It’s been my favorite early spring weather.  Cool enough for a hoodie, but warm enough to spend lots of time outside.  I donned my overalls for the first time this year, and Jeff and I worked together in the backyard on Tuesday.  We pulled weeds, mowed the small patch of grass, pruned the hydrangeas, trimmed back the liriope, and cleaned up the leaves.  I remembered looking out the window last week and feeling overwhelmed at all of the tasks that needed to be done to get the garden beds and patio ready for spring, but it only took a couple of hours, and it looks noticeably better.  There are a few more things to do, but it’s looking great already. I know that small amounts of work, one or two hours, devoted regularly to something can make a big difference, but I’m glad when I’m still delighted and surprised at

Wow, it’s hard to believe it’s April.  I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels that way.  Wasn’t it just January?  With the warmer weather and longer days, I am feeling my usual pull to home and garden projects, but I haven’t had much time with my current workload.  Home projects are usually a large part of my work, but with oil painting and writing becoming more prominent this year, they are getting pushed to the weekend and evenings, just like everyone else with full-time jobs!  Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll start by trimming hedges, mulching, applying fertilizer, seeding patchy spots in the lawn, and cleaning up the patio to get ready to open the pool. Here are my four things for this week – Paper & Van Gogh (still), Masterclass, “it would be that way”, and playing with a new medium.   what I’m reading I’m

I didn’t get a Four Things post written last week.  There was a lot of catch-up to do after being at the beach for ten days, and my work days just got away from me.  As I shared at the beginning of this year, my business is also evolving, and I’m still figuring out how to balance blogging and sharing online with working on my books and painting commissions.  I feel like I’m slowly getting into a rhythm, though, and I’m trying to lean into the change. As my days have been very full lately, I am so thankful for the longer days and more sunshine! Here are my four things for the week: exploring charcoal, revisiting a childhood favorite, seasonal purpose, and carefully planning.     what I’m reading When it comes to drawing, I struggle with line.  I have always preferred paint over a pencil, but I do