Christmas in the Air

Tuesday was the last day for the year that my plein air group, PALS, met to paint. Our last location is always the Bayport Flower House. By this time of year it is usually too cold to be outside painting (unless you are in a mobile studio) so we happily paint the decorations inside. There is an entire large greenhouse filled with nothing but poinsettias in all different colors. There are so many choices for paintings. This year I selected this Christmas milk can filled with ferns, pinecones and big bells. Several of my paintings done here have been used for my annual Christmas card. Our last day there always fills us with the holiday spirit and spurs us on to get ready for our annual exhibit and sale.

 

Autumn View

 I'm still chasing the autumn leaves here on Long Island. I like when I can look down a street toward the bay and see different colors on each tree. This was painted on Academy Lane in Bellport.

Autumn Colors

The autumn colors here are slowly disappearing, so I'm trying to capture them when I see them. This was done locally. 

Cutchogue Library

Of course when I was out on the North Fork to do the farmhouse that I posted yesterday, I did more than one small painting in my concertina sketchbook. This is the Cutchogue New Suffolk Free Library. The original part of the library was actually a church at one time, but it was donated to the town for a library when the congregation returned to their original church. This section houses the children's section of the library. Attached is a beautiful more modern section. I'm attaching a photo of what it looks like together. It is beautiful inside and out. 

Farmhouse

 I did some work in my North Fork of Long Island concertina sketchbook last weekend. This was done out somewhere near Cutchogue. I liked the fenced area (to keep out the deer) near the house. I still have a few more pages to complete.

Street Construction

The other day I was riding around looking for some colorful trees in Bayport. Out of the corner of my eye I spied some activity going on...road work! Yay!! I went around the block so I could be facing what was going on and lucked out because it was a street that was really free of other cars parked, so I had a good view. Workers in yellow vests, a Komatsu digger, a truck with supplies, cones, a "road work ahead" sign and colorful autumn leaves...what a great cast of characters!

Buckley's

Buckley's is an Irish Pub along Main Street in Center Moriches. According to the window on the left it was the original home of the Long Island Hotel. I googled that but haven't come up with any information about it, so I don't know if it is true. It looks like a fun place and was colorful enough to capture my attention while I was driving by. Maybe I'll have to try it some time. I'm always looking for interesting looking places that are different. Too many places here in Suffolk County are in cookie-cutter mini malls and have no character on the outside.