THE WORDS KEEP COMING

 

https://www.blurb.com/b/11767217-the-words-keep-coming

I recently published yet another book of poems and prose in which I included a good number of examples of my paintings, sketches, and drawings. Of course there's my writing to muddle things up, but here too you might find something interesting. I would warn, however, that of late I've tended to write about things that people don't wish to know, or hear about, war, environmental issues, religion, and so on. They're my views born out of frustration at the state of our world, and the fact that everything seems to be going to heck. Anyway, should you not agree take heart you're probably not the first. Just skip the page, and enjoy the next bit of art.

FULL CIRCLE

 I’ve come full circle, or so it seems, as I look down the channel leading out onto Whitefish Lake. Some 25 years, or so ago, although it seems like only yesterday, I sat here, at a picnic table, perhaps the same worn and weathered picnic table that I’m now sitting at, and made some tentative sketches of this scene. My landscape sketches back then were indeed tentative. I began my quest to work at becoming an artist by producing intaglio prints, mainly of wildlife, birds if I’m to be more precise, and seeking some quiet place to avoid being scrutinized by the general public, had come to Algonquin Park in the off season to begin learning to sketch and paint landscape. In a tiny sketchbook, with pencil, and watercolour brush in hand, I made some marks, then some more marks, and now many, many, marks later, I’m back where I started, about to stop making marks and retire to watch others, however ,and before doing so, I decided to make a few more marks on paper, so with pen and pencil in hand I begin making marks, and travel to a place of solitude with Raven to watch my back…

1966 Sketches.......

2023 Sketches.......

Not a lot of change in the landscape over the years. As for a comparison between my now and then sketching, it would seem that there's also not much of a change, a bit more confidence in my  making marks, and perhaps a bit more knowledgeable about what I'm sketching, but not a lot of change. In looking back, perhaps I needn't have been so tentative in my approach. Too late now, I suppose,  to be judgemental.

Later that week we also travelled to Tea Lake, one of Tom Thomson's sketching places and made a sketch while enjoying the solitude of the park, a zen moment so to speak, as with fewer people in the park following the Labour Day weekend, and the children back at school, our visit to the park was much more enjoyable. 

Canary In The Icefields

Once upon a time we packed our bags and went on a trip to explore Canada’s West. Along the way we stopped to take in the views of the Athabasca Ice-fields, and various lookouts onto glacial fed lakes, one being Peyto Lake fed by the Peyto Glacier…..

https://www.cbc.ca/newsinteractives/features/the-canary-in-the-icefield

                               Pencil Sketch and Drawings of the Columbia Ice Fields

Global warming is wreaking havoc on these glaciers. It is predicted that most will disappear during your children's children’s lifetime, forecasting a different future for those dependant upon them for a source of water. From the perspective of someone aged, global warming, it’s simply interesting, but for the younger generation, it should be of concern. Most certainly they will adapt, but to what?

ALGONQUIN - CHANGE IS INEVITABLE

We were up to the Blue Spruce Resort at Dwight, Ontario, a few days ago. It's an annual tradition, a week spent meeting with ageing friends spent mostly discussing the benefits of ageing. Just to let you know, there are none, absolutely none. In between we, my wife and I travelled into nearby Algonquin Provincial Park. We once upon a time would canoe and hike the trails gathering sketches and wildlife experiences from here and there. Now, we travel through the park on Hwy 60, stopping at various pull-offs, and picnicking in sheltered areas.

It's nice, but not the same, nor for that matter is the park. At one time one would encounter deer and moose feeding at the side of the road and there were clear views of the park's lakes. Now, with the forest maturing there's not much to view while driving except trees, which is good I suppose, and it's been years since we've seen deer, or moose feeding at the side of the highway. Things have changed. Used to be one could simply drive into the park, and get a camping site, now reservations and permits, even for day use are required, and they're nolonger cheap. And, the visitation at the park has increased substantially. The world has, it seems, become smaller. Of course, it's only we old folks who are somewhat concerned. The younger generation have no idea, or little idea, of the park's past history nor are they concerned. Many are from other countries, and have different histories to remember. Their only concern is to enjoy a break from the crowded cities to the south, and perhaps see a moose.

There's change at the Blue Spruce Resort, as well, a changed in ownership. The Hayden Family who called the resort home for 70+ years, have retired from the area, leaving the future of the resort up in the air. It had to happen, of course. With time everything changes.

