Hey! I’m Charlie! Giving the human the day off… sharing a few of my favorite things with you… she’ll be back tomorrow!
I love grabbing the humans socks… gets them all riled up. They chase me around and eventually I end up with a treat (carrot or frozen green bean). It’s taken several years, but I think I have them trained…
I love to feel the wind in my hair! Someone is always threatening to make me wear Doggles!
I love a good sprinkler! There is nothing better than passing a house with a sprinkler while on my morning walk! I dive right in, get soaking wet, ahhh, it makes me smile! Also love when the humans water the grass – they laugh at me!
Hee, hee… have I got her trained or what? She makes my healthy treats look fancy (well, sometimes)… two of my favorites: Pumpkin and whole grain pasta. She’s a little stingy with the pasta, but I’ll take what I can get!
Friend or foe? I’m not really sure. They come and visit (or torture?) me by sitting on the windowsill!
Of course! What do you expect? I am a dog, hee hee…
SURPRISE CHARLIE! It’s me! The human… and you thought I forgot… Happy 6th Birthday!! xxoxoxoxoxox, love us!
Lucky you! You have me as the guest blogger for the weekend! Tomorrow is a special day… tomorrow, I’m going to share a few of my favorite things with you!
Hee hee! I know you can’t wait! Have a great Saturday and I’ll see you back here tomorrow!
The human one will be back on Monday! She made me write that… CHARLIE!
Ralf Feyl. I have been in a conundrum trying to select a few paintings… Truly, Ralf’s paintings are so good that I want to show you every single one, but thankfully you can click on the link at the beginning of this post to be directed to his website where you can peruse to your heart’s content!
Ralf’s water is captivating. It’s like sitting on the back side of Monhegan watching the waves crash against the rocks. There is something spiritual about this. I could sit there all day long, lost in thought… the sound of the ocean is so peaceful! So are Ralf’s paintings!
Painting by Ralf Feyl
I think the graceful lines of the boat against the abstract background is just beautiful. There is a sereneness to this painting.
Lovely! You’ve got to check out Ralf’s website… Stunning work!
Read a bit about Ralf, from his website: First generation German roots and a midwestern upbringing provided Ralf Feyl with a strong foundation and sharp instincts. Born in Chicago in 1970, Ralf was immersed in the world of hand work, his father being a master carpenter and his mother, a seamstress and tailor. Observing his parents’ crafts, Ralf became attuned to detail, delicacy, and design. At the American Academy in Chicago, Ralf studied with the beloved and respected Bill Parks. He then traveled east to study in Connecticut at the Lyme Academy and became deeply inspired by the mysterious borderlands of the coastal area and the people who inhabit it. Once in New England, Ralf found the influence and stimulation he needed. In 1992 Jeff Cooley of the Cooley Gallery offered Ralf his first exhibit, where he has been represented ever since. Ralf has over twenty solo exhibitions to his credit, and his work is found in hundreds of private and corporate collections across the globe, including Deutsche Bank, Frankfurt; Boeing, Chicago; Swedish Trade Council, Stockholm; and Pfizer Inc., New York. Ralf Feyl resides in Maine where he continues to paint. At times elusive and at times familiar, Ralf creates a plurality of feelings that keeps the viewer engaged and curious.
All images via RalfFeyl.com, used with permission…
I love the screened porch on the side of the house! Think of all the wonderful times that could be spent on that wonderful porch!
Click HERE to see some great (real!) interior images!
222 Greensboro Place by Our Town Plans
This is such a great plan! You walk in off the front porch into the Sitting Room (Living space), and in that room is a real masonry fireplace! There is nothing like a real fire!
The kitchen is located in the back of the house. Efficient in design, making every square foot count. Just look at the counter space, woohoo! There is a Master Bedroom downstairs, as well as washer/dryer and a powder room.
222 Greensboro Place by Our Town Plans
Upstairs is one generous size bedroom, bathroom and plenty of storage! Perfect!
Phil Starke. Look at the incredible light hitting this painting! I love the stone fireplace. I like the composition of this painting… by having the view come from below looking up at the house is cool – it adds interest! It’s different. I love different!
A winter painting in summer? Yep! Ever hear of Christmas in July? With the temps in Charleston, SC right now (well, it is summer!) looking at a painting to cool off is rather appealing!
