ALL GONE

the rain came & went...the landscape is kind of blah from my window

FROM MEMORY

came upon this scene as I was driving up the Catskill Mountain yesterday, about 6pm...beautiful crescent moon & venus rising against the western horizon...an urgency to record it this morning, 'cause I may not see it again

BRILLIANT

wow, what a brilliant sunny day....this must be the first time this winter I can actually feel the heat from the sun, great evening for star gazing

WINTER-SUNSET

winter might be long & bleak, but the amazing sunsets make up for it....another winter sunset from yesterday...

WAKE UP CASSEROLE

whenever I pass thru MA, I make it a point to stop at Great Barrington, MA  to stock up on bread from Berkshire Mountain Bakery, for their sour dough bread...with so much bread, I made cheddar-bacon wake-up casserole this morning, simple but a nice sunday treat with bread, shredded cheddar cheese, a little crisp-cooked bacon, & 2 cups milk with 4 eggs...the trick is to soak it overnight...bake 35o for 30 minutes

TOULOUSE LAUTREC

yet another blustery winter's day yesterday, took a ride out to Williamstown, MA to catch the Toulouse Lautrec and Paris exhibit at The Clark...love his work since my college days...The Clark always puts on interesting & unusual show, not a bad way to pass a winter's day

SNOW DAY

another day of uninterrupted solitude...snow shower forcast has turn into a few inches of snow...thank goodness I have my valentine's day flowers to inspire me...this small sketch has turn into a very finish pastel

WINTER POND

after a few sunny days, all the snow on the pond has turn into a nice skating rink...as soon as I put on my skates this morning, the wind & clouds are bringing in more snow....long winter teaches one about living the moment

VENUS

another clear night of million stars...nothing is as bright as Venus on the western horizon, Venus has been brilliant this winter...I can practically see my shadow on the white snow...I will definately miss  not seeing it while I'm doing dishes in the evening...Venus only shine this bright every 3 years

MOON SET

this might be the last time I see the  moon sets over the snowy fields till next winter...the position of the setting moon on the western horizon has shifted alot

ANEMONES

being on the road so often, I've gotten to come across many interesting side trips...Battenfield's Hybrid Anemones in Red Hook is a great stop for any flower lover....from May to September, the greenhouses on the property harvest app. 7,000 anemones every other day....they are wholesalers, but one can get the best anemones by stopping at their self-serve store...definately a bright spot to get thru these long winter months....www.anemones.com...interesting site

SKI SHOP

living in a ski area, I've gone in & out of ski shops, as ski shop goes, Mt Otsego Ski Shop is as quaint as it gets, it's on the backroads of Cooperstown, NY, the owner was most helpful...if one wants picturesque village, cruising around Cooperstown is delightful

BLUSTERY

out of luck...the frozen tundra was starting to melt....it's back to blustery, windy, snowy, icy kind of day in the mountain

MOONRISE

the full moon was pretty bright when I got home yesterday..the moon rise over the silent fields, casting shadows in shades of ebony....this combination of full moon & snow only happens in January & February...pure magic

SUNRISE

way too cold to get out of bed this morning, spend the morning sketching in bed before the house warms up...splendid vistas of mountains & rolling hills make for inspiring subject matter....packing up for a warmer road trip

CONTRAST

another frigid day, not a cloud in sight...SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE finally came to our local theater, art film does not stay long...I can see why it's nominated for best picture of the year...I hope it wins, a really well made film can transform & inform....that's the magic of film...the world would be a very boring place if they never invented film making..the color & texture of India is a stark contrast to a february day in the mountain

WINTER DESPAIR

an average day in february: dark,damp,frigid & bad light...makes it harder to see what I'm painting

BROVETTO DAIRY

spend Sunday at Brovetto Diary at Harpersfield, NY, for a cheese making class....a nice winter diversion with some interesting people, our biggest thing in common is FOOD....it's alot of standing around & waiting...perfect opportunity for some quick sketches