Fog on the Mountain Study

Thanksgiving morning we climbed Mt. Talbert in the rain. It only takes about an hour. The mountain was completely engulfed in a cloud. Very poetic and very wet.

Steigerwald Study 2

Thanksgiving-Rain in a Coastal Forest 2

For those families once whole with the living, my friend Maureen Doallas has written a poem. Republished with her permission;

Thanks Given (Poem)

Thanks Given

We were nine.

We were eight.

We are seven.

We were together.

We are apart.

We were mother and father,

five daughters,

two sons:

Together. One.

Apart

In Virginia and Florida,

New York and Tennessee,

in Georgia

We were a family.

We are a family

come together

with spirit,

with ghost

Eyes looking down,

looking up,

looking out

To a hillside in Arlington,

to a headstone in Venice:

Two to make

seven into nine.

Lips pressing thank yous

on shadows of air

breathed in breathed out

paused

To save

for blessings

round tables

Together,

apart,

As one.

Copyright © 2009 Maureen E. Doallas. All Rights Reserved.

A Corner of the Park

I have a larger Steigerwald canvas in process but it is not coming together. After giving up for the day, I got involved with this little painting.

Steigerwald Study 1

Yesterday morning, just before the storm blew in, I was all over Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge. Even got a run in, camera in hand. The sky was wild and the cottonwoods were being stripped of their yellow leaves by the wind.

The Meadow through the Trees

Mossy Rocks 2

November Leaves

Suddenly and unexpectedly I`ve been accepted into the Daily Painters group/website! I applied long ago when I was focused on small work. With my house for sale and a move hopefully imminent, this is a good time to return to that practice. Though I use a squeegee often, it`s mark is usually not so noticeable. Here the look seemed to suggest the ephemeral nature of late autumn so I kept it. It`s an inane title I know. Sometimes that chore just baffles me.

Mossy Rock

Sanctuary

I`ve never had enough red. Even landscape painters that take liberties with perception, like me, can`t get enough.

Camas Meadow

I can`t just stop painting even if I`m selling a house. That quickly became apparent. I managed to complete this last night. It`s of an odd meadow with stunted trees above Lacamas Creek.