Some Christmas Memories

Thought I would just post a few glimpses of past Christmas cards. This year's card is in progress and slowly it will be finished before Christmas. I hope! Enjoy the recaps. I have a collection Thanks to my good Friend Gra. of almost every card since 1972, I will be posting some of the earlier cards over the next few weeks with a short explanation of the significance in my family's history. Enjoy and do leave a comment if you wish.

Christmas Night in the Woods

Gaelic Christmas

Up on the Roof Top

Catch a Falling Star

Santa's Workshop

Another Snowy Morning

Well mother nature is blessing us again with a little light snow dusting. It makes the day appear to be brighter and disguises the fact that the sky is gray, the trees bare and black, and the ground brown. As winter approaches I have finally finished the leaves  mixed media project. Water color gouache, permanent ink, and colored pencil were the medias use to create this painting.

" Lake Superior Leaves"  William R Fritz artist - mixed media painting

First snow arrives and then is gone

We were surprised this morning with about 1/2 inch of the wonderful white stuff. Glad I got the leaves blown back the other day. However, it quickly departed by 10:30 am. More is predicted for tonight so maybe a pleasant surprise tomorrow morning. I always find November depressing with it's gray skies, it's dead brown fields and bare black trees. However, with a dusting of white snow the outside world becomes enlivened and the darkness seems to disappear. I know many people curse the snow season but it is one time of year I eagerly look forward to, along with spring, summer and fall. It's just November that brings me down, unless it snows.

Further progress on Leaves. Have begun to add green. I need to complete this soon as there is a Christmas card that needs to be completed. Again a warning to my collectors this card will begin to see some changes in my design.

As the weather turns and the leaves depart

under wash scarlet

additional wash yellow and green

Beginning wash layers to bring out colors

Spent a few more hours blowing leaves. Love the trees but I still curse the ever abundant falling leaves. As I said earlier we compare the leaves to snow and we often can be heard saying "It's leaving again!"

The weather is turning slowly and the anticipated first snow will be coming soon. Just hope I have gotten all those oak leaves in the proper place. Some to cover the gardens until spring, adding warmth to the perennials and bulbs laying beneath them - nature's blanket. All of the rest banished to the outer limits of the forest floor to serve as a mulch mat to keep down the undergrowth.

Progress is being made on the maple leave painting and soon I will begin to work on the yearly Christmas card. I am planning a departure of sorts for this year's card so don't be surprised if you are a collector. Just as I am aging so i=s the rest of the world. And change is the only constant in life I have experienced so far.

The glimpses of the progress on leaves continues. The three above show the progress in the last few days.

Progress on Leaves

I have made some progress on Leaves. The next step is to start adding watercolor washes to the leaves. It is taking a longer time to complete because living in the woods means I am also dealing with the leaves outside. So far I have cleared the surrounding yards and gardens 5 times and I am sure there will be more to do in the next few days. I am anxious to start the color work but who knows where it will go. Also It's time to begin to form my idea for the annual Christmas card. Will try to keep you all posted as I progress with my work.

LEAVING- the act of leaves falling like snow

 

While cleaning and closing the pond for winter we realized that though it wasn't snowing: it was leaving. This is my first attempt at posting video so the quality isn't quite what I wanted but it does show the leaving. I will try to get a better video in the near future.

Added a second video today to show the leaving. It's a bit better but still not as good as standing out in the leaving. The first video iis the latest

Been busy putting summer away and heading into late fall. Closed the Bocce Court today and will be busy closing the pond and sprinkling system tomorrow. Started this fall drawing of leaves and will keep posting the progress for anyone who may be following by blog.