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A walk in the woods, following the trails, avoiding the mosquitoes, well trying to avoid the mosquitoes on a bright spring morning...
Yesterday was such a day.
Scottsdale Farm was our chosen destination but our wanderings took us down o the Silvercreek trails (and back). It was one of those mornings that you want to walk in forever. Sunlight filtering through the tree's and just warm enough in the shade. Birds singing in accompaniment to the brook that went laughing on its way.
Peace, quiet and a friend to share it what more could one ask on a day like this?
What a day and we are so fortunate to have places like this to enjoy such a day.

'To those who complain of the complexity of modern life, he [Henry David Thoreau] might reply, "If you want inner peace find it in solitude, not speed, and if you would find yourself, look to the land from which you came and to which you go." '~Stewart Udall, The Quiet Crisis, 1963

“And Spring arose on the garden fair,
Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;
And each flower and herb on Earth’s dark breast
rose from the dreams of its wintry rest”.
~Percy Bysshe Shelley, "The Sensitive Plant"

Shelley, ever the romantic ..
What he forgot to mention was the 'other things' that wake from their “wintry rest”, blackflies and mosquitoes !!
This is a time of love and hate..
The warm sun filtering through the tree's, birdsong fills the air the woodland carpet is turning from brown to green and a multitude of colour 'splashes' as the early flowers appear.
But all that is overshadowed by the 'no-see-'ums' buzzing in your ear and catching in your throat as you get a little extra protein with an unguarded breath.
Standing still to make a photograph becomes a chore as the little buggers catch up and swarm around your head. They know the perfect time to attack, a footfall lands on a root and you stumble because of what just landed in your ear.
Peering through the viewfinder trying to compose a photograph is just as difficult ...

Ah springtime in Ontario, but winter does have its attractions!

Yesterday we (the Three Amigo’s) traveled to Toronto to take in the Contact Festival but it was the AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario) that stole the show.

Not only does this structure contain so much beauty but the building itself is beautiful.

You may think of me as the wanderer in nature, he who holds nothing but disdain for the world of concrete and steel of the 'man-made' especially when it is 'modern' ..

But yesterday, I learned there can be beauty there, you just have to open your eyes and look.

“Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.” ~Confucius

The usual Saturday outing did happen but it was short. Usually there is very little that gets in the way of my Saturday mornings but this one was special.

Grant and Cathy were celebrating a joint birthday Cathy May 4, Grant May 16 so the party was planned for May 10.
Far be it for me to disclose the birthday number but suffice it to say I passed it long ago!

I digress...

The day may have been a bit chilly as a raw wind swept across the open fields but the conversation, the greetings of old friends (and some not so old) was warming as the spring sun.
Everywhere there was laughter and smiling faces, hours passed swiftly by ...

Ahh, to be surrounded by friends on a bright spring day is there anything better?

“In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, for in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed”. ~Khalil Gibran

Have you ever had that feeling, one where you just have to give in?
Last week one of those moments grabbed me and wouldn't let go.
Try as I might the itch HAD to be scratched.

Algonquin was singing her siren song …

Thankfully I have an understanding wife ….

The forecast was for showers, I didn't care, thats what rain gear is for. What they didn't say was it was showers interspersed with heavy rain, I still didn't care ...

Algonquin was not going to be denied her tribute and come Friday afternoon I was on my way. By 4:30 I was across the park and into Whitney and checking in at the 'Mad Musher' one of the very few places one at this time of year.

After a quick meal I was back on the road retracing my steps “moose hunting” all I saw in the fading light was a raven and a grouse. Still even though they never fail to bring a smile to my face, I wasn't there for the moose this year.
The old beaver pond area by Opeongo Road was my destination. You see I have visited this spot for several years and two years ago the landscape was transformed either by accident or design. The top beaver dam was breached and that mighty flow of water took out two more dams downstream leaving the area as it was before te beaver arrived.

Last year I witnessed a young beaver work it's way upstream.
Where they back?
Was there a partial dam built?
I had to see...

But I waited until Saturday morning.

Up before dawn, well the gray was lightening slowly and the rain was gentle, I set off.
I parked the car at the usual spot and walked back to the trail...

I hear water, too much water .. no dam...

Damn !

Still I was there, the itch scratched, my favourite spot still there waiting, so I sat a while, watching, listening, taking it all in as if for the first time and smiling inwardly.

I took out my phone to answer a text from my wife .. “Happy Anniversary Sweetheart” …
Have I told you recently just how much I love you ?

I am truly blessed
You see ..

“You can fall in love at first sight with a place as with a person”. ~Alec Waugh

Is there anything better than wandering in the woods with good friends on a Spring morning?
I love Winter but this one stayed way past it's welcome but now Spring will not be ignored and there is a 'bursting forth' of everything that is Spring.

The woods are filled with birdsong, the Spring Peepers are chorusing from the ponds now free of winters grip.

The earth smells rich and new and everywhere new life is emerging.

In the sheltered places the sun's warmth is evident, jackets are unzipped, gloves are gone, smiles are on everyone's face.
There is a lightening of one's step

Ahh Spring in the Northern woods …

A 'good to be alive' feeling

What a day!

