It's Spring!

This Thursday celebrated the vernal equinox, the balance of night and day, the signal of spring to come.

And not a moment too soon.
The weather has been typically spring-like lately. In Nebraska that means we've had temperatures from 20 to 80, and winds from zero to 40 all in the course of 48 hours. We have a saying in Nebraska: If you don't like the weather, wait a few minutes and it'll change.

We celebrated the arrival of spring by heading out to a nearby lake for a day of fishing (by the fellas) and painting (by me). It was wonderful being outside without the burden of multiple layers of coats and scarves. The sun was lovely and warm in amongst the still-bare trees and tall grass. Beavers had made their mark on many of the trees by the lake, chewing completely through the trunk of a few of them. Being outside on a day like this is heaven for me.

After the hustle and bustle of the Home & Garden Show, I was ready for some peace and quiet.

I'm just not used to saying that many words in one day. It was lovely to share the first 15 "Off The Highway" paintings done so far, and reaction to them was positive, which is always good for the ego. "Bird's Nest on Linen" went to a very good home, and I'm pleased about that. But I was also pleased today to be alone with my easel, and paints and brushes, and thoughts about how to tell the story of this bare tree, bent under the sun and the wind of the central plains, and the warm tall grass beneath it reaching for the sun.

Life is good.