The Pink Tulip Project

The Pink Tulip Project was founded in 2006 by breast cancer survivor and friend, Robin Whitten. It is a fundraising project that benefits the Women's Cancer Fund at the Maine Cancer Foundation. Gardens are established to raise funds, create awareness and support those affected by breast cancer. Each garden plants seeds of hope and beautifies the community. So far, 30,000 Pink Tulips have been planted and 80 gardens bloom every spring.

My friend Patti coordinated the planting of this garden, so her husband Jack, cousin Pam and I met in Freeport early Sunday morning to plant 500 bulbs. We developed a "system" where Jack used a stick to create the holes and we followed by dropping in a bulb and covering with the soil. We had the 500 bulbs planted in a little under an hour. You got to love a "system".

You too can have a beautiful Pink Tulip garden in your town. Go to Pink Tulip Project for more information.

A lovely time in Georgetown

When we weren't out on one of our daily 8 mile walks, we were hovered over the jigsaw puzzle we started when we arrived. This day on our walk we meandered around Indian Point along Sagadahoc Bay. Most of the summer people were gone so we were able to walk along the shore and peek in the windows of all the cottages.

Elizabeth and Patti heading back to the jigsaw puzzle.

Georgetown sunrise

My last day in Georgetown was a warm sunny day that started with this amazing sunrise. I was mesmerized as I watched it rise over the ocean. Not having the energy to break out the oil paints I used Neocolor 11 crayons to capture the moment.

A road trip to Georgetown Maine

Sophie and I took the opportunity to get out of the city and enjoy a few days with friends at their beautiful home up the coast from Portland in Georetown Maine.

The front yard of my friend's house are these wonderful rocks and tide pools, crashing surf and open ocean as far as the eye can see. Their house is actually bolted to the rocks.

Lobster boats on my way to Georgetown, Maine.

Saturday in the city

Sophie spends most of her days sleeping and much of that time is on her back with legs spread and paws in the air. This is how I found her Saturday afternoon before we took our walk. This Bulldog is one of the "wild things" we met on our afternoon walk .

The leaves are turning

The brilliant colors of fall foliage have finally come to us in Southern Maine. The mountains are past peak and the leaves are probably off the trees. Around Portland about 50% of the leaves have turned. Fall foliage is one of those things in nature that is so beautiful, but so fleeting. One minute the leaves are just turning and then they are gone—it makes me sad. I sometimes have to remind myself to stop and look, so I will really see.

Crocheting

These were sketched while I was working on my most recent crochet project. I actually like the act of knitting and crocheting better than the final product. That's odd isn't it?

My grandmother taught me to knit and crochet when I was quite young. She would give my sister and I each a ball of yarn and those really long plastic needles and we would practice our knitting. We would spend the weekend at their house, knitting, watching TV shows like "Queen for a Day" (that dates me) and eating our favorite foods like 1/2 an avocado filled with her wonderful homemade dressing. They had a Siamese cat named Herman, who liked to eat wool. So, we would have to hide our knitting and of course all our sweaters. If he got to them, we would end up with large holes chewed in our sweaters and we were in trouble!

Often when I knit or crochet I think of my grandmother and those days so long ago.

"Biking the dog"

A beautiful fall day for "walking the dog" or "biking the dog". On our walks, I consistently point out to Sophie well behaved dogs, like this sweet boxer trotting along side his owner. Sophie is basically a good dog, but sometimes she just does bad things...

Waiting

Quick figure study using ink and markers.

Who let the dogs out

It is always interesting to meet other dogs their owners and I am curious as to what kind of dogs people have. Often, we will stop and chat while our dogs get to know one another...or not. Sophie is a 14lb tough guy, except when we see a German Shepard or any very large dog. I guess she just knows, because she will go wide.

It's true, sometimes people look like their dogs...

...and sometimes they don't.

Figure studies in oils

I spent part of this afternoon on small quick figure studies from photos.

Self

This is me, from a photo taken this summer on our sailing cruise. Always wearing my favorite big dark sunglasses (HA—I didn't have to paint my eye)s. These sunglasses are especially cool because the bottom half is a reader for my aging eyes.

Ibu

Balinese woman taking daily prayer offerings down to the waters edge.

The last days

Lately I can't get myself to do more than random sketches here and there. So today, instead of agonizing over the lack of creativity energy, I decided to just freely slop around with watercolors, ink and pencils on this waning bouquet of flowers. Maybe tomorrow I will have more energy...

Casco Bay Ferries

Another sunny crisp fall day here in Maine, so I grabbed a very unused small Moleskine, some pens and colored pencils and wandered down to the waterfront to sketch. Not much time because of apartment duties and Sophie's constant interest in all the dogs and people wandering along Commercial St, so I ended up finishing the rest of the color at home. 

