The Neighbors Garden, books, magazines, Art in Progress and more.

July 29, 2020July 29, 2020Leave a comment

Thanks for stopping by and reading. If you haven’t all ready, would you please sign up to get this blog post sent through email. I would like to build that list because it is so much easier to communicate and the pictures look so much better through email. To do this go to the right side of my home page where is says “**SUBSCRIBE TO BLOG VIA EMAIL**“. That being said…onward ho….Once in a while I hop (not literally) on over to the neighbors garden to see what is growing and I am never disappointed. The Black Eyed Susans are putting up a good show.

Loved the gourd birdhouse hanging among the morning glories.

Caught these miniature tomatoes at the right moment.

Among the milkweeds and Queen Anns Lace.

The crop dusting plane that surprises me every summer. It is always disconcerting when I hear the plane zooming around.

I am always in awe at how low and fast it can fly.

Something new that I learned recently….only finches like safflower seeds. I picked up this feeder, which is cool because it has a button that pops open the top to fill it. I filled it with safflower seeds and only the finches ate it. Even the birds stayed away from the other feeders. I haven’t looked into the reason for this but once the feeder was empty the other birds came back. I think if the finches could shove the seeds into their cheeks they would have.

I was sitting outside looking for the comet….nope….didn’t see it. Took a picture of the moon and must have moved because I had a slow shutter release on, so I received this interesting picture instead.

Sam and I, last week went to a Chinese restaurant and these decorations were on our plate. Carrot and Rutabaga flowers.

On Saturday I went to the Farmers Market and it is being held at Parkview Field, home of the Tin Caps minor league baseball.

Sent a selfie to my husband with the field behind me.

Thought the trash cans were great as far as trash cans go.

This flower truck so fabulous and memorable. The flowers for sale were beautiful too.

Also a booth selling plants was at the market and I had been looking for a trail of tears plant. I have it very high so certain cats do not chew on it. I would like to make a living wall so I can have plants but not have them chewed up. I have just the right room and wall for it. Look it up on Pinterest.

Michelle, my friend came down to the market too and we went on to Honey Plant on Wells Street. Interesting plants and pots, such a clean and green environment.

Right next door to Honey Plant is the Hyde Brothers used book store, such a wonderful place for book lovers. It has two resident cats and you can see one snoozing in his bed. There are rooms and rows of knowledge up to the ceiling.

I picked up three books while I was there. A few times when we went to Detroit we stayed at a Marriot downtown and the People Mover came into that hotel and it was easy to ride to our destinations. There is beautiful art in each of the stations and this book explains it all. My head was spinning back and forth trying to take all the art in so I was delighted to find “Art in the Stations”.

This is another that I found. The author of The Help recommends it and that was good enough for me. “The Postmistress”.

Then this one “Conversations with Amber“. I thought to myself that I know the name Gladys Taber! But not as an author, then I remembered that Susan Branch referred to her often.

I have many of Susan Branches delightful books, and I use her two year purse calendar and follow her blog and website. On her website is a Gladys Taber Fan Club.

Another recently purchased book “Separated”.

This is my first Flow Magazine and it has been great, so much of the things that I love. Still trying to decide if I want a subscription.

Kevin gave this subscription to me for Christmas. This magazine is so so colorful, and you know I like color. I enjoy it every month.

As I was looking at my bookshelf, I found this to add to my organizational library. I have found like cleaning and organizing, Organizing from the Inside Out. You just need to take the time to do it.

Lastly I have two paintings in the works. This floral one is coming along very well. Chamomille, Cleome, Butterfly Bush, Grey headed Coneflower, Liatris. More to come.

I hope that you have enjoyed my tour this week. Please stay healthy.

Awaken Your Creative Spirit

May 23, 2018May 23, 2018Leave a comment

In April I attended a three day workshop in Cincinnati with Carrie Schmitt. It was a group of women who loved to paint, loved Carrie and her way of creating and we formed new friendships. I really love this picture!

A flower bar where we chose a bouquet of flowers to interpret and paint in our style.

my interpretation.

Beautiful wings were painted and we had our pictures taken in front of them.

Fun Picture!

Carrie and myself on the last day. She is as beautiful inside as out. This is the second year that I took a workshop with Carrie. Last year I flew all the way to Oregon. This was just a three hour drive. So grateful for the opportunity.

Blooms Paintings

April 28, 2018Leave a comment

This week I am going to be preparing for my first art show of the season. Tulip Time in Holland Michigan. I wanted to show you some of the paintings in process that came out of my workshop with Carrie Schmitt. Such beautifully talented women that I was with! If you are feeling a bit down these should perk you up.

These paintings are just a small portion of what was created that weekend. Every woman did three or four paintings.

Don’t these just take your breath away?

Beautiful!!

Just enjoy!

That’s all I think you can absorb for now. Stop back if you need a pick me up.

Some favorites

July 18, 2017Leave a comment

The day has been pretty foggy mostly with peeks of sun. It is supposed to be more sunny tomorrow. I would like to see farther out to sea.

The loons were right in front and it was fun to hear them and watch them dive and pop up in another area.

This seagull was doing a flyby and had something in his beak, possibly a crab? I liked how I was able to capture his wings in flight.

Just a pretty planted yard in Bar Harbor.

A stone fence is beautiful.

Just a different view.

Lobster boat heading out.

A hotel had this planted, such a wonderful array of posies.

Foxglove

A yard full of lobster traps.

Window boxes full of geraniums. We are having a great time and having some R and R. We will see what tomorrow brings and I will share.Thanks for checking in.

