B and I are going to be moving back to Odessa, Saskatchewan in a few weeks. We call Odessa home for about 6 months in the spring and summer and then Brownsville, Texas is home for 6 months, November to April. That would make us Snowbirds, the offical name for all us Canadian wimps that take off for the south when the weather in Canada starts to get tough. Once we make the 4 day trip to Texas we move into our little place in a retirement park called Palm Resaca. We love it here and have made some wonderful friends. My life has taken many strange turns but I never thought I would be spending my winters in Brownsville, Texas in a retirement community for people over 55 especially since I'm still in my 40's, ok almost 50, but I am hanging on to 40 for another 11 months. Hanging on to being in my 40's with my teeth and what I have left of my finger nails. (they all broke off after a disastrous attempt at wearing acrylic nails this winter)
I'm going to have to start packing soon and that is always such a bitter sweet time. The weather had been less than perfect all winter but right now it is absolutely heavenly. The azaleas are finally starting to bloom, I planted a rose bush a few short weeks ago and already have my first blossom. There are little tiny green tomatoes on the plants that B planted in January. I miss all this green and flowers when we leave. It will be July before my gardens look decent at home in Saskatchewan.
Packing my paintings is going to take a while. The cold winter left me lots of time to be creative and I think I am taking home close to thirty paintings. Some are stacked around the room where I paint, others are actually hanging on the walls and my home is going to look really bare and lonely when I take them down to wrap and box up. There are still a few paintings that are not finished but they will have to wait now until I get my studio set up at home. While I'm waiting for spring to arrive in Saskatchewan I will be painting Texas beaches.
I'm pretty pleased with the paintings I got done this winter. The four or five I did of Red Eyed frogs all make me smile. Who would have thought frogs could have such cute facial expressions. I also tried something new and attempted to capture a misty rain forest and I painted Makaws after watching them at the Gladys Porter Zoo. Of course I did more paintings of the beach and surf at Boca Chica, my favorite subject while in Texas. I am anxious to show them all off at the Aurora Art Group Show in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan in May.
The Aurora Group has invited me back for the second year as their guest artist. I was so pleased to get their invitation again. Prince Albert was my home town for over 40 years and it's so good to get back. I have family there and also get to see old friends. Hopefully they will come to the Art show and I can sell them a few paintings while catching up on the winter news.
When I get back to Canada I have to find a printer and discuss turning a few of my paintings into limited edition prints, something I have never done but maybe now is a good time. If any of you readers have done this I would love to hear how that went for you.
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