April Moon Enid OK

April Moon-Enid, OK__8x10 oil on linen___for exhibit Passing America: the Great Plains

Last week out on the plains we ended up staying in Enid, Oklahoma...twice! Our first day out, we got there just after sunset, and I sketched this quickly...my last "drive-by" painting of the day. I had already put up my paints for the day, but when I saw the sliver of a new April moon, I could not resist!

So, WHY did we stay in Enid twice?? Usually I like to take a different route on the way home, but  when we left Enid the next morning we left a bunch of our stuff in the room, so we sort of HAD to go back for it....oops

Good Morning Enid

Next Morning-Enid___8x10 oil___available for Passing America: the Great Plains

We left Enid at sunrise the next morning and I caught this glimpse down the street near our hotel....painted it mostly from memory....my Impression...Barbara kept noticing the red bud trees in bloom, so I noticed and I made sure to include a few in this scene.

I got some interesting comments from the blog, the Group-mail and facebook about yesterday's post on Enid. I was told that it was called a gathering place of "bad luck"....from before the civil war and the Trail of Tears to the dust bowl, Bonnie and Clyde, to train wrecks and tornadoes and locusts and wildfires on the prairie to A.D Greer and to being the "Bastard gateway" between 5 desserts,Texas,Oklahoma,Colorado,New Mexico and Kansas......that's a pretty lowly title to have.....and yet they have an orchid club there.! A good friend LOVED Enid, despite these things because her mom was born and raised there! ANYTHING having to do with "mom" HAS to be good!...and I have learned that there is something beautiful in EVERY place!

I chose this route through Enid, because it is along the Meridian Highway, US 81...more on that, later