This wonderful building houses our local paper, The Chaska Herald.  It tells the stories of all the local happenings.  Somethings always going on here.  Probably the same is true where you are.  When you get your fill of all the stuff of the world at large and are overwhelmed, and depressed, it's the local stuff, usually tamer,  that you come home to.  It has that savory taste of the familiar.  That flavor,  that irresistible homey note which stirs your soul at the heart and you say things like, "Say isn't that Ryan's mom".  Or, " I was just there yesterday"...or." I wondered why that place looked like that". 

While it takes a village to raise a child, it's that same village that doesn't let go but is always looking to see what you're doing now that your raised.  It's that way here.  Familiar names voicing there opinions. school board and city complaints, again pretty familiar.  Note to the Jonathan Association; you're too quiet over there.  Why there's got to be stuff you don't want to share that we want to hear about!

I made the paper, again, ....cool.  It was really impressive when the kids were small,... "Wow, Dads in the paper"  I like Mark, our editor, he wrote a nice piece.  He told a story, that was told  in a different way then I thought he'd write it..."I said that?"  So,  he did a picture of me, and I did a picture of him...well, his building.  That's him in the window...pretend!

We are all telling stories though.  I sometimes think I tell em with my paint, but more than that it's with my everyday life.  Everyone's reading my house, my kids, my family, my car...some even read The Herald.  The stuff that really matters though is the stuff that gets through the gate upstairs. (I Cor 3).  That's first Corinthians chapter three, a story written to me...and to you, by Him.  Now, how homey is that!

I understand that Money magazine came out with their most livable cities issue and this years winner is our neighbor to the east, namely, Eden Prairie, MN.    As it turns out Minnesota placed more cities in the top 20 then any other area in the country.  Well congratulations to all my hearty neighbors.  Those casseroles due us some good.  

The magazine had its criteria I'm sure as to why it chose these cities for their high standard of living, but I am prone to think that while the geographical area may contribute to overall well being , the real livability factor is what dwells in the brain.  "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he", so says God in Proverbs 23:7.  

The reason I bring this up is that this weekend our area is blessed to have Andrew Wommack conducting one of his seminars at the Hilton in downtown Minneapolis.  I have to admit being really blessed by his insight and heart for the Word of God.    I invite all to attend one or all the sessions, I know I'll be there.   The link for info  is www.awmi.net

I enjoy painting what I see, what light makes manifest.  The image built of oneself from the perspective of God informs us as to how we can see.  Not with our eyes only but to know in our heart the deeper truths.  As written in the book of Psalms...Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it:  Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.  Ps. 127:1,2

A good friend is wonderful to have around and to share the times in life with.  I was reminded of this recently.

I'm over on 2nd Street, doing a familiar view of Guardian Angels when these two delightful girls came tooling by.  Good friends, I am sure as their manner together made apparent.  Before they turned the corner I beckoned them to circle back as I would like to include them in my developing artistic creation.  Without pause, they 180'd and gleefully repeated their sprightly approach.  As they swished by they mentioned that they had seen me "over there" yesterday.  And "before " you were "over that way"...and wasn't that you painting "over on the other block" yesterday.

It sure was me I said, thanks, you'll be famous now.  You're in the picture, and off they went.  Hmm, I never thought anyone really noticed me.

Now I sit here and recall with a smile that brief exchange.  Sometimes I actually think I'm alone.  No one see's me.  Just me, a canvas and paint, but wait...not far away my good friend enjoys my companionship.  He watches as I paint a canvas with every thought and deed.  He has given me the free will and grace to paint with bold strokes a work that speaks of His goodness and grace.

I am a father to two wonderful kids.  This week I am off to an Orientation week with the second as he goes off to a local university.  They both now are free to spread their wings and take wind to the wonders that this world offers.

My prayer is that as they pursue their dreams, mix with the masses, learn in and out of the classroom, that they never forget one thing that was taught here at our home.  I want them not to forget their Father.

No not me!  The Father I know.  The image and relationship that their God would like them to have with them.  The Father that has and does teach me and opened my eyes to the real and important points of life.  To walk in newness of life and see .  To become all that they can. to spill out with all the fullness of what they are filled with.  For their Father is a never ending well.

Yes, I am here and I am painting.  Painting not posting.  With the arrival of spring and the balmy air, ample moisture, and sunshine (sort of...it's been really wet) my gardens has gone wild.  BAM!  One day I am admiring how anything survives the cold here and then suddenly WHAM, Where did that plant come from?  My garden is a jungle already!  Since I have a pond here that welcomes birds, they fly in to wet their feathers in it's small waterfalls.  I firmly believe that they are transporting strange fauna in my garden through seed.  Either that or I am tearing out all the great deals I planted last year when the 75% sales occurred.  Come to think of it, that's more likely the case.  I am amazed at all the stuff I can't identify, you know, friend or foe.  Why can't they hybridize them to produce leaf veins that read as bar codes to help classify species.  Well, maybe that's next after we get tired of yet another new cell phone.

