busy - who me?

To say I have been busy is an understatement - but it's a happy busy thank goodness.  My DH and I went on vacation to Florida right after the first of the year and bike rode, visited friends and family, saw a lot of my mom and of Scruffy and had a not-relaxing time but a good time nevertheless.  I did do some painting there and that made me happy.

We flew home on a Sunday and got a call that DH's aunt had died (somewhat unexpected), so we continued on home, then turned around the next day and drove 5 hours to Long Island for an early morning funeral.  Long sad day...it's his last direct relative to pass away, and we cried a lot...and then drove the long drive home.  I have to go back down there one weekend to empty out her clothes...what an awful job that will be!

Then 3 days of work and then we left for Disney for 4 days.  Mucho mucho fun.

Back this week and catching up on work. Meanwhile I have signed up for a Saturday class on Children's book illustration - given in Boston at the School at the  Museum of Fine Arts by the illustrator of "the Velveteen Rabbit".  I know that I will learn a lot from this class...I was a bit reluctant to give up my Saturdays for the winter but it was such a great opportunity! The class starts tomorrow and I'm excited and nervous. I'm sure that there will be professional illustrators in the class, and that I will be the least experienced but that's OK too...I just want to learn learn learn.

I have been asking myself the usual question - am I taking on too much?  I think I am but I'm hoping to enjoy it since it's for a short time.  If I can keep my loved ones...and myself ...healthy thru the winter then I'll be OK with it.  I'm not sure where I'll fit in laundry or any working out or time with hubby or friends but it's only for a few months (I think!)

I also start back to comic class - focused on digital art - in a few weeks.

And oh yeah, the cooking book that I wanted to assemble?  Well, I asked my BFF to put it together since for awhile she was out of a job but then she went and got hired and doesn't have the time to do it now so I have decided to start a new blog. This blog will be the cooking book on line...and I'll be testing the recipes as much as I can.  I'll give my cousins and family access to the blog and then they can order the blog as a book when it is ready. Brilliant idea right?  I'll just have to get up few hours earlier each day.

So that's what I am up to. I am looking forward to a productive winter with much to show in the spring.

Do ya'll think I'm nuts?

Safari tour....at Disney World for Animal Wednesday

My BFF and I took her sons/my nephews to Disney for a few days. Walking, roller coaster rides, good food - those were great.  But my brilliant BFF signed us up for a 3 hour Safari ride at Animal Kingdom.  We LOVED it...more text to come in a later post but here are some animal pics from Animal Kingdom and the Safari Tour.

A Masai Giraffe

A Reticulated Giraffe

Nephew Sean knew me well enough to hustle thru the crowds to get to the Gorilla  area where we watched these wonderful primates for at least 1 hour. 

After much discussion and debate, I did learn the difference between a Masai Giraffe and a Reticulated Giraffe - thanks to my brilliant neffy Brian...who has a great eye for detail and a memory to match.

OK, ok...it wasn't really Africa but it was a great fun experience.

Happy Animal Wednesday

Tortoise

Animal Wednesday and my favorite animal to show, the mini-tank of the Gopher Tortoise.  Determined, grumpy, brave - nothing halts these Florida Tortoises.

You can see by the well place foot that this is no small tank of a tortoise.

I felt a little bit guilty making this guy work for his 15 minutes of fame, so I only took a short vid so that you can see his sleek and efficient moves.  Ain't he a prize?

When Mom and I walked Scruffy in the morning, we went by a small lake where the Anhinga live, fight, dry their wings and eat.  I love their stripey wings.

HAPPY ANIMAL WEDNESDAY!!!

Watercolor fun on vacation

I try to work thru a lesson or so while on vacation, usually watercolor and working from a book, or magazine. Today I stayed by the pool working from Gordon Mackensies book on watercolor essentials. ( great book by the way)

I wanted to learn how he paints "looking thru water" a trick that will com in handy for the Water Lily Girls.

It's all in the book, but what you do is paint a blue background and then paint the squiggly green lines. The blue ends up as being the reflective part of the water, and the green is the part you can see thru. Then you add the rocks, only showing thru the green parts. This was NOT easy for me, drawing rocks in only part of the painted areas. I was having spacial confusion. The way my mind works, I wanted to paint rocks, then paint blue water, then green see thru bits. I even tried doing it that way to show myself how that wouldn't work.

Here are two trials. I thing the first one looks like potatoes floating on water, much more work there. The second one holds promise I think.

I am getting some beach time in, but it's so much fun to paint and try to follow a lesson. Lucky me, so many fun things to do and so little time to do them in!

Amazing photo

A few days ago we flew down to Florida in our little plane.  I was looking out the window and sort of dreaming and saw our plane shadowed on the clouds.  I took a few video's which I will share at some other time, but I love this photo.

Happy Flying! 

animal Wednesday...oh is it Thursday???

I'm going to see Scruffy!!!  

Hurray!!!

See Ya'll when we get back

13 has always been my lucky number

And 2013 should be special for us, as T is the 20th letter in the alphabet (for my DH) and M is the 13th letter in the alphabet (for ME, miss M).

I can't get all maudlin about this past year....I'm glad it's over and I'm moving onto 2013.  We have a gorgeous day here, beautiful snow in the yard, and maybe some snowshoeing later in the day.

We did go snowshoeing on Sunday - right after the first real storm of the season.  The snow was like powder, it wasn't too windy, and it was a complete treat

Of course, along with all my buddies out there, I wish you all the best in 2013 - good health, happiness, family goodness.  Peace and bye-bye recession would be nice too right?

Now for some pictures.

Snowshoeing on Sunday - fresh powder.  Cold out but I was steaming hot by the time we were done.  And I'm paying for the few miles with very stiff calfs this week.

My reorganized Basement studio - still needs alot of work to stay focused, but I'm loving it!

looking out into the rest of the basement - the plywood table is my drawing table - rather rickety but it should work for awhile. 

Artwork behind the computer station

More artwork behind the computer station

Blogger won't let me move this picture, but it is to show you that as the New Year opens, I am working on laying out the Water Lily Girls book...it's all a mystery to me, but fun. 

My new computer station in the basement. This area used to be a "messy area" where I did clay work, and soldering, but I've had to make a choice and really need the computer and scanner and printer downstairs to work more efficiently on the comics. 

Comic drawing area again - "SOLD" is a story - I think I've shared some of it but  if not, will do so soon. 

Another shot out of order - these are my new SmartWool socks and I am HOOKED.  Have you tried them? Awesome!!!

A look at the top of my shelves. And this is AFTER a cleaning purge!!! oh my...long way to go to organized and streamlined.  

My brother sent me this pic from his vacation in Honduras.  Cool eh? 

I do wish you all much love and happiness this year.  I hope you all know how much this blogging means to me, having met all these wonderful new friends - I love you all!!!