My Corner of the World

Although this room is a sunporch and large part of that corner is my best spot ... I can see the small lake, lots of light, and quiet.
I'm back from a four day trip to Biloxi, Ms. to see friends and have a little R&R.  Forget about surgery etc... I feel fine... a few little hitches here and there, but I have an amazing Dr. who has performed a miracle on my hip.
This  coming Sat. there is a small art show going on... I'm participating at the Art at the Cottage with my art guild.. the infamous EHAG ... oh come on now,, you know I've told you what that stands for.. Anyway, I feel good enough to do this event for about 6 hours..   It's being held in the beautiful old garden back of the Antique Cottage right here in town.. See you soon and I'll take pics.. to share...  p.s. good to be back ... BJ

Part of Florida

Most artists paint scenes from their local area. 
I used to paint palms, sand, water but haven't done any of that lately..
I live in a more rural area of Florida,  but a short drive away will take me to scenes like this..
I kept the palms loose, not crazy about the sailboat, but you get the idea... BJ

Apple Branch

 

 

Well it's apple time again. Still working on this and needs a few well places shadows. Slow going,  this getting back in the groove, but I'm needing some new works for the Antique Cottage Art Show on Oct. 5.  
 My EHAG  group will be there... yes, yes, I know ... LOL !  That lovingly  stands for East Hillsborough Art Guild.
We take a lot of kidding around about that. !!  
Hoping I'll be up to it.. as it's in a lovely garden setting. I'll take pics and post here. We grow no apples in Florida that I know of , so this was from a photo by Max Hemingway, Happy Sunday all ... BJ   

A Is for Apple

This was all I could do for now, but I hadn't picked up the brushes since the surgery.  I figure it's a start and I'm surprised I didn't paint a pear.. Whenever I've not painted for a while, I paint pears.
Nice to be back.  Thanks for all your words, comments and prayers.

Getting There!

You want a drawing?? ok here it is lol !!!
This is my big attempt , I'm doing good after only 2 weeks today.
Learning to walk like a normal person after a year of compensating for the other leg surgery, I'll get there ...
It takes a while, I do remember that. ! There were a few complications this time that I didn't have last year on the other hip.

I want to thank every one of you .... you've written, emailed, posted on my blog... I was overwhelmed by the nice things you said.
Fear not.... I'll be doing that 'Happy Dance' before long..  BJ

Just For a Few Days

Always have to do something even if it's a small something.
So here's my recipe card that I made for a delicious cold salad.
See you in a few days after my bionic replacement.  BJ

It's A Flower Thing.

I haven't posted in a while .. as we all know life gets in our way...
darn!!! I do come to your blogs and see what you all have been doing.
Yesterday I put this one down on paper.. and wanted to share it with you..  It was just in some flower book not the best,  but better than not doing anything at all......Thanks for coming by and all your emails.
Barbra Joan 

LIFE IS ---

Remember my 'Life is a String of Beads' painting?
I post it to remind myself of the meaning of it . Each bead is an event in my life. Some beautiful, bright  and some dark, somber but each one goes onto the next  and then the next.  And then another. 
  So right now I'm going through some rough times physically  and of course that affects us mentally.
 I'm not sure what anyone would call it but I always think that I'm going to round the corner and it's going to be alright.. something good is right there. So I keep on looking  ahead to get to that corner.  It's just what I do.
 Whenever I had to go through a bad time, my mother would say these words to me .."Make Courage Barbra". I've kept that with me all my life,
( I've always said I should have made a sign or a needlepoint with that quote from her.) lol ! What she was saying was 'face up to it ' so I try to do it .. It helped every time, but once .  
For now, thank you my blogging friends for all your kind words.

Barbra Joan

A Work In Progress.

Tired of looking at the barn?  Me too!  This is a  large  pencil drawing still very much in the working stage .. I was inspired by something I saw on the ship.  ... I want it for my own wall and have been working on it for the past few weeks.  
I'm posting it now because life is getting in the way of my art. And who knows what's to be... Only the Wizard of Oz  and he's not talking. Yet!!
My scheduled July 9 surgery has been put on hold while I have to see a cardiologist. Oh ..  it could either mean a reschedule or other problems.. So for now I'll leave this on here, when finished I'll post it ... BJ
p.s. Sorry but I've lost  your comments as I'd mistakenly posted it on my Art Hearts Journey blog.  

Oregon Barn

I'm not a landscape painter, but had to try  this one .
While in Oregon my friend Jerry and I were traveling down the
highway and I took a photo of  this barn so I think I'll send it to him.. whether he likes it or not !!!!!

In My Search!!

In my never ending quest for looser style painting, I'm using a slightly different technique, and so far I'm ok with it. There's much room for improvement and I'm working on it.  I truly like and admire photo-realism and I try for that in my pencil work..
However for watercolor... I want to achieve something different.
BJ

An Attempt !

I don't know why I find iris' so difficult to paint. Such a beautiful flower and colors.  This is one that was growing in the gardens of the Chihuly Glass Museum.  I made an attempt at it just yesterday.
 
