Peggy and the Beanstalk

Besides being out of focus, can you identify anything in this tiny photo? I know, I seem to be in a plant mode these days. Well this is a close up (from a camera that doesn’t let me do close ups) of a plant growing on my balcony. My husband, not unlike “Jack’s” mother, threw some beans into the ground and they are growing up to the sky. Maybe this photo will help you identify what you are really seeing.  Looking at the base you see the leaves, follow the climber up from the leaves and you will see that they are climbing up the net. You can’t really see the blossoms very well, but yes, we have bean blossoms. I don’t figure we’ll get a crop out of them, but at least we have something green that’s growing. On the left you can see a little of the blossom. Isn’t that funny? With the cooler weather and heavy rains, everything seems to be taking off and growing, although my gloxenia got very “sick” from all the rain and I thought it was going to rot away. I cut back most everything and I have hope maybe it will survive. Our ginger root is very happy and quite tall. Well, so much for the report from Farmer Peggy!
I’ve been busy these days, but did manage to make it to my drawing class, where I finished my current daffodil. I’m not foolish enough to think it’s anything more than a copy of another artist’s work, but it is my best watercolor effort so far. I am wanting to start another daffodil, but with the advent of the cooler weather, I kind of want to work a bit on a pastel drawing (that I can’t post here since it’s going to be a present). My sister did send me an iris photo that is beautiful and maybe I’ll try to do, although it seems a little complex. I have messed with it some in Photoshop and hopefully have gotten an image that might be more manageable for me to actually paint. See the difference between the original and what I’ve done with the computer? The second photo approximates what I would do with water colors. I’ve never worked with pinks, so the color mixture would be a departure for me. Messing with effects on Photoshop (yes, I am still trying to understand the stupid – oops I mean intelligent – program), helps me visualize how I can simplify and blur the flower to produce a more watercolor like painting. So eventually I may get going on this. I have an iris colored pencil painting started and about 1/3 finished, but it is so tedious I lose patience with it. If I ever finish it, I’d be glad for it to find a nice home. Although it’s a small drawing, I do plan to eventually finish it, just because I have already spent so many hours on it and so much money on the colored pencils (each pencil runs about $2 and I will totally use a lot of pencils on this drawing, since the colors are so intense).  I love watercolor, as the paints last a long time and the work goes much faster, although the paper is terribly expensive! Painting is definitely not a cheap hobby. I would love to frame all my cat drawings and do a wall with them, if it didn’t cost an arm and a leg to frame them.
I mentioned I had been busy and that is because this week was the family life conference at our church. Our preacher was fabulous and I enjoyed every minute. We had good attendance and even the weather cooperated! Pastor Renato stayed here at our home, and we really enjoyed his company. Of course that kept me somewhat busy with meals and house work and entertaining, but it was a privilege!
Since you are all caught up on my news, guess I’ll go back to dreaming about climbing my beanstalk and discovering the goose that laid the golden egg.