We are about a 40-minute drive to our nearest grocery decent grocery store. The trip takes us over the Blue Ridge and into a valley which runs between to mountain ridges and is quite rural. You never know what you will find there.

Across from a park called Sherando Lake there is a lone fireplace that stands where a house once was. Several months ago someone parked a bus next to the fireplace and it’s been there every since. I don’t know if someone is living in it or it is just parked there. There is an electric hook up where the house used to be, so in theory it has power.

This of course is not just any bus, it’s a rather well used bus with “Playboy” written on the sign in front. I’m sure it’s seen some wild times, or perhaps the owner wishes it had seen some wild times. Either way, I see it as local color and I’ve wanted to paint it ever since it arrived. This week I did, from a photo I took last summer. I am including the reference photo first, just so you believe I’m not making this up.

And here is my artist rendition. It is watercolor, ink and gel pen. It was a stretch. Doing the bus was definitely out of my comfort zone, but very good for me. I’m happy with the result. Hopefully it will hang in the next Trillium Gallery show of local artists’ work.

I also did this little ditty of a driveway I see along one of my walks. The sun shines on the rocks through the leaves of the trees and makes for a pretty scene. I didn’t really do it justice. It is all watercolor. I started it sort of as a spontaneous painting with an end result in mind.

I am continuing to paint through my health crisis. It helps keep me sane. In the March-April time frame I will spend some time in the hospital and recuperating in Charlottesville. I will take sketchbooks and travel supplies and hope to paint my moods. I will be quite sick, but I think I will need the distraction.