“And Spring arose on the garden fair,
Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;
And each flower and herb on Earth's dark breast
rose from the dreams of its wintry rest”.
~Percy Bysshe Shelley, "The Sensitive Plant"

Yesterday was one of those rare occasions, a Saturday morning that saw me not out on the trails but dragging boxes into Dublin St Church.

You see yesterday was the 20th Annual Show and Sale, and I was able to participate for a second year.
Not only was it the first show of the year but it was a time to reconnect with friends both old and new, artists and customers.

Walking in I was greeted by many of the participants, warm smiles everywhere.

As the room filled with the hustle and bustle of participants getting their booths ready laughter was the language of the day.

Being part of a show is hard work, no one sees the hours of preparation that goes into such an endeavor but when the booth is finished and I wait for 'showtime' all of that is forgotten.

This day, so many visitors came by, so many familiar faces, many curious to see “what was new”, many just dropping by to say hello and renew a connection.

Some to buy another image.

New faces offering congratulations and kind words of appreciation of my work.

All were very welcome and all left a warm glow behind.

My friends, my constant companions and fellow photographers.
Some bearing gifts, all bearings grins. In particular Patrick and Doug thank you for the “Pain au Chocolat” from our usual Saturday morning haunt .. OX cafe.

Your thoughtfulness was truly appreciated

To Bunny, Ken, 'Big' Doug, Ralf, Paul, Lynette, Gregg, and everyone else who I inadvertently 'ignored'. (I didn't get to stand and chat too long because of the constant flow of visitors to greet).
I would like to say “thank you” for taking the time to drop by.

I need to say a special thank you to Cathy and Brit for all their help in putting this show together and taking it all apart at the end of the day without your help I would have been even more frazzled than I was.

We were all tired (exhausted may seem like too strong a word) but it was a great day …

I am truly blessed.

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” ~Leo Buscaglia

Another Saturday outing and once more the camera stayed in the bag, replaced by a sketchpad and pencil.
Is this photography? I mean I am recording a scene, putting it down on paper but not with photosensitive chemicals but with carbon ..

No matter.

The freedom of just sitting, watching and letting the hand follow the eye is so satisfying. Even if what is happening on the paper before me is not perfect (by a long shot!). It's almost secondary to the enjoyment.

The freedom to let it happen, to open up to the possibilities seen and unseen.

The freedom to interpret in a non photographic way

The freedom to let go.

Eventually you come back to the present and you find an hour has past and your paper is covered in thoughts and interpretations of what has passed before your eye during that time.

Yes,satisfying ....

"The artist is a receptacle for the emotions that come from all over the place: from the sky, from the earth, from a scrap of paper, from a passing shape, from a spider's web." ~Pablo Picasso

“Ya don't know what you've got 'till it's gone” well temporarily I hope.
Yesterday was the first time in a long time that I was not able to go for my usual Saturday morning outing because somewhere last week I did something, I don't know what, when or where but by Thursday I could barely walk. By Friday I couldn't walk at all without the help of a cane.
So I sent the dreaded email to my friends, “sorry I won't be able to join you this weekend” …
What made it worse was we had plans to visit my old friend Grant who dearly needed an outing. Fortunately the outing went ahead without me.
So what do you do when sitting is a pain in the butt (literally) and walking is out of the question?
Well luckily I have stacks of paper and sharp pencils and a comfy spot to sit.
In the fridge, a bunch of red grapes, in the dining room an unopened bottle of red wine and a selection of glasses.
A still life sketch soon took shape.
Then once it was redrawn on heavy paper, the medium was chosen;
Coloured Pencil...
Yes that was the way to go as this second rendering was to be the work up for the final rendering in watercolour.
I'm quite happy with the result today I may start on a watercolour ….


My quote for the day is, well sorta maybe appropriate to the subject but it is one of my favourites and never fails to bring a smile and a sage nod of the head ...

“When my daughter was about seven years old, she asked me one day what I did at work. I told her I worked at the college — that my job was to teach people how to draw. She stared at me, incredulous, and said, "You mean they forget?"” ~Howard Ikemoto

No photographs from our outing yesterday. It was a day of sketching, talking, drinking tea and catching up with old friends.

We started at the farmers market and ended up in downtown Guelph. Quite a change from our usual Saturday morning but enjoyable non-the-less.

Sometimes 'making an image' does not mean using a camera.
Sometimes it is going back to basics, a pencil and a piece of paper.

Sometimes it takes 1/1000 of a second.
Sometimes it takes half an hour.

But taking the slow road leads to an inner journey as well.
Time stops,
everything around you moves differently
vision is tunneled
hearing and touch are heightened
snippets of conversation are caught, totally out of context but interesting non-the-less
And all the time the mind, the eye and the hand act as one and slowly an image appears. Incorporating all that you see, hear, feel and imagine.
But this is all happening without conscious thought. The mind is free to wander and imagine and control the hand.

So very satisfying, so very relaxing..

Work-a-day stress ?
Whats that ?
Not this day, not when you are sitting quietly with a pencil, paper, tea and friends ...

"The time to relax is when you don't have time for it." ~Attributed to both Jim Goodwin and Sydney J. Harris