Indian Ocean #337

Daily painting #337. 6"x8" oil on primed canvas panel

The weather finally cleared enough for me to paint a bit outdoors and there is nothing better than the smell of the sea and the sound of the ocean for a bit of soul food! But it's time to head back home...all good things come to an end....at least I get to take a little reminder home with me!

This month I will be participating in the Leslie Saeta 30/30 challenge again. I participated in her JANUARY challenge and it was a fabulous way to meet other artists and connect with other daily painters around the world. 30/30 means 30 little paintings in 30 days....I think I should manage...and it is a lovely way to finish off my last month in a year of daily paintings! There are over 600 artists worldwide participating in the September challenge....and I think I am the only one from South Africa....although I stand to be corrected .... So here goes as the month of September begins....HAPPY SPRING day to all my Southern Hemisphere friends! 

I thought I would share this lovely picture my daughter (thanks Amy)took early this morning....our coastline really does look like a little piece of heaven....

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Passion fruit #336

Daily painting #336. 5"x7" oil on primed canvas panel 

This beautiful colourful passion fruit, or as we call them in South Africa....granadillas, were on the breakfast fruit buffet this morning. I wish I could share the smell of them with you....they have a tart, sweet, tropical aroma that just shouts "SUMMER TIME" !!! A bit ironical considering the weather we are having. The restaurant staff tried about 3 times (or more) to take these off of the table for me. They were most concerned that I wasn't eating them and I was assured they were fresh and sweet and everyone was enjoying them....they just couldn't understand why I wasn't eating them! On trying to explain that I wanted to paint them, they of course thought I was even more crazy....occupational hazard!

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Huletts sugar sachet #335

Daily painting #335. 4"x6" oil on primed canvas panel

We are away at my favorite place down the South Coast, Pumula Beach in Umzumbe. We come here often as you will know if you have been following the blog for a while. It is a lovely family hotel right on the beach and we have been coming here since before my husband and I were even married...my children have grown up here and we have tons of happy family memories from this place. 

The weather however has turned really cold and some parts of KwaZulu Natal, mainly inland, have had snowfalls. Here at the coast we have had strong winds and light rain and the temperature has dropped considerably. So I don't think there will be too many walks on the beach or any swimming (our winters are mild enough that we can swim almost all year round). I think there will be lots of strong coffee, hot chocolate or maybe even some red wine or sherry on the cards this weekend. This was painted from a little veranda outside our bedroom, a light rain was falling and dolphins were bobbing in the sea. My husband was lucky to spot a whale while I had my head in my paintbox! Of course we were sipping good coffee....time to relax for the weekend....regardless of the weather!

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Contemplation #334

Daily painting #334 4"x6"  oil on primed canvas panel

This mornings time at my easel was a time of soulful contemplation and reflection....
Today Andrew and I have been married for 15 years, in a months time I would have painted 365 little daily paintings in 365 days....a journey that has meant so much more to me than little paintings and I am still struggling to put into words everything that Paintings in the post has meant or become to me. A few days prior to reaching this little milestone I will be celebrating my 40th birthday....a milestone in itself! My time was spent thinking of relationships, journeys and connections ....the pathways we forge in life which in itself is celebrated not by the milestones we reach but by the decisions we make and the relationships we treasure along the way....
My time at the easel has much to do with painting but it also has so much more to do with the time I get to spend with myself and my thoughts. On starting my Paintings in the post journey I remember writing about how the thought of writing (and in doing so sharing my thoughts) scared me more than the painting .... I still do not view myself as a writer, I have to confess I can't spell and for an ex school teacher my grammar would probably at times make my old English teachers scream. The delete button and I are trusty best friends. But sharing my thoughts has become easier....and today my time at the easel was little to do with WHAT or HOW I was painting and everything to do with what daily painting does for me and my head space .....a ritual, a time for quiet contemplation!

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A whole bunch of happiness #333

Daily painting #333. 6"x6" oil on primed canvas panel

Tomorrow Andrew and I celebrate 15 years of marriage! We have lots to be grateful for ...15 years of love, laughs and tons of happy memories...but BEST of all....2 beautiful children!

Feeling like I have a whole bunch of happiness and things to be grateful for....

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Smarties #332

Daily painting #332. 4"x6" oil on primed canvas panel

Little colorful candy coated buttons of milk chocolate....they just remind me of children's birthday parties!

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Invader #331

Daily painting #331. 6"x6" oil on primed canvas panel

This little plant is creeping through the fence where our property borders with the public gardens alongside our house. I am sure this little invader is actually a weed of some sorts but it too is thriving after the rain we had and is about to burst into what looks like a flower.....I actually feel guilty about pulling it out but Patrick, an old Zulu man who works for us and lives on our property is determined that it has to go!
Patrick has worked and lived with us for 12 years, my children call him "Mkulu" which means grandfather in Zulu. Patrick supports his entire family of grandchildren as his own children have all passed away. His grandchildren visit from time to time but they are away at school for most of the year and so he prefers to stay with us. He is like a member of our family and in actual fact he does so much around the house I don't know how we would survive without him! And so if Patrick says the little plant has to go....it will go.
 Sad that I won't get to see what these strange little flowers will look like when they open .... Even if it is only a weed.

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