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Thursday, April 12, 2012

Wild Day With Wild Daffodils

Watercolour , Wild Daffodils #1

Water Pencils, Wild Daffodils #2

Wild Daffodils
Where the wild daffodils grow behind my house. This time  out,
I photographed back towards the house to show you the terrain.



The crop has multiplied since last year. I also noticed,
it's moving closer to my house. I'm thrilled.
I was determined to hike--no, trek--out into the woods the other day and cut some before they died. It wasn't easy. In fact it was so difficult climbing over all fallen trees and through the brush, I was sorry I didn't take my phone along in case I fell or poked my eye out. Luck was with me, an appropriately sized walking stick came off in my hand. It got me to my destination and got me back again.

 Yesterday I did the first, very weak, watercolor to loosen up after painting in oils for a few hours; I was tired, and the painting looks it. It isn't agreat as a painting, but okay cropped as a header. The second one I did today in between dosing out eye drops to Honey. He had cataract surgery this morning. He's doing fine on the couch. I'm exhausted. They knocked him out with great drugs. The worry over his ordeal knocked me out; I hate it when Honey isn't Honey. Tomorrow, after the post op office visit, back to  my portrait and hopefully Honey will be back to being  himself.




23 comments:

  1. just wanted u to know the video blog didn't show up (for me) yesterday... seems as tho others saw it... so, you're an elvis fan? I saw him back in the early 70's when he was in Vegas at the Hilton and the Jackson 5 opened for him...
    btw the daffodils do look tired but gorgeous.

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    1. That was my workout menu--only fast stuff. It was absolutely the wrong music for what I was doing. Richard Wagner would have been more appropriate. The daffs weren't tired, I was and that's why the painting is weak and not very vigorous. I'll probably trek out there again. Their aroma is quite lovely.

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    2. As far as the daffodils, I figured you were the one tired... funny how our feelings come out either in drawings, handwriting or basic written thoughts.... I still love your watercolors and you've got great energy!.

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    3. I say wc isn't my medium of choice--and yet when too tired--I reach for it. I guess I shouldn't exclude any medium that offers expression.

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    4. don't rule it out... i think its one of your strong suits... or is it you're just too talented where u can knock out anything? :-)

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    5. Chris you're turning my head. Anything I can do for you, just let me know. I'll be right over. LOL.

      I'm not ruling out watercolor, I just know it's not my strong suit when I look around at all the watercolorist here and see what they can do that is so much more superior to my little efforts. You should know which are your strong suits and which are your weak ones. I lack the patience and the real know how with the medium and I know it.

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    6. My big all time hero Axel Herman Haig, said that it is always a mistake to compare your standards of work against other artists work. Simply look for constant improvements in your own.

      I reckon the daffodils enjoyed the event by the look of 'em. We have lots of daffs in my garden, and bluebells are beginning to open one eye

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  2. Daffodils 1 & 2 are very pleasing. You know loose!

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    1. Balance. That's what I pursue Casey. Uptight painting for several hours followed by wet into wet does the trick. Thanks.

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  3. Well, actually I really love the first one!

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    1. Thanks Barbara. It had enough going for it, that I didn't trash it.

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  4. What a delight to have daffodils in your back garden.

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    1. It is cool Carol. When we first moved here, I spotted this patch of green in the drab gray/brown woods out back from my bedroom window. A few days later there were bright yellow spots. Every year since the patch got bigger. Last year, I decided to go out and see exactly what was growing there, a curious first sign of Spring. I was delighted that they were daffodils. I thought it was interesting to know that deer don't eat daffodil bulbs. I wished I had known it before I planted 300 tulip bulbs none of which ever came up to bloom.

      When I went out there the other day, the patch was a lot bigger and the flowers were not the daffodils pictured on the bulb packages one buys at the nursery; they were more wild looking, not as fancy, beautiful--and the patch is moving closer to the edge of the woods and my house.

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  5. Wish "Honey" well for me, Linda. And be careful out there on that uneven ground!!!

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    1. Thanks Kathryn. I was so glad I wore sound boots and found that walking stick; it helped a lot. I brought it home and will whittle it clean this summer. I've always admired walking stick at the Walking store, but I'll made my own. I used to whittle a lot when I was a kid--the first sign I liked working with sculptural materials.

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  6. I like your watercolors, two different moods..both painted very freely. Best wishes for 'Honey' .

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    1. Thanks Jane. This morning he seems to be his self. We've got a post op in an hour and I'm hoping my drop job will be dropped from the venue. There were seven sessions yesterday where I worried I was doing a sloppy job. We've seemed to survive and he looks good.

      Thanks for the watercolor encouragement. I was just having a down day, but I do get frustrated between what I know and what I don't know about the medium and what I don't know far surpasses the little skill I have--glazing, blocking out.

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  7. Hi Linda, you painted two beautiful watercolors, they have different style (which is something that I also like to do), but both are very original and full of mood, particularly the first one. Ciao!

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    1. Thank you for telling me Tito. I thought the first one was a bit weak--but then I'm nearsighted and if there aren't any strong contrasts, I think the work doesn't stand up.

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  8. Hey LW...I love the first one. Isn't that what they call high key? It is wonderfully pale, and I enjoy the red centers...Lovely! Hoping honey feels well soon :)

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  9. I love daffodils. We had to paint them back in art school... I was a horrible painter, still am, and could never get daffodils right :-)

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  10. both are very expressive linda ..glad your husbands op went ok .

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    1. Thanks Jane. I'm glad it's over. I love it when my back is to those scary places.

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