Thinking Warm Thoughts

As I am sitting here writing this blog I notice that according to the icon on my computer, it is currently 19 degrees outside. This is a heat wave!!! Like much of the country we have been experiencing challenging weather. We have had single digit highs and freezing rain with several inches of snow. Such is the life of a Michigander every year! It seems like ages ago now, that our family traveled to Disney World early in January. The following pictures are the walk we took through our condo complex on the way to breakfast the morning we were leaving to come home. I am really bad about remembering to take pictures. This particular morning was cloudy, but warm by Michigan standards and a pleasant walk. While in Florida, our kids hit the parks every day while we just soaked up the atmosphere. Unfortunately, it never got warm enough to put the top down on our Jeep;maybe next time.




Since returning home I have been working long hours in my studio preparing for May on Mackinac Island when tourism begins in earnest. Today, I only have one finished piece to share as I have many 90% complete works of art. I do this quite often. Work on something and then throw it on the shelf for a few weeks. It helps me to see my work with fresh eyes! The piece below is called On A Clear Day and believe it or not, I did not embellish the colors at all-it really was that beautiful the day I took this shot. We were touring the fort up on the bluff and this is a view of the town and harbot below. Can't wait for spring!
I hope everyone is keeping warm and enjoying the solitude of Winter.

Till next time,

Mobbed On Mackinac

It's hard to believe we are back home from Mackinac already! We left a week ago and camped just South of Mackinaw City for three nights. The weather was beautiful Clear skies every day. It was unusually warm and humid, however ,making walking around and picture taking a bit of work. The island was very crowded as the sailors were coming in from the Chicago to Mackinac Island race. I am told this is the longest fresh water race in the country! There were hundreds of sailboats in the race. We had a beautiful campsite with a view of the Mackinac Bridge connecting upper and lower Michigan. We could sit on the beach and watch the sailboats moving silently under the bridge on their way to the finish line. On our trip to the island on Tuesday, the above photo was the scene in the harbor! This photo was taken from the fort above the harbor. That wasn't all the boats as they were still trickling in!
We had a wonderful visit which included dinner with our artist friend Mary Lou Peters and her husband and a visit to our artist friend Bill Murcko's studio on the East Bluff of the island. Although we visit the island several times each year we hadn't toured the fort since our kids were little. We took tons of pictures of war reinactments and interiors of the school house, kitchen and living quarters. I have several paintings lined up already. We stopped by the gallery while on the island and delivered three new paintings. I was pleased to learn that two are sold. One of those paintings is an evening view of St. Anne Church. This church was quite a challenge with all the detail in the building. The blotches in the sky are not in the actual painting-don't know where they came from. I have had a request to paint a similar scene, so I am going to become real familiar with the detail of this church.
All too soon it was time to return home and we are back to work. I am currently working on another fudge maker and a porch scene from the Grand Hotel. Its hard to believe that it is August already. The summer is flying by. I hope everyone is getting out and enjoying the season.
Till next time,