Phil has a blog (Between the Palette Scrapings – great title!) that is full of wonderful information, I highly suggest it! Check out his website for workshop information, videos, books, etc.!
Phil Starke began to show an interest in art from the time he lived in Germany as a young boy while his father was in the military. He studied at the American Academy of Art in Chicago. Inspired by the instructors at the Academy, Starke changed course from his aim at the advertising world and developed a passion for oil painting. It was upon graduation from the American Academy of Art that he decided to plunge into the profession of fine art.
From the Midwest, West and Southwest, Phil has continued to be inspired. Each season and each region has its own color palette and unique landscape. From landscape to figures, and plein-air to studio painting Phil continues to find inspiration in his work.
Choosing to share this passion and inspire others, Phil also teaches workshops, helping others develop their own individual talent.
Garage and Guest Cottage G0063 by Allison Ramsey Architects. The garage is 357 square feet, and the guest cottage is 363 square feet with 1 bedroom and 1 bathroom. Perfect for guests, or if you live where you can also rent, this is a perfect small cottage apartment isn’t it? I love the lines of this Guest Cottage!
Garage/Guest G0063 by Allison Ramsey Architect
This garage plan also has a carport on the side, which comes in very handy, especially if you live where there are a lot of trees! Keeps your car much cleaner! The steps to the upstairs are located on the outside, back of the garage, not in view, which is nice!
Garage/Guest G0063 by Allison Ramsey Architect
This little guest cottage plan has it all! A nice size bedroom, a Living/Kitchen area, as well as a Bathroom and a… Tada… BALCONY! I love this plan!
Dreama Tolle Perry. Wonderful flowers. Beautiful colors – Dreama’s paintings make you feel good, don’t they? Dreama excels at colorful paintings with such nice soft brush strokes!
Interested in a workshop? Dreama has many scheduled! Check it out! Dreama’s website is full of info for artists and collectors alike!
A thinker and child of the 70’s, now in my 50’s, living into the teens—2015 and beyond, that is. (According to this kind of math, I am getting younger by the minute.)
Named by my grandmother. Self-taught in art.
Lover of books. Lover of color.
Guilty of wearing purple eye shadow…and carrying a purple phone with my purple wallet in a ….you guessed it, purple handbag.
I grew up with both a brother and father who painted.
I traveled far via books checked out from the local library, 12 at a time, every week of every long Kentucky summer of my youth.
I dreamed, I imagined, I waited.
I was 30 before I picked up a brush. 50 before I began writing. To read more, click HERE.
Are you interested in taking a workshop? Dreama has many scheduled throughout 2015-2016, check out the workshop schedule!
Beautiful homes in Charleston, SC… there are many, but this is one of my favorites. It’s the porch… how inviting is that? I would like to be on it right now!
Charleston has no shortage of stunning homes full of charm and plenty of character!
I have been signing off with “Catch you back here tomorrow”, but now I am considering something different… Have a second? Take the poll! It’s only a click!
At the Marina by Joanne Hanson – 24×18 Oil on Panel
Joanne Hanson. Wonderful! I love the subtleness of the mountains in the backdrop, the shadows of the masts of the sailboats in the rippled water, as well as the shadow of the mountain – whoa! The dark navy of the boat on the right really seems to anchor things. The boat shadows are splendid!
Read a bit about Joanne, from her website:
Even though she was from an artistic family, except for high school art classes, Joanne Hanson did not paint. Her sister, Adele Earnshaw, an artist for 30 years, finally convinced her to come and be her helper at a workshop she was teaching in Tuscon. As it was April, which can be muddy and cold in Colorado, and as it was warm in Arizona, Joanne consented. Adele didn’t get much help in that class, because as soon as Joanne picked up the paintbrush, she was hooked. Since then, she has taken classes at theArt Student’s League of Denver with Kevin Wechbach, Rob Gratiot, Ken Valastro, Kim English and Michelle Torrez. She has studied with Chris Morel in Taos, Tim Deibler in La Veta Colorado, Carol Marine in Sedona, AZ, Jill Carver, in Rico, Colorado, Larisa Aukon of Scottsdale AZ, and of course, is learning constantly from her first and best mentor, her sister Adele. Visit Joanne’s blog, titled “On Becoming an Artist”
TNH-PC-12A by Moser Design Group. Simply fabulous! There is a reason that small homes are becoming more and more popular. Not everyone wants a lot of space. Or those who needed a lot of space at one point may find themselves in a home that is just too large, and too much to take care of when they only use a small portion. This plan is perfect for those just starting out as well as those who are downsizing, or prefer to live in a smaller footprint!
