FIELD TRIP

On Thursday, I took my friend Pirkle Jones to Bolinas, to visit Mary Nisbet at

California Orchids. Pirkle and Mary are long time friends, and Pirkle is an avid orchid collector. So we dropped off some plants that were done blooming--Mary offers a great boarding service for your orchids. She takes care of them and brings them to you when they are ready to bloom. We got to explore some of the greenhouses, and see the preparations for their big Spring Sale, which is being held this Saturday from 9 to 4.

Being at California Orchids was like being in the middle of one of Henri Rousseau's jungle scenes (one of my very favorite painters!) Incredible blooms and colors erupting from fantasy-like foliage. One of the most interesting things was the big tree trunks, which were cork trees, that Mary has used as a "planting bed"---upon which she has cultivated various kinds of orchids and other plants.

Seeing the incredible diversity of flowers, fragrance, types of leaves and growth was quite inspiring. Just the thing I needed for some foliage ideas for a painting I'm currently working on. It was a great trip and I want to go back again--I didn't get to see all the greenhouses (I think there are about 5) To top it off, the drive over to Bolinas from Mill Valley was just exquisite---a sunny clear day--we spotted lots of egrets and ducks and the water sparkled like jewels in the sunlight. It was a very good day indeed.

Images of the greenhouses at California Orchids in Bolinas. Bottom picture: L to R--Tim and Mary, owners of California Orchids, and Pirkle Jones

VIGIL TO END WAR

Wednesday evening at 6:30, people began to gather in front of the bank here in Point Reyes, with their candles, signs & banners, and hopes for peace. We have a loyal group that has been out here many times expressing the views of the majority of West Marin citizens about the war in Iraq and about this administration. This time marked the 5 YEAR anniversary of the beginning of the war in Iraq. 5 YEARS! Hard to believe. And 9/11 was in 2001--that was 7 years ago. And what have we accomplished? Many deaths, much destruction, and many lives destroyed. Saddam Hussein ousted, but still no stability in the government of Iraq. And what about Afghanistan, terrorism and Osama Bin Laden? Not much progress I'm afraid.

But there was a good turnout for our vigil--we had several speakers and people took turns reading letters of service people's experiences. It felt good to be a part of it, felt good to be doing something. I had signed up with Moveon.org and volunteered to take pictures to send to them and the local papers.

And Joey participated as the Peace Dog.

NIGHT BLOOMING TREE

This tree painting was inspired by a flowering plum tree that lives along the path I painted earlier ("Winter Path") It was so full of blooms--they were like clusters of popcorn. And the fragrance! Divine! Now, of course, we've had a rainstorm with hail and furious winds........so the blooms are mostly gone. Glad I painted it when I did.

Image: "Night Blooming Tree" 9 x 12 acrylic on canvas