Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone and all the best for the coming year!

I went to get some rosemary from the garden for the rack of lamb I'm preparing...seemed very provençale and in keeping with our upcoming trip to the south of France...and lo and behold a part of it was blooming! Rosemary blooming in the garden seems like a very good way to start this new year.

Floor mats

Finishing off a couple of floor mats I had started a while ago before I begin a commission I have for two floor mats. One is on canvas and the other an experiment with linoleum since I found the mats I walked on quite a bit weren't really standing up. Using linoleum is becoming quite popular.

I was obsessing over doing these sunflowers but Carole mentioned her four year old grandson wouldn't have any part of sketching out a design with her recently and just "went at it:" with the paintbrush. So I took a page from young Dennis' book and did the same...just splat it out. I must do this more often!



"Sunflowers"
22 x 28 acrylic on linoleum
Dec/04




"Vancouver Harbour"
22 x 28 acrylic on canvas
Dec/04

Vancouver Harbour 2

Here's a painting I did of the other side of Vancouver Harbour - Kitsilano Beach and English Bay



Vancouver Harbour
22 x 28 acrylic on canvas
Dec/l4

Merry Christmas!

I would like to wish everyone who reads this weblog a very Merry Christmas and all the best for the New Year! And a special Merry Christmas to Monique and her family in Annecy, France.



P.S. Plaid stockings bought in the Highlands and Richard's running shoe stocking which we bought in Whistler on a pre-Christmas ski trip with the Curlings.




A scene from the Alpes around Annecy.

Christmas collection

A nativity scene from Mexico, bought in Guadalajara.




These aren't really Christmas ornaments but I always make them part of my Christmas display.
They are little dolls I bought in Chaing Mai, Thailand.




And I love these little "Scotties" that belonged to my mother-in-law who was born in Scotland.

The last of the masks

These are rather colourful for the Xmas season.

If you come down to the woods today...

The last of the bears.


Huck Finn


I AM CANADIAN!


Group photo

Bear with me

Some more of these fabulous bears!


Another golfer


Mini car driver


This one had "bear" slippers!

New Christmas Ornaments

When we travel we try to pick up the odd thing that can serve as a Christmas ornament. Every year it's really fun to take these out and remember our travels...it helps counter balance the frustration of untangling the lights!


Lobster from Maine, doll from Latvia, boot from Texas


Big Ben from the Houses of Parliament, London.


The Last Supper from San Antonio, Texas.


And a couple from Victoria that captured my fancy.

Bears, bears, bears

Aren't these bears terrific? I'll be posting more over the Xmas season. It's a fundraiser for Queen Alexandra's Hospital. Businesses dress a bear and people make bids. They are displayed in the lobby of the Grand Pacific Hotel in Victoria. Take a look if you're by that way and make a donation and vote for "people's choice". I voted for the golfer!

All my favourite things in Vancouver Harbour

I had fun doing this painting although I'm not sure I like all the detail...even though I enjoyed painting all these things in.



Vancouver Harbour
22" x 28" acrylic on canvas
Dec/04

Lucky Elephants!

Aren't these the most amazing Christmas ornaments? I just adore them...for the colours and also because I love elephants and will never forget the wonderful experience of nuzzling up to one when I was in Thailand.

Thanks, Mary...what a perfect gift!

More campaniles

I never get tired of these wrought iron bell towers. Here's a few more plus a painting I did I call "Imaginary Campaniles".








"Imaginary Campaniles"
11 x 14 acrylic on paper
Painted in Carqueiranne, 2003

Blurry lines from across the border

This is a post I enjoyed from Wally Hunter, a friend of my son's who is Canadian, but working and living in the US.

November 21, 2004

Blurry lines.
I'm slowly moving into a point of acceptance. although i go back and forth into denial, but for the most part i'm bouncing back, i'm still trying to get a grasp on the lines in this country, its seems christianity is the key to everything, since i've never been exposed to much of that, i'm a bit in cold getting a grasp on this morality for example abortion appears not to be christian while execution is, being poor is your own fault, while maintaining and enhancing wealth is a government service and a sacred right, we can't always say what we want but we can always by a gun, i'm still trying to find that new bible that they use here and am looking forward to learning about this patron saint of Darwin who was wrong human history but right on social order. so the task for the next while is to learn the other side. hopefully, i wont be corrupted.

Humbug!

I must say that day after day of opening my beloved newspaper to be greeted by this makes me not even want to go shopping....

Bunnies at Uvic

There are sooo many bunnies at Uvic and they are so friendly...I could barely get a picture of these because they kept running towards me!

The 6th hole at The Ridge

I really love playing this hole because it's fun to try to hit the green with all the water and the sand trap plus it's a great view. And amazingly, one of our group got a hole in one here! This is a painting I did of the hole.



The Ridge 6th Hole
11 x 14 acrylic on paper

Boo!

More of these wonderful masks...I just love them!

and even more children's art!

Jesusland

This map is circulating the Internet these days along with a lot of talk of the "blue states" and "succession". So much for the myth of everyone pulling together regardless of who wins US elections. It really is two countries...but then, a lot of countries are like that. This rift might help the US to understand diversity a little more. About time to give up on the melting pot idea.

Luciano's Restaurant

I haven't tried this yet but it is getting rave reviews and Don and Elaine say it's great. It's at the bottom of Yates Street and I took a look at their menu. What attracted my eye was "Meatball Monday" which is a three course dinner for $25 a couple. Sounds like a pretty good deal...a brushetta with gorganzola, salad with salami, then spag and meatballs.

Lac d'Annecy

When I was looking for a photo of Lac d'Annecy for a previous post I came upon the website for Annecy and I really loved the photo of the lake, mountains, and sailboats that was on the introductory page so did a couple of paintings with that theme. I think I was especially attracted to this photo because while it is Lac d'Annecy it could also be the view of our own Pacific Ocean with the Olympics in the background.



"Lac d'Annecy" 11" x 14" acrylic on paper
Gift for Jacqueline and Roger




"Lac d'Annecy" 16" x 20" acrylic on canvas
Gift for Monique

a sandwich, a fishstick...an ice-bucket!

News items:

An online casino company forked over $28,000 US Wednesday on eBay to the owner of a 10-year-old, partially eaten cheese sandwich thought to be embedded with the image of the Virgin Mary.

Ontario man sees profit in Jesus-like fish stick. Unlike the decade-old grilled cheese which has a bite taken out of it, the fish stick is intact, without a smidgen eaten.

And now the ICE BUCKET WITH A JOAN OF ARC IMAGE!!!

We bought this ice-bucket in France at a flea market a couple of years ago and have been fascinated ever since by the image of Joan of Arc! Please compare the smudge mark on the white waiter image and the Joan of Arc drawing and you will see the resemblance immediately!

Faithful readers of this blog can bid before it is auctioned off on eBay! Make your bids now!!!


Drawing of Joan of Arc


Joan of Arc image on ice-bucket

Masks in close up 2

These always brighten my day!

Campaniles

A few more of these wonderful bell towers

more children's art

Seems like a good day to post some of this colourful art to counter the miserable rain.