Merry Christmas and Happy New Year !

Holy Moly  what a motley looking group!
 

 Fall is here 2021

 With or without leaves.  This is one of those things that just came into my head.  Not sure where the one in my head went, but this is what I got.

 This pic is part of my Urban Sketching thing.   My neighbor's front yard.  So Pretty!

 Tried my hand at portrait painting. Messed with one on the computer.

 First attempt at pen and ink only with fountain pen.

Its that time of the year.

People seem to like my girls.  So decided to do more.  Next ones I'm gonna have to give them some curves.  These look way to under nourished!!
 

 Did this picture in Gouache. 

Trying out this thing called Urban Sketching.  This is a machine my son drives for CSX railroad.  First attempt, but will continue to try again, because it's just fun!
 

Painting of my beautiful young friend from Brazil..
 

These are my carrot girls.  Paint carrots without greens....then add head and feet and you have a carrot person.
 

Sunflowers growing in someones front yard, along a country road.

Me and my guys
 

 Sometimes things just don't turn out the way you wanted them to, but you just go ahead and finish it anyway.  That's what happened here.  But who knows, it might be somebodies cup of tea.!!

 No words to explain this one!

 This is the same pic.....different colors..don't know which I like better.

 HAPPY FORTH OF JULY!

 Working on pastel.

 A couple of quickies!

 Another version of peonies...

 I love peonies.  They are my favorite flower.  My Grandmother grew them in our backyard.  We must have had at least five bushes.  They always remind me of my Grandmother.

 Started making my own salad dressings.  So much better for you and easy to make.  Take a look>

Classic Ranch Salad Dressing

• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons each chopped parsley and chives
• 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1/4 teaspoon each kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder

Homemade Creamy Italian Salad Dressing

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoon each sour cream and olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Classic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup olive oi

Roasted Garlic Dressing

• 1 head garlic
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Honey Mustard Salad Dressing

• 2 tablespoons each of honey, Dijon mustard, white vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Honey Poppy Seed Dressing

• 2 teaspoon black poppy seeds
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher sal
• 1/3 cup olive oil

Asian Sesame Dressing

• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 1/2 teaspoons grated peeled ginger
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil (or other neutral oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and pepper to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Peanut-Lime Dressing

• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons water
• juice of one lime
• 1 tablespoon each rice or white vinegar, chopped peeled ginger, soy sauce, and honey

Creamy Blue Cheese Salad Dressing

• 1/4 cup each butter milk and sour cream
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 1/2 a lemon
• and salt and hot sauce to taste

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Instructions

1. Classic Ranch Salad Dressing

Classic Ranch: whisk 1/3 cup buttermilk, 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons each chopped parsley and chives, 1 teaspoon dried dill weed, 1/4 teaspoon each kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. (You can sub 1 tablespoon each of dried parsley and chives for the fresh) Once you start making homemade ranch, you’ll never go back to the store-bought stuff again. SO GOOD! This is perfect for cob salads, to dip fries in, over chicken salads, and most any other salads with romaine and other leaf lettuces as the base.

2. Homemade Creamy Italian Salad Dressing

Creamy Italian: Blend 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoon each sour cream and olive oil, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 clove garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt in a blender. Stir in 1 tablespoon chopped parsley.

3. Classic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

Classic Vinaigrette: Whisk 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and pepper to taste. Gradually whisk in 1/3 cup olive oil.

4. Roasted Garlic Dressing

Roasted Garlic: Slice the top off 1 head garlic; drizzle with olive oil, wrap in aluminum foil and roast at 400 degree until tender, about 35 minutes. Cool and then squeeze out the cloves. Blend the roasted garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, 1/3 cup olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and pepper to taste in a blender. I’m obsessed with this one. SO good! Make a double batch and use part of it for a marinade for chicken breast. It’s also amazing on roasted vegetables. I made my freezer to slow cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs and served it with a simple side salad and this dressing last night and I couldn’t get enough. Super easy, healthy, delicious, whole food meal the whole family loves.

5. Honey Mustard Salad Dressing

Honey Mustard: Whisk 2 tablespoons each of honey, Dijon mustard, and white vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper to taste. Gradually whisk in 1/4 cup olive oil. So easy, super classic, I love honey mustard dressing on all the things.

6. Honey Poppy Seed Dressing

Honey Poppy Seed: Whisk 2 teaspoon black poppy seeds, 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Gradually whisk in 1/3 cup olive oil. This one I have around most of the time because it always hits the spot. This is great on salads with berries and other sweet fruits in them, it compliments them nicely.

7. Asian Sesame Dressing

Asian Sesame: Whisk 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 1/2 teaspoons grated peeled ginger, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, 1/3 cup vegetable oil (or other neutral oil), 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and pepper to taste, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder. This dressing is also excellent on Asian inspired noodle recipes and chicken salads.

8. Peanut-Lime Dressing

Peanut-Lime: Blend 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter, 2 tablespoons water, the juice of one lime, 1 tablespoon each rice or white vinegar, chopped peeled ginger, soy sauce, and honey in a blender. This dressing is awesome on “quinoa” bowls (roasted veggies/protein/quinoa) and it’s also excellent on fish.

9. Creamy Blue Cheese Salad Dressing

Creamy Blue Cheese: Whisk 1/4 cup each butter milk and sour cream, 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese, the juice of 1/2 a lemon, and salt and hot sauce to taste. Here’s a little secret, if blue cheese is too strong for you, you can actually make this with crumbled feta for a more mild dressing that is still wonderfully creamy and cheesy. Dip everything in this including hot wings.

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Old painting, new look!
 

 Neighborhood Spring Flowers.

                                                            HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY
 

 It's about time for daffodils!

 Happy Valentine Day

 Thought I could bring Spring along a little faster if I painted a pic of tulips.

 I have way too much time on my hands!!