Category Archives: Mountains

A little of this, a little of that.

Soft Mingus Sunset, 4 2020. SMD
Soft Mingus Sunset, 4 2020. SMD

I have been working on this post for about a week. The evidence is in the mishmash that follows. I hope you are well and keeping safe.

Mom brought home a new plant. None of the photos do it justice. It was glowing and gorgeous. Heuchera, Southern Comfort Coral Bells.

JOYful Color.
JOYful Color.
Cheery.
Cheery.
Center of Attention.
Center of Attention.

They had to run to Home Depot because a pipe burst in the master bedroom. It flooded half the room, the carpet was soaked. The water flowed all the way into the master bath. This on a late Sunday afternoon. Perfect timing.

We found a plumber to come out, but he told us that if we could wait until Monday, it would save about $300. Definitely wait. The water damage crew came in and set up fans, moved the furniture, and pulled up the carpet. They were all great and as quick as could be. But it still was almost two weeks of people in the house, and dust and mess.

I was quarantined x2. Or quarantined squared. Haha. I stayed mostly in my room because the blowing dust was making me sneeze and cough even more than usual.

Water Damage.
Water Damage.
Drywall up.
Drywall up.

Hey Bunny, Bunny

It’s been a long time since I have spotted bunnies in the yard. I saw this one, and managed to get the camera ready in time. Almost. Haha. He was fairly tiny. A young bun. He ran across the yard, across the street to the Pampas bush. They like to chill under there. Out of sight from the hawk and crows.

Rabbit on the run.
Rabbit on the run.
Close-up.
Close-up.
Look both ways.
Look both ways.

I went out on Friday, for my infusion. (It’s a shot, for my lungs. I have to sit there for 30 minutes to be sure I do not have a reaction to it.) Most of the trees are done blooming. On to the next stage. There was a lot of traffic. Some stores were busy. But many were closed. So strange to see. Bizarre right? I never would have imagined I’d see aisle after aisle, empty in a Walmart. Unreal. It felt like a luxury to be behind the wheel.

Tulips.
Tulips.

I’ve been working on a project I hope to share with you soon. I’m going on the second week, haha, we shall see how soon, soon turns out to be. This is part of it. And it has been in my mind lately. Enjoy!

God bless and keep you in his loving care!

The House Was Quiet and The World Was Calm 

 WALLACE STEVENS

The house was quiet and the world was calm.
The reader became the book; and summer night

Was like the conscious being of the book.
The house was quiet and the world was calm.

The words were spoken as if there was no book,
Except that the reader leaned above the page,

Wanted to lean, wanted much most to be
The scholar to whom his book is true, to whom

The summer night is like a perfection of thought.
The house was quiet because it had to be.

The quiet was part of the meaning, part of the mind:
The access of perfection to the page.

And the world was calm. The truth in a calm world,
In which there is no other meaning, itself

Is calm, itself is summer and night, itself
Is the reader leaning late and reading there.

Cactus True, Or Cactus Cool?

Saguaro, 5.5 x 8.5, watercolor on paper, © 2020 Sheila Delgado.
Saguaro, 5.5 x 8.5, watercolor on paper, © 2020 Sheila Delgado.

I sat down to clean my palette, but instead, I started to paint. I used long strokes on the Saguaro, instead of blending patches of color. I used a blue Le Pen to define. Looking at the scan, I noticed that the cactus and the foreground were too much the same.

I left it overnight and then added blue Posca. Now it’s a bit too much like the sky. Haha. That is what learning looks like. Sometimes.

Had fun in the process, more fun making the animation. FUN!

Saguaro, revised, 5.5 x 8.5, watercolor on paper, © 2020 Sheila Delgado.
Saguaro, revised, 5.5 x 8.5, watercolor on paper, © 2020 Sheila Delgado.

Loved this true cerulean blue sky with a swish of puffy white clouds.

Mingus 3.27.20
Mingus 3.27.20

One clean palette, empties refilled.

Mijello Palette, 18-Well.
Mijello Palette, 18-Well.

New palette filled and ready to go. I bought this palette months ago, 40 or 50% off. Room for six more colors. I sorted my colors before I started filling the wells. I still goofed somehow and ended up with two empty slots. But that gives me room for new colors. My list of wanna try hues is long. Naturally.

I probably shouldn’t have included the two orange colors. I rarely use them. I’ll have to think of something fun to use them for. “Think. Think. Think.” As Pooh would say.

It’s still a wonky collection. But I do have warm and cool hues of the primaries. I’m working on the color chart next. If anyone is interested, I can share that in the next post.

Martin Palette, 24 well.
Martin Palette, 24 well.

I’ve only wanted paper and beautiful colors.
It was my dream, and it still is my dream.
And books.
They’re all I need, and the rest I can do without.
Karl Lagerfeld

Be well. Stay Safe.

Let’s Get Together, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!

Easter Eggs, 8 x 8. Watercolor on paper. © 2020 Sheila Delgado.
Easter Eggs, 8 x 8. Watercolor on paper. © 2020 Sheila Delgado.

Today I am joining Kim Smith for her EGGSTRAVAGANZA Painting Party on Instagram! #kimsmithfriends if you would like to see more. If you haven’t seen Kims work before, treat yourself to a few minutes on her site. I love her flowers, her birds… everything!

Last night we had a spectacular sunset. We ooo’d and aww’d. Haha.

Mingus Sunset 3-21-20
Mingus Sunset 3-21-20

There is one case of the virus in Prescott, our neighbor city. Two reported in Sedona, an hour east of Mingus. Just over 100 in Arizona. Our county had been virus-free. Stay safe! 🙏

Keep On The Sunny Side

Let us greet with a song of hope each day
Though the moments be cloudy or fair
Let us trust in our Savior always
To keep us, everyone, in His care

Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side
Keep on the sunny side of life
It will help us every day, it will brighten all the way
If we’ll keep on the sunny side of life