Andres Institute-more photos

These are Joe's photos. I liked the man in the rock one, I thought that was very creative. As you can see from the photo he took of me, I was having a good time!  Maybe next week I'll have finished some of my own pieces and can put them up. I am working on a pencil sketch from the old photo of me I put up earlier. In my painting class, I am almost done with my first real acrylic painting on canvas. It should be done by next week.

Andres Institute (Sculpture)

The Boat

Sculpture by Milen Vassilev, Bulgaria 2004

"Everybody has a boat and a direction in their life. We can create the direction of the boat, but we cannot change the direction of the current of the river of our life – the journey may be smooth or difficult – the same as our life."

Beautiful fall hike up a hill with sculptures on many trails. This is a free outdoor museum in Brookline, NH Andres Institute  We will go back again another time to see more trails and more sculptures. I posted some additional photos on FaceBook.

These large figures are called "Debate" - there were three of them, one seated in the middle. I didn't take a picture of that one. They looked like they were made of interesting junk metals. Joe e-mailed me a photo he sent of that figure along with our group. I am in the middle.

Student and Teacher

I'm back to being a student this week, studying acrylic painting with Jeanne Lachance at EW Poore's. I had a good first class, started on a view of the sunset from my window (from a photograph I took some time ago).  I think I understand my issues with the new medium.  I'm used to watercolor, or Chinese colors, only using a little bit of pigment, then going darker a little bit at a time. I don't need to do that with acrylics. I'll try to be braver next week and put more pigment on the brush. Meanwhile, I'm happy with my initial canvas and when it's done, I'll post it.  The class is 12 weeks and each student works at his/her own project. It's enjoyable to walk around and see what others are doing. Jeanne has some beautiful drawings up on her blog too.

I also started a new student this week. I am a volunteer tutor with the literacy program at the city library.  My new student is from China and we will be working on improving her English skills. I've had students from China (as well as other countries) before and I expect that this will be a good experience for both of us.

Sunset tonight starts the holiest day of the Jewish year, the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). For a brief summary: Chabad summary/Yom Kippur  While I personally do not fast on this day, I wish a good fast for my friends and family who do. May it be a good year for all, (5771 on the Jewish calendar), filled with peace, good health, joy and happiness.

Old Photo

I was going through old photos this weekend, looking for photos of a dear cousin who passed away recently. I want to send them to her children.  Meanwhile, I found this one and cleaned it up a bit with Photoshop. This is what I looked like as a toddler, late 1940's. I think I will use this as a practice piece for drawing.  I have done some drawings of adults, but none of children yet.

I start my new painting class this week and I am looking forward to it. I tried mixing colors over the weekend (acrylics) and was frustrated. I am going to look for a color mixing book in the library this week. This should help too.

waiting rooms

women in the waiting room
sharing the burden of fear
waiting for mammogram results

two months later
another waiting room
another hospital
watching the clock
waiting for news

a different anxiety
not for myself this time
but for you, my love,
my soulmate, my partner

we are blessed
to be living at this time
thirty or forty years ago
you would have been blind
for the rest of your life

the heat wave is over
as we approach another year
may it be a good one again
filled with sweetness and love,
good health and hiking,
peace and kindness

L’Shanah Tovah

author's note: The Jewish new year of 5771 starts at sunset on Wednesday evening, September 8th. The Jewish calendar is a lunar calendar so this will be the evening of the new moon. For trivia buffs, this is not the first day of Genesis, but the 6th day, the day when Adam and Eve were created. That is considered the first day of Tishrei.

Joe is recovering well from his third eye surgery this year and we are hopeful that this will be the last one. Thanks for your prayers and good wishes.

California Poppies finished

See entry of July 14th for more info. I still haven't decided whether to make a card from this, but I probably will make some small cards for the next craft show in November.

Pittsburg NH

We spent 2 nights and 3 days at the top of NH, by the border with Quebec. No cell phones or e-mails. Relaxing, but it was a bit rainy. We did get out to hike the 4th Connecticut Lake trail. This was a bit of nostalgia for us as we had hiked it 23 years ago.  The lake is the headwaters of the Connecticut River which starts in northern NH, forms the border with Vermont, goes through Mass. & Ct. all the way down to the Long Island Sound.

