The Smoothest Gravel Road I've Ever Been On

...unfortunately, I don't know how to get back to it.

Today, Bits and I took a serious mini road trip to photograph plein aire locations for the Range Art Association. We followed our tour guide, the RAA president, in caravan form, with the RAA vice president following, to Giles Flowage, the Montreal River, Saxon Harbor, and two beautiful (and by beautiful, I mean gorgeous) private residences overlooking Lake Superior. Click-click here and holding a two-year old's hand made for an adventurous day. Many of these places had excellent playscapes, but had to be postponed to a future date, to finish the goal of pic. taking. Don't worry, I'm not entirely a bad Momma, I stopped at Little Girl's Point, just for him, to run, swing, slide, and play. He fell asleep on the drive home with one pretzel in hand and another in his snack container and will likely sleep through the night.

I'm sharing with you some of my favorite pics., but more will be posted to come on www.rangeart.blogspot.com with the plein aire dates and location details. You, too, can come and enjoy the view with RAA members on one of the event dates or if it's a public location, anytime it's open.

Three Redwinged Black Birds

I only photographed two of them (although, I could fib and say I caught all three on camera); they were fun to see and great to hear. I snapped pics here and there of all the freshness that is spring. We took a walk to the boardwalk and Bits ran around at the park before dinner. Reflections in the water, birds in the trees, and buds on branches. Spring in the U.P.---what a great place to be!

Comments are Usually a Good Thing

I have just enabled the comment section to include everyone, whether you have an account or not, so comment away parents and grandparents and everyone else who wants to say something.

Fun Photo Day

I have a boy who is almost 2 and a half. What this means is: when Mommy crouches down with camera ready and says smile, the boy runs screaming the other direction. Enjoy these couple of pics., they were not easy to get.

Bits also has a new Michael Jordan-esque move: tongue out, yelling while running. Real funny. His talking is improving, and when he got bored of running around the park, he said, "Let's go home Momma" and took my hand to head back.

I can't emphasize how much fun it is to have a playground right down the hill.

What is Seafoam Green, Blue Gray, and Rust Orange

Moss on trees.

Swings, Slides, and Jungle Gyms

Every nice day should be a park day in Bit's book. Thursday was a park day. I try my best to take him down to the park on our little lake, every sunny day we get, but sometimes the time in a day gets eaten up with other silly things to do.

Bits is becoming skilled at the playground structures and could stay down there all day if I'd let him.

When was the last time you were on a swing? If you can't even remember, don't be shy, find a park and plant that behind down on a swing and feel your cares fly away.

Range Art Association Blogsite

Wanted to share a new blog site, I'm volunteering to run:
www.rangeart.blogspot.com

This site shares updates for the Range Art Association, and right now has an application for their 55th Annual Art Show. Entry fee is only $20 and an artist may submit up to three pieces. Check out the site for more info., but if you're in the greater area, whether amateur or professional, consider entering. It's pretty open to all 2-D media (sorry, no 3-D as of this year).

I'm entering (what I don't quite know, yet). Anywho, even if you're not an artist, still check out the blogsite for dates to see the art on display as well as future pics of area members' works and our plein aire sites which should promise some good scenic photography (which means you should add their site as a favorite and show your support, thanks in advance).

How Many Bubbled Spots of old Paint make You Happy

Five More?!

Manistique, MI lighthouse detail. 12x16 acrylic painting.

Dangerous reference pics. to get, but well worth it.

It Feels Better than Summer

The last couple days have been fabulous weather in the U.P. Temps in the 60s and a very gentle breeze by our little lake. I am proud to announce: hanging laundry on the line outside can now resume. Clothes are a little stiff, but you can't beat that fresh scent of trees and new grass growth. Bits and I weeded one of the little flower beds. He had a great time drowning a few flowers with his watering can.

Today, we headed to the park, kicked around "Finding Nemo Ball" in the back yard, chalked a "Hi" to Daddy on the cement walk and chased bubbles. After that excitement, we took the long way, meaning by foot, to the post office and hit up the gas station for ice cream on our way back home. I bought him his first Orange Push-Up, bringing fond memories to me of old days at my Grandma H.'s and the Push-Ups she had in the freezer chest. Yes, Bits was super sticky and his clothes now need to be spot treated, but I had turned the valve to the outdoor faucet on yesterday, and nothing cleans sticky off better than cold hose water.

Still Structurally Sound

My newest painting in the "Stationary Structures" series. Six more to go and then a break, technically only four more if I go back to my original count.

This is from the lighthouse pier in Manistique, MI. Pretty isn't she.

The Free Flow of Paint on Wet Fabric

Wet paint on fabric creates instant memories of U.P. blue skies. The fabric is stretched into old vintage frames distressed slightly more than they already were. If my world could consist of nothing but blue skies, I think I would be quite content and quite artistically productive. Oh, U.P., how I love your scenery.

One More Stop On the Way Back Home

On the way out to the Big Lake, we tried out best to rescue a small white dog, that felt it necessary to run on the 55 mph road right at our oncoming Jeep. We stopped mid drive, tried yelling at it to go home, getting out and chasing it back to a home, tried coaxing it to us with goldfish crackers and a cup of ice water, and eventually just went up to a house, asked if that was their dog running crazy in the street. Found out it was their neighbor's who lived down a dirt private drive. The people I talked to said they'd call. It was out of our hands, this dog was in no way coming to us, or getting out of the road.

A little further down the road, we saw 15 deer eating in a yard and four of them decided to run in front of our slowly moving Jeep.

I had caught sight of an old, rusty, orange bridge on the drive out, I asked to stop to get a pic.; Mike suggested we stop on the way back. It proved to be a better pic. taking time and better view from the other side.

Next Time I'll Leave a Note

Four o'clock in the afternoon, Tigers game won and done, Bits up from his nap, and spring break week nearing an end, we all decided to take a trip up to the Big Lake (which Bits is now calling the Little Lake) and visit Little Girl's Point.

It was brisk and beautiful and well worth the trip. The park was all our own and we walked along the beach, to the mouth of the river and then back to the Jeep along the road. I have a very patient husband, at times, and he didn't complain or show frustration of any sort as I walked along worse than a distracted 2 year old.

Pebbles, driftwood, and scenery, make for a fun adventure and collecting day. I literally hopped up and down when I found an agate (once dried in the lining of my pocket, it looks much less like an agate, but pretty nonetheless). Driftwood was a plenty and I weaved among the washed up line finding pieces that suited my preferred size and type for future driftwood assemblages. Two hoodies, two shoes, two arms, and two pockets are all that is required for a successful day of discovery.

Once we had reached the mouth of the river, I left my driftwood findings on a boulder, took a pic. of their beauty against stone, fully intending to pick them back up with the Jeep when we left. I felt I owed my dutiful husband, two free hands, in order to hold Bit's hand, while we walked on the street.

After getting back to the park, swinging, taking a trip down the slide, and a spin on the merry-go-round, piling into the Jeep, and returning to the before mentioned boulder, I found no driftwood and a young family enjoying a fire a few feet away on the beach. I smiled at the man, made my assumption, and found the comedy in it all. Honestly, what are the chances. Lesson learned, leave a note saying, "I'll be back for this driftwood, please don't burn."