Sandpiper

Love pencil drawing!

When I was in Paris, I saw a fountain near the Pompidou Center that was very quirky! Actually it consists of several fountains, all moving!  Yikes, my video isn't very good! (I don't think I'll be making a movie anytime soon!)  But it might give you some idea of what it looks like. I thought it was very entertaining!

Canal du Midi in France - Plane Trees

I was so lucky to be cruising on the Canal du Midi in Southern France in September for a few days! I found the parts of the canal lined with plane trees so beautiful with the calm water and the reflections. Now I say to myself - Was I dreaming?

Fishy Swirl Screen Prints

These screen prints aren't new but I'm still trying to decide what to do with them. I'm not sure they're quite finished. There may be too much going on here! Are they making your dizzy? I made a watercolor painting with an animal in a swirl in school and another student said it was making her sick! Sorry!

Acorn caps

I have never seen acorn caps like these. Aren't they beautiful? They look a lot like little sea creatures and so lively that I can imagine them crawling across the page!

Ecluse de l'Anguille on the Canal du Midi in Southern France

I've heard that the location of the Ecluse de l'Anguille, a lock on the Canal du Midi, is the most decorated and although I didn't see all of them, I can believe it's true. The keeper of the lock definitely enjoys sculpting and his creations are everywhere around the lock as well as around his house and they are quite original! For me it was unexpected, a pleasant surprise!

Mallards on the Canal du Midi in France

While on vacation in France recently, we rented a boat and cruised the Canal du Midi in the south for a few days. These ducks were especially plentiful around the small town boat bases. Of course we know why but I have not heard such vocal ducks. One evening I was cooking dinner and using my phone as a timer when I heard this familiar duck sound. It was so loud and clear that it seemed like a duck was on board! We searched high and low for that duck until I discovered that I had chosen a duck call for the timer on my phone. Very appropriate I guess! Need more wine, please!

This video of the real ducks is one of my first attempts at using my phone as a video camera. It isn't very good - for one thing I turned the camera the wrong way! But I wanted to see if I could put one on my blog, so here it is!

Johnson's Orchard in Bedford, Virginia

After going to a college football game this weekend in the western part of Virginia, we stopped by this apple orchard on the way home. I love to pick apples but if you pick too many, you can't get them to your car! Just try to resist them! Anyway, I'm looking forward to apple pies and fresh applesauce! Some of the things I love about fall.
How do you like this orchard's version of Johnny Appleseed?!!?