"Creekside Daffodils"
16"x16"x1.5" oil & mixed medium on board
by Ruth Andre
Saying, good-bye is one of the hardest things for me to do. It takes considerable effort to leave a favorite person or place and move on and letting go. The year 2013 has been filled with many events, struggles and victories. I feel as if I have grown as a painter and as a person. For the past three months I have been traveling and getting things settled in our old home in Sikeston, Missouri. The time spent with friends, soaking up the mid-west lifestyle and walking the fertile farm ground has been such a delight. I laugh at myself sometimes as I remember the good times my husband and I spent on our farm. We had horses and dogs and cats. We farmed and we experimented with new crops. We made a life in a new land and made friends with those that thought people from California were a little different. I sometimes ask, why did we leave? I am still asking the same question as we get ready for the final move. I have learned how important my friends really are and how easy it is to laugh and cry with those you love. It is winter here in Sikeston and we have had a tornado, snow and heavy rains during our visit. I know spring is not far off and the daffodils will find their way to peak through from their dormant winter sleep both here in Sikeston and our new home in Sutter Creek, California. The painting above, "Creekside" is a nod to both my lost home and my new home. May your New Year be filled with all that you enjoy and may your dreams fill your heart. I am looking forward to getting back to my studio and enjoying many, "A Painting Day".
