Travel

The Rockies: a consolation prize or a cancellation prize? When Volcano Iceland swiped London & Paris from the calendar, we stole a few days in the Rockies instead. Here’s what I saw – or at least what the end of my brush saw!

Sketched from Lakeview Lounge at Fairmont Chateau overlooking Lake Louise, while savoring a bowl of hot corn and crab chowder and a Grasshopper ale. Definitely warmer inside than out. (more…)

Well, I don’t know about Carmen, but Dave and I are still here in Saskatoon. Tuesday evening’s Calgary-London flight was cancelled, and although skies now appear to be opening over Europe, it would be another 4-5 days before we could get rebooked seats out.

Dave and I have decided to step off the volcanic roller coaster. We have cancelled our London/Paris vacation plans in favor of future more settled timing.

I have rebooked my flight for May 3 to arrive in Lisbon just in time to join the Portugal/ Spain/ Morocco painting tour group for what was to be the last part of the adventure. Hopefully that will still go forward. We’re in the process of dismantling all other reservations – and then we’re going to take the rest of the week off.

While we’ve been twiddling our thumbs and watching the skies, I’ve also been painting. Why not? Here’s a wee bit from the brushes.

Here’s the only photo I’ve taken on our trip so far. Suitcases packed and on standby at our front door.

Our departure was aborted Thursday with the flare up of the Icelandic volcano. We and the suitcases made it as far as the Saskatoon airport where we were turned back to cool our hoofies until the skies clear.

Rebooked for departure on Tuesday, but no guarantees. Not a disaster, but certainly a disappointment!

One of the best parts of any travel adventure these days is the chance to give my paints and brushes a workout. Here are a few of the results.

Willemstad, Curacao – Brightly colored buildings along Anna Baie on the Punda side of the floating bridge. Apparently years ago the Governor’s eyes were bothered by the light reflecting off the white buildings and ordered them all to be painted different colours. I think maybe he was just longing for something a bit more European in flavour.

Hilton Marina – Fort Lauderdale. Picture pretty poolside.

Key West, Florida – In the garden of the Mermaid and Alligator Bed & Breakfast. It’s a great garden setting – with orchids in bloom spilling out of pots and hanging from pillars. And yes, it is the middle of winter here.

Key West, Florida – The Artist’s House on Eaton Street. I’m not normally a fan of purple, but something about the shape and shutters on this building caught my eye. The Traveling Conch Tourist train made three passes, while I perched  across the street with my paints.

REFLECTION: Many of the hours and days of our lives are spent travelling down old familiar roads. Start here, drive there, turn here, stop there. Get up tomorrow and travel the same route all over again. When we pause to seek out new adventures, we end up thinking and feeling differently.

Husband, Dave, and I have just returned from a ten day trip to Arizona – part work, part play, all fun. While visiting with friends in Tucson, we took advantage of the opportunity to step outside our everyday routine. Our friends had arranged glider rides over the Sonoran Desert with the Tucson Soaring Club, and a descent into the limestone caves at Kartchner Caverns in the Chihuahua Desert. Talk about the heights and the depths on back to back days! (more…)

High adventure in the Sonoran

Desert. Flying out of Marana

airfield northwest of Tucson.

Before – in anticipation.

After – in gratitude.

Thanks to pilot, Bill, for a

delightful, memorable ride.

A week spent in Sedona and Tucson was good for the soul. Warm air, beautiful colors, distinctive landscapes – not to mention the good friends and food.

Painting and sketching in the mountains and desert were a treat. I might have known I’d run out of Burnt Sienna pigment given the colors that surrounded me.

Here are a couple of the images created – under the Arizona sun!

Bell Rock #1 – painted on our first morning in Sedona.

This view from the backyard of our beautiful inn, the Canyon Villa.

Lunching along the banks of Oak Creek at L’Auberge Sedona.

Sunshine, salad nicoise, a glass of wine, and ducks to keep us company.

Standing at attention with twenty young Canadians on a French hillside one misty day in June, 1985.

It’s a moment I’ll never forget!

As one of two chaperones for an International Travel Award, I had been travelling for two weeks in the company of twenty of the brightest young Canadians you’d ever want to meet.

These 4-H members were the pick of the crop – two from each province in Canada.

En route from Paris to Calais to catch the ferry across the English Channel, the group persuaded the bus driver to detour past Vimy Ridge. Stepping from the bus, we were met by low clouds and drizzling skies. (more…)

Here’s the  Poci Volki. That’s a Pocatello Volkswagon, if you need translation.

This painting/sketch was inspired by a photo of new-to-her wheels on niece, Jill’s blog: http://thenoisyplume.blogspot.com/2009/10/morning-has-broken.html

If you’re generally in the mood for some very creative writing, you’ll find plenty on  Jill’s blog, The Noisy Plume.

She is, as she proudly notes, a young Canadian woman transplanted to America soil, where she lives and toils as a jeweler in Pocatello, Idaho.

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