orchards in space

Summer country weekends have a comforting sameness. 

I check on the frogs, go wading, spend long periods of time looking 

at rocks, water, moss, ferns and wildflowers, and whatever else

comes my way. Tiny lizards, lichen, wild turkeys,

a great heron.

There are friends to visit, jaunts to galleries, used books stores, 

favorite places and events. The county fair! The cauliflower festival!

Of course there are chores and a house to maintain, 

but I always opt for r&r&r

relaxation, refreshment, recreation, because otherwise 

what is the point of a four-hour drive to a country house? 

Here is something new and green, growing out of the trunk 

of a fallen tree.

I'm starting a new blog, focussing on art and books, painting and writing.

Word is that people are reading fewer blogs these days, 

but there are places I want to explore, to go narrower and deeper than I do here.

I expect to continue to post here once a week or so.

No sudden moves.

The new blog is Orchards in Space.

xo, Jen

a country weekend

wildflowers along the stone wall

standing behind the waterfall

a barn with a rocket

a barn with a crocodile

the road to town

a visit to Bibliobarn

and more wildflowers.

wild roses

 Purple flowering raspberry shrubs grow wild all around our house in the Catskills. Rubus odorous is a member of the rose family. I love the way they look in all their stages of growth. Their berries taste like a slightly tart raspberry. Of course I rarely see the berries--most of them get eaten by birds and other wildlife.

 They remind me of a scrubbier version of the lovely rugosa rose that grows wild around the beaches of New England. I took this picture in Maine. Their warm pinkness and sweet smell contrasts beautifully with the rocky beaches and chilly north Atlantic waters.

orange roses, pink seas

Through the week I've watch the orange roses (here) go from debutantes 

to roses of a certain age.

 The color gradations knock me out.

These abstract closeups help me see them in a new way.

For me, that's what art does.

Yesterday, I finished a quasi-impressionistic painting of roses 

and painted this

and these.

It's been a hot weird week and it felt so good to break into something new.

I have a green land, pink seas series in mind

inspired by the peony bud in this post.

Peonies, they took over our lives for a while, didn't they?

curious jen

 Orange roses.

It started at Two Old Tarts last weekend.

Orange roses among cakes and pies and tarts.

Instead of eating my dinner I kept taking pictures.

So when I saw a bunch of orange roses for sale…

Enough for two vases. So I'd never be too far away from them.

Why? What is it about that color? And me and flowers?

 And why are cats endlessly amusing?

It rained all day and they hung out on their ironing board perch

while I primed the walls in the upstairs hall.

For five years there have been six large paint swatches 

in blues and greens on those walls.

And this picture.

Now it's a nice fresh primer white and I just might keep it white.

A big step for me. (Understand, my dining room is pink.)

Eventually Aji roused herself to investigate

the roses in my bedroom.

And I'm thinking it might be time to paint a mural.

Something with a cat or two. 

And orange roses.