This plan has a classic Lowcountry look to the exterior, (and I love those wonderful windows upstairs…), but lets take a peek at the plan, wait until you see…
TNH-PC-12A plan is 977 square feet with 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and luxurious 9′ ceilings downstairs. Perfect, right?
House Plan TNH-PC-12A by Moser Design Group
This plan starts with a spacious front porch – how wonderful will it be to sit out on the porch in nice weather. Gather with friends! I love when a front porch has a table and a lamp, and really looks like its being used.
Upon entering this home, you walk into the Living/Kitchen area, complete with fireplace! The only thing I would change for me, would be to add a half-bath downstairs for visitors. I don’t need a bathtub, so if the downstairs bathroom could be reconfigured with a shower and have the washer/dryer stackable combo fit in the master bath, that would be ideal, then, hopefully we could tuck a little tiny powder room in the Utility space and perhaps a bit underneath the stairs. That would close in the hallway door to the (now) Master Bath… (Easy for me to say, right?). While an extra half bathroom downstairs is not essential, it would be a nice extra.
This is such a functional plan!
House Plan TNH-PC-12A by Moser Design Group
Upstairs is another bedroom/bathroom – I wonder if you could have a shower stall, and add a closet in the remainder of the space. Moser has a wonderful website, be sure to check out their plans. This plan is TNH-PC-12A, PC = Petite Cottage. You can’t go wrong with Moser Design Group!
Lipstick Rose II by Peggie Blizard – 58×48″ Oil on Panel
Peggie Blizard. This is a crystal clear painting with the happiest of colors. I love the water line in the jar, and those flowers… oh, I want to reach out and touch them. Beautiful. Just look at the light on that leaf on the right. Perfection!
Orange Pansies by Peggie Blizard – 36×24″ Oil on Panel
Sweet pansies in a jar – these paintings are so crisp – the colors really pop.
Read Peggies BIO from her website (what a story!), also see her Artist Statement!:
The need to create art must be inborn or else the leftover remnants of a life lived in another time when art was a profession in great demand, requiring large numbers of workers to decorate churches and palaces. As this professional demand no longer exists, I have often wondered where my own overpowering need to paint comes from.
I was born in rural North Carolina, in a small town called Rockingham. The practice in those days was for babies to be born at home, which would have worked had it not been a cold, snowy January morning. The doctor, on his way to our house, found himself in an ice storm too challenging for his driving skills and as luck would have it, he wrecked his car and was not present at the occasion of my birth. My paternal grandmother was there, thank heavens, because I presented myself to the world feet first, doing just the opposite of a normal birth. That has been my lot in life ever since.
As a child, that story was told to me so many times, I must have thought that I was expected to take the less traveled path. Another story I was told was that shards of colored glass lying about on the ground would catch my eye, and I would pick them up and take them to my mother. I have often wondered how I managed that without getting injured. My fascination with color was very strong even at that early age.
And I drew, all the time, on any surface I could find, including the ground. This rural setting in North Carolina was my home until I graduated high school. From there, I went on to East Carolina College (now a university) and majored in art education, thinking this would be a safe career choice. But I only taught one year of art in the public schools after graduating.
I married Larry Blizard, a fellow artist, and we moved to New York City, seeking fame and fortune. My education continued in the city at Art Students League, Pratt Graphics Center, and finally at City College, where I earned a Masters Degree in Art.
But the most important part of my education came from going to museums, galleries, associating with fellow artists and from trips to ancient cities in Europe. Over the years, while raising two sons with my husband, I worked at many different and diverse jobs to earn a living: Secretary, Benefits Specialist for Ciba Geigy, pattern maker in the garment district of NYC, gallery owner, children’s art teacher, fashion teacher at Marymount College (now defunct), became a landlady, and once in a while, sold a painting. And that’s where I am at this point. Painting. Every day and very happy to be doing it.
Peggy is represented by the Anderson Gallery (St. Simon’s Island, GA) and the Shain Gallery (Charlotte, NC).
Blueberry Cobbler. A sign that summer has arrived! Blueberries are full of antioxidants, and this is the perfect recipe to showcase them in all their juiciness! A small scoop of vanilla ice cream makes this dessert absolute perfection!
