The girls love to pretend they are going on a trip and I gave them a key to use for the suitcase which has a green tag on it that I got from my dog’s groomer at the Doggie Station.
Sad to say, the girls lost the key and couldn’t remember where they put it and I looked for months for it, combing through everything in my studio to try to find it.

One day it dawned on me that it might be put in the little pet carrier of one of their dolls that stands on display right by the doorway. Every time I walked into my studio I would think, where oh where could that key possible be, it could be so visible with the bright key ring it was on, which was in the shape of a doggie bone. Well, guess what? It was hidden underneath the little pet in that pet carrier! Here I had been walking by it every time I came and went into the studio!  I even looked down in the doll chair for it.

The best part about losing something like a key is that it makes you clean out boxes of toys, go through all your stuff and clean out from under the furniture and stuff. And the better part of having lost this key is that my husband didn’t break the lock on the suitcase as he was trying to fiddle with it, and I’m glad that I didn’t pay a locksmith to open it for me! I don’t use  this for my trips anymore, but liked having it for my girls to play with, I could have just done without the key.

There has been a missing decorative box that my girls usually played with, I don’t remember if I put it in a garage sale or not, but I thought maybe it was locked up in that suitcase. No, it wasn’t, there was only a paper towel in the little suitcase!

I was out at the farm last Saturday, (Summers Past Farm), and it was so cold out side that I decided to paint in the barn. I selected this tree that was decorated by the interior decorator, Laurie Ann and got it in essence and love it! It was fun to be painting while people were busy shopping in the barn that is a gift shop and where my paintings are for sale along with my note cards. I was amazed at how many times I heard people say, “oh, so you’re the artist!” They were glad to finally meet me in person after seeing and knowing my work. One lady was just so thrilled to meet me that she was so sure she really wanted to buy one of my paintings right then and there! It was a fun day and I really like meeting some of my ‘admirers.’  This little painting is only 5 x 7 inches, easy to do from my lap while sitting down, and so comfy to be surrounded by furniture and merchandize from the Laurie Ann collection. I love that stuff!  Antiques, and odd things that just grab my heart, truly a favorite place to shop and browse.

The next day I went to paint again and took some more photos and then noticed that I had another story to write using the title, “Look What Happened!” That large yellow pumpkin got turned over! The proof is in the dirt that is seen on it! That must have been hard to turn over since it was so large.

People enjoy picking their own pumpkins and it is very interesting to see such a wide variety of pumpkins in just one field. God is awesome to be such a creator of so many different shapes, colors and forms and the artist is never bored by looking and observing it all. Variety keeps me from being bored. Like art, the kind people like, it takes all kinds when you see abstracts and realistic art that is just as great, I like the suggestive kind of art that leaves room for imagination!

Lois Brody took this picture of me.  When the artist of the garden is found people like to get her picture!

We had a great view of the pond by the conference building from where we usually stay. As the evening came on a gorgeous moon was glowing over the pond, just in the right spot for a great painting. I don’t know how to photograph night time scenes but know how to observe and take note of what I see. The next day I took some photos and rushed to the nearest one hour service to get them developed and could use these for drawing my basic composition for this moon painting I was so desperate to do.

So, as the night came on, I got everything ready to paint from the window and all of a sudden I looked out and there was no moon at all, the fog completely enveloped the scene and I couldn’t see anything but fog!!! Oh no! Since I have done many a moon paintings in my past and with keen observation, I used my memory to get the painting done. I was very surprised how well it turned out. It is kind of odd that an artist can look at a daylight photo and turn it into night time!

I bet this one could be his favorite, the moon over the pond.  That’s another story I’ll write about later.