Southern Pines Magnolia

On A Low Branch, 6 x 6 " oil on archival panel, ©2013, Fay Terry

$100

This is one of the flowers I photographed the other day in Southern Pines.  The railroad tracks run in the center of the main street so each side has one way traffic and a wide middle area of beautiful plantings of Magnolia trees, Azaleas, and other flowers.  The trees are very old and tall but fortunately still have most of their low branches so flowers dangle where they are easy to see and enjoy.

My husband loves these so we have six or seven Magnolia trees in our yard, too.

Today's Magnolia

Today's Magnolia

Driving home from dinner in Raleigh last night, I jokingly told my husband that

I ought to go ahead and pick a magnolia now so I can get an early start painting in the 

morning.  Next thing I knew he pulled over beside a huge magnolia tree and asked me if I needed the flashlight.  I should know by now not to say anything like that unless I mean it.

I did get a large flower that was fully opened up and had fun painting it first thing this morning!

6 x 6 in. oil on museum quality panel

Tulip Tree Flowers

Tulip Tree Flowers

Bill and I were walking the trail around the reservoir yesterday

and lots of these beautiful flowers had fallen from the Tulip Poplars. I brought a few

home so I could paint them.  Their fragrance is very sweet, a little like a magnolia, and come

to find out-the tree is not really a poplar at all.  It's a member of the magnolia family.

They attract all kinds of birds, and the squirrels like them too. Hummingbirds also love the nectar from these flowers.  I'm just glad they were on the ground--I woulda hated to ask Bill to climb

that 30 foot tree.

6 x6 in. oil painting