Animals everywhere

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Hi Wombats,
Thanks for all of your messages and your great questions I think Lou asked about whether I've seen any kangaroos here and I have to say no because there aren't any kangaroos in America. But you know - everyone here asks me about kangaroos and if you have to be in the outback to see them. Cooper asked whether I have seen any other animals. What a great question Cooper!

Just tonight I saw a chipmunk for the first time ever. I took a little video of it, as it hopped around the verandah eating. I asked my friend if it was eating the leaves. She said they were seed pods and the chipmunks fill their cheeks really full with seeds and seed pods and then eat it later. My new American friends couldn't understand why I was so excited as they have lots and lots of chipmunks all the time. I took a little video that I will share and you can hear my friend say one of the ladies said she has 10 hundred chipmunks at her lake house! Can you believe that?

I also saw a squirrel and got a photo of it in the tree, but you will have to use your best eyesight to see it.

The other very special animal I saw for the first time today was hummingbirds. I wasn't quick enough to get a photo, but when I was sitting on Sharon's verandah two hummingbirds swooped just past my head and they made a beautiful noise as they past my ear. Their wings flap so fast that they make a humming noise.

Today we painted outside and Keiko first showed us how she would paint outdoors. We picked a shady spot under a tree and then she painted the grain elevator that I already showed you some pictures of, but she moved some things around to make it a better painting. She added a man wearing overalls and an extra car and changed where the road goes. We all enjoyed watching her paint, as she is very quick compared to us, especially at drawing. I think it is because she paints and draws pretty much every single day. It is her job to paint and to teach painting with watercolour.

Symi asked 'is it pretty in America?' Where I am staying Symi is so pretty it takes my breath away. There are lots of farms here and the grass is very green. Everywhere I turn there is a lake. I will share some photos of Sharon's very special garden full of interesting things to attract the birds and animals, and of the lake - Otter Tail Lake where her house is located. Why do you think it is called Otter Tail lake? You guessed it - it is shaped like an Otter's Tail. I haven't been lucky enough to see an otter yet. They are a bit shy, like our platypus', and live in the water too.

Macey asked what I am going to do tomorrow - bet you can guess that I am going to paint! It is my last day painting here in Battle Lake, so tomorrow night I will go to stay with another lady called Nadine who lives in a town 1&1/2 hours drive away. From there I will get a bus for 3 hours, a plane for 1&1/2 hours and then drive for another hour to get to my next painting workshop. It will be a lot of exciting travelling on Saturday.

Catch up with you soon.
Thanks for the messages!
Cheryl

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Photos

Tonal study.
This helped me see that I drew my people too small, and that I should just put three lights next time, and make them softer. Tonal studies are great for helping work out some issues before the colour painting. Usually a tonal painting would be much smaller in size to be completed quickly with less detail.

Some of the ladies in my class
Sharon, whose house we are at is sitting on the verandah next to me.

Last minute painting.
At 9pm it was still light so I ducked out to paint the lake behind my motel room.