african violets and a visit for good friday

On Good Friday I needed an uplift so I went to see my friend's new African violets that are making his entry way brighter this spring!

We have had a very long winter in Nebraska and almost as bad as North Dakota winters where I grew up! The geese are gone, the cranes are nearly gone and the cormorants are showing up at the lake to look for fish and swim in their daffy way!

And apparently the African violets at HyVee have had extra magenta and violet rich colors this spring luring in unsuspecting food shoppers to the flower area!

Ken my art friend kept raving about his great new african violets he found as an act of art -- finding the colors of paintings -- so I decided it was time to go see them!

He was right, they were amazing colors and deep lavendars of the soul and spirit. What an upper on Good Friday which can become rather gloomy. I have decided maybe it is good day to do good things and see friends all HOLY WEEK from now on to cheer the spirit.

I took photos of Ken's new violets that welcome folks to his place, I drank in the colors and had peach iced tea with my friend to catch up on art and life --- as we felt the new spring breezes floating in over the new dark colors of geraniums in new pots on the balcony too!

What a rich color treat of new flowers, new pots, art on the brick walls and textures of the heart and soul to bring us into spring and frame some art for the Art club as well this week!

I was surprised last night to have my two small monoprints chosen for the ANAC Conference in June from G Island Art club -- so that was frosting on the cupcakes this week for my long needed jumpstart on art again. I hope I can find more time for being creative with art again in my life. I am thinking that I will try to do art and other pleasurable things whenever I need a spiritual lift.

Maybe I can take photos of the monoprints to share on my blog soon!

Thanks for the Good Friday doing good, seeing friends all week and searching for spring, new colors in my life and the joys of friends. I heard a saying this week: Friends are a gift to yourself! Time for me remember to reach out to friends and to reawaken some of my art senses again!

Another friend drove with me to Gary's art show opening in West Des moines last friday night on the Art walk! It was a feast of spring colors, seeing my sister, other friends, color and nature drenched art! I was overjoyed to see the latest canvases and paper pieces Gary has been creating this long cold winter in Missouri and maybe that is why they are so brilliant.

If you want to see Gary my brother in law's art treasures go to www.gbowlingstudio.com to enjoy his creations and some are ready to be viewed in person at the opening this weekend in Chicago!

I hope you can find a friend to share spring with by enjoying an art show, an art get together, an art book or show, or going to view garden bedding plants for Earth day (40th ann coming soon and Going green sunday).........taking in the beauty of new flowers, old flowers leaving our houses for the porches now and some peach iced tea or hot tea for a cuppa!