The lodge (Tall Timber) was pleasant and the owner brought his German short hair pointers with him and we played with them a bit. That was fun and brought fond memories of our last dog, Tova.  I thought I would be sad, but I was o.k. 

Lots of signs at border and on the trail. I was able to read most of the French, but had to look up one word (for trapping) when we got home. No fishing, hunting, or trapping etc. The trail was steep and rocky, but we had our hiking shoes and poles. It started raining on the way back and we were glad we had rain jackets.

This is a view of the customs station from part way up the trail.  Lots of construction going on there. Not sure why our government is spending so much money there. Not too many people going back and forth to Canada on this rural route. The trail winds back and forth over the U.S. and Canadian border. There are plaques in the ground.   The border was decided on in the 1800's by some treaty.

Joe did some fishing at First Connecticut Lake, but it was overcast and drizzling. We didn't stay long. Saw ducks and loons.  Also maple trees with red and orange leaves already. Autumn comes early to the great north woods.

On the way up, we took a side road so we could see the pretty waterfall there, Beaver Brook. It was a good trip and tomorrow it's back to work again.

Sea Iguana again

I still can't decide if this picture is done or not. Every time I look at it, I feel I need to add a little more definition. I think the iguana looks better now, but I'm not sure about the overall picture. I may continue to work on it from time to time.

Next week we are going north, to the tippy top of New Hampshire (Pittsburg, bordering Quebec) and I will have time for some sketching. It has been a very busy summer, with hiking, family, gardening (all good stuff) and I have had little time for art. I hope to get some good photos of moose. The last time we were there, we saw many of them along Route 3 (a/k/a Moose Alley).

I have signed up for three craft shows in November/December. I will have to prepare more cards and prints for those. I think I'll bring one or two original pieces with me as well.

Mounts Morgan and Percival

Beautiful day hike in the Holderness/Campton/Squam Lake area with Dina and Joe on Monday, August 9th. Lots of rock and ledge to scramble over but it was worth it for the view. Dina gave us some technical pointers. I posted more photos on Facebook, just a few here. No more uphill hikes for a while. Our feet need a bit of a rest. My legs are fine and we'll still do some easy, flat or hilly trails the next few weeks, but not our granite and rock trails.

The first two photos are from Mount Morgan, the third one is Joe on top of Mount Percival.

Drake's Brook/Sandwich Mountain Trails/Jennings Peak

We hiked again in Waterville Valley area yesterday. I am convinced that trail maps lie. I had calculated a loop trail would take about 5 hours, doable at our level as we had been doing 4 hours the last two weekends. The trails actually took us close to 8 hours and we were very tired when we got down. Fortunately only a few minor slips on slippery trails and rocks did not cause any great harm to either of us. I actually enjoyed the cold water at the end of the trail and did not mind getting my shoes & socks soaked. Felt good on my tired feet and legs.

First we stopped at Ski Fanatics in Campton and I bought a hiking stick (Whistle Creek).  That was much more helpful on the trails than my trekking pole.  It is nice and sturdy and helped a great deal on both the uphill and downhill terrain.

According to the trail map, the Drake's Brook trail to the connection with the Sandwich Mountain trail is 3.2 miles, another .2 miles to Jennings Peak. The downhill is marked on the sign as 2.5 miles going from the connection back down through Noon Peak and to the parking lot. Personally, I don't believe the signage either. This was our longest hike ever and I'm glad it wasn't as hot and humid as the last two weekends.

Anyway, we made it to the 3500 foot summit of Jennings Peak and had beautiful views.  Also completed the Noon Peak part of the trail which we had done a portion of last weekend.  Very steep and rocky. My legs are tired, but I'll be fine by tomorrow.  Since we are in our 60's, I am proud of both of us for completing ths long hike and making it to the top!

I put more pictures up on Facebook, just a few here.