Fun ride - 2.

The tiny town of Stockholm in Wisconsin.We like to come here at least once a year.My husband likes their wonderful nursery with rare flowers and plants.I like the vintage atmosphere and their Art Festival in the summer.My daughter likes everything.The park by the river,the hamburger place,the gift shops.

Fun ride along the Mississippi River

Last weekend the weather was too good for a person to stay home.Warm,sunny,bright,gorgeous!We had the urge to do something different so we decided on a trip along the Mississippi River.My daughter invited a friend to join us.We crossed the river in Winona and rode along the Wisconsin side enjoying the view and the pretty little towns at the water front.This ride was so refreshing and uplifting, a good medicine against the six month long cabin fiver.In my next post I am going to show more pictures from this ride.

Spring.Postcards from our garden.

There is some relieve and joy and happiness that spring is finally here.It is still cooler than it is supposed to be at this time of the year but the flowers are blooming,the birds are chirping and the sunshine shows up once in a while.Our Guinea pigs had their first play date outside.It was fun to watch them hopping and running around the pen.As you can see we have a new Guinea pig.His name is Pip/My daughter got him as a present from a friend.He is very cute and likes to be petted.What he does not like is to be picked up.He gets very nervous when he is in the air and starts squealing just like a pig.I am going to post more pictures of Pip in the next posts for sure.All the pictures in this post but the second one were taken by my daughter.She is getting really good at that!

Illustration Friday:Voyage

Thinking about our voyage to Europe.There are still so many things to be done.We are never ready,are we?

Spring is finally here!!!

This year spring was very very very late.It is the beginning of May and the trees are still bare.Small green-reddish buds have just started to show up.Almost the whole month of April was cold,cloudy,rainy and depressing.But let's hope the bad weather is over with and the Spring is here for good.
Yesterday was one of those days full of sunshine,fluffy white clouds,blue skies,hope and joy.It was on the windy side but it did not stop us from enjoying it.My daughter,a friend of hers and I went on a hike to the bluff.We had a picnic in the park at the top.The kids had a lot of fun jumping and climbing,tree hugging and nature watching,playing in the puddles and taking pictures.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter to you all!!!

Here comes the Sun!

The long and extremely cold winter is over.The spring however is so timid this year and has hard time making  up her mind.Just like a shy maid who does not know if she should stay or should go.It is April already but guess what?We had a winter storm yesterday.It snowed the whole day yesterday,piled up a couple of inches. Thank god it is all gone today and the sun is shining.Please,Spring,stay!!!And let the Sun shine!!!!!
These pictures  are from two weeks ago when my daughter and I took our first spring walk.

Illustration Friday:Red

When I was a little girl my favorite color was red.I had my pink period much later in life.To be exact when I had my daughter.But in my childhood it was all about red!Black and red ink pen Micron and Millennium and a watercolor wash.

Illustration Friday:Gone Fishing

Black ink pen and watercolor on paper.

Sketchbook-2014

Sketchbook is such a delicious, inspiring word. Every time I hear or read it my imagination starts simmering with hundreds of new ideas.They usually come though, when I do not have time to try them.When I have a lot of time they somehow disappear and I have hard time coming up with something to draw or paint.And.... this is how I feel at the moment.....Posting pages of my new/and not so new anymore /sketchbook I am trying to find some inspiration for the weekend.
This sketchbook was an unexpected present to myself for Christmas.I was rushing through Barnes and Nobel looking for a last moment present for my husband.It was so crowded and hard to navigate through the isles. Accidentally I knocked something over with my shoulder and that was It.Nice,simple with beautiful off white paper.
I thought to myself: "Oh,you are so beautiful and so delicious with  all your blank pages!!!You are coming home with me!"