Goldcrest Foxglove Digitalis Orange Perennial

A beautiful discovery for me is this bright gold-orange-perennial foxglove. How would this look with burgundy roses? Or white roses? The name of this one is Goldcrest. We can thank David Tristram of England for breeding it. It's really stunning.  More about David Tristram here.

I love how the leaves are more refined and a little grey green. They are not hairy at all.

My tomato plants are still inside and I am so glad now that they are. Last night there was snow on the hills here! It feels so cold after all of the hot weather we enjoyed and on the west coast they are having 81 in Oregon.  We bundled up today at 38 and rain! The second reason I am glad the tomatoes were tucked away is because two sweet Canada Geese dropped in for a visit and they made a dash through the grass to get to the tilled soil and walked all around looking for sprouts. I've never been thankful for weeds as I was today as I left some around the base of the roses and it kept my campanula sprouts hidden! Thank you weeds for keeping my green babies safe. Canada geese are really elegant though. They don't waddle like ducks. Their necks are curved when they walk like a swan... well at least when they are power walking.

One thing was crossed off my to do list this weekend. Hostas were divided in one bed and relocated. So you see the rain for the last 3 days is just what they need not to get burned. They have such tropical looking leaves in mass and you don't have to dig them up like semi tropicals. Whew! They deliver green all summer!  I would never sniff my nose and say they are too common.

Do you all like the new blogger posting page?

Grainy Sugar Snow

We got it last night. Snow sifted on us and then little balls of ice. They call it wintery mix. We call it Maryland snow. It gives such a fresh, bright look to the usual winter browns of trees. Then there is the boxwood with the leaves a deep green with the white icing. Nice contrast. I do love English boxwood. It always looks beautiful January through January! June through June. This garden is off of our porch or veranda.

The snow ought to make it easier for the birds to see the berries...

This thuga shrub turns the color of a brown paper bag. The snow covers enough branches so that the ones we see look lacy.

All of the little animal tracks decorate the fields and... roads. Last night I was out driving and there were kids doing donuts at intersections. They were hitting the brakes and doing all of the things you are taught not to if you want to stay on the road. I wonder what their cars look like this morning? Keep on the road and keep warm.

Rubber Duckies Think It's Christmas Again

We have snow. Beautiful snow. It fell so gently and the flakes were itsy bitsy. Soon they were fat and fluffy and it is so calm outside. It is a snowboarder's dream. The sun is shining bright now and not windy. No school so the slopes are probably full. These two rubber duckies, I bought in Florida recently... someone had to rescue them and bring them back to cold country...think it's Christmas time again! Woo hoo!

I noticed the deer glide silently by the window. They are such quiet animals. We are down to 5 now. Hunting season has finally ended. Yay! So hopefully these five (which used to live in a group of 9) will stay safe.

Now to shovel out to the top of the hill so we can get out. First more cocoa.

Kids Potager Vegetable Garden

The perfect childrens garden. Lots of leafy veggie foliage make this one so appealing. The circular design makes it easy for little gardeners to reach anywhere easily. When the kids aren't gardening the statuary rabbit will watch over each tasty morsel for you. Cabbage and lettuce have never looked so good. This little precious garden belongs to a friend of mine.

Recycling to Art Sculpture Mixed Media

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I saw this lovely work of art today... And I am inspired! We have lots of little of old hardware pieces tucked away that were here when we moved here. Now the possiblities are becoming very clear what to do with them. Here they've used a crate, old watering can, a faucet spout and it's adorable and hanging on the outside of their old smoke house turned potting shed. The weathered colors are so calming.



Have any of you made anything like this before?

Log Cabin House with Black Picket Fence

Black picket fencing? Yes, and look how wonderful it looks with the coloring of this old log house. It picks up the black shutters and black door trim. A white picket fence would look out of place I think here. When this house was remodeled all outside boarding was taken off and what a jewel it is now.

This house reminds me of the log cabin quilt pattern with the red square in the middle. I love the red door and the red lantern on the outside windowsill. Colors are everything. Brown, cream, black and red. I would love to make a miniature log cabin quilt with these colors. We've all been sick at our house so it won't be soon. Besides I can't add one more thing to my lengthy to-do-list right now.

ACEO Folk Art Mexican Chihuahua Dog

Aceo's are a wonderful size to play with designs, doodles and the serious stuff. They are small little treasures that like company. Aceo's can be put on a mat board and then framed by itself or in groups. They are usually less expensive than larger paintings. Usually...is the key word here. I have seen some go for over $100. on ebay auctions.

This terracotta color really appeals to me lately. Old Mexico colors. Frida's spanish coloring looks great against it. How can you paint Frida without some of her animal or bird friends in it? In fact two chihuahua's. This is my very first Frida ACEO up for sale!

The artist cards are very heavy and linen textured...the best. Can you see some of the texture in the photograph...just like a canvas painting. Yay!

Victorian Houses Frosted

I love old victorian houses. We have some older ones here close and since the snow has frosted them all I took some pictures. Wouldn't you love to sit up in that top window with a book or a painting easel? I would.

Sisters and Owls Playing in the Snow

It's snowing! 31 degrees and no wind....big fat flakes are falling, ever so slow, like magic. Great sledding weather and the trails down the hills are abundant. Little red hands and red toes, too. Free rides and no lines to wait in. How fast you can ride again is how long it takes you to get up the hill.

My new Frida Kahlo painting is up on ebay for sale now with the charming colors of winter. Soft and sweet! Frida and her sister let the snowflakes tickle their noses, cheeks and chins.

November Tree Colors

Can the words "peaceful" and "hot" stand together in a title? They do define this peaceful country setting with the firey hot colors. The great part about fall is when the grass is still green, the tree leaves are red/orange and the weather is in the 60's and 70's during the day. Nice!

Recycled Aluminum Cans Halloween Sculpture

Back in Maryland our town put up halloween scarecrows from various groups. This one has a painted balloon eye against an aluminum pie tin. The tonque is an umbrella cover! How fun to recycle these cans into sculptures for halloween. Is this a sea horse or a dragon?

Candylei's Art Blog

"Frida's Mother Crow" painting is now up for sale on ebay. You can see below what came from an idea that I sketched out on paper to check for composition and to see how it would look in an 5 x 7-inch area. I liked the idea of Frida being raised by a crow surrounded by natural bouquets of flowers. She is still in the egg shape but with arms and a little braided bun on the right side that Mother Crow braided.

I am my own worst art critic. My drawings are usually cuter than the final, but then again I want it to look folky.

Link to painting here.

Scottie, Cat, Doll & Frida Kahlo Candylei Painting

A new little painting with our westie's cousin in it for sale on ebay now by seller: colorist_painter. Scottie is so cute in the right hand corner. Kitty has a face with white fuzz on it from playing with the white cotton yarn. I have this exact little old-fashioned singer sewing machine! I also made a Frida doll to sell coordinating with this painting. Check back tomorrow for that picture.

Spinach Salad, Simple and Elegant

I had this salad for lunch and it was a treat. The tart richness of the balsamic dressing and the sweetness of the dried cranberries were a winning combination. It also is a nice color combination and doesn't need many embellishments. It is tossed with gorgonzola cheese, pine nuts and sundried tomatoes and bacon.

Spinach is one of those wonder foods that carry alot of goodness in their leaves. Did you know one full cup pressed down has 6.0 grams of protein in it? Yes. There are many other goodies in it too.