Fall

Pumpkin coffee, bright leaves, cool weather-- all dreams in Texas. So here is my tribute to autumn further north. 

When I fact, this is what's happening in my neighborhood:

Cypresses at the Frio River

This week, we were painting at the Frio in the Hill Country.

We were painting the outside of our double wide trailer, not daubing at canvas with Acrylic.  Nevertheless, I took a swim and also a good look at the cypresses in summer.

Their greenery is unexpectedly lush and soft looking.  The cypress height is alway the most stunning, compelling feature, but in summer, their leaves--needles? --are so feathery.  Bare branches extend beyond the green.  It's very hard to capture in paint.

The really great feature of this is that there is water in the Frio!  Texas has suffered through several dry years.  We've had a lot more rain so far this summer. 

I noticed that the tips of the cypress are darker than the trunk.  The water reflections are usually smooth and calm, but if there is wind, it's wavy. 

There is something soothing about sitting by a stream. Or painting a stream, or viewing a painting of that body of water!  It's as if cares are being washed away relentlessly.  

The water is the Frio is always cool.  You can look up the flow, river temperature, etc. 

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?site_no=08195000

We also saw more inspiring flora and fauna: 

Prickly pear--my intrepid friend borrowed her husband's pen knife, and we tasted the meat.  They taste sweet, but seedy, like pomengranite. 

I would like to paint the cacti, too! 

Reflections

With this painting, I tried to show mist and reflections.  It's apparently a bridge in the woods.  I used the acrylics a bit like watercolor.