Downtown Northville, Michigan

This is Downtown Northville, Michigan. I love the clock with all the flowers spilling over in the median. The Main Street actually does a loop around this Clock/Flower Garden. I live within a few miles of Northville and turn left at the traffic light in the distance to get to the the Farm Market on Thursdays to buy my fresh fruit and other produce. This is a fun place to walk thru many little shops.

Michigan Peaches

Yesterday was Marketday in Northville, MI and I was delighted to find my favorite fruit was ripe! Of course I purchased some and then
watercolored one for posterity :-) I do like it when the Red Havens are ripe (They are also "freestone"). Makes them easier to peel and eat.

Where have the Peppers gone????

Whatever happened to those multi-colored Pepper Plants? I WC'd this several years ago, and it seems these plants just aren't around
anymore. Were they too much of a temptation for children because of their enticing colors?
I was going over some of my sketchings, etc. and came across this and wondered where they were???

A Rainy Day Lunch

I'm getting "geared up" for my watercolor/journal Class in August....this is a scene I quickly sketched (and didn't even finish sketching until I got back to our accomodations) at the Wild Plum Tea Room Porch on the Craft Tour near Gatlinburg, TN. It was a cool day and had started to rain, and while we were waiting to be seated inside (which we rarely do) I decided to try and capture the reason we had to eat inside that day. I finished the sketch and watercolored it back at our place later in the day. We love our Wild Plum Tea Room.
Always like to carry my sketchbook :-)

Three Birdhouses

I was reminded that I had painted these 3 Birdhouses at a Sketchbook Class in Cathy C.'s back garden several years ago...seeing it again on Catherine's blog--I'm reminded how detailed I get and how "loose" I would like to be in my sketches/watercolors. But I've made good use of this watercolor using it many times for a Greeting Card or Note Cards. I sent it once as a "Get-Well Card" and the recipient said she had it matted and framed because they liked it so much :-) Love it when people enjoy my cards. I have a little "Card Ministry" at our Church--In our Ambassadors' Class, we note everyone's birthdays and anniversaries. And there are always "Get-Well" or "Thinking of You" cards to send (especially at our age :-)

Wren Family

Sometime in June, a female wren set up residence in our little birdhouse in the Dogwood tree...she laid some eggs, then she sat on them until they "hatched" and then she and her male companion fed them diligently (moths, small worms, bugs, spiders,etc) from under our surrounding trees and flowers. About 15 days later (on July 5th) they were ready to seek their fortunes--and out of the little house they jumped--one at a time. Then we could hear them chattering in the nearby trees with the Mother carefully guiding them about. Then they are "on their own."
It was so fun to watch this whole process, so I thought I would record it in watercolor in my sketchbook!

It has been totally hot and humid these past few days...and we are looking forward to going Up North to Boyne City (on Lake Charlevoix) and up to Bay View to watercolor scenes like this library. There are so many paintable places in that area.