Summer

Say Goodbye Summer ! Each day the passes a little bit of her is lost. The mornings are brighter sooner and evenings, well, the opposite. The only thing good about daylight savings time in the fall is that we get an extra hour of sleep, big deal. Speaking of daylight savings time for 2011 it will occur on Sunday, November 6, 2011 at 2:00:00 AM clocks are turned backward just one hour.

So, what did you do this summer? Vacation, beach, visit family, friends, clean out the attic or spare bedroom maybe?  Other than a very relaxing vacation over the forth of July week most of our summer was spent close to home this year. Last summer I was at my mother's home more than I was at home. That's just what happens in life sometimes when you get to be of age....for me, I knew it would be me, the middle child, to help mom when she needed to move into assisted care and get her property sorted, refurbished and on a rental or lease.  Yes, it took all summer and then some! Let's just say Mom liked to shop !  So at the end of Summer last year we.......

escaped for a month to the UK, to visit my husbands family and our friends. If relaxation is what you need there's nothing better than that. In the middle of our home away from home visit to the UK we escaped to Barcelona for a week.  It was at a time when they just had won the world cup in soccer. So many business' and homes in Barcelona proudly displayed the spainish flag in support and recognition of thier achievement. So that is why we really didn't need to stray to far from home this summer...it was time to just settle down, be at home or with friends we have here in Palm Desert, CA, USA.

So other than a week of vacation over the 4th of July we spent the summer catching up on business, organizing our home and all that kind of stuff.  Sounds exciting right?  No not really but necessary....so my husband has taken on......

new business projects. Yes, that's right, projects..one, after the other and after the other. I love to cook so I enjoyed spending time in the kitchen cooking up new recipes that I normally don't have time for. In addition to the kitchen I spent some time selling things on eBay to make room for all the new things I may want to get.  I also......

had started a new job but that job allowed me lots of time to explore my interest in painting.  I continue to paint, just to feel what I like and know what I don't like as much...just trying to find my way as a new artist. I got the bright idea to give my sister a painting for her birthday which is in August. I don't know why, but I recall hearing her say once upon a time, that she would love to have a painting depicting the island lifestyle that she and her boy's have lived over the last 8 years. She lives in the San Juans of the coast of Seattle, WA. A beautiful.place to visit late spring, through summer and up until September. There's nothing like living the island life.....the daily agenda.....

is so much more planned and coordinated. Afterall, it's an island....you may not be able to just walk to the store to get what you need on a whim...you must be prepared....  Living on an island so close to Seattle there are many island residents who work on the mainland. Have you ever spent any time commutting back and forth on a ferry ? I learned that it's definately a coordinated effort...if your late to board the Ferry, car and all, it's another  :45 minutes before the next one. If you ever had a glimpse of passengers on the ferry arriving from the islands to Seattle enroute to work in the morning it is quite a scene. Just take a walk downstairs to the 1st level where the restrooms are...in to womens rest rooms...the hairdryers, make-up and curling irons are busy doing the deed.   If it's the men's room (according to my husband) there's full on shaving, hair styling, flossing and brushing going on! What else are you going to do if your morning commute takes 30 - 45 minutes on the water ?  Makes sense to me !

So anyway.....back to what else I did this last summer besides blogging ?   Yes, of course, more painting. As I said, my sister's birthday is in August, and this year I thought I would try to come up with a painting for her reminiscent of island living...also, I wanted to put her boys (my nephews) in the painting...

So, I came up with this piece called " A Boy's Summer" .   Remember, it's my first sttempt at a portrait.  I really enjoyed this piece...trying to capture the character of both nephews age 12 and 5. 

These are the photo's of   'likeness' I used to derive the portrait.

Thank-you for your comments...D. Fountain.

Thank you for stopping by to visit this journey of a new artist who is trying to find her way.....All I can do is just to keep painting and enjoying my journey.....