Three years ago we were enjoying the beauty of the Tuscan landscape. How different our landscape is here in British Columbia but the beauty of both uplifts us all during these difficult times.
Here are a few images from our visit to Certaldo a beautiful hilltop town 35 kilometres southwest of Florence, which I posted about three years ago today on the fourth day of our memorable Italian holiday, a holiday that began on day one with an unforgettable moment in Rome:
Almost home after wonderful family time away and already looking forward to our next return visit. Can’t help but reflect on how lucky we are to have the health care leadership we have here in British Columbia that has made it possible, together with all those health care heroes that have been on the frontline for us all throughout. My heartfelt thanks to them all.🇨🇦
Prayer flags at Tiger’s Nest, Bhutan
My way of saying thank you to Kelly who has treated us to her trip to Bhutan on her wonderful blog Compass and Camera, which she has posted every day since we all started sheltering in place, with her wish to add “a bit of light to the darkness as we get through the pandemic together.” The title perfect happiness is explained in Kelly’s post yesterday Tiger’s Nest, Bhutan, which I recommend everyone should read and enjoy.Thank you Kelly for lighting our darkness these past few months.
A celebration to uplift us all of spring in our neighbourhood…
…and a look back six years, together with a little Gilbert and Sullivan:
Blossoms around the world May 21, 2014
Blossoms giving colour to our lives the world over.
Venice 22.5.20
Five years ago today I was also in a Venice frame of mind.
Studio 365: Day 142 22.5.15
Venice study I 22.5.15
Painting this watercolour and ink sketch in the studio this afternoon allowed me to re-visit our magical trip to Venice in July 1999, a visit documented in a precious journal that I kept throughout our Italian travels that year.
I thought I would repost this from six years ago today when if you had asked someone what “social distancing” meant they might have thought you were referring to how essential having First Class travel was on British Rail so that one didn’t have to sit with the riffraff in Second Class. Now, here we are six years later and the meaning couldn’t be clearer.
On The Move To Waterloo May 9, 2014
I hope you are all now moving to one of Abba’s greatest hits, Waterloo. I certainly am!
Since it continues to be National Park Week and in follow up to yesterday’s revisit to Bryce Canyon how could I not post the second day of our visit when we hiked into the Amphitheatre. What a day that was.
But first, today’s painting from the studio: Pacific Spirit III with continuing thoughts of those grieving in Nova Scotia; also today in Toronto on the second anniversary of the attack on Yonge Street; and of course all who are mourning loved ones lost to Covid-19.
The heartache continues as our brave healthcare workers and volunteers are there for us each and every day and we thank them all.
Studio 365: Day 113 April 23, 2015
The Navajo Loop Trail from Sunset point descending into the Bryce Canyon Amphitheatre.
The perfect finish to our visit to Bryce Canyon hiking the Navajo Trail into the Amphitheatre, connecting with the Queens Garden Trail and returning to the canyon rim at Sunrise Point. Look for Queen Victoria in the photo gallery.
One final view before leaving this precious jewel of a place and a thank you to the National Park Service for maintaining it so perfectly for us all to enjoy.
Written in chalk beneath a rainbow on the entrance to Tatlow Park here in Vancouver these words are perhaps the perfect way to recognize this 50th Anniversary of Earth Day. We are indeed all in this together.
Since this is also National Park Week, and following my look back to Antelope Canyon, I thought I would re-post our visit to magnificent Bryce Canyon five years ago today together with the painting that it inspired.
Studio 365: Day 112 April 22, 2015
From the wonder and awe of the magic of Antelope Canyon to the breathtaking majesty of the vistas of Bryce Canyon. It has been another unforgettable day and once again I will let the pictures do all the talking…
…the final shot at the end of a perfect day.
Five years ago today we visited Antelope Canyon in Arizona. My paintings and photographs from that never-to-be-forgotten visit have taken on new meaning today, as we continue to grieve for Nova Scotia.
Here is the original post from 5 years ago. Enjoy our visit to Owl Canyon
and learn about the feather on my studio wall.
A treasure in Owl Canyon
Who would have thought it could get any better, but today was another magical day with unforgettable visits to Owl, Rattlesnake and Upper Antelope Canyons. Here are a selection of more amazing images to share with you, and many thanks for all your comments and visits.
The feather from a great horned owl from our visit to Owl Canyon will indeed be the treasure of the trip. It will take pride of place in the studio back home and I can’t wait to use it for more pen and ink drawings. I did ask our Navajo guide Kim, from Adventurous Antelope Canyon Tours, if I could keep the feather and she very graciously gave her permission. Thank you Kim for a day we will never forget.
On to Bryce Canyon tomorrow.
Nova Scotia Strong
Today is Vincent van Gogh’s Birthday. He was born on March 30, 1853. I thought I would celebrate the occasion by reposting Vincent’s Room which I originally posted on The Changing Palette in June 2014. During these difficult days taking a moment to look back on the life of someone who had to “suffer for his sanity” but was still able to show us the beauty that surrounded him in his own wonderfully iconic way should inspire us all.
Who can look at a sunflower and at the same time not think of Vincent? Let us celebrate his memory together, and please listen to Don Maclean’s “Vincent” imbedded in the post. I promise you will it will be the highlight of your day.
“What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything.” Vincent van Gogh
Can there be a more iconic room than Vincent Van Gogh’s bedroom at the Saint-Paul Asylum, Saint-Remy, France where Van Gogh entered voluntarily as a patient on May 8, 1889 and remained until May the following year. During this time he painted the gardens, with their wheat fields, olives groves, irises and sunflowers, all of which he could see from his bedroom window.
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