Sunday, April 30, 2006

Latest Artwork


"Mimosas along the road to St. Tropez"
22 x 30 acrylic on linoleum mat
April/06

Saturday, April 29, 2006

Telegraph newspaper online

I always enjoy looking at the "Pictures" of the day or week on the Telegraph as they mount photos from around the world. For example today there is a photo of a sumo wrestler holding a baby during a baby-crying contest in Tokyo...think I would be crying if this fellow grabbed hold of me!

Telegraph newspaper online

Friday, April 28, 2006

More furry logic...



I forget what the caption for this was. I lent my book out so make up your own!

(It might be "When you make a mistake...keep your mouth shut")

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Inhabitat

I continue to be very attracted to innovative compact living spaces. This site has lots of interesting links. This link was a "Prefab Friday" entry and features a Toronto architecture firm making prefab cabins for lakefronts.

Inhabitat

Monday, April 24, 2006

Itty Bitty Book Review: The Ice Age & The Wars

"The Ice Age" by Margaret Drabble

This was written in 1977 and is one of her best I think. I had read it before and it seems still very appropriate for current times only we haven't hit the crash just yet of once again inflated property prices, over consumption, etc. The more things change the more they seem the same...

"The Wars" by Timothy Findley

This was also written in 1977 (a good year for many things...Richard was born in '77!) and I read it when it came out. Both are bookclub choices hence the re-reading. This novel left a strong impression on me at the time and it hasn't lost any of its power. Wow...what amazing writing and a wonderful depiction of the horror of WW I.

Saturday, April 22, 2006

Friday, April 21, 2006

Crofton and the ferry to Saltspring

We really look forward to seeing Crofton when we take the ferry to Saltspring. We enjoy the drive up as well as we are always going to Sidney it seems so makes for a change.



Ferry to Saltspring



The dock at Crofton



Crofton's new seawalk

Thursday, April 20, 2006

San Jacinto Mountains: Third attempt

I wasn't going to try this again but just had to have one last try before I move on to other things for a while. The idea was to do wild desert flowers in front but that just didn't work out. Ah well...the golf course is authentic. I did have a row of palm trees but cut those out as it seemed overly busy.



“San Jacinto Mountouns & Golf Course”
acrylic on canvas
12 x 24
April/06

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Itty Bitty Book Review: Burros and Paintbrushes

I found this very charming book by Everett Gee Jackson in a very neat bookstore in Santa Barbara. He spent around 3 years (1923-1926) in his youth painting in Mexico in places like Chapala, Guanajuato, Ajijic and Mexico City. These places are certainly very changed now and it was interesting to read about his adventures at this time. I was also very attracted by his artwork.


Street in Ajijic



Women with Cactus



The Charcoal Burners

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Monday, April 17, 2006

Dame Muriel Spark: Author

I see Mureil Spark passed away at the age of 88 in Tuscany where she had been living for about 30 years. I enjoyed pretty much everything she wrote, particularly "The Girls of Slender Means", "Mememto Mori", "The Mandelbaum Gate", and of course, "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie"...who will ever forget Maggie Smith playing the school mistress!

I see in the obit that she produced respected biographical and critical work about the Bronte family. Also that "The Girls..." drew on her experience as a young woman struggling to make ends meet while writing in London. Apparently she was almost starving until novelist Graham Greene gave her a monthy allowance and some wine on condition she did not thank him or pray for him.

BTW, Jim's edition of Graham Greene's "No Man's Land" has been published and is available in bookstores and the library has two copies. This is a story which was written to be made into a film but never was. It has been published but buried in an obscure anthology of Greene filmscripts. The edition also includes another very interesting story called "The Stranger's Hand". Worth a look for Graham Greene fans and David Lodge fans as he did the forward to the edition.

Saturday, April 15, 2006

Good Friday on Saltspring

We had a super day on Saltspring being treated to one of Carole's famous lunches and a special bonus seeing John's photography show "Landscape Amnesia" at the Galleons Lap Gallery. Some of the images are displayed on the gallery's website.
: : Galleons Lap : :

The photos are beautifully done and it was very impressive to see them all together displayed in the Gallery. Congratulations, John!

Not everyone will be attracted to these photographs as they make a very strong statement about development on Saltspring Island (although John does still insist he is just documenting what is happening...) and consist mainly of the Channel Ridge development around Vesuvius.

Now what is interesting about this development is that it boasted about having loads of environmentally friendly features and the first thing they do is cut down all the trees!



John having a little joke while I try to take a photo.



Out of hiding finally...


John has also photographed a lot of the traditional beauty of Saltspring and the original idea of the show was to have these photographs side by side but in the end there wasn't room. So I took this shot of the clear cut photos juxtaposed with the idyllic beauty of Saltspring out the gallery window.




A few more shots of Galleons Lap...I loved the primary colours.



Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Over 100 varieties of daffodils

I always admire the wonderful display of flowers especially in daffodil season on this property by Campus View Elementary School. When I stopped by this time to buy a couple of bunches one of the owners was there and told me they had over 100 varieties of daffodils.

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

San Jacinto Mountains: Second attempt

Still working away at this...will take a while I think!



"San Jacinto Mountains with Palms and Skirt Palms"
16 x 20 acrylic on canvas
April/06

Monday, April 10, 2006

Butchart's

I decided to get a pass for Butchart's Gardens this year so Annette and I went out yesterday. Seems crazy to have this wonderful resource at our doorstep and not take full advantage of it. Always seem to be focusing on trees these days.









Sunday, April 09, 2006

Abby...the neighbourhood cat

I was at my computer and saw Abby next to our stone "sleeping cat" looking out for birds. I guess our sundeck is a good perch for the trees nearby.




Abby is a very brazen cat and certainly wasn't bothered by seeing me. She took her time making sure she didn't want to pounce on a bird after all then stared me down!

Saturday, April 08, 2006

San Jacinto Mountains: First attempt

Well, I think this captures some of the spirit of these wonderful mountains. I'm currently finishing off another attempt and then will leave this subject for a while.



"San Jacinto Mountains with Palms"
11 x 14 acrylic on paper
April/06

Thursday, April 06, 2006

More furry logic...



I didn't crawl my way to the top of the food chain to eat roughage.

Monday, April 03, 2006

April 1, 2006 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

On the weekend Richard was lamenting how there seems to be fewer good April Fool's Day spoofs. Seems April Fools is alive and well. Check out wikipedia's entry for April 1 2006.

April 1, 2006 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sunday, April 02, 2006

Family Pool Sharks

We had a super visit with Richard this weekend and heard all about his new job which he is loving. On Sunday we went to Peacock's since I had never played there (or really anywhere in the past 25 years). Despite Richard trying to set up good shots for me and Jim giving me the opportunity to take shots again it was a dismal performance on my part. Hope I do better at golf when I start up again this week...!



Richard chalking his cue.




Jim lining up the perfect shot.