17 Replies to “Stories”

  1. inkpaintwords – A feminist writer and artist with a penchant for all things French, living in Washington DC. My love of language led me, indirectly, to my pleasure in gardening, drawing and watercolor. It began with a book, a collection of New Yorker garden columns by Katherine White, wife of its founding editor E.B.White. Her enthusiastic appraisal of the literary merit of various garden catalogs led me to collect and keep her favorites as well as to hoard with them some more recently-emerged seed, bulb and seed catalogs. The beautiful catalogs inspired me to little by little turn our entire front lawn (our home had a wooded ravine close behind) into a garden. That grew into a lovely site with two simple arches, a gliding bench on a little sitting patio and modest slate paths winding through beds of shade lovers and whatever plants supposedly in need of full sun that I could manage to coax into colorful healthy bloom. A curiosity about color and color theory emerged as I became keenly interested in impressionist painters; that interest merged in some way with my urge to garden. I acquired more than one book about Monet’s garden and gardens of other impressionist painters, both French and American. One day I picked up a magazine for painters, and found inside an article about a painter I’d known. Among examples of her splendid watercolor paintings was her watercolor of her garden at that time. Suddenly I could think of nothing more exciting than painting my garden. I enrolled in her watercolor class in The Art League in Alexandria, VA. The influence that the collection of Katherine White’s columns about the literary merits of certain garden catalogs has had on my life has come full now. Ink, Paint & Words combines what has become an obsession with drawing and watercolor with my passion for language. Yes, I still garden. A table full of blooming potted plants sits on my apartment patio, backed by an ivy covered fence with park trees behind. My patio, and my larger environment of Washington DC, together provides wonderful vistas for drawing and painting. For a number of years annual trips to France gave me and my companions extravagantly colorful panoramas and charming tableaux for brush and pen. And yes, now I’ve painted in Monet’s gardens several times. But that, as they say, is another story.
    inkpaintwords says:

    Not just lovely, but so well observed and profoundly true.

    Reply
  2. inkpaintwords – A feminist writer and artist with a penchant for all things French, living in Washington DC. My love of language led me, indirectly, to my pleasure in gardening, drawing and watercolor. It began with a book, a collection of New Yorker garden columns by Katherine White, wife of its founding editor E.B.White. Her enthusiastic appraisal of the literary merit of various garden catalogs led me to collect and keep her favorites as well as to hoard with them some more recently-emerged seed, bulb and seed catalogs. The beautiful catalogs inspired me to little by little turn our entire front lawn (our home had a wooded ravine close behind) into a garden. That grew into a lovely site with two simple arches, a gliding bench on a little sitting patio and modest slate paths winding through beds of shade lovers and whatever plants supposedly in need of full sun that I could manage to coax into colorful healthy bloom. A curiosity about color and color theory emerged as I became keenly interested in impressionist painters; that interest merged in some way with my urge to garden. I acquired more than one book about Monet’s garden and gardens of other impressionist painters, both French and American. One day I picked up a magazine for painters, and found inside an article about a painter I’d known. Among examples of her splendid watercolor paintings was her watercolor of her garden at that time. Suddenly I could think of nothing more exciting than painting my garden. I enrolled in her watercolor class in The Art League in Alexandria, VA. The influence that the collection of Katherine White’s columns about the literary merits of certain garden catalogs has had on my life has come full now. Ink, Paint & Words combines what has become an obsession with drawing and watercolor with my passion for language. Yes, I still garden. A table full of blooming potted plants sits on my apartment patio, backed by an ivy covered fence with park trees behind. My patio, and my larger environment of Washington DC, together provides wonderful vistas for drawing and painting. For a number of years annual trips to France gave me and my companions extravagantly colorful panoramas and charming tableaux for brush and pen. And yes, now I’ve painted in Monet’s gardens several times. But that, as they say, is another story.
    inkpaintwords says:

    Dear Seedbud,

    As you know I love your work. I’d like to place you geographically. Where? I’m in the mid-Atlantic, Washington DC. You?

    I hope you’re planning a book!

    Marguerite

    Reply

    1. Marguerite, thank you so much for all your comments. It’s such a pleasure and so encouraging to read people’s impressions and reactions. I live in the “upper Valley” of New Hampshire with Vermont being just a stone’s throw away across the Connecticut river. I dream of making a book…now I just need to dream up a publisher!
      Very best to you,
      Seedbud

      Reply

    1. Jen, thanks so much for the nomination. I am really honored and delighted that maybe more people will find their way to Leaf and Twig. Because I like to keep the blog looking clean and simple I don’t do the process of ‘receiving’ awards. But that doesn’t mean I’m not thrilled to be nominated. Thanks for all your kind and encouraging words. BEST, Seedbud

      Reply

      1. That’s OK. I think I have nominated you before and it wont stop me nominating you again. I absolutely adore your blog and perhaps some of my community will discover you this way. I really wanted to share you, that is what it about for me so that is all about. Jen

  4. jensine – Dublin – I love all things colourful, funny and a little bit different. I have a passion for liquorice, tea and words...
    jensine says:

    lovely words and pic … really a little bit special

    Reply
  5. Fantelius – I'm an ancient philosopher, old writer and mature photographer. I try to contribute to the effort of turning the earth into a garden tended and enjoyed by a healthy humanity.
    Fantelius says:

    It’s nice to see a literate reader of life.

    Reply

  8. Many thanks for following my Blog. It is beautiful to recognise ones thoughts and observations resonating around the planet. Your words and images raise our respect for all the interwoven manifestations of life.

    Reply
  9. heavenhappens – Welcome to my life. You can share my grown up world here at http://heavenhappens.me where I blog my faith, my thoughts, my life, my travels, my photographs and my poetry. Growing up just after the war was a grim experience. So, now that I have 7 grandchildren, I am reclaiming my childhood by seeing the world anew through their eyes. Every minute I spend with them is magical. So this blog is for them ~ Ben, Rosie, Tiffany, Stanley, Thea, Mateo, and the youngest, Olivia! I hope, when they are all grown up, they will enjoy reading it and finding out about their grandma’s life, and know how very happy they made her. I hope you enjoy reading my posts, leave a comment or a link and I will get back to you. I’m sorry to say that my darling husband died of Covid on Good Friday 2020. Since then the wind has gone out of my sails and I’ve hardly written a thing. I will try to pick up my life and start writing again one day. But for now please enjoy exploring my life🕊️
    heavenhappens says:

    To me the grain of the wood seems like time rushing by while the leaf continues on its path through life. A beautiful post x

    Reply

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