Chatham, Massachusetts, United States

9x12 oil on linen

It rained a bit while I was in Chatham this past June... it rained and it rained! I did get a few days of sun tho and it was such a pretty place to paint. Reminded me so much of Nova Scotia and living in Halifax. Made me miss living there. I discovered this amazing pizza place a few blocks away that made these clay oven baked Margeritta Pizzas and a wine shop where I bought this awesome bottle of pinot nior. I was set! I was staying in this B&B called the Queen Anne Inn. Was such a nice place with amazing service - they treated me like royalty and I felt like a queen being served warm banana bread and tea after I came back all wet from the rain - they started my fire for me. I was so content enjoying the fire after painting for a bit.

Queen Anne Inn 9x12 oil on birch

I struck a deal with the inn keeper lady to trade this painting of the Queen Anne for a healthy discount on my room. I had the nicest room in the house. I happily left the painting behind, having the most wonderful stay. I will always think about how fun it was to be cozied up in my room full of neat old antique furniture and how at home I felt there. I will be back!

It started raining before I could finish this one!

Chester Lake - Elephant Rocks - Kananaskis, AB

Elephant Rocks - 9"x12" oil on birch

The summer goes by so quickly... A few weeks ago in mid July I got to go on this awesome hike near Chester Lake. I was with this crazy mountain hiking friend of mine who scrambles mountains as a hobby. Such a beautiful view of the mountains off in the distance. Was a 7km hike to get in here but so worth it. Although there were big patches of ground that had recently been dug up by the grizzly bears looking for plant blubs or truffles to eat just meters away from where I was sitting (yikes!)...

 

It was such a spectacularly weird place with all the rock piles poking up from the earth - so precisely arranged and stacked. I obsessively kept my bear spray handy and my blue tooth speaker playing the tunes. I was alone sitting there for about 4 hours so was really hoping that the bears were well fed that day!

Please Mr. Bear ... not me!

Rockbound Lake, Banff, AB

9x12 Oil on Linen Panel - I love my little paint box!

The spectacular view after a 10K hike - amazing!

Happiness...

A few days ago I was hanging out on the side of a mountain in a grassy meadow after my first amazing scramble. The wind would blow in bouts, I would have to put up my hood at times so my hat wouldn't blow off the side of the cliff... but then minutes later is was as calm as still as could be. During one of the still moments, not a breath of wind. I took a moment to just take it all in and decided to have a granola bar. As I was eating, I was joined by a few little marmots. They were so cute and had shiny little eyes, tiny little hands and pretty coloring on their furry coats - black racing stripes down their backs. They could move fast too! About as big as a small squirrel but with smaller and less bushy tails.

I set out 3 little pieces of the granola bar close enough that I could see them clearly, but far enough away that they might come join me for dinner. Only one was brave enough. The little guy came over,  he seemed unafraid and hopeful that what I put out was actually food. He picked it up with his tiny paw and smelled it. He started to chew on it and looked pleased. I could hear him chewing. We looked at each other carefully. I loved making eye contact with this little creature. We knew each other as friends for only for few seconds, feasting on our granola and all the beauty around us.