Splashing Through Life - Art by Patricia Henderson

Here is a little corner of my yard, and a couple birds cooling off. A very quick little sketch today! Cooling Off 4" X 6"  in sketchbook

Whoops! I missed a day! I'll try to catch up later, but today was a lazy day, sitting on my deck by the pool, so I sketched what was in front of me! Sitting on the Deck 5" X 8"  In Moleskin sketchbook

Now, I'm not promising that I will do all 31 days for world watercolor month, but I'll try to do as many as I can! If you are interested in joining in, check out worldwatercolormonth.com or look into their Facebook Page HERE . I thought I'd give my sketching skills a little workout, so for my first sketch I painted a tree trunk that is behind my garage. I thought it had quite a bit of personality! Rhino Tree Ink and Watercolour 8" X 5" Moleskin sketchbook

After a fairly mild winter around here, spring has been a bit hesitant to arrive. This week, however, has been sunny, warm and beautiful. I think sping is here at last! Along with spring have come my allergies. So while sitting outside this morning sketching these pretty Grape Hyacinths, I was fighting the wind, and watery eyes, and sneezing. But I'm not complaining. At least there weren't any mosquitos! Grape Hyacinths In my Garden Sketchbook NFS

Last week I missed Watercolour Wednesday! Eeeek! I haven't done that since I retired. We have had someone in to do some painting (walls) and a lot of "stuff" was "stuffed" into my studio. Today, it was so lovely outside that I decided to bring my watercolours into the garden. Not too many perennials flowering yet, but I managed two ACEO's and a sketch in my garden journal. When I got my garden journal out, I realized it had been FOUR years since I had last made an entry! I couldn't believe it had been that long. I've promised myself to keep up it updated better. Weigela 2.5 X 3.5" Orange Sneezeweed 2.5 X 3.5"

It was such a pleasant morning, I thought I'd sit out in my backyard and do a little sketch before they take the wheat off. We live right on the edge of our town, and each year we enjoy the view of the field right behind us to the west. Most of our weather comes from this direction, as well as a nice breeze. Today, sitting beside the field, it was downright windy! I had trouble keeping my moleskin open, but it sure kept me cool. A little moth decided he would like to keep me company and sat at the edge of my ultramarine blue for most of the painting. I also sketched some more flowers today. I'm trying to decide if I like the pen and wash for my flower sketches or pencil and wash...what do you think?

Last weekend, my mother and I took the train up to Belleville to visit my sister. The weather couldn't have been more perfect! Fairly cool, yet sunny. On Saturday we took the Belleville Garden tour. We saw many gorgeous gardens and flowers...kind of makes you want to take the rototiller to your own garden and start over! Of course I forgot to take the memory card for my camera, and only got a few pictures. On Sunday we headed over to Prince Edward County, which has a wealth of galleries, wineries, artisan cheese making, wonderful homemade chocolate, and beautiful scenery! We sampled some lovely (and not so lovely!) wine, cheese and chocolate. I brought my sketch book, but only had time to do this quick sketch from Janet's sunporch on Sunday morning while everyone was getting ready to go out for the day. Her neighbour has a dairy farm. Those little black and white things in the sketch aren't large dogs, they are supposed to be cows! LOL

A few more from the journal. I'm really enjoying sketching the flowers from my garden! So far I've done only the perennials, but as summer comes along I'm sure I'll be painting the annuals as well.

I've been delinquent in posting on my blog! I've got several more entries in my garden journal. Keep in mind these are just sketches, I usually limit myself to 10 minutes or less per flower.

It's been a wonderful warm day today! The temperature right now is 20 degrees Celsius, and it's sunny and windy. Hung the laundry out to dry on the clothesline today for the first time this spring, but now there is a thunderstorm warning! I got my garden journal out again today to sketch the hardy Lamium that has taken over almost everywhere! The think I like about it is it attracts lots of bees. Today a big old Bumbler came to visit while I was sketching. Gotta go, I hear thunder!!

It finally stopped raining long enough to go for a walk this afternoon. When we got back we spotted these little blue snowdrops in the garden by the driveway. Soon there will be a sea of "Star of Bethlehem", and more, but for now this is the only colour besides green!

While in Michigan last fall with Sue and Lauren, I did several sketches using pen and wash. One of my favourites was of a vineyard. I remember it being very windy, but sunny. It was a wonderful day, and painting from this reference brings back some great memories. This is the sketch: And here is where I am with the studio painting so far: It probably won't end up looking anything like the actual vineyard we were at, but that's okay!

I've decided to start a garden journal, and hopefully sketch all of the flowers and veggies that grow this year! Here is my first entry, some brave little snowdrops.