FALL in OCTOBER

FALL arrives with it's glorious color.

My calendar pages for the month.

Mornings start to have cloudy skies and beautiful dawns.

A high point of the month was Grandparents' Day at St. Hilary's School

Church and lunch, who could ask for anything more?

So sweet, I am a blessed OMA.

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My favorite journal pages this month are of our temporary kitchens at The Redwoods. I liked both the pen and ink as well as the watercolor finish. So, I scanned both to keep and enjoy.

Marcus, our mailman asked that I include his mail truck. I got a free cup of coffee out of the deal and he got a print to keep.

Our Watercolor Journal Group had 2 great outings in Mill Valley.

This canoe was at the Mill Valley Lumber Yard. It was so gorgeous. 

I spent a long time looking at the wonderful wood finishes.

Earlier in the month, we painted in downtown Mill Valley.

Autumn Leaves  and flowers are favorites, here are a few.

And last but not least, here is Mt. Tam with her reflection in the creek 

behind my home at The Redwoods.

April -- A Month of Birthdays

April seemed to be a month long birthday celebration.

Here are a few high points of 

happenings of the month.

Several old Monterey Pines needed to be removed

 at The Redwoods. 

It was fascinating to see them take this one down. 

The tree was 4 stories high 

The crew did the entire job in one hour from start to finish, including the clean up.

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I had fun making birthday cards for friends. 

You can see the zentangle influence here.

Kate took Porter and Me on a Birthday Hike and 

I got these Giants' goodies. 

She is taking me to the Ball Park on Mothers' Day. 

I have never been to ATT Park.  Here's a selfie. 

This is the Easter Card I made for family and friends.  I printed out a batch and then hand painted each one.

Porter took Elsa to Paris during Easter Week.

They had a wonderful trip and Mama reports that Elsa was a terrific traveler and so great with the adults. 

This is my favorite photo, the awe of seeing a magnificent cathedral. I hope this will be my expression when I get through the Pearly Gates.

Wow, how awesome is this !!!!!!

Porter's friends, Victor and Leandro, invited them 

for an Easter Brunch. 

Guess who "won" the Chocolate Easter Hen?

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I did a painting of these three Redwood trees that may have to be taken down 

for our Wellness Center construction. 

They are well loved trees.

 I wanted to have a memory of them if this happens. 

I can make a print of it for others at 

The Redwoods that love them, too.

Nicole Trotter is leaving Westminster Presbyterian Church to be the Pastor of St. Luke's in San Rafael. We are thrilled for her to be called to a church right out of Seminary. She will be greatly missed. 

Her children's program is so strong. 

Elsa loves her and the feeling is mutual!

I did a painting of the darling gift 

the children made for Nicole.

 Her gift included a decorated terra cotta 

flower pot from each class, 

a wonderful wire basket of 6 plants 

and an old fashioned watering can. 

 Nicole gets the painting and I get the memories.

Soon, I will post my Birthday Trip to Jacksonville.

Too many very lovely memories for one post!

Holiday Fun, Friends and Family

Christmas Season was very relaxed this year with 

family and friends doing simple things that we

all enjoy. Here are the last two weekly grids that

I did in my Draw Your Awesome Life book.

In 2014, I will be doing the Draw Your Awesome Year

class online and will be using a large book 

and doing monthly grids. 

I like recording my days this way.

They are usually pretty "normal" and I 

see that I do the same things each week.

That's OK with me as I do like routines and

knowing what each day may bring.

 This photo was taken of the choir at church 

singing the final AMEN 

as we said goodbye to Barbara Rowe who has retired. 

She served the church for 21 years.

It was a bittersweet Sunday.

We had a hall party at the Redwoods to

welcome 3 new residents. This is the hall

that connects our 2 buildings. 

I call it the "Solarium". 

It is a very pleasant spot.

Christmas morning was at Porter's home.

Santa came for Elsabet. It was very exciting!

Elsabet and Oma, I love snuggles!

Elsa did some amazing art work for each of us.

I have mine hanging in my front hall.

She loves to draw, and is very good for 6.

Elsabet,  Porter, better known as "Mama"

and fabulous Aunt Kate, ie "PANK".

Mama explained that a thank you note needed to 

be written to the giver before the receiver 

could play with or use that gift.

Elsabet got right to it and cranked out 

5 notes on Christmas morning.

Here is my envelope.

December Doings

I have not posted for awhile. 
December is a busy month -- I am now all done with 
all the preparations for Christmas and have time to 
bring this blog up to date.

We have had an unusually warm December with 
no rain. Marin County really needs the rain. 
The evenings are quite cold and frosty.
 But the days warm up to the low
60's and it is quite balmy in the sun. 
I have been taking a  book out to read in our patio 
during the late afternoons. 
It feels like I am on a cruise ship!

The birds have been numerous around here. This photo was 
taken a couple of days ago. Hundreds of seagulls were hanging
around the marsh. There must have been something that brought
them in... I have no idea what it might have been.

I finished up my "Draw Your Awesome Life" online class that

I took from Joanne Sharpe. It has been a lot of fun. 

I have loved doing the weekly grids and 

hope to continue them into the New Year. 

Doing a small square each day keeps me into my 

journal with my paints and brushes 

close by to fill in the colors.

Here are some pages from the last lessons.

Then, there is this most recent weekly grid.

Finally, I have some photos taken at my 

granddaughter, Elsabet's Holiday Concert.

It was held in the church next door to me.

It is pretty convenient to just be able to 

walk to your grandchild's event.

She was so very excited to be singing 

and wearing her new red dress.

I LOVE the red bow on top!

Elsabet and her Mama, Porter.

Elsabet and her OMA, me!

May Meanderings

The April Birthday Extravaganza is complete. I had fun creating a journal page using images from the cards that my friends and family sent. They all had a nature theme. I think others know me well and know what I love.... here is the page above.

The Mill Valley Community Center has a Senior Art Show each May. This year I entered one of my paintings, Orchard Sunset.

I like this one as it was created by pouring 3 colors and then "finding" the subject. Later I did some negative painting to create a little more realistic orchard.

I stopped by early one morning and some nice lady took my photo with my iPhone. She did not really know how to use it so she did not get the painting in it and I am a little fuzzy.  But, at least, we know I was there :-).

Our Organic Garden now has my mini potting bench. I got a chair for my small deck and no longer have room for this sweet little bench. I like seeing it in the garden and it is being put to good use.

Last week, before Sunrise, I shot this black legged stilt in the marsh area. I had no idea I was going to get this wonderful reflection in the water. It was taken with my iphone so I could to get it larger as I do not have a zoom. I am very happy with the image, especially with the clouds.

My early morning walks are often the best part of my day. Some mornings, it is hard to get out of the door first thing in the morning. But then, at times I am rewarded with sights like this and it makes it all worth while. Also, when I walk my 2 miles first thing, it is done and I no longer have to think about IF I am going or WHEN I am going. I have GONE!

I love this photo of Elsabet and me. It was taken at the Marin Horizon School's Grandparents' Day.

They put on a very nice event and Elsabet did a great job in their Primary 2 play.