End of the holidays #477

Daily painting #477 5"x7" oil on primed canvas panel 

Another wonderful holiday season comes to an end! My children start school again this week and my son begins his first year of High School (Senior School). He is all packed and ready to leave in the morning to go to a 2 day orientation program with all the other new Grade 8 boys at his new school. Exciting times ahead...but for now I am enjoying the last few hours of our weekend and our holiday!

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Salad onions and a braai #476

Daily painting #476 6"x8" oil on primed canvas panel

One of our weekend rituals is to have a braai (barbecue) ....my husband loves lighting a fire (no gas cooking in our house) and cooking over hot coals. It is his way to relax and it has become a traditional weekend family time when we all gather together, laugh, talk and enjoy one another's company. My husband is away in Cape Town on a cricket tour and so Ross decided it was his time to step up to the challenge and take over from Dad at the helm of the braai! It is the first time he has braaied on his own and his Dad must be a good teacher...he made a great fire and cooked the meat to perfection! My daughter made some roasted potatoes and a delicious fresh salad. I was so proud of them and even more proud that they insisted on having our normal family time together...even though Dad was missed! It is a wonderful thing to watch your little boy becoming a man ....and making a good braai is like a South African right of passage to manhood...at least in our house! Watch out Andrew, you might be about to loose your favourite weekend place at the braai!

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Beetle #475

Daily painting #475 6"x6" oil on primed canvas panel

My daughter found this beautiful beetle yesterday. It looks like the beetle's intricate patterns have been painted with a very fine paintbrush! It's back to school and back to teaching this week but I am already dreaming of our next trip to the bush. It's a busy term and with school sport on the weekends I am not sure when our next trip will be...we might have to wait for a while and my kids are going to have to find interesting creatures and birds in the garden instead....not quite the same!

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Sushi date #474

Daily painting #474 5"x7" oil on primed canvas panel

My daughter was at a friend's house yesterday so after taking Ross for a 'school boy' haircut, I treated him to a sushi lunch date with Mom! I love it that at almost 14 it is still cool to have a lunch date with Mom....or maybe it is just that he LOVES sushi! My daughter doesn't share our mutual love of sushi so it was the perfect time to indulge! I love having one-on-one time with each of my children and Ross hasn't exactly had the most exciting end to his holidays after his eye procedure.

I had to take a photo of the sushi and I painted it when I got home. I always think sushi looks so pretty! I do not often paint my daily paintings from photos....I usually have the object in front of me so today was a bit of a challenge....the light in the restaurant was bright and the photo was taken on my iPhone. Not ideal but I had fun....the most important part of painting! It didn't go unnoticed by the 14 year old that it is NOT COOL for your mom to be rearranging and photographing her sushi, and the likes of "Mom, you're wacky" or something similar was muttered! A life lesson ....life is boring without a little bit of wacky! To this he laughed and said, "I couldn't agree more!" Thank goodness he agreed....this mom just saved face and hopefully the rights to another sushi date with her teenager sometime soon!

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Crimson bouquet #473

Daily painting #473 6"x6" oil on primed canvas board

Some 'pretties' to share with you today from my house to yours! My husband is away and the house seems so quiet....it's awful when someone from the family is missing! Thinking of all my friends whose children are leaving to start the new term at boarding school for the first time (our boys are starting their first year of high school/senior school) in the next few days...have strength...the mommies always need it more than the kids! Ross has chosen to stay at home and is going to a local boys school and right now my heart is grateful for his choice! New adventures await our boys in the next week...

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Brinjal (aubergine) #472

Daily painting #472 6"x8" oil on primed canvas panel

Brinjal... Aubergine... Eggplant whatever you name it, the colours are gorgeous and rich! I went to the market today for fresh produce and I always find it such a sensory experience. The colours, smells, textures...a sensory feast! This brinjal is about to be chopped and sautéed off with a little garlic and cumin!

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Morning coffee #471

Daily painting #471 6"x6" oil on primed canvas panel

Lots to get done today! My children begin their new school year in just a weeks time and I still haven't finished sorting out stationery and school uniforms. I will be teaching Visual Art part-time at a local girls school and so have lots of planning to do and I have 4 commissions that need to find their way onto my easel....daily paintings....posting paintings...invoicing....cataloging daily paintings from the holidays...replying to messages and emails....organizing private painting classes for 2015....and my studio looks like a tip after the holidays! My husband is also off to Cape Town on a cricket tour so single mom for a week...which I don't mind at all. So much to do...but not before a morning cup of coffee!

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