Hoyt Arboretum.

Today, I spent the afternoon at Hoyt Arboretum.  I have loved arboretums since my childhood in Nairobi, Kenya. One of my most vivid memories of Nairobi is going to the arboretum with my family. I think my intense love of trees comes from going to the arboretum. I remember looking at the different varieties of trees and visualizing one day seeing the trees in their natural habitat.  I am happy to say, this is something I have been able to do in all of my travels.  When Mahesh and Reina were little tykes, I taught them to hug trees while on a hike. I would tell them trees had special magical powers and would replenish their energy with a simple hug!
Needless to say, their friends thought both of them to be a bit strange watching both my children hugging trees on nature hikes. Soon, though, they had their friends hugging trees too. Trees are the lungs of this planet; I will never be able to chop a tree down.
My afternoon was indeed idyllic, I am happiest when I am amongst my trees. I took many photographs, and looked at a multitude of trees, plants and flowering bushes. The arboretum is about a fifteen minute drive from my apartment, so I plan to go there often.
The day today was perfect, highs were in the eighties and a soft breeze was present. After my trek to the arboretum, I headed home and still had enough time to paint.  I had been waiting for one of my oils to start to dry out so I could add details. The paint had dried enough to allow me to do just that. Painting is a natural endorphin for me; right now all is well in my world! 

Painting heaven!

Today, I spent my entire day painting.  I used to do that on a regular basis, but it's been years since I have painted one painting after another.  My first composition was calla lilies, I did that in oils.  I prefer to paint outdoors in oils, I find that I can paint quickly in oils.  Couple of hours later my painting was done and I was on my way to the next painting.
My second project was in acrylics, a painting in the genre of Goddesses.  I grew up in a culture of being surrounded by beautiful Goddesses. In Hinduism, we have a Goddess for knowledge, prosperity, a warrior Goddess, a love Goddess and the list continues. My hosts here at Glencullen have a beautiful wooden sculpture of a Goddess from Bali adorning my front door; she became my inspiration!  I am going to take my time painting her.  Most likely I will paint the Goddess in between painting the outdoor oils.
On another note, my knee continues to be pain free.  I am anxious to have an injection in my left knee.  It's been strange to be pain free in one knee and still have pain in my left knee.
Painting does the mind good!