FIRST PAINTING FOR 2014

First painting for 2014

Frangipanis and Lemons

38cm  x  50cm

STILL LIFE

Another still life - could be the last for 2013!

Gum Blossoms in Reflection.

40cm x 40cm

Gum Blossoms in Reflection.

PAINTINGS CONTINUED

Two more paintings for my collection.

Waratahs and Apples

Still Life with Pottery

TWO MORE PAINTINGS

A couple more for the collection:

This is a mixed bunch with Australian pottery and one of my koobaburra jugs from my collections (see earlier posts.

Snap dragons, Irises and stocks.

MORE PAINTINGS OF STILL LIFE

I continue to paint my favourite subject.  Lovely vases, objects and flowers. 


 

Nasturtiums, pokerwork napkin rings and Kookaburra Jug

This is a small painting 30cm x 30cm

Grevillia and Banksia

This painting is 35cm x 45cm.

Zinnias and Frog

This painting is 40cm x 50cm.

STILL LIFE - PAINTINGS

I have started painting again.  I guess when you paint or make any sort of art you never really stop you just have breaks from working.

Well I dont need to talk about making art I would rather just show you what I have been doing of late.

Gum blossoms and gum nuts

Banksia in glass vases

These are two small paintings 12" x 16".

Still life arrangement with dried flora and shells

Larger painting 20" x 24".

Purple ginger, limes and kookaburra jug

This painting is 14" x 18".

All these paintings are painted in acrylics.

SPRING GARDEN

I really wish it would rain.  It has been weeks of dry weather and the rain tanks are getting low and the soil is very dry.  Watering by hand only does so much - a good soaking from a sustained rainfall really does the trick to provide the deep moisture necessary to growth.

I have planted Scarlet runner beans, two types of cucumbers - a small lebanese cucumber and a cucumber called Mexican Sour Gherkin.  The later is supposed to be a climber so I have planted it where the snow peas were.  I am preparing another bed for a small pickling cucumber called Parisian.

Scarlet runner seedlings

I have also started raising my own lettuce - a baby cos and another called Crisp Mint.  I bought a commercial seed raising mixture and let me tell you it is a total dud.  No wonder I had so much trouble with my Alpine Strawberry seeds.  I succeeded with these against the odds.

With the lettuce I planted out a tray with the commercial mixture and another tray with my home made seed raising mixture.  The home made seed raising mixture is made of:

• A small block of coir peat especially designed for seeds (available from Bunnings)
• Half a bag of perlite
• Commercial compost

The coir peat for seeds expands into this lovely soft stuff which easily mixes with the other ingredients.  I keep this in one of those long white buckets with a lid.

The above is the commercial seed raising mixture.  The lettuce have remained this size for weeks.  I will try planting them out but dont hold much hope for them.

The above seedlings were planted on the 4th of September.  They are practically ready for the garden.  If you click on the image you will see the difference in the texture etc of the home made seed raising mixture.  The middle two rows contains seedlings of Blue Pimpernell as we all need some colour in the garden.

I have planted chives in a pot and they are just starting to show through the soil.

In the rock garden I have also planted a little daisy type flower.  It spreads so I hope it will look good amongst the other plants.

I will let you know the progress of the garden as it evolves - please rain.