Nasturtiums from Sarah's garden

We had friends for dinner this weekend and after a 4 mile chilly walk along the bay we settled in for a delicious meal and lively conversation. Sarah brought some of the last of the tomatoes, green beans and herbs from their garden along with this sweet nasturtium bouquet. I had to work fast because when I finally got around to getting out the paints, the petals were starting to wilt. Thanks Sarah.

I think I "sketchercised"

Yesterday my energy was quite low, so instead of pounding my body into the ground with a run to the bridge, I headed out on a fast walk with Sophie. A walk with her is never quite as fast as I would like because she is very busy being a dog—we stop a lot. I do, however, manage to tug her along so we can get our heart rates up. At the last minute, I decided to jam my small Moleskine watercolor sketchbook, a pen, bijou box and a waterbrush in the pocket of my fleece. Not at all confident that after all the effort to get it all in the pockets, I would actually sketch. However, I saw a granite bench overlooking the bay so after agonizing about stopping and quite a bit of tugging, I finally got the sketchbook out of my pocket and did a quick sketch of a tanker across the bay while Sophie watched. We then walked home and I told Sophie I think we just "sketchercised". 

The wrong place at the wrong time

A few days ago, at the last minute, I decided to go out for a run instead of going to the the gym. It was a beautiful day so I thought a nice run along the water to the bridge and back would be the perfect solution to my stress...

As I came up over the knoll, I saw movement in front of me and as I got closer I realized it was a woodchuck wandering blindly along the running path throwing its head from side to side. As I looked closer, I could see this woodchuck had his head stuck into a Mason jar. My first thought was, "oh my god, this poor creature and I have got to help him".

So, I grabbed the jar, which was plastic, and started to pull thinking it would pop right off. I pulled and pulled, but it wouldn't budge. I actually lifted the woodchuck off the ground (see illustration above) as I continued to try to pry this jar off his head. I shook him up and down a bit, but still, it wouldn't budge. Other people were running, biking and walking past me as I was trying to free this poor woodchuck from his "Mason jar hell". Clearly no one else was going to help me. I was on my own...
I then thought I could twist the jar off his head (see above). So, I grabbed the jar, turned to the right, then to the left, but again, I could not get this jar off his head. It was stuck!!! With tears in my eyes, I finally had to say "I have tried my hardest, but I can't help you".  Reluctantly I left him and ran home. Jerry tried to make me feel better by saying he would find a way to get it off, "like Winnie the Pooh", I said?  I know, I know, but I wanted to believe he would find a way.

I told all my friends about this incident and some said "you could have been scratched or bitten". Bitten? I don't think so...hello, he had a jar on his head! Then others said "like Winnie the Pooh?" and all I could say was "well, sort of"...

Such a sad little story that I don't even know why I sketched and posted it. I wish I had gone to the gym.

EDM #241—view from my kitchen window

A quick sketch before heading out for a day of being "landlord girl". Our 5th floor kitchen window looks over the roof tops in Portland's "Old Port". There is usually a mama seagull perched on the chimney on the hotel next door. She stands watching and protecting her babies who sit on the roof behind her. I have watched them run along the roof after her flapping their wings learning to fly. One tumbled off the roof and for several days walked around the square and our parking lot. I kept hoping that it would figure out how to get airborne...soon.

It takes a cupcake

Cupcakes were the latest challenge from Karin Jurik's Different Strokes from Different Folks. Not having used oils in quite a while, I finally managed to squeeze paint onto the palette for the painting of OP and Martha (below). I hate to waste paint so I always move what I can to a fresh palette and and try to put it to good use. This seemed like a good challenge for leftover paint.

Walking to the "Beach Club" in Northeast Harbor

This weekend we are on our way "downeast" to visit our friends, OP and Martha, on Mount Desert Island. Their renovated turn of the century "cottage" sits on a ridge that over looks Northeast Harbor on the left and Southwest Harbor on the right. A mile up the road is Acadia National Park with miles of old carriage trails for biking, hiking and walking. There is usually a boat ride to Little Cranberry Island for a dinner on Isleford Dock and a walk to the "Beach Club" for lunch. It's just so Northeast!

Around town

Since arriving home from bootcamp at Disney, I've had a hard time getting back into drawing, painting and blogging. Seems like the last weeks of summer have been spent outdoors enjoying these last wonderful days of summer. I drag an old sketchbook around and manage a few contour drawings a day along with my "daily dog draw", but that's about it.

My good friend, Elizabeth.

Sadie with baby Quintin and her brother Zeke.
Jerry and I having an outdoor lunch at the Front Room after a long walk along the waterfront and around Portland. He works from his iphone and I draw. 

A perfect evening for outside dining at one of our favorite sushi restaurants. Jerry on the iphone emailing with Indonesia, me sketching the other patrons, a plate of the most delicious sushi and hot sake.