Anyway, here's the first in a series of peonies that I am working on.

 And I still think those birds are up to something.

I know, I know, it's been a long time...but I'm back.  Sometimes these blog entries remind me of the days back at school.  Remember?  Writing Composition 101, three pages, double spaced..."In your own words, tell me about your experiences of outdoor painting...the sights, smells...let me feel the paint laden brush move along the blank canvas...etc"

Can you guess my grade in class?  Let's not go there.  Writing is not one of my strong suits.  Neither is speaking, for that matter, however this blog allows me to present some of my thoughts to you for your, ah, shall we say, entertainment.  Sometimes the very thought that my thoughts are out there, is a bit uncomfortable.  So I pause.  And about a month later I figure I can do this thing.  So here we are.

Speaking of painting...here is one of my latest efforts.  The scene, the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, the day, windy-but sunny.  The trees are the beautiful flowering crabs.  Periodically during my time painting this scene, the wind gusted so that it resulted in  de-flowering the crabapple next to me.  I had to keep removing blossoms that had stuck to my palette.  This minor inconvenience was balanced by the sheer joy of capturing this precious lighting effect on this spring morning.

Its amazing to me, but the more I try to just attempt to keep life simple, and do my thing, the more interference from life seems to step in front of me and demand attention.  Well I decided with this post to limit myself in my ramblings.  I'll just talk about the painting seen here.

The watercolor was, yet again, painted in the ravine near to my home.  Its steep sides cut by a stream that works its way crisscrossing the length of the canyon certainly has provided me many vantages to paint.  Here the north side of one of the slopes, carries the final bits of winter.  As I stood to paint, I was looking south into the sun, with the sunlight glinting off the surface of the stream.  With temperatures above the freezing mark, I chose to paint with my watercolors.  Painting the woods with it's snow receding against the glint of the sun off the stream, presented me with a visual challenge which I gladly accepted.

It is so healing to stand next to the stream and listen to it's gurgling and bubbling.  It is referenced much in the Word of Life and certainly helps one to once again  slow down, and rest in the peace, and gather the image of life from the perspective which I should be seeing things.  All the cares of the world were gone along with its noise.  Replaced by the peace and the presence of its Maker.

Lately all we're hearing is about is health care.  You for it, you not?  The End is Near, again.  No matter what you choose, exactly one half of the population is going to applaud, the other half...well let's just say, they wont.

Today I stood on the bank of the Minnesota.  It's a swollen trough now, churning and moving powerfully by.  Hurling large trees downstream and taking over anything below its shoulders.  There are flood warnings galore here in Minnesota, a state of emergency, for what?  Melting snow!  A couple of weeks ago was an earthquake in Chile, that after Hati suffered the same fate.  From Washington to Chile global concerns over so many things.

But as I stood and painted, I communed with God.  Yep!  What I saw and felt was grace.  Lots and lots of grace.  Spilling over, flooding everything and everywhere.  Abundant, ample, available, given to us all. 

It was a wonderful thing.  Being together.  In the Flow, enjoying the light, and casting my care to Him.  He care's for all...oh, and He's into health care.  He's got a great plan!

Normally the Minnesota River is not my first thought to paint.  Actually, it's not in my top ten.  Its heavy brown water cuts through our fair town and scissors it's way up to the Mississippi, usually without my notice.  This sluice of coffee color murk chews at it's banks, ripping at trees that hold on tangled at it's border's until they finally surrender and find themselves pulled into the current, and dragged to ...New Orleans,... I suppose?

Now however, with the mercury rising its crust of white splinters to reveal opal's and golds, oxides and brown pinks.  With a ruthlessness that belies these precious tonalities. it's awakening strength powered by the melting snow  carries chunks of debris downstream and slams them into every bridge as it channels its way to the Mississippi..  You can't miss it now.  You better not.

So here it lies, looking quite serene.  This was painted a couple of day's ago, as ice becomes water.  As white and clear are transformed to pearly tones in the melting process before their complete integration and cooperative force combines with silt and muck, fertilizer and front tires, to their summertime look of a spilled latte.  It's a beautiful right now but so fleeting.

  One can only imagine the sublime fragrance of these beautiful flowers and scent the filled my studio as I worked.  Lilac's are a staple part of my spring painting regime.  This particular arrangement in the gold vase, communicates their stately character to me.  These flowers can fit just as well in a casual grouping however.  Either way they certainly will perfume the air and be noticed with the nose before the eye.

Although not just painted in the previous weeks, I did just bring this work into Kelley Fine Art Gallery in Woodbury, MN.  I have marked within my site the other paintings which can now be found displayed in the gallery.