Since not painting much this past month while away, I'm finding myself going a bit backward.. but that has happened to me every time ... I wonder if  that happens to others ? 
.. Somehow it's like not riding a bicycle, you get back on and find it takes a bit of steadiness to feel comfortable again.. Ok .so, I still have time
( I think) ! !!?  BJ

Back Home

 

 

I'm anxious to paint, draw or do whatever it is I do..

The bud is from a rhododendron, and the pears from a photo I took at the Pikes Market Place in Seattle. Pears perfectly stacked up on a stand.. Both of these are quite small, but it's a start..

I have lots of things going round my head, but my garden, although very small needs some TLC, and I miss it..

The weather was nasty since the day I got back .. even a tropical thing out there.  It's about passed through now, but has not been very good for the past few days.

My hip surgery (right leg this time ) is moved up to July 9th and will have all the pre-op tests in a few weeks. ... Not fun!!

Pick and poke and prod.. I knew I should have listened to my mother when she told me to drink all my milk !!!

BJ

 

 

 

A Lavender Farm

Today I went to a lavender farm in Vancouver Washington. 
Although I don't believe this plant above is a lavender it was among
hundreds of other flowers.. The whole place run by a woman named Mary was so picturesque, bumble bees and hummingbirds throughout.  

Two Nubian goats, 20 beautiful hens and metal art (Jerry, take note) throughout the garden . And besides that, Mary makes all her own lavender products which she sells inside an adorable quaint white-washed building. I could be happy sleeping in there. !!

 In summer her sunflowers reach for the sky. 

I snapped some photos so here they are.. I could have spent hours there.. She was very knowledgeable and fun to talk to. 

I just wonder if she realizes she has the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. 

What a lovely day.    

     

A flower that looks like a Christmas decoration !

Marys' place can be found at www.scentedacreslavender.com 

  

My Friend Jerry

Some events , persons, places and things in life come and go and some make an impression that stays forever.. 
And so it is with my friend Jerry. He lives in Oregon, and as you know I live in Florida. We met on an art site four years ago and continued to follow each other online, creatively, personally, and wrote each other from time to time.. 
Never did we think a day would come that we would have the opportunity to meet live and in person.. My trip out to Washington to visit and cruise with my friend Peg brought that to reality. 
And so Sunday, Jerry and I made plans to meet up .. 
From the first minute we saw each other it was like two old friends. 
I knew him already and he is exactly how I thought he'd be..
Warm, friendly, funny, kind, and since we had seen photos of each other I knew just the way he looked... He on the other hand thought I'd have a southern accent, which I don't ...... lol !
We had a wonderful afternoon sharing stories, art, a walk through a beautiful park , flowers and plants very different from where I live.
He creates beautiful metal art and is an avid gardner. You can see his creations at jerry-carlin.blogspot.com   
We ended the day with dinner at a nearby restaurant.  

 Jerry thank you for a beautiful day, a wonderful memory and I'll save that dance in Paris next time around .. BJ

                                                          Jerry 

   Art Center at the Park, and flowers all around.

Lambs Ears. 

Five minutes of sun.!!! 

The end of a perfect day.. BJ 

A photo review.  Although I'll be here in Washington state for another 2 weeks, I'm posting a last few photos and will see you all when I get back to Florida.. 

 Pegs garden and koi pond and where I've been staying in Washington . 

On the Amtrak to Seattle. A 3 hour train ride and loved it. 

 The Space Needle in Seattle 

The most amazing Chiluly Glass Museum.. This piece was about 15 feet tall.

 And lunch there was so interesting.  It was full of collections on walls, in glass tables, everywhere even hanging from the ceiling.  

These were transistor radios,  but of course I don't remember them !!

 

And accordions hanging from the ceilings.

Onto the Star Princess, a floating city and headed for Alaska ! 

Atrium, Shops, Restaurants Internet Cafe, Theatre

Music of all kinds, my favorite? 

Janusz, lol !  the violinist on a quartet . 

From a Window. 

Juneau, Ak. There for a whole day.

Ok, all the way to Alaska to see a Wal-Mart.  LOL !

Onto Skagway, Glacier Bay and Ketchican.  

Did I have a great time you ask?

 Peggy,  Thank you from the bottom of my heart for making this possible. 
 I met my friend Peg in the late 60's in Florida where we were very close friends for over 10 years . Although life put distance between us we never lost touch .. and the last time we saw each other was about 20 years ago. She is a dear friend to have brought me out here to her home and on that wonderful trip.. I'll never forget it. 
Barbra Joan  ... 

                        My friend whom I call Peggis..

Although still in the state of Wa. at this time, these were photos of Alaska from the ship as we passed on our way south to Seattle on the last day of the cruise..  The ship was the Star Princess and an amazing, beautiful hotel on water.

Food was fantastic, and delicious, and so many restaurants to choose from I put diet and such out of my mind, and ate what and when I wanted... I think it's called reckless abandon, and I say "so what."

Entertainment was as diversified as the food, and all of it good.  I'm trying to do a little painting while here at my friends house. So hopefully back to some painting soon..

Stateroom had a balcony. So could take a lot of scenery photo from there.

Seattle as we were leaving the port.