Orca Sighting!

Posted on June 7, 2018 by Paul

This afternoon as I lounged in the hot tub I was treated to a rare sight…orcas (sometimes called killer whales) in Victoria Harbor!!! What a treat! An adult and three juveniles swam into the harbor among the boats and seaplanes, turned the corner in the inner harbor, and swam under the bridge to the upper harbor. That hasn’t happened in many years. I didn’t have my camera in the hot tub, but here’s a photo taken by someone in the harbor:

Here’s a link to tonight’s news broadcast:

https://vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/rare-killer-whale-sighting-in-victoria-s-inner-harbour-1.3964244

Here’s a link to a Victoria news site with lots of pics:

http://victoriabuzz.com/2018/06/orcas-in-victorias-inner-harbour/

The show wasn’t over! Thirty minutes later a sea otter swam by, exploring the shoreline. No camera again, but here’s a stock image that looks like my afternoon visitor.

Just another day on the Salish Sea.

Paul

Posted in B.C., Retirement, Travel, Victoria, Victoria BC | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Robert Bateman

Posted on June 6, 2018 by Jean

One of the pleasures of visiting Victoria is the opportunity to visit the Robert Bateman Center.  For those of you who aren’t familiar with Bateman, he is one of the greatest living Canadian artists.  Many of the paintings on display are old favorites, but each time we’ve been here there is always a special exhibit.  This time the special exhibit focuses on his development as an artists with a special emphasis on early work.

This early work shows clearly how influenced he was by the Group of Seven, Tom Thomson and Emily Carr.

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Other influences included Andrew Wyeth.  Both artists are know for their realism . . . for painting each blade of grass, each feather and strand of fur; but neither of them see their work that way.  They only give the appearance of detail.  Rather than ‘realist’ painting, they each paint with great emotion and express the deeper meaning behind their choices.  Notice the almost hidden elements in some of Bateman’s paintings, contrasting the focal point with something equally important but of differ differing dimensions.

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This is but a small taste of the beauty that awaits you at the Bateman Center.

 

On our way home we saw a Great Blue Heron fishing for it’s dinner . . . a perfect subject for Bateman.

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After being inspired by Bateman I did a quick study, not at all in his style . . . but I wanted to do something and  the box top on my NuPastels did the trick.

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Nu’s Boxtop

Posted in B.C., Jean's Posts, Robert Bateman Center | 2 Comments

Tilting at Beacon Hill Park

Posted on June 3, 2018 by Jean

This trip has been a bit challenging for me.  My body has been  tilting as I walk, as it did at the first Women’s March a year and a half ago.  But the trip to Beacon Hill Park yesterday was pretty easy.  We found a parking place immediately across from one of my favorite places to paint.

Before painting,  we explored the park and my body cooperated.  The park  is such a treasure, filled with trees, trees, and more  trees; flowers, birds – everything from ducks to peacocks – ponds, lookouts, and more.  Here are a few of my favorites..

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After exploring the park we returned to my favorite tree and I painted it whilst Paul settled close to me and did the beautiful drawing that he posted yesterday.

I call this tree ‘Emily’s Tree, Again’.  I painted it a few year’s ago. thus the ‘Again’.  ‘Emily’s Tree . . .”  because the park is near her home and she painted here often.  She and I share a love of trees, and a love of expressionist painting of trees.  As I worked, there were moments when I felt her spirit moving my hand.  If I’m lucky as the trip progresses I’ll feel it again.

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Emily’s Tree

 

Posted in B.C., Beacon Hill Park, Victoria, BC, Jean's Posts | 4 Comments

Rainy Day

Posted on June 3, 2018 by Paul

Today it is gray and rainy. We had a lazy morning. I spent the time working on some ukulele music and practicing my bass ukulele.

After lunch we walked down the street to the Robert Bateman Centre. He is one of the premiere wildlife artists in the world. We have been here many times and wanted to see his work again. Also today we saw a unique exhibit of his early work, much of which was not wildlife oriented and not in the dramatic style of present day. Here is an example we particularly liked:

Fallen Spruce

This is so inspirational I may have to do some painting after supper.

We returned home along the waterfront. It was drizzling, but the harbor remains quite busy. This gave me the opportunity to get a photo of the diverse craft we see every minute.

Black Ball ferry, sea plane, sailboat, and a kayak with a harbor police boat nosing in from the left.

The harbor police are out there directing traffic all day and providing cheap entertainment for folks like us.

