sunflowers...almost complete

I am almost finished!

I've been working on this commission for some time now.

The collectors haven't really been in a hurry, so you know me - 

I wait until I have just enough time and then I get inspired and work nonstop.

This one will be framed in an antique gold speckle floater frame.

Close up of sunflower detail.

On another note....

Those of you that know me know that there's a field and a house that I like to photograph

and paint through the seasons. It's called Alamo Farms and it's right by my gym. 

So I went to photograph it day before yesterday and when I pulled into the parking lot, 

this is what greeted me - about 150 to 200 cranes. 

I think they might be sandhill, but I'm not sure. 

Maybe someone knows?

 They were just moseying around, eating from the field.

In the background you can still see leftover snow from a few days ago.

 They didn't seem to be too bothered when I moved my car slowly, trying to get good photos. 

This one did give me the evil eye.

 Aren't these guys just beautiful?

The remind me of flamingos.

They were very hungry...

 On my way home, I usually go what I call the "back way" or "scenic way" home.

It's a slow drive through the little neighborhood to the southwest of me.

I spotted these cats in a window, and thank goodness I had my camera with me.

I screeched on my brakes and found a spot to turn around in.

It has been so cold here, and I think they were snuggled, just trying to get warm.

Love the light and the face of the cat on the left.

I was shooting through a fence, so you can see the shadow of the links on their fur.

I wonder if the big one is a momma cat?

And on one more note....

 This is how my kitchen looked day before yesterday.

The sheetrocking is done.

The holes and gaps are being filled in.

 They are putting new saltillo tiles in the space where there is concrete in order to 

have the floor be on the same level and have the cabinets fit properly.

I think our previous owners put in the floor around the cabinets.

It's getting there.

 This is what I call the woodstove area.

Right now it's kind of a catchall for everything - tools, plugins, etc.

You can see the door to my studio off to the left.

I don't know if you can see it, bu tthere's a sign behind the stove

that says,"BEWARE, MEAN WIFE."

That's me.

Yep, bought it for myself. Beat my husband to it.

nice weekend

 This is what my studio looked like Friday. 

We cleaned a bit of our garage and lots of stuff came into my studio, 

most of it you can see here.

I should be cleaning and painting. BUT.

The weather is so pretty and there's the Los Ranchos Holiday Shop and Stroll this weekend, sooo...I'm going antiquing!

This is the tree at the end of my backyard.

I took this photo a couple of weeks ago and the colors were so gorgeous.

This is how the tree looks now.

All of the bright gold is gone and now there's just a dull, dusty gold.

 This is one of two crabapple trees in my backyard.

I have never ever seen them so full of berries.

We have been inundated with birds of all kinds.

Not surprising, since I have eight birdfeeders around the yard.

I thought this was a female robin, but am not sure.

  Isn't she cute?

Beautiful voices at Kelly Jo Ceramics for the Holiday Stroll.

 This little tiny house was at the back of one of the antique stores.

It has a Spanish style roof, a wood stove pipe, shutters on the windows and is probably 4ft.x 5ft.

Perfect studio size, lol.

I could put wheels on it and just move it around in my yard whenever I wanted some sunshine.

 This was one of my purchases - a complete book of Vincent Van Gogh's self portraits.

Complete with historical faces about where there were painted 

and what was going on in his life at the time.

20% off and score!

 This was one of my favorite finds of the day.

Actually my cousin spotted it as soon as we walked in the antique store.

A cross made out of some kind of local wood  with the bark still on it.

I love the shape.

The cross and flowers are made out of some very heavy metal.

This was $38 and 30% off because it was "wall art."

It will join the others in my cross collection.

 This is the most unusual nativity I've ever seen.

A wind chime!

It is so pretty, everything is made out of clay.

I will hang it next to my Christmas tree.

This was $20 and 20% off and I just happened to see it hanging in

a little room at the back of the Antique Co-op on 4th Street NW.

 A beautiful view of the Sandia mountains and some people seeing if the red chile is still good.

This will be a painting soon.

Love the blue of the mountains and the color of the fields.

A few cranes - maybe Sandhill - in a field near the Rio Grande Nature Center.

Okay, there you have it - my weekend.

Now it's back to cleaning, painting, working, exercising, and getting ready for Christmas.

If you're so inclined, check out my weight loss blog, "Dee's 365 Days."