visits...

a few visits that put a smile on my face...

My friend Connie and I took off and

visited the bountiful Zinnia.

They've expanded and they have some fantastic new things, noted by Connie's shopping bag. Tamara always celebrates the seasons with style.

With the weather taking a cooler turn, pal CW and I decided to take a long walk and visit one of my favorite places on earth...Descanso Gardens.

the greenhouse by the entrance donned some interesting growth...
Anyone know what these are? We looked for a sign but we couldn't find one.
I found these cool mosaic patterns in (of all places) the Boddy House bathroom. I'm always saying look up and down to catch the really cool stuff around you...
I'm glad when they refurbished the house they kept many of these fabulous accents.

Walking back from the Boddy House as usual I was digging the shadows...
A couple of weeks ago I made my way to the Hollywood Collecters Show...

and I visited with some of my old friends at the 'Lost In Space" reunion...
How great it was to see everyone again.

Mark Goddard, me, Bob May, Bill Mumy, Marta Kristen

While there I shot the carpet...cool design that could find it's way into some art...this design would make great stencils...

And then there was a visit to the theater to see the Musical "9-5"
The dancing was fantastic. Hadn't been to the theatre for awhile and it was fun.

Over the weekend we visited Becca's new digs...
grabbed lunch and watched the "Sex In The City" movie...the clothes were fantastic.

She's made a lovely comfortable home for herself.
...and we engaged in a lively catch up discussion on her patio...

Hoping fall starts to penetrate the LA warmth soon
....till next time

where for art thou?

What's this?

and this?

It's a glimpse of what I've been working on. It's the galley's for Sarah and my new book "In This Garden"...and that is what we have been doing these past couple of weeks...going through it and pouring over it..early mornings, cups of coffee and phone calls...and now...it's gone. Sent back to the publisher so they can work their magic and print it up. I can only tease you with a glimpse...but you will be the first to know when when we can show you the cover...I can say it's filled with the most amazing art ever...and we are thrilled with how it came out.

On the art front? ...oh I've been making it...and here is a bit of it..







original pieces of art...made with a few of my favorite things...gesso, notch tool, Distress stamp pads, and my handpainted photographs. What fun! How I love texture....

weekend with the folks...

This weekend my parents came into town...

I always look forward to a visit from my Mom and Dad.

On Sunday we had breakfast in Veronica's gazebo dining room which feels like you're dining inside a Tiffany box.

My Mom is talking on the phone to Jesse, who is off making a movie in the woods in Washington state. We sure did miss him. Aunt Mary looks on...Becca was there...which was great as she has been so very busy with her story producing job and settling into her new home...

Veronica's dog 'Louie the Lip' peeks in to see what's going on...

When we were getting ready to leave I had the family pose for a shadow portrait...

it soon evolved into a bit of shadow play between my Dad and brother Chris...

Even Veronica's son Dakota joined in with a bird...or is that a butterfly? Whatever it was it was cool.

Becca's duck greets my Dad's dog...
Spontaneous shadow play is good for the soul....try it sometime...

the colors of the fruitstand...

Hansa Yellow Light and Naphthol Red Light
Cadmium Yellow Medium bananas...

Jenkins Green

Indian Yellow Historic Hue

Pyrrole Orange and Phthalo Green (Yellow Shade)
with some Paynes and Neutral Gray

a bountiful crop...

an explosive selection of nuts...

We always stop at Francisco's when we are out Fillmore way...

the wedding this weekend...

Here I am on the patio of our room as we attended a wedding this past weekend of the daughter of some dear old friends.
It took place at a beautiful resort, one of my favorites, the Ojai Valley Inn. I was glad we could spend the weekend and indulge in their amazing spa. It's like being in another country, a peaceful and zen like place...where everyone is really, really nice and helpful.
These terra cotta plants line the outer rim of the resort. Beautiful from every vista.

Here I am arriving at the wedding which started at 6:30...just as the sun was setting and the shadows were deep...

the wedding party walking down the aisle under a huge oak tree...

later we danced into the night...

and the happy couple started their new life together.
Weddings are new beginnings, new journeys, new adjustments.
I hope their lives together are as beautiful as their wedding was.

opening doors...

Today I've been thinking...about the gates that are opening...
and the gates that have closed behind me...
Our friends are doing some construction...which made me think. What construction do I need to do in my own life? What needs to be built up...and what needs to be taken down. Cleaning house both physically and emotionally is a good thing to do...

Yep...today...I've been doing some thinking...