June Morning, Eden Roses; Plein Air in the Artist's Garden

5"x7" oil on gessoed masonite artboard

"When you're safe at home you wish you were having an adventure; when you're having an adventure you wish you were safe at home.”

- Thornton Wilder

Welcome to my latest new subscribers! I do hope you enjoy the paintings, photos & stories! I always love hearing comments from my readers!!

Gosh it's good to be back home again from a long trip. We had a really fun visit with our daughters down in the DC area (northern VA). We always pack in a lot of fun with them....seems the days go by way too fast. Saturday we went to see one of the farewell performances of Riverdance at Wolf Trap Theater (Sunday was their last performance in the US). They were excited to see two cast members they knew from their competition days of Irish dance! And as always...an awesome show! Later that day, dinner with old friends from the Navy was like a reunion - the kids had all grown up together from toddlers - does that qualify as family? I think it does!

Sunday we drove over to Baltimore to see the Red Sox play the Orioles in Camden Yards Stadium (what a great place). Extra innings (free baseball as my daughter says!) and a surprise ending (according to my Baltimore brother - who joined us with his girlfriend). Another really fun day!

Monday made for a long drive home, I always miss those I leave behind....but it felt good to walk into our home & climb the steps to the studio. The roses that I had painted on Thursday were still looking pretty good after sitting all weekend by the window.

This morning was gorgeous- a fine welcome home - and perfect for painting in the garden. Those who have followed my blog know that I paint my gardens a lot. It is something that I've had in my head all these years of moving around as a Navy wife...gardens and a picket fence with a 'cottagey' style house. I really think that all those years, it was like a symbol of stability for me...that eventually we'd come to when we left the Navy. As an artist, I find that it (the fencing) holds this wonderful quality of reflecting color of what ever surrounds it, whether sun or shadow, soil, plant or blossom. It's a frame work for many of our 'garden rooms' - spaces that we can view from the inside looking out - an extension of our indoor home spaces. And it's a symbol of comfort, that 'knowing you have a place that is yours'...And as much as I LOVE to travel, I had craved that comfort of "place" all those 26 years of moving with the Navy. I think it's a basic human need - not just as shelter, but to have a place where we are protected and loved.

While it's wet & unframed:

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