"Greenway No. One"

Hey Friends,  Here is a view along the Roanoke River Greenway in Salem at the bottom of the hill from Lewis Gale Hospital on Rt.419.  This was last spring before we had the swollen river and all the washed up debris.  A few wildflowers starting to pop up along the banks.
I'm putting her up for auction on Ebay starting at a penny.
Happy Trails
Travel Well

Day 29 of 30 day Challenge "Smith Mountain Lake"

Hey Friends, Well this is water, yes.  Lake water, not ocean water.  But it'll be fine.  I love water any way you paint it.  This 10"x 8" acrylic plein-aire was painted this past summer while we, the DLP, were at Midge Club house at Smith Mountain Lake.  This is a pretty big lake here in SW Virginia.  It was constructed by AEP years ago and has a lot of retirees around it.
This is going over to Ebay for auction starting at a penny !  Right !
Click Here for the auction link.

Happy Trails
Travel Well

Day 9 of the Leslie Saeta Challenge

Hey Friends,  This palm was painted on the porch at Myrtle Beach.  The weather was nothing to crow about so I stayed on the porch.  I know it got close to freezing while we were there in Dec. so I'm wondering how cold it is now !  I always thought these palms wouldn't make it that cold.
She is in my Ebay store, Click here.  The auction starts at a penny.
Happy Trails
Travel Well

Blue Ridge Parkway

Hey Friends,  A couple Sundays ago, I took a short ride up the Parkway.  I started at the Vinton, Va. entrance.  After a short distance, I crossed a huge, tall bridge.  This first overlook was to the Roanoke River !   I was shocked !  I did not know this river got to be so large.  Or that there is a dam.  I was nauseous and feeling pretty squirrelly trying to get these photos.  Couldn't get near the edge.  NaNaCat have you ever seen something this beautiful ?

Can't remember which number this Overlook was. (2nd or 4th)  But the view from this Poages Mill Overlook was  fantastic.  This photo doesn't show the ariel perspective your eyes see.  That's why it's a good idea to paint from life.  It's hard to describe the emotions you feel when looking at so much beauty.  Why do humans want to destroy this?

I've never heard of "Lost Mountain".  Makes me aware of how much I don't know and haven't seen right here in my own little woods.   I fancy this name is something the colonists conjured up.  One little tidbit I read the other night in a book about North Carolina is,  "Catawba" was the name of a small band of Injuns along the border of NC and Va.   They have disappeared sadly.  And that bothers me immensely.

This overlook is at Cahas Mountain !  Never heard of that one either!  I would really like to be up here when the moon is rising and/or when there is snow down below.  Can you imagine?  By the way if you ever come here, you'll be disappointed that most of the overlooks you can't see squat.  The trees are so over grown, they block the view.  I wonder if this is a budget cut from Washington?

And lastly, a farm (below) near the Floyd exit.  I had to get off the Parkway at Floyd because I would soon be out of daylight and I had to drive all the way back home.  I was hoping to make it to MileMarker171 which is the wrong # I'm sure.  But I will be in a show/festival "Art on the Parkway" in October on the 13th and 14th.  A big farm with a big meadow.  I'll find that info and tell you more.

Anyway I hope to get backto this farm soon.  We will be painting at the "Explore Park" this Friday, which is between  Vinton and Roanoke and I believe there is a farm there also.  Hope to see some cows.

Happy Trails Travel Well

Painting at Carvins Cove

 Hey Friends,  I was lucky enough to have a day with my plein-aire buddies, the DLPBR.   We went to Carvins Cove which I think is still a major source of water for this area of Va.

 I was sitting on a campers stool almost in the water when I painted this one.  I obviously need to finish it, but it's a pretty good start.  Plein-aire painting is a lot harder than you'd think!

 This is about my view, peeking around the trees.  I just wanted to leave the trees out.

But as you can see I'm over whelmed by all the green !!!    I'll probably just pitch this one.  I don't think I can save it.   You try it.  And let me know what you did with all that green.

I'm changing my sign off tonight - just a bit.

Happy Trails-Travel Well

Barbours Creek in New Castle, Va.

 Hey Friends,  I started this blog post at about 9am this morning.  Finally gave up - just wouldn't load!  Service is still a bit wonky but I will persevere.  About 2 weeks ago daughter and I took a little day trip, north of Salem to Barbours Creek area of New Castle, Va.  There is a good little family style restaurant called the "HomePlace - that's the photo above.

 This is a shot of Barbours Creek !  The prettiest little creek I've ever seen.  I heard from my brother that this is the creek my uncle and Dad loved.  They hunted in this area.

 This is the last shot I got before I fell in or down.  YowSaz-It was cold.  And the temp's were pretty hot so that made it even colder.  Skinned, bruised one leg and messed up my camera !  Really bummed me out.  Crazy thing is the camera still takes photos but no display so you can't tell what you've got until they are loaded into the 'puter.

Here's a shot of my daughters Boss' horses-whata mouth full!!  Like I said the IE is still messed up (in case you haven't heard, we had severe storms here in VA. a week or so ago.  Lots of people w/o power for way over a week, including my daughter.)

The reason for telling you about this trip is - the Boss wants this beautiful creek painted to hang in his office    YAY !   So I will be going back- again and again.  I've already painted his horses and I'll scan that and show ya soon.

And now go check the DLPBR blog (below-sidebar) to see our piano !!

Happy Trails. . . . . . .