Sea Iguana/mixed media

I think this iguana is done now. Watercolor/pen and ink/watercolor pencil/pastel on Arches 140# hot press paper. This was a fun & challenging project. Tomorrow we hike again and next week I'll be taking art classes with Kim Roth. Always new stuff to learn in the art world.

Noon Peak, Waterville Valley, NH

Here we are hiking again. I promised myself last year that I wouldn't do anything steep any more, but this trail was steep. I guess I lied to myself!  Anyway, it didn't look too intimidating at the beginning (at the trail sign), but then we had to cross Drake's Brook. I have never been fond of slippery rocks, but made it across. We hiked for 2 hours uphill and never did see a sign saying that we were at Noon Peak (which was our goal, around 3,000 feet). We think maybe that big boulder in the picture was it, but we're not sure.

When we saw the really big rock climb in the last picture we decided to have lunch and use that as our turnaround point. We did not see any signs for the loop trail to the Drake's Brook Trail, but that was at Jennings Peak and we never made it that far. It was hot and humid. The moss on the rocks was soaking wet when I touched it. We could smell the balsam (that's the piney smell of wreaths I think) and hear the birds chirping. Lots of mushrooms, all different colors on the trail, also fungi on the dead trees. It was an interesting hike. I didn't take many pictures since I had forgotten to recharge my camera batteries. We made it down o.k., with only minor slips and had to go through that pesky brook again. I only got my feet a little wet, but it felt fine!

Wapack Trail, Barrett Mountain

Good hike Saturday on the Wapack Trail to Barrett Mountain. The Wapack Trail is very long running from Massachusetts (Watatic Mountain) through the Monadnock Region, over several small mountains and on to Greenfield.  We hiked about 4 hours total, that was enough for us.  This part of the trail was very overgrown, but there were good trail markers and we didn't get lost.  Due to the storms last winter, the trail head has been relocated and we didn't know that, but in getting a bit mixed up, we did get to see some wild turkeys in a pasture. Just the girls! Anyway, that was fun.

Barrett Mountain is about 1800 feet in elevation. There was no sign at the top so we weren't sure we were at the right place. We continued on and started going downhill after a while so we turned back. We met some other hikers who were doing a through hike to Watatic. They assured us we had gone over the top of Barrett. They also told us where to go to get some views. I didn't get a good photo of Mount Monadnock since it was very hazy, but the views were pretty anyway.

California Poppies

Watercolor, pen and ink on Waterford 200# cold press paper. I'm not sure if this is finished. This is just a clip. The painting is larger, but I was having fun with the dots and this section looks good with a mat around it. I may use it for a card or other background later on.

Sketches

I haven't had much time for art, but have done some sketching. The hands & feet are just pencil sketches in my sketch book (HB pencil). The self-portrait (a struggle in front of the mirror) was done with Chinese White Derwent pastel pencil on black paper. My son says it's out of proportion, face too long, but I like the distortion. Reminds me of other artists that distort deliberately because they feel like it, not because they are just learning.