Looks like Fall to me! The crunchy stuff all over the ground are the leaves from those trees. However, there were still a lot that were hanging on to theirs and they were showing off in beautiful color.
Another evidence of the changing temps can be seen in the picture below.
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| Betty (in her car) and Suzette |
Ok, so first of all -- Betty is sitting in her car (evidence of trying to stay warm) BUT, the irrefutable evidence can be seen by looking closely at Suzette. She's wearing GLOVES. I guess we all just become wimps over the Summer because as Betty pointed out to me, we've been out in MUCH, much colder weather.
Of course, further evidence is the fact that Suzie and Sophie didn't leave the car as we waited in the parking lot by the ballfield for the others to arrive.
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| Suzie at the wheel and Sophie really is in back |
A few more people arrived.,
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| Betty, Bob |
Uh oh, it's hat time! Then Mike and his Mug appeared.
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| (L to R) Mike's Mug, Mike |
I wanted to wait for Nori because I knew she was coming and she arrived as planned.
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| Nori |
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| Nita in her car |
I was so shocked I didn't even think to take a picture of her when she got out. The time was -- now wait for it -- are you ready?? 8:55 - whoa... 5 minutes early. But then, she got out, came over and said "she just wanted to let me know she was going to be late". 😮😊 Only Nita ... truly a special person. She does make you smile though. She had just finished her walk with Tecla and still had to take Sunny (you remember Sunshine, the blonde lab) home and feed her and herself and would meet us at the park.
Lisa then pulled in and right after her Pat.
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| Nori, Lisa - Lisa's open trunk |
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| Pat |
We all went off to find our spots. It looks like Suzie decided pretty quickly.
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| (L to R) Sophie, Suzie |
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| (L to R) Mike, Bob - both looking for a spot |
Oh, as you can see, there are picnic tables and benches here and they also have a cover, so good for when it's hot out.
Now, this next one. Hmmm, well, let's just put it this way. It appears any sloped piece of land will do for this next artist and when she does this, it always looks quite comfy.
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| Betty in her spot |
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| Sophie, ever wandering and looking for her spot |
By the way, I think her spot finally wound up being in front of Suzie and over to her left just a bit. Bob, however, was amongst the trees.
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| Bob |
So, earlier I told you that Nita surprised us at the meet up location only to say she'd be late. But, then to top it all off, she was later than even she expected and to quote her she said "she had the best excuse yet". Hmmm, if she didn't provide a picture as proof, I might of thought she really was making this one up. See
But, she did make it there in plenty of time to join us and brought half her studio with her -- check it out.
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| Nita with multiple things |
Ok, it's all little and fit into that little bag, but she has inks, pens, watercolor, and her never go anyplace without spritzer. Plus multiple things to paint on and her stool - it's there in the background. Geez, in thinking about it, no wonder she's always late - she has to make sure she brings so many things and then engineer the packing of it all into that itty bitty bag.
Nori had to leave early but she stopped by to say bye and show us her painting. I was near Betty which was also not far from Nita.
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| Nori |
I realized I needed to take some time to go find some artists. Let's see where's Mike hiding.
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| Mike |
Check it out -- can you believe he's sitting out in the open and not under some trees or shrubs. No wonder I didn't see him right away, I was looking in all the wrong places. Then I wandered up that little hill to the other pond and found 2 more artists.
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| Suzette |
And, walking away from Suzette is actually Jette & her hubby (or at least I think that's who he was), anyway it turns out that while she didn't have time to join us to paint, she did come out to enjoy the day.
Not far from Suzette was this person who was also working on multiple paintings.
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| Lisa |
Ok, I have to tell you about this next photo. While talking with Lisa I noticed these grasses. They're really the same as what you see all around the ponds in much much larger groupings. But this set was all by itself and really putting on quite the colorful display. Look at them!
They were so pretty with their color varying as it wound its way up the blade. As Lisa put it, they looked like they were cheap fake plastic, something you'd see at Walmart and never give it a thought as to looking real.
Getting a closer look at those grasses now, I'll have to rethink trying to paint them again next week. Clearly you need a multitude of colors.
Oh, a funny thing happened while Betty and I were painting. This couple was walking past on the path and stopped. They asked if we were the same group that was in Clarkdale last week. What a riot. Turns out they're really just here for a visit and we seem to be popping up wherever they go.
So we made use of one of those picnic tables in the shade, since the lighting was the best and minimal amount of funny shadows being cast for our gallery.
Oh look, Nori's painting made it into the gallery. In case you're counting, we have a couple of very industrious artists who managed to put in more than one (Nita even in a shorter amount of time and Lisa)
As we stood there and admired everyones work, we wound up pretty much getting ourselves lined up for our photo - what a group, they're so organized and even all managed to smile on 2.
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| (Back to Front and L to R) Mike, Lisa, Suzie, Suzette, Bob Pat, Sophie, Nita, Betty, Me |
In case you were wondering, Lisa really isn't taller than Mike -guess some were just standing on a mound.
Well, it was fun and a pretty place. Till next week!
Cecilia