It's almost time for peonies!

Jerri's (daughter-in-law) peonies line their driveway and are irresistible. Gathering a big bouquet and smelling the fragrance while painting them was an exquisite experience last spring. This year, I'll make a trip that is well timed for peonies and Grandson's high school graduation. I like the word "graduation".....going from one phase to another.....celebrating one level of learning before you journey on to the next. Learning always will be a part of this life....getting down to the bedrock of our truth and learning to express it while respecting another's truth. Every graduation is an exit that prepares us to entertain another truth.

Early Morning Grazing!

The countryside in the spring is so lush, abundant and alive with energy. The rivers are full, the waterfalls rush down the rocky mountain sides and the green pastures are pure poetry. I become passionate about blooming wildflowers. I regain my earthy love of nature as the bleak winter turns to colorful spring. My cranky snappish winter blues turn to delighted giggles and the merriment returns. It's like being in love....there is no effort to cheerfulness and no end to enjoying each days sunrise. The creative grace flows.

A spring storm chases this cowgirl....but she wasn't picked for my first juried exhibition, In The Company of Cowgirls. Next year! It isn't likely that everything we do is going to be viewed and judged to be acceptable. However, if we let anything separate us from our passion for painting and stop to nurture our disappointment for very long, we are letting competition or another's expectations get in our way. The awards evening has a ticket waiting for me to go see some of my favorite women artists and I can hardly wait to see their work in person. JaNeil Anderson and K Henderson are really wonderful. So we keep painting and sharing our gifts.....remembering there is always a faster gun and a quicker brush!