Paul

Posted in Art, Music, Retirement, Travel, Ukulele, Victoria, Victoria BC | Tagged | 2 Comments

Beacon Hill Park

Posted on June 2, 2018 by Paul

A beautiful sunny day in Victoria! The perfect day for walking and art in Beacon Hill Park. First we walked and took photos.

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My photography was curtailed because I had forgotten to bring a fresh battery for my camera. However I managed to snap a pic of Jean standing under one her favorite trees.

There are giants in the woods here, including this sinuous wooden maiden.

Along the way I stopped to do an ink drawing of a plant in one of the formal beds.

Then it was home again where I whipped up a kettle of cod, leek, and potato chowder. A great day!

Paul

Posted in Art, B.C., Retirement, Travel, Uncategorized, Victoria, Victoria BC | 3 Comments

Riddle: Why did the Orca cross the road?

Posted on June 1, 2018 by Paul

This morning we took a long walk into downtown Victoria to Merchies for tea and stop for some other items we forgot to pack. I’m partial to Merchies’ Paris Afternoon tea and we bought a few more to try. It is a beautiful walk along the shore with much wildlife and many flowers and trees.

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We learned a valuable lesson: despite walking every day we can’t walk as far as we used to. Our return walk was a slog. After lunch we spent the afternoon resting. I did a little sketching and painting and Jean read.

Later in the afternoon Jean went out to the shore to take some photos.

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After dinner we watched a little TV and I practiced bass ukulele.

Answer: To get to the other tide!

Nighty night!

Paul

Posted in Art, B.C., Retirement, Travel, Ukulele, Victoria, Victoria BC | 3 Comments

Another Painting Adventure Begins

Posted on May 31, 2018 by Paul

Today we left our house in care of some friends and drove north into Canada. Our next six weeks will be spent painting on Vancouver Island. That means a 30 minute wait at the border and a 90 minute ferry ride to Victoria.

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After unpacking, our first priority was dinner. The Fish Store at Fisherman’s Wharf has the best seafood and it’s only a short walk down the pier next to our condo.

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Now we have settled in to watch the seaplanes take off and land, enjoy the sunset, and say hello to visiting friends.

The view from our living room window.

An old friend who drops in for a visit every time we are here.

Ciao!

Paul

 

Posted in Art, B.C., Retirement, Uncategorized, Victoria, Victoria BC | 5 Comments

Last Day At Long Beach

Posted on December 15, 2017 by Paul

Today was another day of painting, music, and reading with a short walk at the end of the day when it wasn’t raining. The weather outside was frightful, then delightful, then dreary, and so forth.

Jean painted a great pastel of Mt. Shuksan. This is view we love and have even gone to a few times to paint. Today’s painting was inspired by a photo Jean took during one of our visits to Artist Point on the shoulders of Mt. Baker.

I didn’t take my camera or my phone on our walk. These are a few of Jean’s photos from this evening.

After a light dinner of omelets and salad we are packing up to head home tomorrow. It has been a very relaxing week with much accomplished on our respective arts.

Paul

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The Fourth Day of Jean’s Birthday Celebration

Posted on December 14, 2017 by Paul

I spent a good part of today scoring new arrangements for Home Cookin’. These were songs I had been experimenting with and thinking about. I finally got to a point where I thought I could write them out. As a result I completed two new arrangements and got about halfway on a third.

Jean did some sketching and we both read. Then in the late afternoon we took a long walk on the beach before sunset. (Actually it’s not so late this time of year!)

And thus ends another day at the beach.

Paul

Posted in Music, Photography, Retirement, Travel, Ukulele, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Happy Birthday To My Sweetheart!

Posted on December 13, 2017 by Paul

Jean’s birthday began with a scavenger hunt for the many cards I had scattered around the condo. Of course she didn’t know it was a scavenger hunt so these were found in the course of simply getting up and getting ready for the day!

This special day was spent indoors painting (Jean)

playing music (me)

and reading (both of us). No beach time today, but we did stop often to look out our windows at the sparkling Pacific Ocean.

At 4:30 we moved across the street to Pickled Fish, our new favorite restaurant in Long Beach. (Our old favorite, Nancy and Jamilla’s, is no longer in business.) We toasted Jean’s birthday with some prosecco and watched the sunset. After a delicious dinner of pasta with mushrooms and smoked sturgeon we had dessert. Jean’s birthday entitled her to a free dessert and a candle.

We only had to walk across the street to return to our condo. Back in our snug home away from home we are settled in for the night.

Paul

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