Mini Fair Oaks Residency 07/15/2012

The Pond

5x7 inches

acrylic on panel

The Pond

Field One Clouds

Purple Flowers

Fairy House

Notes From My Residency Journal

I headed out to Fair Oaks early today. Rick was just getting ready to hurry off to get supplies for his new pontoon boat. Yay!! Pontoon boat gives me visions of painting in the boat. Let the begging commence!! 

 The heat has become problematic for painting late in the day. Afternoon storms come up suddenly as the heat and humidity rises.  I took a quick turn around the fields on arrival as I love to do. There are constant changes between my visits which might not be noticeable to a person unfamiliar with nature. 

There is a primal quality to Florida in the summer. A more ominous feel to the land. It seems to become more wild in the hot months. The sea of knee to waist high weeds and grasses make me wonder what is lurking in the grass, waiting for me to step out of the cart. The pond has returned in it's glory, and that brings Moccasins back, so I must be more careful. Also the Poison Ivy and clouds of mosquitoes are challenging. 

 Surprisingly, the heat has not bothered me much this year. I am able to do at least one small painting on each visit and take many good reference photos. As much as I love being there year round, I long for fall and winter to come, with its rich color, texture, and low humidity. Just a few more months before Fair Oaks will be in its full glory. I'm sure the staff and the dogs, Buddy and Shane look forward to fall. Henry does too. He misses Fair Oaks so much in the summer. He loves Rick, Buddy and Shane and so do I.

Fair Oaks Mini Residency - July 1, 2012

 The fairy houses are placed around the fields.

These are natural fairy houses. I'll be decorating them as time permits.

Golf cart stuck first. Tractor stuck trying to pull it out.

 Big tractor pulling the little tractor out.

Rick in the tractor going back to the barn.

View of Field Three

5x7 inches

acrylic on panel

Notes From my Residency Journal

Today was very interesting and fun for the most part. Not so much for the staff though. Fair Oaks has been very dry for a long time and I have forgotten how to navigate there in the wet season. The recent tropical storm left a lot of water there. The pond has come back and is lovely. I counted several white egrets and a blue heron as I drove by. First on my agenda was going around the fields and placing the little houses I made. I got three settled in their new homes and decided to go back into the woods to place the last one. All was fine until I saw the large tree across the path. I decided I would just skirt around the tree and get back on the path. I often drive all around through the woods so I thought it would be a snap. It wasn't until I got half way around the tree that I noticed I was in ankle deep water. At Fair Oaks, water means sticky mud.  I bogged down and could not get out. I tried to push the cart out but I wasn't strong enough. 

I called the house and the boys promised to rescue me. In a little while Scotty came driving along in a tractor. As he backed in he got stuck too. Off he went to get a bigger tractor. He pulled out the first tractor but could not get in a good spot to pull the golf cart out. We gave up temporarily and headed to the house for lunch. Will made a shrimp sausage rice stew that was delicious. I made a coconut crusted cheesecake for dessert, so we ate well at least. Of course I had to endure many jokes about my driving ability.

After lunch, Rick helped the boys to push the cart out of the mud. I promised to be careful and not get stuck again. Famous last words. I stopped for a little while to do a little painting and then decided that I'd  move to another location.  I skirted the edge  a plowed field carefully.It seemed high and fairly solid. I got so close to the lane where I would have been safe and boom, there I was, buried in mud again. Rick and the boys were very busy, so I carried my supplies back to my truck, left a note apologizing and left for home. I was so frustrated with myself for being so dumb, not once, but twice.

 I'm sure they would like to hang me with onions and shoot me for stinkin!!