Still recovering from the car accidents. Have not been able to paint and am missing it. Head injury still makes for fuzzy thinking and you need clear thinking to paint. The most bothersome and continuing aspect of it all is a leg injury that has prevented me sitting at the easel for any length of time. And painting on location is completely out of the question for the immediate future as this gigantic leg brace and uncomfortable ankle brace make walking very difficult. Standing painting in the field is out!

Thanks so much for the emails sending good cheer and well-wishes. Much appreciated.

Last Thursday - that's right, Thursday the 13th - was an unbelievable day... and not in a good way. I was in two auto accidents, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, totally unrelated. In both cases I was sitting as the passenger in a stopped car when hit by an out of control, wildly accelerating vehicle. What are the chances!! Our insurance guy told us when we phoned him the second time that day that we should go buy a lottery ticket as we're owed one.

Bottom line is that I'll probably be OK given enough time, so that's to the good. Right now I'm in sad sorry shape. That said, it could have been way worse... even when we're not so lucky, we consider ourselves so very lucky.

This Monday morning I'm trying to get back to painting cause I want my world back to normal but my right arm, shoulder and neck are so sore and bruised. It's going to take a while. As I try to paint - it will be my physical therapy - I'll be finishing up some near finished work. Nothing too mentally or physically challenging for a while.

If I am working on a commission for you, or owe you an email reply I'll be in touch this week.

Please... fasten your seat belts!

Been to the desert... wow!! What color. This wildflower season is the best yet. Can't stop to chat... gotta run... gotta paint!!! Check out the link below to the Union-Tribune article on the wildflowers here in San Diego this year, and especially the part about some flowers being "fire followers". I'm really noticing that!

To those collectors who are waiting on commissions, please pardon me a bit while I document those wildflowers:) Thanks for your support.

Here's a link to a recent San Diego Union Tribune article about the wildflower bloom and why it's so good. Seems that it's not just the rains but the wildfires last fall. Check it out at:

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20080301-9999-1n1flowers.html

Meanwhile... I paint on!!

"Near the Border", 6 by 8 inches, oil on canval on panel. Not for sale.

"Green and Golden California," 6 by 8 inches, oil on canvas on panel. 

It's been absolutely beautiful here in southern California and this landscape painter has been really busy painting as much as possible. You have to look to find the really wonderful spots, but that's always true. I have my favorites that can be counted on to give inspire at least one more painting. Here's one just off my easel of an old favorite places.

"Eucalyptus and Poppies", 6 by 8 inches, oil on canvas on panel.

It's overcast today (Saturday) so this landscape painter is finishing up paintings in the studio rather than out painting in plein air. This past week was a good one and I started plenty of paintings to put in line for finishing a bit later. When the conditions are perfect and fleeting I like to start as many paintings as possible so that I can capture the spirit of a composition and make enough color notes so that I can finish them up later in the studio.

The wildflowers are out in greater numbers than I remember for many years. The bloom right now is especially good in the south part of San Diego county. As the season goes on the wildflowers are sure to bloom in weeks to come in ever higher altitudes as well!! Gosh am I excited.

Here's a small painting -- am still very much fixated on miniatures -- of a beautiful poppy-filled field for your amusement.