A Journal Vantagepoint followed by PleinAir Workshop

Now I hope you won't be bored, so I'll make this entry brief. I've finally caught up my journal and it, of course, had to contain images from that story of one of my sweetest days of recent. You know the one, August 15th (see previous post) with the title, "Breakfast with Fairies, then Tomato Harvest"? Well, here's my journal version of that . . . and

. . . the recent Plein Air Painting Workshop I did in concert with Silvia Trujillo is on the opposite page. This is one of my participants who has fallen into love with my favorite "Thalo Blue by Schmincke". She pushed to dark value in her piece pretty much just using that pigment ~ its juicy rich!

Then, there was this charming frog too, who entertained us sitting on this stone. He crawled up and basked in the sun, using his big toes to gently clean and polish his face. Just like we'd been invited into his home . . . well, guess that is where we were!

So, for now I'm caught up . . . but we know . . . life and visual journals never end . . .

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 . . .