Olek the bibliophile

They say pets take on the characteristics of their owners. Olek here is my daughter Natalia's kitten. Natalia loves to read. So true to form Olek is also a lover of books

A forest scene from Jastrzebie Zdroj

I worked on a pastel painting based on an old photograph I have of the forest region outside the town of Jastrzebie Zdroj this weekend.


Jastrzebie Zdroj is a place in Poland and this particular scene of forest near a small lake took me away from my other concerns. I love to work in soft pastel. The mix of colors that you can achieve is really interesting and the medium is flexible to work with. There is also the feeling of being a child again and using crayons.The colors going everywhere, my clothes and hands.Working outside in close to the group of trees that line my garden was an altogether beautiful milieu for my escapist endeavor.

The painting shows a trees reflected off the lake. In the background there is an abandoned house. In the foreground you can see old jetty that projects out into the water.

Here our my tools, my crayon set if you will.

Pests invade my trees

I was devastated to find Nun moth larvae on my trees. In Europe these pests cause damage on a terrible scale. I made a bee line for the stores to buy some pesticide but I feel it will not be strong enough to be effective. I don't want to lose my trees. It makes me sad to seem them being reduced to nothing.

First bloom on Natalia's cactus

Natalia noticed it there amongst all the needles, a flower. A closer look revealed this little desert rose. Lovely!

A Leaf of my Peace Lilly unfurls

I caught this shot almost as the leaf seemed to be unfurling before my eyes. If I had a time lapse camera I could watch the movement in a literal sense. Perhaps it's best that I don't. Plants move at such a stately pace. It's a little like watching your children grow.  

Kotek sleeps

Kotek our languorous cat is taking a well deserved moment of respite from his hectic schedule. Sometimes a cat needs to get away from it all.

My Life

Those who know me know that I tend to be extroverted. Well, except when it comes to speaking in front of an audience, something I simply detest. So OK I'm extroverted except for public speaking when I am strictly introverted. But in the spirit of my outgoing nature I will sometimes just start talking about my life. It is a subject of which I can call myself an expert. This is just a warning,