This amicable beaver didn't mind our comings and goings on the dock at all as he sat on a submerged rock munching on his lunch only a few feet away. Besides the great fishing, Canada is a splendid place to view wildlife. This animal drawing which I am rendering in Pastels is from a photo I snapped just coming in to the pier off the shores of the resort, down from the cabin where we stayed. I've a stash of photos from a variety of little journeys we've taken that I can work from. Sometimes it's … [Read more...] about Pastels, and Pastels on Mi Teintes
Pets
Pets, who needs 'em. A lot of people would say they do. They'd tell you that they enrich their lives. I've never been much of a pet person, but growing up on a farm I definitely have a love for animals. Did we have pets on the farm? Hm, some may have considered them so, but each creature on the farm had it's purpose and expectation. Some creatures are just not meant to be pets. A fact I came to understand at a very early age. Throughout my time growing up on the farm we had a wide variety of … [Read more...] about Pets
Victory Chimes
The whispers of a misty morning was not wasted on those who huddled on the deck to catch a glimpse of wildlife or perhaps another sailing ship. Nothing could draw our attention away from the serenity and beauty that was visible from every vantage point on the majestic Victory Chimes. Well, okay, maybe the smell of the fresh brewed coffee and some delightful treat that was brought up on deck to entice us to linger longer in that experience of a life time. My husband and I took a sail on the … [Read more...] about Victory Chimes
Sarah as a Sketch
Often when I'm driving, working in the garden, or perhaps out for a run an idea will come to me. It may be a phrase that I might include in a manuscript or a thought about how I could construct a figure or painting. It's too diffucult to carry a sketch book with you at every moment, so often I need to put something down on paper from memory. You can lose some of the flavor from the moment of inspiration, but it is still best to record what you recall. Sketch (drawing) is not only the perfect … [Read more...] about Sarah as a Sketch
Gardening
Gardening for me has always been not only both a joy and drudgery, but a way of life.On my parents small farm, with eleven mouths to feed, we desparately needed to grow our own food. But there was great joy and satisfaction to the task. The garden was where I learned the uniqueness of each vegetable and weed, and my mother and elder brothers and sisters found unique ways to keep me and my younger brothers and sister engaged in the garden activities. We made forts out of the piles of weeds, … [Read more...] about Gardening