Chinese Brush: Praying Mantis

In 1896, the Chinese Mantis escaped from a nurseryman in Mount Airy, Pennsylvania. They are very large, green or brown, and found just about everywhere in the Northeast. There is a spot between the front legs. If it is yellow, you have a Chinese Mantis in your hands. If the spot is orange, the mantis is a Narrow-winged Mantis, also a native of Asia. There is also a Mantis that is native to Europe. It has a large eye spot on the hind wing. Our native Mantis has a dark spot on the outer or fore-wings. 

The simple expressive brush strokes of the Eastern way of painting. Painting with my friend Kay (Gum Ran). Chinese brush and ink, gouache, rice paper. Used matte medium to paste picture into journal.

Insectmania:

Journaling at Blue Marsh Lake

Journaling with Carol and Francine at Blue Marsh Lake. A beautiful evening to sit and enjoy the company and the view!

Blue Marsh Lake was built by the Army Corps of Engineers. The dam, built to control flooding, flooded out Pleasant Valley near the town of Blue Marsh. You can read about it in the Visitor's Center.

We sat on the hill under the Sycamore tree. 

I didn't plan the composition ahead of time and wound up just painting the tree over the lake.

Got a little too heavy with the large Sycamore leaves and the landscape disappeared!

While sitting on the hill above the lake, the Turkey Vultures came so close you could almost reach out and touch them!

It was early evening, and you could hear the voices of the children on the beach across the lake when the breeze blew in from that direction. There were a few jet skis on the lake as well as some fishermen.

Noisy Red-tailed Hawk:

Hummingbird Garden:

"Wild Thang, I think I love you..."

Noisy Wings and SilentTattered Wings

On my mind: there's been a noisy Red-tailed Hawk in the backyard for a few weeks now. Today she was "dive bombed" by two small birds. The aggressive birds were just a little too far away to be identified but they may have been Mockingbirds.

While on the deck I noticed two Fritillaries on the Coneflowers. One butterfly was quite tattered and torn, while the other was in excellent shape.

This variety of Coneflower has outstanding yellow and vibrant orange colors!

Deer cuisine update: someone's been eating the  

squash leaves!

!

Squash update: to pick or not to pick? I'm afraid if I don't pick this zucchini some one will come along and eat it.

New borne squash:

When the Catbird sings...

On the Maple Tree:

Bird Girl in the garden...

The Fourth of July - All American Holiday - with All American hot dogs, friends, and fireworks.

My friend's beautiful garden is graced by the lovely statue "Bird Girl" originally sculpted by Sylvia Shaw Judson in Lake Forest, Illinois in 1936.

In the garden, Bird Girl is surrounded by Red Bergamot (Monarda), a favorite of our Ruby-throated Hummingbirds.

This statue, made famous on the cover of John Berendt's novel "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" was photographed in the Bonaventure Cemetery. 

Because of its popularity, "Bird Girl" was moved from a cemetery to an art museum in Savannah, Georgia. 

Zig Writer and Watercolors in Strathmore 500 Series Mixed Media Journal. I tried to get a cement look on the statue by throwing down some salt on the wet paint. Not too familiar with the technique, but I think it showed up a little. 

A fun bird:

Baby birds:

A Catbird:

Sea Hag

After 300 years in the ocean even the Little Mermaid shows signs of aging! 

 The snail represents how life may slow down...

 but the starfish symbolizes that she hasn't lost her sparkle and shine! 

Mixed media: collage, Zig Writer, Neocolor II crayons, and sparkle and shiny bits and bobs.

Strathmore 500 Series Mixed Media Journal.

First "tale" in the Ever After Series with Tamara Laporte. 

Crone:

Buttons, Bugs, and Bulbils

A nature study in pink and green. The first thing that caught my attention was the swarm of Japanese Beetles all about the yard. I mean, EVERYWHERE! Eating EVERYTHING! And then they starting doing the nasty thing...

"Wild Thang, I think I love you..."

They are shiny and fun to paint, though.

The Button Bush down by the barn is blooming and the butterflies are loving it.

The Tiger Lilies out by the greenhouse are about to bloom, but they have already made their bulbils (tiny bulbs that form between the leaves and the stem).

This is strange looking gladiola was planted by the fairies. I moved this plant out to the front of the property last year, but the fairies apparently didn't like it there so they moved it back to the front of the house when I wasn't looking.

Gladiola bulb (and fairy).

Another creature from the yard:

Wise Old Possum Woman speaks of the Maple Tree

"The Maple Tree loves human company. Visit one and a sweetness will flow through your dreams as sap flows in the spring. Catch a winged Maple "key" before it hits the ground and you will be able to unlock a mystery in your life.

Use the Maple Tree to ground yourself and stay tied to the energies of Mother Earth. The Maple Tree will also help you balance your masculine and feminine sides to sharpen your intuition and strengthen your creativity." 

Wise Old Possum Woman

Watercolor background, printing with Sugar Maple, Silver Maple, Norway Maple, and Red Maple leaves using LePlume II Markers, Strathmore 500 Series Mixed Media Journal.

Mulberry Tree:

Old Man Oak Tree: