Breakfast with Fairies, then Tomato Harvest

I coaxed Roland along on my early morn visit to the place I'm teaching my Plein Air Painting Class in tandem with Silvia Trujillo this weekend. I wanted to preview the light and the different possible painting images at 8:30am. So ahead of the class time, I'd have an idea what to recommend for sites and know what image I wanted to demo.

So we arrived when the air was cool and the lawn moist from early morn waterings. I got some very inviting shots and material for participant suggestions, then we were off for a treat.

Roland loves to eat breakfast out . . . well, I'm more of a protein drink so I can get on with my day girl. So today, we luxuriated in an Ashland breakfast out at The Morning Glory Restaurant. I'd heard it raved about so had some expectations but was overjoyed at the atmosphere especially! It's an old historic house just across from the university (OSU) and is jammed with a lively, young energy. The architecture and the vivid murals dancing all over the walls was energizing. Not only were the colors fun but the quality and imagination of whomever the artist was ~ was amazing. Just sample the close-ups here! Aren't they a delight?

Now I have to admit the food and service were fabulous too (what an inventive menu) but, to me the atmosphere created by the artistic surrounds was what fascinated me most! But, you know us artists types? ! ? ! We couldn't even eat half our our huge serving size breakfasts and piled the other half in the doggie box (and actually became the makings of our entire dinner).

On the way home, we pass our lil' organic garden plot in the Blue Heron Park and actually harvest some of our very first tomatoes. Our raised plots seem to be slower for growing when compared to the ground plots. In fact, the flowers, marigolds and coreopsis are flourishing. But peppers, squash, basil and eggplants are tiny . . . with a few blossoms :( Oh, well, we never claimed to be successful farmers - but we're learning. So we surely are going to enjoy our beautiful first harvest tomatoes.

Aren't some days just so delicious you look back at them and smile? Hope you're having lots of those kind of days . . .