Flowers, bugs, and such

An American Beauty

Hibiscus

Stargazer Lily -  a flower that was on my street

Indian Pink Wildflower (they were in my front yard)

Jack-in-the-Pulpit (from a photo taken by my sister)

Yellow Lady's Slipper (from a photo taken by my sister)

Okra 

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus)
I love Okra! I like it cooked in many ways except for "boiled." Boiling it in soup is ok, but not boiled just by itself. I have canned "Pickled Okra" and like it that way. But, my favorite is the slowly fried, cornnmeal coated Okra that is cooked like my mother and grandmother before me! If you've had Okra in a restaurant or any other place, it is not cooked the way that I like it. When cooked my way, there is nothing better! Though I have heard it described by those that don't like it as "Anything a hog won't eat - I won't eat!" I heat up just a little bit of oil, slice up the okra, put it in the pan, stir and coat with oil, then pour on enough cornmeal to barely coat the slices. I then pan fry it slowly, slowly in a little bit of oil until it is crisp and browned. If you look close at this painting you will see a small insect. There are actually two small insects, but the other one is very small!

Amaryllis in my house

Hummingbird Clearwing Moth  - (Hemaris thysbe) painted in watercolor with the gracious permission of Canadian photographer Deb Johnston!

Fall Leaves 2008

Dogwood

Fall Leaves 2009

Pink Dogwood blossoms

Fall Leaves raining down upon my head

Fall Leaves 2010

Fall Leaves 2011

Fall leaf 2017

 Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly (from a photo I took on my street)

 Schmetterling (German for Butterfly) upon a blossom

 Swallowtail butterfly

Luna Moth (Actias luna)

These beautiful moths have one of the largest wing spans (4 1/2 and rarely up to 7 inches) of all moths in North America! They have very short lives of usually only a week.  Painted in watercolor with the gracious permission of photographer Richard Goohs.

13- Year Cicadas (2011) - there were millions in my area!  This one was on my street!

Cicada Cicada Flying in the air

Cicada Cicada Landing in my hair

Cicada Cicada Climbing up a tree

Cicada Cicada Landing on my knee

Cicada Cicada Crawling around my toes

Cicada Cicada Landing on my nose

Cicada Cicada Got to keep my mouth shut

Cicada Cicada Or, you’ll be down my throat

When you gonna leave us?

I don’t know!

You’ll be back in 13 years and put on another show!

 

Flower arrangement my neighbor brought me!

(painted in watercolors)

The Slender Dayflower -  (Commelina erecta L.) (in the Spiderwort family) (also called the Whitemouth Dayflower)

I have been seeing a very pretty, small wildflower with two blue petals as I walk my dog along the

streets.  I finally took a photo so that I could paint it.  Next came the identification of the flower,

but that proved to be difficult as there are a few types of Dayflowers!  As I read about them, I

learned that the blossoms only last for a day hence the name.  I found that hard to believe as I

saw them every day.  But after taking an early, afternoon walk, I noticed that every blue blossom

was gone from every plant on both streets where I walk!  I'll look for the new Dayflowers tomorrow!

Happy Valentine's Day 2019!

Hibiscus!

Paraplu Violet Hibiscus? Rose of Sharon? Seabiscuit?  Gravy and biscuits?

No!  Seabiscuit was a racehorse.   This is a flower that comes in different

colors and there are over 200 types!  I painted it while listening to the music

of "Lambert and Nuttycombe" and to honor a very sweet lady who is a great

friend - Donna Lambert!!!  So, here's the "Donna Hibiscus!" (painted in

watercolor)