Thursday, June 17, 2010

Wild Berries and Paintings

The Painted Ladies met at Glenna’s house near Waurika Lake yesterday. We arrived early to pick blackberries before the day got too hot. The blackberries were even better this year than last year. The sand plums were almost ready to pick and the trees were loaded. If I were the industrious sort, I would head back out there next week to pick plums. Then I would make a big batch of plum jelly. If I had a kitchen…

Berry pickin’ is hot, sweaty, nasty work. We wore long pants, long sleeves, and gloves. Still we were scratched and stuck with thorns. Sweat rolled off my head and into my eyes much like it does in step class. Thanks to Glenna’s swimming pool, we were able to cool off fast. I wore my swimsuit under my berry pickin’ clothes so that I was able to shuck my clothes and dive in. Refreshing! I swam and fought with Glenna’s grandsons (I really need to get me some of those) while waiting on lunch, which was just sandwiches. When you have had such a busy, hot morning, the sandwiches were wonderful. After we cleaned up lunch and ourselves, we headed up to Glenna’s studio to paint.
Maybe I was wound up from the morning activities, but it was difficult to settle down and paint (not to mention the whale music Glenna had playing). I warmed up with a little card painting of flowers. Then I flipped through a book and found an interesting painting and decided to try something new. For this painting I had to stand up and use a bigger brush. Since I work fairly fast anyway, this was wild. I kept a saltshaker in one hand and a brush in the other and just went at the painting. This was the result. The Ladies were amazed that I could knock out a painting so fast. Skipping all the detail work helped a lot. In watercolor, you can let the paint do much of the work. Sometimes, though, we are just too controlling. It was fun to let it fly in this painting with only a few controlled elements.


Today, I need to make a big blackberry cobbler.

10 comments:

Buck said...

The Ladies were amazed that I could knock out a painting so fast.

I dunno about your speed but I'm consistently amazed at the quality of your work, Lou. Speaking of the ladies... what are their names, left to right?

re: Grandsons. I have two, one in the grand category and one in the great-grand category... the latter of which I'll meet for the first time next month. That'll be pretty cool. All the rest of the grandkids are young ladies... eight of 'em... and some ain't so young anymore.

Jeez. I feel old now.

Bag Blog said...

Buck,
The Painted Ladies left to right: Barb, Jean, and Glenna.

My GGs are rough and tumble and can catch bugs with the best of 'em, but grand-boys would be nice, too. Your GGs are beautiful, but I bet you really enjoy Sean (?). I'm not sure I want to think about great-grands yet.

Buck said...

I'm not sure I want to think about great-grands yet.

You're WAY too young for that! And yeah, Sean is one fine young man. He never ceases to amaze me.

Thanks for the names to faces thing. FWIW I think Barb is pretty hot... but ALL are fine looking ladies. Present company included, of course.

wv: suchwags. Heh. Ya can read what ya want into THAT.

Kris, in New England said...

Lou - oh my that house is just perfection.

Trade again??? :-)

Christina RN LMT said...

I'm in awe of your artistic talent and ability, and I'm not trying to kiss up to you, either! I can barely make a stick figure, so anyone who can do what you do arouses my envy...just color me green. :D

Bag Blog said...

Kris,
Thanks, I may want to enter this one in the fall show. But who knows - maybe later.

Chris,
I don't mind a little kissing up now and then - it keeps me painting.

Buck,
You have excellent taste. Barb is a hottie - one of those forever foxy chicks. But it was Jean that I wanted to set you up with - her being closer to your age and single.

Kris, in New England said...

Lou - you should enter it. You should enter all your work, it really is stunning.

Buck said...

But it was Jean that I wanted to set you up with ...

Cue up Barbra... "Matchmaker, matchmaker... make me a match... find me a find..." ;-)

Junk Diva said...

You and the cobbler are invited to my house. Love the pic.

Jo Castillo said...

I love this one if you want to trade for the horse pasture one. :)