I've been spending less and less time painting these days. Not because I don't enjoy it anymore, I do (although I am spending a lot more time on my writing projects). I used to do outdoor art shows in the summer at various parks around the area but it seemed as though most people were just out for a walk, baby stroller and kids in tow, and certainly not out to buy artwork. I got tired of spending so much time preparing, driving to these locations, and spending a long day in the hot summer sun, and not even making enough money to pay for the cost of the booth space. 

Because I've been so sad about losing my tiny Binka over 10 years ago now, I have been unable to honor her as she should have been. But I want to honor her now by doing a series of paintings of my sweet girl. This is my 2nd painting of my little girl; it was taken on our front lawn. She loved grass and would eat it, lay in it, roll in it (and not because it had something stinky in it, which is the case with most of our dogs when I see them rolling on the lawn). 

Not a day goes by that I don't think about my tiniest Pomeranian, Binka, at least once. And with her memories come the tears. I miss this little girl, who passed way before her time, everyday. Even though it has been more than 10 years it still feels like it was just yesterday that I lost her. 

A few weeks ago, on a cold and windy day, I had a surprise when I started to open the front door to let my two Pomeranians out and curled up at the door was a porcupine!!! Obviously I didn't put my dogs out but made them wait. My husband, Jim, and I went out the garage door and photographed the little guy who just seemed to want to enjoy the sun on our front porch and get out of the cold. He stayed there a bit longer and then wandered off. He came back again later but then we didn't see him again. I figured he had moved on.

Although we are only coming into the end of February, we are starting to have warming days and less frigid nights (climate change). The animals seem to be the first to know this. I'm seeing lots of deer around and the turkeys are here everyday. The songbirds are on our feeders and I'm seeing the American Goldfinch again.