Golden beets

And they are. They don't shimmer, but they are a lovely red-gold color, small and well-shaped. Cooked and skinned, they are like little jewels. Here they are in the raw, though. They are much more interesting that way. I'd already cut and cooked the tops, which left the roots exposed for me to enjoy-- so of course I had to make a painting of them in my little sketchbook. This was actually last night, but close enough to today to count.

Canson watercolors and india ink on heavyweight sketch paper, 9x11 cm (3.5x5.5 in.)

The old barn on a sunny day in spring

Pastel on Tiziano with lightly sanded ground, 35x35 cm (c. 14x14 in)

I am proud to introduce my barn. A small old carriage house, actually, still outfitted with the horse stall, saddle block, tack hooks, and even a space for chickens to share space with the horse. A loft for hay, still with shreds of hay drooping from the spaces in the floor boards. Sadly, I have no chickens, nor a horse.

It pleases me no end to own such a barn, though. And to run a clothesline from the barn to the house on hooks that clearly were meant for that purpose.

I am not sure I am finished with this yet. But it is close. I have been working on it a little at a time over the last two weeks: time to let it out.

Queen Anne's Lace with Astilbe

I am working on a large (for me) pastel painting, but it is going slowly. For the past two weeks I've been listening to the abrupt whine of a chop saw next door as my neighbor puts new siding on his house. In the meantime, the town is installing new water mains, and it seems that every moment of every day someone is running a loud mowing machine nearby. I have a headache. I am used to living in the boonies. I find even normal town noice difficult. Ah, but soldiering on while I plot to escape.

The tiny little watercolor sketches that I've been doing in the evening help ease the frustration of dealing with the noise. As casual as the little paintings are, I feel as if I've accomplished something. And, I have. I go to bed reminded of the small beauties I am surrounded with. This one, an informal bouquet from my garden, in an old olive oil jar on my table.

Canson watercolor on heavyweight sketch paper, 9x15 cm (3.5x6 in)

Pabs' beets

The other day, a delightful English artist who goes by the name "Pabs" posted a photograph on an artist's forum of a box of fresh beets, taken at a farmer's market. I couldn't resist painting those beets, so here they are, in all their rotund glory.

Soft pastel on Tiziano with sanded ground, 15x20 cm (6x8 in.)

I am doing a lot of quick small paintings right now, as I work out a larger painting with a lot of detail. The little paintings give my creative juices both a break and inspiration, since I get to make things without any particular end.

I haven't been posting lately, though, as we've had one thunderstorm after another, one of which also resulted in some scrambled files on my computer needing repair work. Lovely weather again, so I'll be catching up on some of those posts today too!

Raspberry shortcake with ice cream and journal

Here's another of those little sketchbook paintings. Now, you didn't think I painted this from life, did you? The bowl was empty when I drew it, which might account for the fact that it is somewhat lopsided. I was making allowance for the space formerly taken up by the shortcake, which I'd already eaten. However, I did have some raspberries handy for reference. I ate those too. The journal is my word journal, which wanders around with me.

Canson watercolor and india ink on 93# sketchbook paper, 14.5x7 cm. (5.5x2.75 in.)

Kitchen rack

On my dining room table I keep a little sketch book and my field kit. Often while working on something more involved, or in the evening to relax, I sit down and do one or two quick ink and watercolor sketches of whatever catches my eye. It's fun doing these informal, sometimes whimsical little studies. And fun to share an occasional one, too. Do I label these? Oh, I suppose...

Canson watercolor and india ink on heavy sketchbook paper, 9x15 cm. (3.5x6 in.)