Diana Card

Happy New Year !!!!!!!

Last Sunrise of 2011

Drum roll, please...

                                             December 31, 2011

Merry Christmas!

Yes, Virginia, there really is a Santa Claus!

The Winter Solstice

My Winter Solstice post is a day late, but on purpose. I spent the day doing all my usual jobs...made a beautiful batch of Maisy butter, did some last minute shopping at Upriver; one of my most favorite shops in the area, then went to a wonderful Solstice party complete with a perfect fire out in the night air, hot mulled cider, and plenty of good company. It was a reflective day for me, though, this year, thinking about what our family was going through on this day last year. That being said, I believe there is light after dark days, and look forward to the increasing minutes of brightness each day until winter is behind us, and the sun is high in the sky once again.

 

 

New Painting

I've been working on smalls lately, in between bouts of the ancient furnace not working. Here is the latest one, "Winter Fun", that will be available in my Etsy shop tomorrow. If you hurry, there's still enough time to have it sent for Christmas morning!

 

Frosted Tractor

Just the right amount of snow for me...

New Winter Scenes

There are new winter paintings in process, but where is winter? It's 60 degrees outside....

 

Winter Painting Nook

My studio upstairs at the back of this big old barn of a house is one of the newer add-ons, but someone neglected to install heat. No doubt it was intended as a summer room, which is when I am installed in it. 

I cannot paint in there in the depths of winter, and so beginning usually when the wild wind comes roaring down the mountain, I move about the house each year in seach of the perfect spot to paint; a bit like a bird flying south for the winter, but with more baggage. I am in need of a 'sunny spot' in the early morning hours, and then again in the afternoon. This year, it's a corner in the dining room, bright, warm and I can see all types of views out the window. Perfect.

And this is the view from the front door at 5:30 in the morning, after my commute down the front stairs. Make some coffee, put wood on the fire and I'm good for a few hours, until it's time to milk Maisy and do some barn work.