Rewind to October

Commission jobs are still rolling in but, I finally finished this journal page from October and had to share :)

Rob and I traveled to Columbia to pick up my painting that didn't sell at the State Fair. It was a beautiful sunny day, and while Rob drove, I sketched. The median along Rt. 26 was filled with scenes like this. The Sea Myrtle was just starting the bloom. The Common Goldenrod and Bur-marigold were really eye-catching. I love how Nature throws in complimentary colors to please the eye!

The unsold but, favorite painting is now hanging at the BAA gallery in Beaufort for the member's show. Hopefully it will find a new home to roost in :)

A Rare Alignment..... Venus, Jupiter & Moon

We have had rain since my last post about Venus & Jupiter. I was getting worried that we wouldn't experience this rare alignment. But, the day's clear skies held. And, while we toured our neighborhoods Christmas lights celebration, Rob and I celebrated as we witnessed something near and dear to our hearts..... our celestial wonder, the rare alignment of a crescent Moon, Venus and Jupiter ... not to be seen again until 2052. Peace be with you!

My kind of snow....

This morning, I ran into Beaufort to drop off a painting for the member show at the Beaufort Art Association Gallery. It's a windy day, wsw winds from 15 to 25 mph. with temps in the low 50's. Along Rt. 170, I encountered a flurry of large white snow flakes - the kind that are perfect for catching on you tongue! What a beautiful sight! The sun was shinning, the sky blue, and snow flakes everywhere! Well........... OK, it wasn't really snow but, the flying seeds of the Sea Myrtle sure did make a fine imitation of snow flakes :) Like I say..... my kind of snow. I'm living in the right place :)

Venus & Jupiter

Don't know if you've noticed but Venus and Jupiter, which are the brightest objects in the night sky after the moon, are appearing one on top of the other in the southwest as the sky begins to grow dark. Venus is the brighter of the two. Jupiter is above it. They set around 8 p.m. I noticed them a few nights ago, knew they were planets, but which ones?? So, off to one of my favorite websites - StarDate online. I always check out the moon phases on this site. They have a wealth of information. According to the Weekly Stargazing Tips page, Venus and Jupiter will join the crescent moon on Nov. 30th and continue to change positions over the next few days. Don't you just love looking at the night sky?

Creating an Illustrated Nature Journal Workshop

It's been a few weeks since this workshop occurred but I so wanted to share the fun! There were only two participants, but we got to take our time and some quality journal pages were created. Here's a peak!
Due to unusually cold weather, we opted to hold our 'in-the-field' session indoors. I brought in some Sea Myrtle clippings and photographs of the shrub. Judy and Carol then created a journal page using these elements.

Weather and Autumn Colors

The South Carolina Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest has a great blog. Changing Seasons is a recent post that tells how weather can affect autumn color.

The fall colors, in my part of Beaufort County, have inspired me this year. I'd say peak color was 2 weeks ago but, there are still some pockets of color that stir my memories of New England autumn days. The ferns have been especially colorful. Almost a burnt orange! I have many pages to journal........ But first, work for hire must be finished :)

November's workshop news to come

I have been very blessed with commission work. Keeping my blog current suffers, though. Please check back as I have lots to tell you about my last workshop and other goodies :)