Autumn

Some snapshots of Autumn from my iphone 

(seriously it's the best digital camera I've ever owned)

Every time I go near the ducks they swim away from me. Maybe I'll have to start bringing bread.

Recently

Now that it's summer in full force, we have been going on walks in the evening and enjoying the animal-spotting at dusk. Our favorite is when we spot chubby groundhog heads popping up from long grasses. 

 Last week I participated in #pinkfordebbie  - making healthier choices everyday in honor of my friend's mother, whose favorite color was pink! You can learn more about it 

here: Healthy Habits First. 

New Michigan prints at Yellow Door Art Market! 

 Some new pieces, coming to the Etsy shop soon!

The beauty of fading peonies

 

Commissioned Paintings

Here are a few custom/commissioned paintings I've done.  
 

 All are watercolor on paper. For buildings, especially, I also use ink. It helps brings more structure to my looser style.

What kind of custom painting would you want?

National Arboretum

Jason and I decided to take advantage of the gorgeous weather we've been having (you mean it's NOT 115 degrees in August?!? Yes, please!!) and spend the day at the National Arboretum in DC. It was much less overrun with tourists than we expected, which made for a nice, relaxing time.

 

Their succulents were thriving. Seriously, what is the trick??

 I really enjoyed the Bonsai - some of them looked like tiny banyan trees (one actually WAS a tiny banyan tree), but my favorite were the Bonsai that looked like a tiny forest scene. Who doesn't like things in miniature? 

This Bonsai has been in "training" (process of shaping a Bonsai) since 1906!!

Also at the Arboretum are the original sandstone columns from the US Capitol - they were in place when Lincoln was inaugurated. They have since been replaced at the Capitol with identical marble columns. I loved how they were set on top of a small hill, complete with a tiny reflecting pool. It reminded me of a (very small) American version of the Roman Forum ruins. It was an unexpected and lovely addition to the landscape.

Did you do any exploring this weekend?

This past week....

Hope your week was lovely!

Succulents, round two...

You may remember my failed first attempt at potting succulents.

After some helpful planting tips, I regrouped, went to Home Depot, and came home with supplies for a more educated second attempt.

In the upper right corner you will see the sad, dying attempt number one. Sorry, guys. 
The tiny pots to the left are my new purchases. I chose 3 plants with a variety of colors and shapes; the variety makes succulents so much fun!

Along with the new plants, I also got this:

 

Yup, a bag of rocks. Apparently this is the key to keeping proper soil hydration and drainage. The store had 5-lb bags of goldeny-colored stones or these white "pearl stones, which I thought looked great against the contrast of the dark soil and bright green plants.

Succulents, also known as "fat plants," store water in their leaves and stem, much like cacti, and have adapted to arid environments. Basically, over-watering of succulents is a major no-no. 

Fun fact: most cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti. Isn't learning fun?

Moving on.... 
It was suggested to me to start with a layer of pebbles for good soil/root drainage: 

 

Then I added some soil and the plants:

And last I topped the whole thing off with another layer of pebbles. This is supposed to help keep moisture in the soil, but allow for gradual evaporation. The plants are so thick that it also helps with stability:

See the guy with the red tips? I was able to save him from my failed first attempt. Not all was lost! 

 

And this guy found a nice little home on a ledge in my studio. Plenty of light, safe from kitties. 

 
I hope to enjoy these little cuties for a long time!

Succulents

I am terrible with plants. Just terrible. Frankly, it's amazing that my cat has lived this long considering my track record with living things. 

I bought some succulents a few weeks ago. They were so cute and I was excited because succulents are cacti -- totally hard to kill + no spiky points = win! 

I then made this adorable sketch to celebrate my victory:

hey guys! you look so healthy!

 
But then my brown thumb of terror took reign and now, I am sad to say, my succulents look like this:
(warning: this photo is both embarrassing and sad):

 

In the words of Pinterest: Nailed It!

If you have any words of advice on a SUPER EASY way to have succulents, please share. 

I mean, seriously, a bell jar? One of those self-watering bulbs? A greenhouse?  

Hilton Head Island

We just got back from a wonderfully refreshing vacation in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. It's a gorgeous place covered in Live Oaks and Palmettos... not to mention wildlife like deer, Great Blue Herons, Egrets, alligators, lizards, rabbits, and dolphins.

I also had lots of time to paint, and will share my sketchbook paintings in another post. 

 

 The last 3 photos were taken on the golf course behind our house - we unofficially dubbed it "Egret Island" - a tiny plot of land surrounded by water that houses dozens of birds - they looked to be mostly Snowy Egrets or Ibis and Anhingas (also known as the Snake Bird - they swim underwater!)

In the water were several alligators. I found this to be utterly exciting until the guy in the last photo made eye contact with me, started swimming toward me, and then submerged underwater. A submerged alligator and only lead to an emerging alligator, and if anyone has ever seen a nature show, you can can imagine why I decided to take my leave! 

Has anyone ever had an encounter with an animal predator?