156 Heavenly Blue

This is my favorite of all morning glories, and there are over 50 varieties.  Heavenly Blue are a light shade of blue in the morning upon first opening, and gradually darken as the day progresses.  If the flower is bruised, it turns purple and as you can see, the spent flower is a pinkish purple.  Some also get the same purple color along the white "star" veining.  Probably T.M.I. 

155 Stealing the Show

Nearing the end of summer, the zinnias are so brilliant and beautiful in the farmers' bouquets.

154 Mixed Bouquet

I'm a sucker for the flowers at the farmer's market.  I can't resist buying them.   In this bouquet, sunflowers, stock, statice, gladiola and celosia--all so cheery.

153 Charlie's Bell

This is my nephew's bell and the moment I saw it, my heart skipped a beat----all that texture!  the rust! the patina!  It is quite large.   I painted it once before on a larger canvas and really enjoyed using the palette knife to get all the little scraps of color.  Working on a smaller format was more difficult.

p.s.  I'm so happy this isn't a skyscape!

152 View of the Harbor

This is a view of Eagle Harbor in Ephraim, Door County, Wisconsin right near The Hardy Gallery, a historic gallery located on a peninsula.  What's unique about this gallery is that it has graffiti covering the outside of the building.  It's difficult to see that it was January, but it was so cold and icy and the (Green)  Bay was just beautiful.

I am relieved to have made the decision to move on from skies/clouds.  I admire the Daily Paintworks artists who make their skyscapes look so natural and believably beautiful.  I've diligently studied these paintings on line,  and have come to the conclusion that oils would probably be the preferred medium.  With acrylics, everything just looks like a big mess on my canvas. 

151 Evening on Wisconsin River

Mazomanie, Wisconsin

150 Sunset Over Village

Still working on these darn clouds.  I'm losing patience, and patience is my strong suit.

149 Camel Rock

Some people collect figurines of owls or elephants or turtles.  I collect camels, so I was thrilled to discover Camel Rock near Santa Fe, New Mexico, and I really enjoyed painting it/him.

148 On the Road Again

Still working on clouds.  Maybe I'll revisit the two pink cloud disasters this week, and will hope for a miracle.

This is somewhere in New Mexico, where the skies are beautiful everywhere.

147 Big Top Under Blue

For many years, families camped out days in advance in downtown Milwaukee to reserve seats for the Great Circus Parade.  Antique circus wagons, animals, a ferris wheel, merry-go-round, and clowns--Ernest Borgnine being the most notable, all traveled from Circus World in Baraboo, Wisconsin to entertain children and adults at our lakefront's Veteran's Park for days leading up to the parade.    On a beautiful July day, I visited the park, and felt 12 years old again.

Unfortunately, funding for the Great Circus Parade has dwindled, so what was an every-year occurrence, is much less frequent.

146 Big Brother is Watching You

I didn't realize it until I was painting this scene that there is a camera posted on the traffic lights.  Coincidentally, in today's paper, there is news that there will be 50 new speed cameras installed by year end in Chicago near schools and parks.  Watch your speed!

145 Chimney Rock, View from Ghost Ranch

I have never seen such beautiful sunsets as in New Mexico.  From Ghost Ranch, every night is a spectacular show.

144 Humming

Stopped by Suzanne's garden yesterday to check on color and it was humming with activity!  The hummingbirds, bees and other winged creatures were buzzing to and fro, really fun to watch. 

143 Time To Go Home

I am working on learning how to paint clouds, particularly the pink and purple ones, but it is very difficult.  Two other paintings were lessons in futility, and you will probably never see them. 

142 Ann's Dancing Poppies

My friend, Ann grows the most beautiful and interesting poppies in her garden.  They are the typical orange variety, but they dance to reach the sun's rays, their stems twisting and turning every which way.  I have tried several times to grow poppies, unsuccessfully.  I blame it on lots of things, but not the gardener.   

141 Side By Side

More pottery from the Hacienda del Sol in Taos, New Mexico.

140 Cornered

There is a beautiful bed and breakfast in Taos, New Mexico called Hacienda del Sol, where charm oozes from every inch of the property, inside and out.  A row of pottery on a built-in shelf on the outer front wall offered me some irresistible painting subjects.

139 Farmer's Market Bell Peppers

A trip to Chicago's Division Street Farmer's Market is one of my favorite past times.  There are so many farmers from near and far with colorful and unique things to sell, and it is a great place to take pictures and to people-watch.  I'm a sucker for the flowers.

138 Stop and Go

Peppers at the farmer's market.

137 Super Sweet Mini Peppers