It’s Been a Great Day

July 5, 2017Leave a comment

I buy only Bath and Body works hand soap because I find it doesn’t dry my hands out and the scents I just love. I usually buy 8 to 10 at a time so I don’t have to run to the store often. I just opened this one and I highly recommend it, Sweet Mint Mimosa. It makes hand washing a pleasure, not just something you have to do.

The day wasn’t too hot or too humid and the skys tonight are just gorgeous!

The sunset through the tree, pretty! It was even brighter than this.

I have two pretty burgundy hollyhocks that grace the back of my garage. I love how dark they are.

I never get tired of the daylilies. Each year they keep putting on a better show. These are Betsy Ross’s.

I have a show coming up this weekend in Fort Wayne, at Freiman Square. I have this new piece finished to add to my booth. I was thinking one day how many cats we have loved and lost because that’s the way it is. I put in all different patterns to represent them. They all held a special place in my heart.

This pool brings such pleasure for me. I had to take a picture because it was so blue and nice. We swam in it and just enjoyed the day off. I hope you had a great 4th of July too. God Bless America, Land That I Love!

New Painting-Earth Peace

January 22, 2017Leave a comment

I started this painting on a 10 X 10 canvas with the idea of an angel and a dimensional earth. For the earth I used half of a Styrofoam ball and wrapped it with plaster cloth. I let it dry for three days until it did not feel damp., then I painted it with acrylic paint. The halo is very thin jute braided and glued on with heavy gel medium. The earth is also glued on with a good layer of heavy gel medium as it is not heavy at all.

The finished painting. Generally I do not use a well known quote but I felt that this resonated with everyone as a song. We all need to work on Peace by being kind to our earth, to fellow man and to our animals. The owl is of course representing wisdom and the hearts love. I really really liked the gold that I used for the halo and her dress. It was the first time I opened this bottle and it is Golden brand Iridescent Bright Gold (Fine) and also the first time I used golden Quinacridone Magenta as in the flowers.

Wrapping around some of the images on the side for interest.

The opposite side. This is up in my Etsy shop if you would like to purchase a print. As always, thanks for stopping.

New Prints in shop

October 25, 2016Leave a comment

Lil Punkin has been added to my etsy shop. Black crow resting on the top of the deep orange or rust plaid pumpkin with a little white heart.

little-bunch-of-flowers_resized-for-etsy

Little Pot of Flowers has also been added to the shop. These flowers don’t wilt, fade or need watered. They are contained in a black stenciled pot with green and white dots.

waterfalls and hollow trees

October 19, 2016October 19, 2016Leave a comment

I couldn’t leave out the statues and interesting features that the garden provided me with. This is the cooling waterfall that the garden provided.This was in the tropics.

This lovely girl greeted everyone at the door.

A babbling brook in the foyer as I walked into the building.

I love the face on this tree. He was hollow so that kids could learn about the inside of a tree.

Just a pretty fountain surrounded by lovely flowers.

A garden statuary that resembles an egg with leaves.

A bamboo water feature in the garden.

The koi pond.

A bamboo staircase.

As I stepped out, this group was outside.

This lady was hiding upon the flowers. I love the lime green!! That’s it for the tour, hope your day pretty too.

is pretty

Always Something to take a picture of

July 22, 2016July 22, 20161 Comment

My husband and I have been on vacation this week. If you are friends with me on facebook you know this very well because I post pictures often of things I see or places we go. I like everyone to share in my fun. We were making a trip to New York City and this was our first stop because we didn’t want to drive straight through. This is Grove City PA…a nice little city that had a great outlet mall. For dinner this night we went to Elephant and Castle Inn, it had British food that was very good! I snapped a picture of this informative arm, thought that was pretty clever.

Since it was sunday the mall had closed at 6 p.m. but we still walked around since we had been sitting a lot that day while driving. Also our dinner needed to be walked off. There was this CUTE building and from it was coming the wonderful scent of baking donuts! We will be staying at the same place on the way home and you can bet I will be paying this place a visit!

I love little buildings! It is stone with a tin roof and look at those daylilies growing. It was adorable.

The lush hostas and ornamental grass are just lovely!

Look on the back….a waterwheel. I am looking forward to tasting these donuts.

This pot of flowers was gorgeous. The different types of flowers were perfect and the colors just made me go…Ahhhh!

I am going to use the colors in a painting, it is just beautiful.

The green, red and orange of these daylilies was perfect against this white fence.

In the middle of this mall is a wetlands. I was very impressed by that.

That’s a willow tree back there and then I wonder if in the spring this area blooms with color. I don’t know but can just imagine.

How handy this is…..a free, freestanding charger for your electronic devices. I just thought that was very generous. It just goes to show there is anything out there to take a picture of, even a mundane plug in. Keep checking back for the next installment of “The Hawkins go to New York”.

Left to your own interpretation

May 22, 2016May 22, 2016Leave a comment

I was helping my sister Linda with her baked goods business at the Auburn Indiana Farmers Market today. It is on the square in front of the courthouse. They have added some sculptural art. I have heard many people say that they don’t like the modern sculptural art and I agree that it is hard to interpret. I see it that there has to be some kind of physics involved when designing it because it takes much vision and thinking to keep this from falling apart, how is it being held to the ground with only three pieces touching? This one also at the top where the red dot is, will move with the wind. I think it looks like a person walking and as the piece moves at the top they are observing the world around them.

A beautiful arrangement of flowers planted in big pots.

Such intricate carving around the clock.

Pretty purple flowers, not sure if they are a form of phlox.

I don’t know her name but she is one of the vendors. Her father in law has a greenhouse in Michigan and she has been selling the plants every week. They look so healthy and she said she would bring her card next week so I can let you know.