Asparagus season and new paintings

I’ve been eating asparagus out of my garden for the month of April – delectable sauteéd with garlic in risottos or with pasta in my homegrown tomato sauce. A real spring treat. And now the strawberries are coming on, my last frozen stash lasted through March. The collards and radicchio over wintered under the heavy snows of last winter, and I have baby lettuces that finally germinated from my late July planting.

The blueberry bushes and the two apple trees are covered with tiny fruits. The Dutchess apple didn’t produce at all last year, so I’m pleased that she’s come back. I’m not sure much can kill the Liberty, it is an incredibly hardy tree. I’m going to spray for the first time with a fungicide, since the cedar rust and scab has been so bad for the 4 years of their young lives… I’m hoping it will help with the trees’ overall health. Eating ugly apples takes some getting used to, but the fruit is still tastier than what you can buy in the store. 

I tried a few acrylic paintings last week and the drying time is impressive compared to oils. As in an hour instead of up to twenty years. But there are drawbacks. Luminosity is one. These are in progress, just one session at this point.