Just when I think I might be getting a handle on coping with life, I take a good look at the date on my last entry and realize I may have to re-evaluate my assumptions.

My apologies.

I really thought I was doing better at keeping track of time.

So I have been doing the usual eco dying of papers. Here's a sample of the last batch:

The grasses are abundant right now, so I decided to take advantage of them.

And another thing I haven't mentioned is that we have started a community garden here in my town and after months of planning and hard work by a dedicated group of people I finally got to plant my bed down there.

It literally DOES look like a bed eh? I made carrot seed tapes with toilet paper and planted them in rows between those marigolds. On the ends I planted Sweet Peas. This is a picture right after I planted. Everything is coming up now. I'll do an update when things look more impressive.

But the real thing I want to share with you today is a watercolor I painted a few days ago.

I stumbled across an artist on YouTube. His name is Chris Petri. As I was scrolling through his work, one thing in particular caught my eye. I really loved it, but it looked so intimidating.

Then I watched the video and thought.... I think I might be able to do that. And I have to say that the only reason I succeeded was his style of teaching. He knows how fragile beginning artists are. I could just tell. He put me at ease and before I knew it, I was looking at this:

It was like some kind of magic trick.

I still can't believe it.

And of course now I think I'll never be able to do it again.

I showed it to S. the other evening and to her daughters who are with her right now who ARE artists. They do it for a living. T. told me I should make myself do it four or five more times. Just to get it in my mind that I CAN reproduce it.

I think she's right. But I haven't worked up the courage to do it just yet. I don't want to break the spell.

Anyway, thank you Chris Petri.... thank you very much....