Goodbye Summer - Hello Halloween!

My pictures say it all . . .

 Shellie, Kathryne, and I headed out to the Great Salt Lake on Labor Day.

It had been years since I have ventured out to that big mass of salt water.

It was fun . . . and fascinating . . . and I love the adventure.

Friends. A very good thing.

Grant's Sunny Afternoon

I am only going to post a few pictures out of the 200+

that I took yesterday of Grant playing in his backyard.

I am putting together a book for Katie for Christmas

with pictures of Grant and so I don't want her to see all of them.

(She already knows about the book - it's a tradition!)

These are the pictures that made me laugh and smile.

Grant and Lucy

Grant and Sammy and Miles

Grant trying something new . . . climbing through the playhouse window.

Grant realizing he is stuck . . .

Grant screaming at me because I am taking a picture

instead of rescuing him from his playhouse window . . .

Grant happy that I finally rescued him and placed him on his slide.
We had a wonderful hot August afternoon together.

I love this little blue boy of mine.

New Blog

I have started a new blog that will just be about my art.

I am trying to become serious about being an artist,

and so I am working hard to produce paintings every week.

Some weeks are more productive than others . . .

but I am hoping that one day I can sell my art.

I will start with making prints to sell of some of the

paintings which I have already done.

It is amazing how each picture gets a little bit better.

Hopefully one day I will be able to say I am a professional artist.

Until then . . . Daffodils, Daisies, and Dragonflies

will be where I post my pictures.
(Link in my sidebar: A Dash of Others)

What Have I Been Up To Lately?

This:

 I did this little pastel bird while watching

Seven Brides For Seven Brothers a week ago.

Actually . . . while I was listening to the movie.

It's hard to watch when you are working on a painting -

so musicals are always my favorite accompaniment
to my board, paper, and sticks of color.
A way fun evening to say the least.

What Kind of a Grandmother Am I?

What kind of a Grandmother takes a picture of her grandson doing this?

Me I guess.

The Dog Days of Summer

Grant and I spent some quality time in his backyard tonight.

Grant is pure boy . . . and I adore this kid with all of my heart.

He makes me happy.

Oil Painting - At Last

I am finally back into painting . . .

only now I am tackling the dreaded oil paint.

Here is the painting I produced this weekend.

I figure the more I paint the better I will become

so I better start painting a lot.

This is the Great Salt Lake at Sunset.

Please keep in mind I am an AMATEUR!
(Also - it really does look better in real life - I promise.)
One more also -

it will look better if you step a few feet back from your computer.

It is a sort of Monet styled type of painting.

I think. I hope.

Either way - I love the time I spend with my brushes

and my oil paints and my mediums and my palette

. . . and my music.

And two dogs and a bird who sit and watch me.

Independence

Independence, MO was awesome.

Here are a few photos I took of the

Joseph Smith Emma Hale Smith Family Conference.

 New Kansas City Temple at sunset.

Still in construction but still so beautiful.

The Smokin' Guns BBQ wall of award ribbons.

A few of us snuck off the first night around 9:00 pm

and feasted on the best ribs and baked beans 

I have ever tasted in my entire life.

And I have tasted some good ones over the years.

Sorry I don't have pictures of those but we ate them in

a park and it was dark by the time we took our first bites.

Guy voted it best of BBQ on his Diner, Drive-ins, and Dives.

I love Guy. Tanner and I watch his show a lot and 

there he was looking down on us from the wall.

And yest that is his signature on that poster you're looking at.

We took a jaunt to a few tour sites and this is the place

that the first corner stones were laid for the first 

Temple the Saints were going to build in Missouri.

One Stake was having their Pioneer Trek.

The humidity was outrageous and it was about

85 degrees making the heat index around 100 degrees.

I was dying in my t-shirt and capris and as I

looked at those kids and adults in full pioneer garb

I felt like suffocating.

What a bunch of dedicated people.

Across the street and over a hill was where 

my Great-Grandfather Joseph F. Smith

was born one very cold winter night.

This is a picture of the field near by.

Green enough for you? In July I might add.
That is a beautiful tall corn field behind the tree.

Emma's Birthday Cake

I forgot to take a picture until our dear

General Paul had started cutting it.

Then someone yelled, "Did you get a picture of it?"

I grabbed my camera and snapped despite the

Smith and 1804 being completely mutilated.

It was vanilla cake and was delicious.

So was the strawberry cake, and the chocolate cake.

Yeah - I tasted them all. Small bites - okay?

 Chelsea from Australia.

I love this thirteen year old from down under.

She became my friend and buddy,

and I tried to convince her when she grows up

to come to Utah and attend college.

I promised I would cook for her every weekend.

Since she's never tasted my cooking she wouldn't promise.

You can see the Community of Christ's Church spire behind her.

On my way home I took this picture from the plane

of the Mississippi River which is ginormous.

What you will not be able to see in this photo

is all the buildings and roads that are 

still covered with the murky waters.

An incredible but sad scenery to watch from above.

Thank you Smith family for a remarkable and memorable four days.

Fourth of July Boys

My 4th of July Boys

 Cute as bug's ears aren't they?

A New Painting

I painted a new picture and thought I would share it.

It was a gift for a friend who has spent endless hours over the years

sharing her wisdom, humor, compassion, and friendship

in the most pure and extraordinary way.

Happy Belated Birthday Maureen

Lilacs in Kamas

 A few friends of mine took a little jaunt to Kamas

to view the lilacs.

I had no idea how beautifully they blossom
in that small mountain town.

We had lunch at the Gateway Cafe

and wandered the Petersen 3 acre "Estate"

having a marvelous time.

Happy Birthday Troy Boy!

He's not happy about #27!

I lost all my scanned photos when my computer crashed,

but here are a few photos that I love that I found.  

 I love you Troy.

Long Time No See

I have been awol because life in the spring is hectic.

Very hectic.

But I have taken a few choice pictures of

my very favorite photographic subjects.

Grant. Sunsets.

If the sun every comes out I will tear out my

rose bushes and plant raspberry bushes instead.

The rose bushes pretty much died over the cold winter,

so now they are a straggly mess.

Besides, raspberry bushes will actually produce food.

Although technically I could try to learn how to make rosewater.

Here is Grant on a good day . . .

And then a few days later . . .

Grant wasn't in the mood for the Pizza I was trying to feed him.

And last - a sweet reminder that my beloved lake is returning.

The positive side of all of that snow and water we've been hit with this year.