Algonquin Park, however, for the moment remains the same. Taller trees perhaps, but still a place of solitude where one can have a time out from the stress of our shrinking, troubled, world. Still a place where one can savour a few moments grabbing a quick sketch, a memory of time well spent.....

Just to let everyone know, in the event someone might be interested, I have another blog in which I, from time to time, post some poetry and prose, thoughts about this and that.....

timespentwriting.blogspot.com

Still Here

 Still hear everyone. Nothing new by the way of sketches and drawings. Just wanted you to know that I'm making some progress on putting together two new books, one a collection of landscape sketches and drawings, and the other, stuff that I write in the form of poetry and prose that no one wants to hear, or read, stuff dealing with global warming, and dying and death, with the odd piece related to nature and the nature of things. That I write about dying and death should be expected, as I'm much older than most of you and get up every morning realizing that the horizon is much closer. It's a tough subject, but you know, someone has to write the odd thing about ageing, as there are so many living the experience. It's not nice, of course, the reason that I tell younger persons to live every day and to not put off until you're aged, as unlike wine, ageing doesn't make things better.

Comes The Day

It begins at the beginning, 

a clock ticking quietly measuring time, until 

with our purpose served it begins to tick loudly 

letting us know, that time, once our friend,  

now not so friendly.

Ageing, 

never seemingly a threat, 

perhaps to others, but

never to us when feeling our best.

Comes the day when we finally accept,

that we’ve aged like others, and are

no longer a threat to those who would race 

to find a place at the head of the line, 

leaving us breathless, and so far behind.

We never prepared, thinking that 

we would be spared the aches, 

and the pains, 

and failing minds.

Faced with reality,

dreams left behind, we

live with denial, and hope for the best,

life left enjoyable, and not set adrift.

But, try as we may there comes the day,

when we have little choice but to finally accept, that 

life as we knew it is steadily leaving, 

and soon we are adrift,relying upon others 

to point us the way to what we’ve been dreading, 

since time started ticking. 

~~~~~

I do appreciate the moments, however, the quiet times when one can sit and look around enjoying nature carry on despite humanity's efforts to alter the very essence of nature....

 I SIT AND WATCH

Drops of water on the Rose of Sharon, 

last night’s summer rain, 

sparkle like diamonds 

in dawn’s early light.

A breeze stirs the garden’s flowers, 

shaking off the fallen rain, absorbs the moisture, 

and stores it on a passing cloud, to share another day, 

with flora and fauna, 

many, many, miles away.

Daisy Fleabane going to seed 

shakes its heads,

and opens its sleeping flowers , 

a greeting to the morning hour.

Like the troubadours of old, 

Robin sings his morning song.

Buzzards drift lazyily in the morning sky, 

searching for things that may have died. 

Mourning Doves, 

greet the morning with a coo.

Crows ever vigilant, 

hunger driven. 

watch, 

and listen. 

I sit, and watch, and listen, 

as Nature rails at our revisions, 

struggling to hold together 

other’s visions.

This world we think as ours,

torn apart by indecision,

on the brink of extinction,

greets our morning with forlorn.

I close my eyes so I can see, 

what I’d would like to see,

and listen.

~~~~~

Well, must go, but before doing so, here's a few sketches and drawings of Georgian Bay..... 

 

TIME OUT

 I'm taking a time out. I hope to get back to blogging sometime towards the end of summer, or early fall. I'm working on a book of black and white sketches, or in other words no watercolours, just pencil and pen and ink sketches and drawings. Many of the sketches have already been published in other books, but together with some new sketches, I'm attempting to bring a lot of my work together in order to archive more of my time spent making art.

In the meantime I wish everyone a productive summer sketching. Remember, a sketch, is a sketch, is a sketch. It need not be a masterpiece, simply a sketch, a scribble, a memory to be enjoyed, or employed, to remind you of time well spent.

Peace and happiness be with all of you.

Beauty & The Beast.    Self Portrait      22"X30"  Pencil Drawing

DRAWING IN PROGRESS....Idea to final stage. "FINISHED".

I've done this before. A bit of a reveal. I start with a loose scribble of sort, and then try to find the image hidden within the blank piece of paper. Yes, think I'm crazy if you wish, but it's true, there's and image in the piece of paper that's crying to come out, you just need to encourage it bit, by bit. Don't try all at once. Don't try to hurry it. Have a cup of coffee, go for a walk, even set it aside for a few days, the image is still there waiting for you to coax it out...

