel so strongly while there that you are just a visitor in their home. Beautiful place.

More springtime beauties....

I just love my grape hyacinths. My next door neighbor gave these to me, and I just love the intense blue-violet color. These are spreading quite a bit, so I may have to thin them down. I would love to capture these blooms in a watercolor. Windsor Newtons' Windsor Violet would be the main color I would use. It would be a difficult painting to do, that's for sure! Lots of detail here!

The daffodils on the right are in a

new perennial bed I made last year. I like these daffodils better than the solid yellow ones that are more commonly seen. I like the subtle color and shadings in these flowers, and consequently these would be a better subject for a painting. With all the springtime chores and activites waiting for me, it will probably be a while before I can work more on my Quebec City painting. That can be a blessing, for when I go back to it, I will look at it with fresh eyes.

Nice to know that it's sitting in my studio waiting for me!