Stormy Moon

I was chatting with a friend this morning. She lives about 20 miles away from me, but the moon looked the same to both of us; just past full, surrounded by a rosy red blush. She wondered what makes that red ring? I think it is the earth's atmosphere....moisture, dust, pollution? Anyway, I hope you saw it, too. It was spectacular and brief. I observed and sketched for half an hour just after 9pm. I saw big banks of fast moving dark clouds (north to south - sort of). And I saw flashes of lightning, but no bolts and I heard no thunder. I even saw the moon wearing a fuzzy dark cloud hat...amusing.

Then the show was over. The sky had darkened for the pending storm and I went to bed.

Greenhouse in Moonlight

Today's 6" x 6" studio pastel painting made from last night's sketch (below).

(photographed this morning on the windowsill, but drawn in the dark...using the light of the moon)

Full Moon Setting

As readers of this blog know, I am an early riser.  I sat on the edge of the bed to sketch this morning's full moon, just sinking through the pine trees.

This is the 6 x 6 pastel I later did in the studio. I have always liked following the moon and knowing what phase it is in and where it will appear when. It is a mysterious magical orb that is also completely logical and predictable. I guess I am a fan of science and art. Since my first school science fair project I've known they were good bedfellows. (cotton glued to blue poster board to illustrate the different forms and types of clouds and their significance in weather science)

Sturgeon Moon

The full moon has influenced me to do all kinds of unusual things...like draw....no, not blood...pencil to paper in the dark....complete dark....didn't want to ruin my night vision by lighting anything.

Then, today at the studio I turned my memory and scribble drawing into this little sketchy 5" x 5" pastel.

And I have plans for tonight....yes, it's true I will be lurking in the shrubbery...fumbling with my assortment of tiny lighted objects, sketchbook, pens, etc....please don't come 'round my house and scare me.

The Gardener's House

SOLD

This is an early morning plein air painting of a charming property that the Tuesday Painters were invited to visit and set up our easels. It is 16 x 16 and available for purchase framed.

Imagine having a gardener living in the midst of an extensive garden...or being a gardener living in this cute place. (I think many decades ago I read a banned book about this. My mother smuggled it over the border during one of my father's fishing trips in the 1950's. He was concerned about not exceeding the number of allowed dead fish in the cooler. I wonder if he knew about Lady Chatterley's Lover in my mom's suitcase. Neither of them knew of my secretly reading it a few years later)