Christmas Gifts

Every year I promise myself I will do paintings for those I give presents to and every year I fail.  Oh, I have given some paintings out as presents, just not to everyone on my list - which would be a real joy for me (but about 5x more expensive to mail!).  So, another year of failure.

I have been fighting to even have three hours in the past month to work on this year's Christmas card!  Last night, I finally got those three hours and about 90% of the layout is now complete.  This year's image is of the Baptist Church in South Fork, Colorado.  It is a very pretty exterior, clean lines with just a hint of southwestern flavor.  I am making it with a winter scene to make it more seasonal.

I was down that way in 2005 with my kids.  The Lord had laid on my heart that this was the last year we would be together, so we traveled to Colorado and each of the kids got to try new experiences - horseback riding, packing, fly fishing for trout, sneaking through the woods looking for bears - you know all of the fun things of the youthful years.  And then there was South Fork.  One decent restaurant and Swiss at that (the owner came out when he heard someone ordering in correct German for his dishes, such fun)!  A grocery store and a church, well and the little strip mall full of tourist tee shirts.  So, I snapped some pictures of the church, a rock, back side of a moose, yeah not exactly a mecca for photography.

And I was glad I had heeded that warning because within months my eldest daughter would be gone in a spat over whether or not a 17 year old should even be around a 23 year old male.  It was the last of the family outings, well other than the move here.  And I should add that my first son-in-law has done well by me and my eldest daughter, and I have told him that - so he is not so afraid of me any longer.  LOL!

Well, time to mosey and see if I can get that drawing complete so I can start painting tomorrow!