The first signs of life push through what was once a solid sheet of ice. A little bit of apologetic, yet insistent green here and there. It is exciting seeing these appearances for the first time after a bleak and long summer that felt never ending. I wait eagerly for the first bloom adding color to my world. Spring brings renewed energy, warmth and hope. It inspires me to paint pretty scenes of blue skies and green fields, perhaps an occasional mountain.

Wildlife eagerly forages in search of sustenance. It is amazing how little we see growing during the winter, and yet nature even under the harshest of conditions provides for its own. Eager squirrels play, scampering up trees with their strong legs. Have you ever seen a squirrel walk though? They run, then stand on their hind legs, usually with a nut in their mouth.

My journey with watercolors has been a long one. At first I painted with only watercolors, as this was what I found at home during COVID. I have not been to art school. I would use watercolors, but did not know the technique. Therefore my first attempts were clumsy. I would lather on thick clumps of paint to recreate a pleasing scene. To my untrained eye this was just fine! I mean why should the thickness of my paint make an iota of difference to the final outcome. Over time I tried to refine my work. I noticed how my paintings changed, a little at a time as I practiced and practiced. I was painting one painting a day. My daughter introduced me to Bob Ross and I was hooked. His videos have taught me so much. Recently I tried recreating the Bob Ross evergreen trees using watercolor. It works. I will try to incorporate those into a larger watercolor I attempt. I promise to share this when I finish.

In the meanwhile, here is what I painted yesterday. A simple watercolor of mountains, trees and fields. Enjoy.