Phase 4 - Dancer from Ecuador

Still needs work, but moving along. Believe I need to darken values.

European Breads

Breads - Phase 2, 3, and 4. Am I finished? Let me know.

European Pastries

Phase 3

Our March Travels

Even though I have tried to post this photo several times, I am hoping this one will finally succeed. This is one of the many views that we encountered in our March travels. We covered the weather spectrum from mid-90s to downright frosty. What a treat!

Snow Capped Mountains

This is one of our beautiful views from last week.

Phases 1,2 & 3 - Dancer from Ecuador

Well, I tried to put all 3 phases of my current painting but don't know if that happened. Even though I have a long way to go, I am experiementing with a couple of techniques I haven't used previously.

My Apple Tart

This is going to be a painting one of these days...in my "Food for Thought" series. I baked two of these yesterday...the other one also had roasted chopped pecans lightly scattered on the top. I'd take a photo of that one, but it has already been consumed.

Here's the Second Attempt

AZ Ice Storm from new camera...what a difference.

Cold Coyotes

After finishing a rather brief walk late this afternoon....it was cooooold (60) and windy....we saw these coyotes at the end of the culdesac where our home is located...this is the end of the driving range. So, I quickly went inside for my camera, came outside and took these photos. 6 coyotes were clustered in one pack and a lone outcast was a few yards to the right. I took numerous photos and then their ears, then heads started to look up because they could hear our voices. One (3rd photo) decided he was "outta there" regardless of what the rest of the pack did. In the meantime, the "outcast" didn't move a muscle. We came back inside and shortly after, they all started their howling....which is very loud and can easily be heard inside the house.

This morning, I watched 2 coyotes walk to our "across the street" neighbors front door and yard, then over to our front patio. One passed just 2 feet from the window.

About 2 weeks ago, one coyote walked into our front courtyard carrying a rabbit in his mouth. He was searching for a place to bury it for later dining because he went to our next door neighbors front yard, dug a hole with his paws, deposited the rabbit, and covered it with the landscape rock with his paws and nose. Tough nose is all I can say. My New Year's resolution was to keep my camera handy for future coyote escapades and I've already blown it.

La U'iltima Cancio'n - The Last Song

I thought I had posted progress reports of "La U'iltima Cancio'n" (The Last Song), but they are not appearing in the blog. I am almost finished and then this cowboy (I am uncertain of how to title - The Last Song OR Los Caballeros) is on his way to his new home in California. He is watercolor; free-hand drawing; on 22x30 unfinished 300# paper....should frame out at 30x40. He was fun to do and as you can see, I truly need to focus on drawing/shading hands.

Hawaii Orchids, Crab Cove and me

The Botanical Garden in Hilo is a fascinating "must see" place to add to your bucket list.
The swirling surf at the edge of Crab Cove and a photo of me taken by our fab SCW friends - B&T - who joined us on our 14-day Hawaiian cruise.

Summer Sojourn

In an ongoing effort to escape the desert heat, this is the type of weather we were seeking and actually experienced for a few days. Being near water, foggy skies, and a large variety of water vessels was most appealing. Of course, it was greatly appreciated when viewing the photos upon returning to the heat. Actually have very few photos from several weeks of travel because I had wrong camera setting.

"The Pond" in North Carolina

This is a photo looking down from the upper deck of R&A's home in the mountains. As I mentioned before, R&A had an extremely talented and creative architect/builder who designed and placed each stone by hand to construct this masterpiece. The wonderfully peaceful sound of falling waters puts you in mind of the Frank Lloyd Wright home inn Falling Waters, WI. Thank you, R, for sending this fantastic photo.

Views from Chimney Rock, NC

Because of our busy schedule, it appears that I photographed little in the way of scenic wonders. Or, perhaps I was just enchanted with the beauty of the area. At Chimney Rock, taking the elevator up 26 floors and then walking up an additional flight of stairs to this fab sight was great. Walking down 27 floors on a combo of wooden steps and rocks was rough on the back of the legs. Walking around the hills of Ashville, the Biltmore Estate mansion (up and down stairs) and their beautiful gardens (up and down stairs), the Antler Village, their stables, and then their winery (the wine tasting softened the stairs), staying on the 3rd floor (no elevator) of our beautiful B&B Albermarle Mansion, and because we had LB's sister (it was her 80th BD celebration)use the MBR in the cabin, we used the 2nd floor...lots of walking. LB's nephew/spouse had just finished a beautiful waterfall and pond feature in their mountainside home. It is not only a beautiful creative masterpiece, but the sound effects are wonderful.

Interior of "Little Log Cabin"

First, a view of the kitchen;
second a view of the adjacent DR; third a view of the LR

Didn't take photos of the bdrms and baths, but it was all delightful and tastefully decorated.

Little Log Cabin in the NC Mountains

This is the front entrance to our little log cabin in the NC mountains. It was a 2-story 3 bdrm 3-1/2 bath. Now THIS is my preferred style of roughing it. What a beautiful area and it was definitely cooler than AZ. More photos of interior coming.