July 7th, 2007


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I love Ship's Company Theatre.  It's wonderful and professional.  Some of the best most creative theatre that I've ever seen has been on the old ship, in Parrsboro, 45 minutes from home.

Last night Jim and I attended the opening of "Share".  The play was funny and extremely well acted.  This year, I also admit to being a very proud Moma since my youngest, Yolande, painted much of the set and during the play,  she is the behind the scene hurricane that makes the walls sway.

Ship's Company Theatre continues to enrich my life and makes me proud to be a part of this area's cultural community.

Jul 14, 2007 at 4:19 PM

July 6th, 2007


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I had a doctor's appointment in Halifax in the afternoon of Thursday which was yesterday.   Laurie and I decided to make it fun and we left at 8 AM on Wednesday.  What a wonderful toddle we had.  We arrived in Chester, on Nova Scotia's south shore just in time for coffee and a delicious rhubarb tart. Then we checked out the houses, the flowers and the galleries.

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Onward to Lunenburg where we checked into our accommodations and then went to my favourite restaurant for lunch. Magnolia's.  I had Alma's Tunisian Vegetable stew- and it was great as always.  After lunch we spent several hours wandering around Blue Rocks taking photographs The Old Black Smith Shop Gallery in Lunenburg represents me so we had a little visit there and I was pleased to see that I have a lovely bunch of paintings on display.  Then we happened across a wonderful photography gallery.  Besides feeling inspired and a humble that I call myself a photographer,   Laurie and I picked up allot of ideas of stuff we can try with our new printer.

After a quick rest and a relax in the hot tube at our motel, we headed back into the heart of Lunenburg for more photography and supper.  Although there were many restaurants to choose from we ended up back at Magnolia's and had another fabulous meal.  This time, I had mussels and pasta with wine, garlic and parmesan cheese. We were still taking photos after dark.

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Yesterday we were up bright and early and headed into Mahone Bay for a morning of eating and gallery going.  (it was raining so the photography wasn't great but we manage to still get some shots)  I popped my head into the Lahave Bakery of Mahone Bay and the asked where we should have breakfast.  She recommended a second had bookshop and cafe and it was the absolutely perfect.  Despite the drizzle we drank our coffee outside under the grapes and enjoyed a muffin and a biscuit to die for.  Food being important on this trip we popped back into Lahave Bakery and got more recommendations from the baker.

The most Amazing Chocolate brownie and fresh tomato soup as good as the best I've had in Spain was recommended and also then enjoyed at the Kiwi Cafe in Chester.

One highlight of the trip for me was our visit to Suttles and Seawinds. They sell wonder fabric in lots of patterns and colours for quilt making. I was looking for some interesting fabric to make cushions for my painted rocking chairs which are almost finished.
 
 
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Luckily I was wearing the same sandals that I was wearing when I painted the chairs.  There was enough splatter on the shoes to match up the colours!

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Jul 14, 2007 at 3:57 PM

June 25th, 2007

Joy and Yolanda

Here's the Finished Painting


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Yolande took me on a splendid picnic today at Partridge Island, one of my favourite places.

                                   Yolande and Joy discover new view of Partridge Islandem

Not only was the picnic delicious, it was also very healthy.

Then she gave a tour of her scenic painting done for the set of Ship's Company Theatre.  It was amazing.  A huge stage of plywood had been painted to look exactly like old worn weathered pine boards.  She also had a big pile of old beams (which she easily lifted with one hand because she had made them out of ply wood and they were hollow.  Most amusing were the set of scuba tanks made with cardboard, styrafoam, plumbing supplies and candy thermometers.

Before I left on the picnic, I painted in our back yard.
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Jul 14, 2007 at 3:37 PM

June 23, 2007

Vasili and Us


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I'm having a marvellous day off today. Jim and I went into town for breakfast and then to Searles Nursery to pick up Vasili, our Russian Olive tree. Vasili was a wedding present from Shawna and Annie, two of my high school friends who still are very important in my life. Vasili is named after my Grandfather Snihur who hailed from the Ukraine. We thought it was close enough to Russian. My family never knew that my grandfather's name was Vasili, but rather they thought it was Wesley and Wesley is on his tomb stone-- Also my Dad was named after him. My grandfather was always called Bill and my Dad was called little Billy. When he met my Mom she said if your name is Wes why do people call you Bill. He said he had no idea why and she called Wes ever after. My sister was doing research on line after everyone was dead and solved the mystery. Vasili is William in Ukrainian hence the Bill and doesn't Wesley sound allot more like Vasili than William sounds like Vasili. Anyways Vaisili, our Vasili is twice as big as he was supposed to be so we shall have to dig a humungeous hole for him. We also bought him two feed bags of goat manure that is sure to help him settle in. 


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Then on the way home with Vasili hanging out the back of the truck, I saw a marvelous rocking chair like the one I love to paint for sale in front of the Antique Shop in Great Village. Well back I went and although I didn't end up buying the rocking chair out front, I did buy two other old ones that I will paint up red and green and put on stripped cushions. I suspect that they will be in lots of future paintings.


 

Jul 6, 2007 at 7:18 PM

July 3rd 2007


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Yesterday I headed over to Fox Harbour to be part of the Artist's Day at Fox Harbour. The sky was spectacular, filled with thunder clouds, and I was wondering if I should have stayed safely at home. The first painting was done from the little golf cart because it was raining!!! Thank goodness for the roofs on golf carts.

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After the first painting was finished, I pursued the entire golf course and came across this little stream and rock bridge, framed with roses and foliage.

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Then the day was winding down and I thought maybe I should actually consider doing a painting of the golf course. The sand traps framed with the intense greens against an intensely blue sky filled with clouds called out to be painted.

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Jul 6, 2007 at 7:11 PM

June 22, 2007

irisAndlupinsketch

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Got up this morning and it's pouring rain. I have two paintings that I want to finish (one of kids polywogging- full sheet and coming along nicely and one of my favourite porch started on location this week) But I looked out the bedroom window and the purple lupins are out by the pond and the yellow iris are blooming in the pond, yellow pansies in front and yellow finches overhead. waterfall with mauvy rocks in the distance. The idea appeals to me to try to pull the entire feeling together, close up in a loose wet on wet approach. As an artist, I think it's essencial to pay attention to ideas when they float by.


 

 

Jul 6, 2007 at 7:11 PM