Blog

Since you last read this blog, I've been a few places and they've all been fantastic. Time for painting? I hardly think so--but I've gathered lots of reference photos and will be spending the next few weeks tucked away at our new place in Summerland so might get brush and paint to paper there. I've sold quite a few paintings over the last 3 weeks, too, and since my 2012 calendars have just arrived it's time to get the word out about them in case I want to re-order.

Here's the March page, for an idea of what they look like on someone's desk--maybe yours? They're $12.50, or buy 10 get one free (and I'll throw in the postage for 11). Every year people come back for more--they make great gifts and fold down flat and small so they are easy to mail, for just a bit more than a regular envelope would cost. There are 13 paintings in total, one for every month and a cover page too. This year I've paid attention to include a variety of work including watercolour, ink and watercolour, florals, landscapes, and Canadian and Australian scenes. I've also got Canadian, Australian, and US holidays marked, as well as a few from the UK and France--to help with the global theme of my life!

I'll just post a few more photos from my travels of the last 2 weeks so you can get an idea of what I've been up to. Unfortunately the first week, in Alberta (Seba Beach, near Edmonton) and the Canadian Rockies including a fantastic day of hiking on the Iceline Trail at Field, I was without a camera. (Can you believe it? The most beautiful scenery in the world and I forgot my camera!) Had to rely on family to fill in the gap--which they did--but all the photos are on facebook so far!

After that it was off to cruise the Inside Passage to Alaska. Even more stunning scenery, along with whales, glaciers calving, incredible food (my training for Mount Kilamanjero took a beating!)

Here's how the cruise started:

I think there's some fodder for painting here!

Then we cruised into Tracy Arm, en route to Juneau Alaska

The icebergs were amazing, as were the steep walls of the fjord and the waterfalls running off the sides. This is my littlest niece on deck about 8 am, enjoying the hot chocolate between pointing at icebergs!

The piece de resistance was Glacier Bay and seeing a 19 storey iceberg calving right in front of us. It wasn't on my bucket list, but if I'd have known how spectacular it was it would have been there. Anyway, it's crossed off now!

Along the way we saw orcas, humpback whales all over the place, seals, sea lions, and bears. We got withing 10 feet of one at Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Centre (along with about 30 other people) as they were feeding on salmon along a stream below a walkway we were safely on.

Well, that's all I have time for tonight--I've unpacked, washed laundry, and have to repack for the next few weeks of retreat. I'll probably see you later in the month, or early September. Maybe my life will get back to a quieter pace then?