Summer Garden

This stork visited my cottage by the St. John's River and I had a chance to paint him while he/she posed.  (It was a long pose for a bird.)  I was so happy that my art materials were close by and ready to be used when I realized the stork had landed by the raised bed gardens.

It is a good thing I have put away my childish ideas about storks bringing newborn babies to your doorstep.  If storks really brought babies we wouldn't be prepared anymore.  Our sons are grown and we are empty nesters now.  My current babies are my gardens (growing vegetables, fruit and flowers), my artwork, and volunteering.  

DANCING WATER

IT IS RAINING, AGAIN!  This is wonderful since we haven't had rain for a week and the temperatures have soared into the high 90s everyday.  Most summers we are blessed with mild temperatures of mid-70s and low 80's.  The air conditioners (if our homes even have them) are rarely turned on during a 'normal' northeastern Wisconsin summer.  I am so relieved to have the rain for the moisture it gives to the plants in my gardens and the more normal temperatures it will bring.  The waterfalls will be rushing and dancing once again and the trout will be swimming in larger pools of water than have been available to them for a few weeks.