Big Dog Squeaky Toy

There is something very comical about a big dog with squeaky toys! Buddha loves this bright green very squeaky toy. He weighs in at over 100 lbs. but is really wanting to be a lap dog.

It was hard to sketch him with the toy not in movement! Mostly a lot of rolling around and jaw action!

Cultivate a love of reading early on.

Playing with computer colouring over my pencil sketch.

I have the privilege of working with families to promote early literacy so the word cultivate brought to mind the cultivation of a love of reading.

Mind you the garden calls to be cultivated!
The weeds have really started to grow.

They Draw and Cook with fresh figs

Fun Figs! This was an interesting challenge. We have a lovely fig tree and enjoy a short feast of figs each year, shared with the raccoons. There are some great looking fig recipes on the they draw and cook site.

Spring is just around the corner

Spring will be here. Things will get better. We are so fortunate, may these flowers be a bouquet of hope to Japan.

There is rebirth in the spring season may it spread, with the buzz of bees, 123.

Started seeds this weekend in coldframes, and in the house. Thinking about living in an earthquake zone, being able to grow our own food....the joy of having fresh flowers.
We are so blessed.

Stir it up

Stir up some family history...
Some are content to roll along others are "stirrers" who have to know.
Also thought of the Bob Marley song "Stir it up" a favorite.
Also a great children's book
Mean Soup where the Mum and little boy stir away the bad day!

Nest

The last few posts of garden and son are all about the family nest. All of them are interconnected. The birds in the garden are all busy with the dance of spring nest building and family starting.

Boy to young man

Theme Thursday challenge Men and/or Boys, I chose to work from images of my son from preschool to graduation. He has grown so much. For Three Muses challenge of ancestor I added the lovely old photo of his great grandfather. They never met, I wonder what they would have thought of one another?

Warnings buzzed the bee

Warnings buzzed the bees to the birds; Spring is almost here. If it ever stops raining.....Which version do you think works best? Sometimes I don't know when to stop. Thanks for looking.

Swarm or at least a small swarm of bees

For Illustration Friday a small swarm of bees. There really were bees in the garden only a few days ago, then we had snow, rain, sun, and freezing again! Poor bees! We have neighbours who keep bees and have had them swarm through our apple trees it is quite a sight and sound experience.

Hot Layers!

How many layers? Too many to count. Layers being the Illustration Friday challenge. Crazy indian bedspread table cloth, crazy being the Theme Thursday challenge, layers of different flowers and hot colours. Hot being the Three Muses challenge . Spring will be coming eventually we are expecting snow again, the brave winter aconite and crocus are out and the dahlias are but summer dreams.
Being back at work full times stretches  me to try and and combine all the art challlenges that I can. I'm trying to discipline  myself to at least spend some time painting each week.