How can time pass as quickly as it does? I really don’t know, but I find myself with a week of September already gone. The garden has a different feel now. It smells different, but I’m not sure how to explain the smell. It’s been really hot the last few weeks so it’s not like it smells like fall, but something has changed. It has a rich smell.

I’m really enjoying this growing season more than others for some reason. I guess because I’ve not had to work quite as hard. I didn’t make any new gardens this year, I have just needed to maintain all the ones I’ve already got – which is a big enough job. I’m also just going with it. I pick weeds occasionally, but I’m not neurotic about it. I probably should be though.

About mid summer, I finally went along with the idea of a watering system. My husband has been pushing me to install one for years. I always say that I enjoy watering, that way I get to check up and visit every single plant. Well, let me tell you… I should’ve done this a long time ago! We only set up parts of Studio Gardens, the parts that really need watering daily even twice in August and everything incidentally was in pots. It hasn’t been without its quirks, but man has it been a time saver. Not only that but my plants are even healthier than when I hand water. I bought a diy system from Home Depot. I think I’ll write a post about it sometime. I’m sure happy with it.

My garden is maturing. Isn’t it magical looking? I just love this wrought iron archway. It has morning glories that grow up it and a clematis although it’s pretty young. This is my koi pond in the area that I call Studio Gardens. This also happens to be the area with all the pots that got the drip system. Under the deck on the left and out a bit is my greenhouse and entrance to my art studio, hence the name.

The garden sounds different, too. Crickets are chirping during the day and the cicadas have seemed to have gone into hiding for the most part. I keep everything watered well, so the garden isn’t crispy, but the grass has become that way. We’ve needed rain for a while and as I type this I can hear the last bits of Hurricane Gordon passing by us. He brought a lot of rain with him today. All day it has rained and it will continue here and there until Sunday morning sometime. Then the weather looks like it might be rather pleasant, for a bit at least.

Happy waterlilies in the pond

Pink Rose of Sharon flowers

A grouping of a variety of plants at the entrance of my greenhouse

I love this fern

It will just be a few short weeks and I’ll have to decide what I’m bringing into the greenhouse. I’m trying to whittle it down, but it’s so hard to just let them die outside. I usually try to have everything in by the end of September, but with the weather the last several years, I’ve been able to put it off until October.

I’ve been busy in my art studio. I have a show in two weeks and for some reason I thought it would be a good idea to move things around in there. I’m trying to make more room. My husband is going to make me a wall easel, which I’m really excited about.

I’ve been reworking paintings in anticipation for Funk in the City (the show that’s in 2 weeks). Last year we had suffocating heat, so I really hope we’re blessed with nice weather this time. September is our 3rd warmest month, so it isn’t likely to be cool, but low 80’s would be great. You might remember the painting above from earlier, it’s a work in progress and I’m about to change it up some more. People seem to think the blue balls are blueberries and that’s not what I’m going for. However, I do like it when people interpret the paintings in their own way so there’s that.

I added a dancer to the background I had painted a while back, she just came to me while I was listening to music. I started out wanting to make a companion piece for this painting. She kinda evolved a bit differently, but I still think they will look together. I might even make more dancers, I’m really liking the feeling the paintings have. They’re moody and have movement.

Learn more about me on the ‘About’ page in the menu at the top. I’m an artist – a painter mostly and an avid gardener. I paint a variety of subjects including birds, koi fish, my gardens, ponds and flowers as well as anything having to do with nature especially trees and tropical scenes. I also enjoy painting abstracts and have started creating more and more of them. My most favorite thing to try to achieve in my painting is mystery.

If you would like to keep up with what I’m doing, join my email list. About once a month I send out a letter that gives you invitations for shows, birthday greeting, sneak peeks at new work and more. I’d love for you to add your email to my Friends and Collectors list!