Books

Read a couple of books while away. Thought I would share them with you.

This one my son suggested and I thoroughly enjoyed this photographers search for himself as well as his search for the elusive glacier blue bear. Wonderful looks into the rugged place Alaska is.

The Mermaids Chair was a good light read by the same author as "The Secret Life Of Bees" Good summer read.

Back from Bumpy Road

Here is Bumpy Road. I am back and feel refreshed and ready for July. I painted and swam and played and shopped and fluffed and the week went too fast.

A walk in the woods, oak leaves on the forest floor.

Path with caladiums and four o'clocks with jasmine above my head.

My little grove. Kumquat, red navel, grapefruit, tangerine and some kind of orange. They all had fruit on them, lets hope it stays till December.

The live oaks dripping with Spanish moss.

Impromptu studio.

Bedroom.

Stairs to loft.

Kitchen with Wayne's stained glass.

If anyone ever wants or needs a getaway place let me know. I am planning to rent this out for a vacation rental. The town is 2 miles away and there is some great plein aire painting in historic Melrose with loads of Victorian houses and lots of little lakes with cypress dripping with Spanish moss. There a great farm stands and Gainesville is just 20 miles away with wonderful restaurants , shopping, museums and lots going on with the University.

Bumpy Road

I am off on a busman's holiday. I am off to the farm or as I call it Bumpy road. I have a little cabin in the woods outside Gainesville where I love to sit on the deck under the live oak trees covered with Spanish moss and paint and listen to the goats that live next door. I have packed the car and I am off for an extended week to paint and go to the springs and check my citrus trees and visit with friends. Hopefully I will come home with some nice paintings and renewed energy for the summer. The house is really on a road called bumpy road and is it ever bumpy. I will post some pictures when I come back. Wishing every one a fabulous Fourth! I just found out my daughter will be listening to the Boston Pops in Boston as they play for the fireworks. I am so happy for her. Check out my web site www.hobbsart.freeservers.com

I have updated it with all my paintings and there are some new prices also. The green canoe

First named storm

The first named storm of the 2009 hurricane season formed off Mexico. Looks like it will head out to sea. We have been having a few rainy days and a wild loud thunderstorm this morning, so the weather channel has been on looking at the radar, and of course they are all abuzz with tropical updates every hour.

Thursday's Painting

Today was all about cherries. We painted them and ate them and looked closely at them. I wanted my painting to be all about red, green and purple.

This is Lucy's painting. She took a much more unconventional approach with a more surreal painting, but there are a few cherries in there.

Avocado

Here is tonight's salad from that avocado I bought on Saturday. Avocado, chopped tomato, lime juice, salt and pepper with a dash of olive oil.

I also made a beer can chicken with this. I made a rub of rosemary, whole coriander seed , salt and pepper and fresh lime rind that I put in my coffee grinder and smeared all over the chicken and roasted. Sorry no after pictures but it was real good.

South Florida Summer Harvest

Went to the veggie stand in Marathon today. Local avocados, mangoes and lychees. The lychees are so sweet and meaty. We couldn't wait to get home and drove home with sticky fingers. They are in the fridge now waiting to chill, they are so good that way! You just pop open the hard skin and pop them in your mouth. the mango and avo will have to sit on the counter for a day or two to ripen.