Trees and tree paintings

Hubby is home - he had his long awaited shoulder surgery last week - so we had the rare treat of having our morning coffee sitting by the pond.

It's been such dreary weather that we humans feel like spring is never going to get here. Nature however knows better.

I love the subtle colours of the trees as they just start to bud. The green of new leaves just sprouting must be the colour of hope.

As we sat and enjoyed the garden, birds were everywhere, gathering the bits of grasses and stems of perennials that normally would have gone into the composter in the fall. I didn't 'clean up' may garden last fall, as I was very time crunched between the SEB program and starting the gallery. The birds are grateful. I always leave some up for them, not this much though, so my education continues - lesson leave all of it up until spring.
As soon as I post this, I'll be working on my monthly newsletter. (sign up) The art show listing won't be as extensive as it was in Aprils newsletter, one that will be listed will the the show we are hanging this coming weekend at our gallery in Lambeth, called 'tree's tree's and more tree's.
This is one of the paintings I've done for that show, titled 'once' as once this was a magnificent maple, in the forest that once covered what we now call southern Ontario.

The tree is at the corner of Veteran's Memorial and River Rd. I go by it often and I love the way it seems to twist and reach for the sky. A few weeks ago I took my trusty camera and climbed the almost vertical, and very high embankment to take some pictures of it, so that I could paint this.




I haven't entirely decided which recipe I'm going to include in my newsletter this time, last time was rhubarb rumble- very yumm. Which would you prefer? I have a delish rhubarb cake recipe... or maybe the apple almond salad I made for Easter (went great with ham) or.... hmm so many great recipes to chose from.