BLUEBERRY COBBLER
Ingredients
4 – 5 cups blueberries (I used a little more)
1 cups sugar (for the cobbler topping)
1-2 tablespoons sugar (to add to the blueberries to sweeten)
1 cup self rising flour (or 1 cup regular flour + 1 1/2 tsp baking powder + 1/4 tsp salt)
1 egg, beaten
4 tablespoons butter, melted
Directions
Put the blueberries in a buttered casserole dish. Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of sugar over the blueberries. Mix the flour, egg and remaining 1 cup of sugar in a bowl. Mix with a whisk until crumbly. Spread this mixture over the blueberries. Melt the butter and pour it over the crumb mixture. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
Recipe adapted from recipe in the Post & Courier many years ago
I had a blog a few years ago ALMOST DAILY PICS where I would post photos a few days a week. I have re-blogged that post below… Enjoy, I know we are! :)
From August 2010:
Today, I got up, made coffee and was reading the local paper… There was a recipe for Blueberry Cobbler… hmmm, that sure sounded good, thinking about making it… maybe… after all, blueberries are a healthfood, right??
Running errands with the usual stop at Whole Foods. What’s on sale? BLUEBERRIES… 2lbs of Michigan blueberries for $5.99. Whhhaaaaaaaaaat???!!! Ok, so it’s a sign, MAKE THE COBBLER! Got home and forgot to buy self rising flour, so (thanks to Google) that was easily remedied… here’s the recipe from Charleston’s Post & Courier if you are interested (I included the substitution to use if you don’t have self-rising flour). This was so quick and easy to make and absolutely sinful!
Click HERE to print the recipe below (minus all the words above)…
Morning in the Quarter by Dean Mitchell 20×30″ Watercolor
Dean Mitchell. EXQUISITE. Watercolor paintings can be so refined, can’t they? Look at the level of detail. The shadows really heighten the interest on this piece. So lovely!
Mr. Northern by Dean Mitchell 24×34″ Watercolor
This man looks so content. Relaxing on his porch. Again, the detail amazes me. The face, arm and hand are perfection. I know hands are hard to get right, and Dean has them down. I don’t think there is a thing in the world this man cannot paint (and excel at)!
Read a bit about Dean, from his website:
Dean L. Mitchell was born 1957, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and reared in Quincy, Florida. He is a graduate of the Columbus College of Art & Design in Columbus, Ohio. Mitchell is well known for his figurative works, landscapes and still lifes. In addition to watercolors, he is accomplished in other mediums, including egg temperas, oils and pastels.
Mitchell has been featured in numerous publications, including the New York Times, Christian Science Monitor, American Artist, Artist Magazine, Fine Art International and Art News.
His art can be found in corporate and museum collections across the country, including: Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri; Mississippi Museum of Art, Jackson, Mississippi; Saint Louis Art Museum, Saint Louis, Missouri; Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, Missouri; Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, Missouri; Beach Museum of Art, Manhattan, Kansas; The Autry National Center, Los Angeles; The Arkansas Art Center, Little Rock, Arkansas; Gadsden Art Center Quincy, Florida; Canton Museum of Art, Canton, Ohio and the Library of Congress.
He has received the American Watercolor Society Gold Medal, Allied Artist of American Gold Medal in Watercolor and Oil, Thomas Moran Award from the Salmagundi Club in New York, Remington Professional League, and for three years in a row the Best in Show Award from the Mississippi Watercolor Society Grand National Competition. In 2004 and 2007, he received the Autry National Center Award for Watercolor at the Masters of the American West Fine Art Exhibition and sale. Mitchell is a member of several professional societies, including the American Watercolor Society and the National Watercolor Society.
Fred and I have started doing something over the past few years… it might be odd, but we like it… we’re removed some paintings from their frames. Not that the frames were bad, it’s just that we have so many paintings, and after a while it seems like you’re looking at so many frames it becomes distracting. We’ve taken a few paintings out of frames and have hung just the canvas over the years, and love it.
On left wall from top to bottom: Tim Bell, Marc Hanson, Dan Corey
On wall in front of you starting at top left and going clockwise: David Kasman, Marlee Brown, Don Stone and Ted Tihansky
Nothing like great memories, and each and every one of our paintings have just that!
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