Side excursion

Bird Break, 3 x 8¾" watercolor

For sure this is a detour. It actually takes me back to a visit with my friend Rita, who in January 2015 was wintering in an RV park in Fort Meyers, Florida. A mutual friend of ours took me on a day trip south to the Everglades, a fabulous place to visit. Wildlife abounds in the National Park there. I took advantage of some time to do some sumi-e style watercolors. I painted mostly a Great Blue Heron, but couldn’t resist this alligator who seemed tame enough. Tomorrow, Bird Break is joining many other animals in a series of paintings I refer to as BehrCritters. Almost daily, a new BehrCritter watercolor goes up for auction. Click on today’s auction item, Looking Back, a pelican painted on a visit to Oak Island, NC.

Another interior

Blue kettle, 9x6" watercolor

Three days after my return to North Carolina in July, I drove to Blowing Rock, NC, where I taught a class to members of the local country club. I didn’t know until the night before that some of the students would be using, not what I had recommended, but watercolors and paper donated by Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff. The night before the class, in the kitchen of my host’s home, I decided I should do one myself using the materials provided. How I lust for her old fangled-looking stove. I just noticed, this floor has a striking resemblance to the floor in my last post.

The color of clean

Sunporch at Judy and Steve’s, 9x6" watercolor

I couldn’t get less done this morning if I tried. Guess it’s Saturday morning. Going back to some vacation days when I was more productive, here’s Sunporch at Judy and Steve’s. I didn’t notice ’til later, there wasn’t a speck on the floor. Not on the sunporch, not in the house; probably not even on the deck. When Judy isn’t concocting some wonderful dish, she is picking up specks. It wasn’t until I painted this piece that I notice the little dots on the painted floor match the round balls that hold up the bookcase. Clever.

Minnesota excursion

Judy’s deck, 6x9" watercolor

It seems ages since I visited Minnesota. In reality, it was just over a month ago when I went to see former sister-in-law Judy and her husband Steve. What a wonderful time it was! Judy is one magnificent cook and they have a beautiful home on one of Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes. Above is the deck where we had supper my first night there. Sunfish and sweetcorn were the main course that beautiful evening.

The Big Oak

Shrimp Burger Heaven, 7 x 9½" watercolor

Another iconic food joint, this one in Salter Path, NC. I pitched my umbrella in the blazingly hot, sunlit parking lot that day. Luckily, I found a patch off the pavement, which by noon, was filled with cars. I learned I can quick paint the cars, then put in a wash and proceed with the remainder of the painting. Vehicles, animals and people move constantly, and so present a challenge to a plein air painter.

Another Krispy Kreme

Crepe Myrtle Time of Year, 7 x 9½" watercolor

Back from Krispy Kreme two days later. Picking up a medium coffee and a traditional cake doughnut has become a habit ever since my system would allow me to drink coffee again. I put away my coffeemaker last year after a bout of c diff colitis, something I would not wish on anyone. I lost a much needed nineteen pounds, five pounds of which I have regained. I think I would have gained more had I reverted to my daylong habit of nursing coffee with hazelnut Coffee-mate®. Seems everything on the market with low fat is high in sugar, and everything sugarless is high in fat.

Speaking of fat, here’s the Krispy Kreme at Peace and Person streets in Raleigh. I’m happy to say I have done and sold more paintings of this shop than I have eaten doughnuts there. Can’t say the same for the Krispy Kreme here in Goldsboro, NC.

Do not is another way I should spell donut

Flip Flop Donut Shop, 7 x 9½" watercolor

My watercolors of late are getting ahead of me. Not really. Facebook has a tendency to kill peoples’ blogs. All of us are suckers for immediate gratification, and the social media giant makes it so easy for followers to Like, Love, Laugh, and Cry at our our posts. 

Here’s a painting I did recently when I was a guest of friends at their mobile home in Emerald Isle, NC. Speaking of doughnuts, I haven’t yet made my daily run to my favorite local doughnut shop. Be back soon.