A Sunday Drive

Sunday after church my DH was in the mood to go for a scenic drive, just like we used to do in former times. Each of us grew up in families where the Sunday drive after church was a custom. The fathers did the driving and took us to the most scenic area they could find, which was sometimes a ridge over looking the town or bay.

Everyone at home seemed fine so it felt safe to leave ;-). We inserted our favorite cd, and began the Sunday drive.  We ended up in California.

I must relate here that 50 years ago when my DH was a very young man, he and his brother would sometimes go for a drive and end up in Mexico.  I am so glad we, neither of us, had our passports with us or he may have kept driving and we would not be home right now. :-)

I visited an old friend in her beautiful home.  We had lunch and she gave me an art lesson.

People always like to go through old Bibles of their loved ones, and see what pages were the most worn, or what notes they had written on the pages.  When they go through one of my Bibles they are going to see this: 

I have seen some of this water color art using the Tombow art brushes and special markers, and I wanted to try it.  After the paint was laid on the page, it was dried using one of those electric dryers you use for embossing cards.  I put the dove illustration right near the story of the baptism of Jesus where the Spirit of God descended like a dove.

This cannot be done on any kind of page, however.  It has to be a worn down page that the paint will adhere too, so some of the pages on a Bible will be too slick or shiny for the art.  I found a page that was a bit more rough textured, but it was still too much of a smooth surface to take a strong color.  It worked out okay, since it turned out lighter and is more readable.

That was a long explanation for such a quick and easy art lesson!

Now that I have learned this lesson, I hope to paint a Rose on the page where The rose of Sharon is mentioned, which is a flower growing on the plains of Sharon, (in Palestine?)  but also is a rose without thorns. What do you think?

I always thought it would be nice to have color in the Bible I was reading because it helped me have a better recollection of where things were located inside, and also I remember a really old Bible that had the capital letters decorated at the beginning of each book. I like this water color technique because it is pretty yet the print shows through the picture. 

After the art lesson we drank a lovely fruit scented tea in Lady Carlyle teacups. My friend served me delicious warm homemade muffins with the tea. Mmmmm!

We were too tired to drive back home so we found accommodation and spent the night.  The next time I spend the night anywhere I will bring my own pillows, my own blankets....well, maybe I should bring my own bed, too.  It isn't the same, away from home and I didn't sleep as well. I guess this is one reason why so many people like campers, trailers, and motor homes.

We are now visiting this old town.

I saw this cute item in a shop: most of us know it is a take-off of another humorous phrase.

There are many colors of Rose of Sharon. I had one of these bushes growing outside my kitchen window in Texas.

It is good to be back home: the perfect place; and I hope you feel that way about your home, too.

Pictures from an historic town.

Looks so much like Melbourne- the buildings and the views.

Redwoods can be 300 feet tall. It was impossible to get the entire tree in the picture.

Stopping by the roadside on the way home.

From my sketchbook.

I was squeamish about detailing the leaves in the background so my teacher illustrated how to do it, above.  I guess I am taking art lessons by email correspondence.