Wilsonia Cabin Porch Drawing

Porches, decks, balconies. . . all those outdoor living spaces are very important to all cabins, including Wilsonia cabins.

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This one was very charming and it was for sale during the project. A friend bought the cabin, so her daughter secretly bought the drawing for her. Then, the mom secretly bought the drawing of her daughter’s cabin for her!

I was caught in a web of cabin gift giving secrets. It was tricky, but I don’t think I spilled any beans.

This four year project, The Cabins of Wilsonia, had many benefits, and one of them was rekindled and new friendships.

Sequoia Trees and Navel Oranges

Sequoia trees and navel oranges are specialties of Central California, right here in Tulare County where I live and work as an artist (and now as an editor too).

So, I paint Sequoia trees and navel oranges. Often.

When these are dry, I’ll scan them and put them on my website for sale. Maybe I’ll put them on the blog too.

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More Poppy Peeping

This poppy peeping trip was up North Fork Drive out of Three Rivers. It was with one friend in a Mustang convertible that her Mom bought on her 88th Christmas. (No, my friend isn’t 88 – it was her Mom who was 88). It was a great top-down day, and sometimes I just stood on the seat to get the right photos. Handy set up.

There were poppies, (early) redbud, lupine, the North Fork of the Kaweah, sycamores, oaks, and cows. Lovely time, truly enjoyable companionship, beautiful drive.

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Finishing the murals

Did you think I was going to leave you hanging as to how the Tanzania mural looked?

Customer called to say the cape buffalo needed about 1/2 hour of work. I was relieved to hear from him, because my final day working on them was without his expertise. I’ve never seen those animals, except in photos (and there was that one stuffed head staring at the back of my head while I painted).

So, I headed back down the hill one beautiful spring morning.

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He has a good eye and was very helpful.

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After: IMG_2530

Yes, the differences are subtle, but my goal is customer satisfaction.

Then, Customer looked at me and said, “You left something out of the other mural.”

I said, “Shoot. I was hoping you would forget.”

He just tapped the side of his head. Then he waited for me to tell him what he wanted, so I smiled and said,  “Buzzards!”

Using masking tape torn into little pieces, I stuck some buzzards shapes up in the sky. We scooted them around and discussed relative sizes and shapes. Then, I painted them.

As usual, Customer was right:  IMG_2531

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This photo of the finished Tanzania mural isn’t the best because the morning sun comes through the window and overexposes the one side. However, this photo beats the one with the scaffolding in front, and the slightly wonky buffalo.

Can you pick out the buzzards in the Missouri mural? Tiny, but they add the right finishing touch. This mural keeps amazing me, because the photo was so meh.
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On the way home, I couldn’t just blow past Dry Creek Drive, knowing it was just filthy with poppies and lupine.

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Poppy Peeping

When the poppies are out, there is no time to be wasted! Get out and see them, now!

2008 was a spectacular poppy year for all the foothills in Central California, and it was a source of great inspiration to this Central California artist.

2016 is looking almost as good.

A few friends and I took a drive up Dry Creek Road for some poppy peeping on February 26. Have a look:

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Who can resist a ride in an open-top red Jeep toward the siren pull of those golden hills? Not these bandana-headed chicks! (“You look like you oughta be somebody’s wife somewhere”. . . a little Meryl Haggard, in case you were wondering)

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Spring in Three Rivers at Kaweah Lake

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This is my favorite photo of the whole day. This is one of 3 types of lupine we saw at Kaweah Lake.

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This is another type – bush lupine.

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Some sort of clover was very abundant and quite fragrant.

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This road made me wonder how Three Rivers might be today had Terminus Dam not been built in 1963. The road would meander near the river, and perhaps the river would be more accessible to the public, at least down at that elevation. Most of the river is locked up by private land, and trashy trespassing becomes a real problem every summer.

Visalia, down the hill, would have had massive flooding for many years. It probably would not have the population that it has now, if the dam hadn’t been built.

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Like Scarlett, I’ll think about it tomorrow, because today is springtime in Three Rivers and there are wildflowers to gawk at.

Spring in Three Rivers

Trail Guy and I had a road trip planned, although it pains me to leave Three Rivers in spring. However, life interfered, and being prudent, flexible and spontaneous (don’t hurt yourself laughing), we decided to spend spring here in Three Rivers.

Have a look at an excursion to Kaweah Lake.

That is Alta Peak in the distance, and in a month or so all this lake bottom will be underwater.

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My great-uncle used to lament all the “drowned wildflower seeds” resulting from Terminus Dam, built in 1963. Hmmm, looks like those seeds were resurrected.

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The flat slick rock on the right side leading down to the water is called “Slick Rock”. Duh.

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The jagged rocks in the distance are called “Castle Rocks”. Nice name.

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Walking in Three Rivers

I love to go walking in Three Rivers, particularly in February, my favorite month for weather. It is really green this year. Muddy too. Thank you God, for rain!!

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I got all excited about this beautiful moss. My sister from Oregon looked at me as if I were loopy.

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Moss AND lichen, oh my.

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Green. GREEN! THANK YOU, GOD, FOR RAIN!

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There are horses running around in one of my favorite walking areas. I’m not very horsey, but they are beautiful creatures.

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This color combination is really beautiful: a reddish horse with a blond mane.

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This mare was not pleased with my walking buddy’s walking stick. She looked downright hostile.

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Anyone know the right horsey description for this color of horse?

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Water! February is so beautiful, especially in a wet winter in Three Rivers.

Poppies in February

Sometimes poppies are in bloom in February, one of my favorite months. March is more common, but we are enjoying an extended season this year.

This is one of those years, at least in Three Rivers and the surrounding foothills. Instead of showing you the real thing, I’ll show you the poppies blooming in my painting studio.

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Upside down is a good way to focus on size and shape.

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This little 6×6 should go quickly, both in painting and selling. These little paintings remind me of postage stamps on a wall.

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More poppies, some background.

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Much better poppies. Better-let-them-dry poppies. Better-wait-to-do-the-stems-and-leaves poppies. Leave the poppies alone!

Stop typing. You sound like a dopey artist. Too many oil paint fumes?