Welcome to “A Bowl of Moss and Pebbles”.

Many of you are coming from my HomeschoolBlogger blog, so thanks for stopping by. Let me show you around!

Above my header, I have links to my “home page” where the blog is, and then the “about me” page. On the sidebar I have a bunch of tags I use instead of categories (for now, at least). Near the bottom of my sidebar is my RSS feed. And at the bottom of each post you can easily leave a comment, but don’t feel like you have to. It’s pretty easy, really.

So, here it is! Thanks again for stopping by.

This morning I was forced to cross a field blindfolded to gather the pink leaves of a giant sycamore. While stumbling along I met a grand lady riding on a horse, all bedecked with gold and silks, reminiscent of Medieval days. I ripped the blindfold from my face and saw she was dragging a tattered slave behind her. They both spoke Jibberish. Literally, they said, “Jibber. Heh jibber jib. Bwah!” and then rode away.

I gave them one funny look before I, too, ran off.  As I approached the last stretch of field I soon learned that the famed pink leaves were just plain red. It was a most disappointing realization. But that was soon mended by the fact that they were approximately three feet in diameter.

And that was my dream this morning.

The past few years have given rise to a new tradition. Come the gray days, I long for a burst of color and extra fresh fruit. The thick soft rinds feels soothing in my hands, and I feel compelled to make something out of it. Within two to four days they are completely dry and ready to adorn the Christmas tree.

Merry Christmas!

Mid-November I was listening to a piece of music that inspired my current art project. I drew a quick sketch of a little girl who was running home just before a rainstorm broke loose. Just as she passed over the bridge, she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. She briefly stopped, just in time to catch the glimmer of something in the grass.

I wanted to make it a large drawing in full color. I decided on colored pencils (Prismacolor) because the original graphite pencil sketch came out so textured, I had to recapture it in a rich and solid medium.

The base of the bridge was a light “wash” of black, slightly erased. Then I added some sandbar brown and Mediterranean blue.

I began layering some light umber, dark brown, lime peel and violet to fill out the stones.

And that’s the beginning of my Madeleine.

For the common things of everyday
God gave man words in the ordinary way.

For the deeper things men think and feel
God gave poets words to reveal

But for the heights and depths no words can reach
God gave man music, THE SOUL’S OWN SPEECH.
~ Anonymous

My Aunt Lou tagged me, and I am to list 6 unspectacular things about myself. So here are my six things:

1. My favorite Bath & Body Works scent is Velvet Tuberose.

2. I have lived in Indiana my whole life.

3. I am currently reading Frankenstein, but as soon as I’m done with it I want to read some books by Francis Schaeffer on art and culture.

4. I enjoy listening to Beethoven, Bach and Vivaldi.

5. I am on the internet way too much.

6. I give drawing lessons to my piano teacher’s boys in return for free piano lessons.

There you go! If anyone would like to do this tag, have at it. :-) Merry Christmas!