 Northern Landscape.  Final Stage    Pencil Drawing. 2023

We'll come back in a few days once I find the time to encourage the reveal....

In the meantime, just to let you know, the ducks are back, and soon the songbirds will arrive, time to do a bit of birdwatching. Pack some sandwiches, and apple, or two....your binoculars of course, and head out to your favourite wetland for a bit of peace and quiet while soaking up a bit of nature.

Caught Napping (Mallards).    Hand-coloured Etching

 

THE DUCKS ARE BACK!!

 March 31st, 2023

As I write it's snowing. Winter, it would seem is stubbornly hanging on. All the same the ducks and geese are valiantly struggling to get here, and set up housekeeping and begin the process of bringing a new generation into the world.

Used to be, at about this time of the year I'd rise early, and make the trek out to a near by marsh named Tiny Marsh, not because it was tiny, but due to the fact that it was located in the Township of Tiny. Now, aged, I tend to wait a bit for warmer weather, and rather than hike the marsh I walk slowly to the edge, and scan the marsh with my binoculars looking for signs of life out on the open waters. Not to feel sorry for myself, ageing is normal should you live long enough, and besides I have lots of memories. 

However, my memories are of better times when the ducks on the marsh were far more plentiful. Now, urban development, and costs of maintaining wetlands increasing, wetlands here in southern Ontario, are disappearing, as are the ducks. We're draining wetlands for urban development. Tens of thousands private dwellings are needed to house a burgeoning population. Wildlife habitat is being sacrificed for the almighty dollar.

Sad, how we've treated nature. I feel certain that one day we'll rue the day that we paved over paradise.

WINTER - SPRING MEMORIES.

 There was a time when in winter, and in the early spring, when we’d get in the car and travel to Killarney Provincial Park, Algonquin Provincial Park, or Awenda Provincial Park. We’d strap on our skiis and head out into the bush, explore frozen lakes, and on occasion travel out on the ice of nearby Georgian Bay. Of course, now, we no longer ski, but we still have the memories of the solitude, the sparkle of the sun on the snow and ice, and the sound of the wind as it swept through the trees. 

Memories, important as you become aged. So, if I might say, make lots of memories when you’re young, they’re prized when your old, and there’s no escaping it, one day you will become old.

Some days I pass the time leafing through old sketchbooks. Sketchbooks the kind that fit in your pocket are great to bring along when out skiing, or hiking. They don’t take up a lot of room, and together with a brush or pencil and a spit box of watercolours are all that is needed to capture a memory. 

Watercolour Spit Paintbox

Now, a note about sketching, don't think masterpiece, think memories. A scribble, a wash laid over a quick pencil sketch, all that's necessary to create a memory. And, remember, it's your memory.....all that's important. What someone else thinks about it, none of their business. It's a personal diary of sort, of a day, time well spent, experiencing your life.

4.25" X 6" pocket sketchbook

Here's a few of my winter - spring memories...

Lake Of Two Rivers, Algonquin - View From The Picnic Area in April

River - Track & Tower Trail  - Algonquin Spring

In the early spring with the snow melt this small creek turns into a raging river. I sat on a rock outcropping with my feet in the waters edge attempting to capture the moment.

A title isn't needed her as the sketchbook notations for this sketch and the one above say it all. fantastic day skiing this trail. Midway there's a log cabin with a blazing woodstove. 

Spring -- Tea Lake, Algonquin Pk.   Watercolour Sketch

Love this sketch. Sometimes a small sketch turns out to be more than a sketch. I recall sitting at the side of the road trying to avoid being hit by oncoming traffic, and sketching quickly while my fingers froze. 

Giant's Tomb - View from Awenda First Beach.  Watercolour Sketch

This sketch was made standing near to the ice that had piled up on the shore. We'd just skied down from the parking lot to the Bay. The weather was cold and overcast, and it began to snow as we arrived at the Bay. I made the sketch with frozen fingers, using a pencil and added watercolour when we returned home.

Snowshoer On Smoke Lake,  Winter Algonquin Pk.   Watercolour Sketch

One winter we did a day trip up to Algonquin Pk. We stopped at the Smoke Lake pull off and in looking out I observed a snowshoer out on the lake. No doubt a cottager on his, or her, way to check out the cottage. Pretty daring actually, as the lake is large and it's not always covered with thick ice.

There are many more memories. As I come across some of the sketches I'll continue to add some, however for now, enjoy, and if you should get a chance get out and make your own memories.