This morning I sat beside the old house and gazed at the window I was going to paint. It was foggy so that my colours were hugely affected by all the moisture: I couldn't get a really dark grey and nothing wanted to dry. So I have this rather washed out looking painting. I didn't touch it up because I like to see the direct effects of weather on the results.

Mr. Brewer, whose uncle built this house, came by and we talked. He told me about the house; how he worked for the CP railroad and retired from it. (The trail I use was once the old rail bed.) Then he asked if he could buy one of my paintings! I was thrilled to say yes so if it is nice tomorrow, I will pedal down there with two matted paintings for him to choose from. Made my day.

(Back to Zealand House 9)

Today I did something I have never done before: I painted a watercolour painting based on an old oil painting. It is a portrait of my Zealand House completed last year. I didn't think it was very successful for various reasons. I've painted oil paintings based on watercolours a few times but never the reverse. What happened, I think, is that the details were not there for me to fiddle with and that is a good thing for the watercolour.

(Back to Zealand House 7)

This morning I got up early and took the dog for a walk. Halfway around our walk as we were going up the Jones' Fork Road, we heard some galloping hoofs behind us. A large, young moose was coming up the highway at full tilt looking neither right nor left. He passed within feet of us and kept right on going as fast as possible. We were taken aback to say the least. I wonder if the insects were driving him/her crazy. Or it has been raining a lot the past two days and maybe that ruined his patch of ground where he grazes. It was exciting anyway and I worry that he will not be safe on our roads that have too much truck traffic. Still, it was a blessing to see one of these creatures. I have been noticing moose tracks in the woods and on the trail all winter long.

(Back to Sunset From the Front Deck)

I was attempting to do all plein air paintings during the challenge, but there are times when that is not possible. Today was one of those times. So I looked through my reference photos for an earlier picture of the same house when it still had a chimney showing.

One of my tasks is to learn to not depend too much on the photo when doing the painting. I notice that my edges become even sharper (if that is possible!) when working from a photo.

When I first painted this house a year or so ago, an old man came over to see what I was doing. He had lived in that house years ago. I never asked his name and regret that now as that would have given the house a name. Someone commented that the house looks full of ghosts. It does too.

(Back to Zealand House 5)