That's my neighborhood to the left of the big tree. My house is the eyebrow colonial more or less in the middle. The one with the intelligent dog in the yard. This is what a cool spring morning is like. There's a bit of woodsmoke coming from the chimneys. A lot of rain has fallen, turning things that special early green and the blossoms are beginning to bloom. Along with the woodsmoke is the scent of wild pink honeysuckle. The dogwood is especially showy. There's a breeze tossing the trees a bit. The Catskills have my back, the sky above is overcast and cloudy. Maybe there will be more rain.

To the right of the big tree is a spot that Maggie and I discovered while walking in the woods behind our house. We like to follow the deer paths and on one particular day we came to a spot with seven indentations in the dry fallen leaves. I knew what it was as soon as I saw it, the place where the deer sleep. The deer were gone, of course, but I've added them here. All sleeping peacefully. All but the one keeping watch.

The topsy-turvy arrangement of the houses and barns on the left surprised me but it is accurate. I wasn't sure about that crazy blue fence and didn't think it would survive the painting but there it is. It's only an invention but it grew on me.

This is a 16" x 12" acrylic painting on cradled birch board.
It's available here in my shop:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/295064831/original-acrylic-painting-one-morning?ref=shop_home_active_1

For free shipping on any order use coupon code HAPPY
Code expires on May 31.

To see work in progress on this painting take a look at my Instagram page:
https://www.instagram.com/nataliewargin/

I have these neighbors up the road who have a story that you can read just by looking at their property. The star of the story as I tell it is Chester, the 16 year old rescued Belgian Draft Horse. Chester is big and blonde and gentle. A handsome chap. Belgians are related to Clydesdales so that might give you an idea of Chester's size. He loves to lay in the mud or stand out in the rain or snow. I suppose if you had such an enormous body you might like to cool down when you get the opportunity. Chester has his own barn and a corral that are pretty much right on the road and he attracts attention. Hence the sign: "Please Don't Feed The Horse. Ask." I should say right now that I haven't manufactured anything that you see in the painting. I loved that brilliant sign the second I saw it. I took a picture and I'm glad I did because it's weathered and you can't really read it anymore.

The deer hanging from the tree is common during hunting season. I think the man who lives here is a pretty good hunter because every year there's a deer. One year there was a bear. And one year there was a coyote. Apparently the coyotes were eating the chickens. Although I've placed the tree in the background the actual "hanging tree" is on the road. Scared the daylights out of me the first morning I ran past and saw a dead deer hanging next to me.

The woman who lives here actually has three pigs. Pot bellied pigs that live in the house. I have met them and they are sweet and bristley. Here she is walking the largest.

The painting is an acrylic on birch board, 16" x 12", my largest to date.
This is also the first time I've added a person.
And I've given Chester a pink halo just to show how special I think he is.

The piece is available in my shop:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/263160806/original-painting-my-neighbors-with?ref=shop_home_active_1