Life Lessons


"Figuring out our gifts in life is part of our journey to becoming enlightened human beings.” – Allison DuBois

Monday, January 26, 2015

My Fresh Air Mom!


Song - Mambo Italiano by Dean Martin



So I have this wonderful Italian mom who still likes to be involved in the lives of her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, a long lost cousin, her neighbors, her neighbors dogs or cats.....you get the picture. She likes to keep track of the pulse of the world!

She is especially happy if she has a baby or two or three on her lap.  Or one she can rock to sleep!




Mom has been concerned that I haven't gotten any fresh air or sunshine because I paint too much.  So even though my easel is 18" from a double French door that is kept open all day into my garden, it still isn't up to moms ideas of fresh air.






The other day my son's were home and the youngest said he was going to head back home because he was tired and needed a nap.  Mom said "Why don't you go jogging?"  Huh? 

OK.  Well meaning, very loving and caring.  But things should be done her way.....right? Must be the Italian in her, or maybe it's all moms?

So Mom - this is for you!  I took a walk the other day and brought my camera so I could document what was happening in the garden in January!




The Narcissus are blooming





The Lemons are happy with all of our winter sunshine

My Sweet Pea's are climbing - with a little help from me!



The Rosemary is blooming and fragrant





Moss is growing around the pool deck



My Rodde's are ready to sprout



Primroses are happily smiling everywhere - except my front walk where the dear have eaten them ;-(

The Veronica plants are blooming in the late day sun




My Camellia bushes are full

Even my lawn is full of weeds and dandelions

As I turn the corner into the side yard, I get a full scent of my huge Daphne bush

Little Grape Hyacinth's are multiplying everywhere

Spring Snowflake - a sure sign of Spring coming!

Star Magnolia




And finally my flowering Quince!

Hope you enjoyed this walk around my garden - Mom and friends!

And that fresh air did feel good!!!  I guess mom's sometimes know what they are talking about!


See.  Even as a little girl mom was happiest with a baby on her hip!



Friday, January 23, 2015

What's on My Easel?


30 Paintings in 30 Days - After Edward Hopper


So last night was our Bay Area Studio Artists reception at Chimney Rock Winery.  We had a great turnout and the winery poured some fabulous wine as well as having some great appetizers!

Unfortunately,  I was so busy greeting guests that I forgot to take some photos of the even!

Here are a few.....


It was a beautiful evening and we were able to enjoy the courtyard where Sue and Marcy presented several large pieces of work.  And inside we were able to set several smaller pieces around the tasting room!  So if you were not able to make it to the reception, the show will be up until the end of April!

Also, they will be having another reception for us in mid-April as well!



Before the doors opened Mr. B and I strolled around the beautiful grounds. This is their barrel tasting room.

And here is the inside of the barrel room - I just wish I had an option to do "scratch & sniff" on my blog because the scent in this room was heavenly!



 Looking out of the barrel room, along the trough fountain and courtyard and back to the wine tasting room.








Inside they were pouring their white wines and outside were their lovely reds.




After our reception we drove to downtown Napa for dinner at Oenotri and to our hotel across the street.

Oenotri is an amazing Italian restaurant run by a good friend Tyler Rodde.  We had a crab appetizer, and platter of house cured salumi (they were so good we ate them before I remembered to take a photo)!


For our salads, Mr. B ordered the Chioggia Beets with Avacado & Meyer lemon, Mascarpone and Arugula. 



I had the Red Oak Lettuce with Mandarin, Grapefruit and Meyer lemon, walnuts and Watermelon Radishes. Yummmm.......





Next we were treated to a Fegato pizza cooked in a pizza oven brought over from Italy.  On top of the pizza was cream, parmigiano-regianno, balsamico, shaved Foi Gras torchon and chives.  The California ban on foi gras had just been lifted 2 days ago!




This pizza had a light delicious crust and the topping was like eating something from another world - rich, heavenly, rich, delicious, rich, incredible, better than butter rich! 

Then our main courses came.  Mr. B ordered swordfish with fried potatoes, clams, mussels, garlic, onions and parsley and I had a comfort food pasta dish, bucatini alla carbonara, farm egg, pancetta, red onion and parmigiano!  Yum all over again.........

And in case that wasn't quite enough, we finished the night off with a Mandarin sorbetto - Prosecco Zabaglione and vanilla meringues.

We then limped our tired selves over to our hotel across the street!

Meanwhile back at home our little darlin' stayed with my parents.  She charmed them so much that my mom took several photos of her getting comfy on the couch!






I think she is pretty comfortable at their home, don't you?

Sweet dreams.....

Monday, January 19, 2015

Missing? Moi?

Trust me, I have not been missing in action!  I have just been posting at my art blog/website - jeanettebaird.com !

See what you may have been missing....

Day 14


After Sorolla


Day 15


 After Morisot



Day 16



After Georges de la Tour



Day 17


After Gauguin
 


Day 18



After Vermeer



Day 19



After Bonnard

Phew......


Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Days 12 & 13

Oh my but I took a wonderful drawing class yesterday and was unable to paint or post my day 12 yesterday so I caught up by painting two today! 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Diebenkorn



Lemieux




You can read more about their progress on my blog/website - jeanettebaird.com

Thanks for hanging with me while I move on through this challenge!

Sunday, January 11, 2015

Day 11


Day 11 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days!  Original by Rudolf Tewes 1906

Check the progress out HERE.

Saturday, January 10, 2015

Day 10 - Sorolla


Fisherwoman from Valencia (original by Joaquin Sorolla)

To find out more about this painting please go to my painting website/blog ......

http://jeanettebaird.com/


"I could not paint at all if I had to paint slowly. Every effect is so transient, it must be rapidly painted.” - Joaquin Sorolla

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

30 Paintings in 30 Days

This month I am participating in an artistic challenge of painting 30 Paintings in 30 Days along with about 1,200 other painters. Today I just finished my 5th painting in 6 days (I missed day 2 but promise to make it up!)


Day 6



It is a fun challenge and I truly am learning a lot about time management, my art set up and ways to improve my painting skills.  A biggie for me is that I seem to have trouble getting the shadow side of the face dark enough.  You can read about her nose & lips being off centered here.





Day 5

Yesterdays was the hardest painting that I have done in awhile.  I called it "Channeling Vincent". He kept his colors so clean and pure.  Vibrant color.




Day 4 






Day 3



Day 1


I have been trying to keep the paintings within an hour time frame.  It's been both fun and a challenge! But Vincent took me two!!!

If you would like to view more of my artwork please go to my painting blog/website.... 

Monday, December 29, 2014

Goodbye Light, Hello Thrive


 Song - Light you Up by Shawn Mullins


For the last few years, instead of doing a New Year's resolution, I participate in Ali Edwards - One Little Word.




 
The idea is that you ponder, meditate, journal, scrapbook on just one word for the entire year.  I have been doing this for the last 5 years and it is so much more helpful to me than to make a resolution, which often feels like pressure.

Here are my words for the last few years......

2010 - spirit

2011 - intention

2012 - balance

2013  - simplify

2014 - light


 
For the last few days of 2014, I have been spending time thinking about what has transpired with my word "light" so that I can let it go and focus on my 2015 word. 



 2015 - thrive


It's a beautiful word in so many ways.




I'm feeling inspired!


"The ideals which have lighted my way, and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully, have been kindness, beauty and truth." - Albert Einstein



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