A few weeks of nature photos and such

Ugh.  I'm failing at blogging.  Here's a bit of an update on life since my last blog post.

We made a visit to Boston to visit our son and his fiance on Mother's Day.  Behind our hotel was a nature park where there was a pair of nesting swans!

On Mother's Day, we strolled around "Porchfest" in Somerville (where our son lives).  Lots of live music of all genres on porches and front yards all through the neighborhoods.  Free and fun. 

We took a leisurely drive home (ever since our car accident on the Mass Pike two years ago, we prefer the 'scenic route'.)  This time we made a pit stop at the lovely Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls MA.

Since then, I've been in my kayak a few times, and of course brought my camera with me.  I've seen loons, both real and wooden, and a brand new dragonfly emerged from it's nymph casing on my kayak.  That's the dragonfly below, and also at the top of the post.  It is brand new!

And I happened on a nest of redwing blackbird eggs, when I was rescuing bottles and cans I saw in the reeds near the lake shore.  I hope mama comes back to these eggs!

 On a walk near our camp, I came across this oddity, below.

I've taken some strolls around Hovey Pond, a mile from my home.  

And a few days ago, my husband discovered a baby bird living in a tree in the abandoned house next to our home.

We saw it's mama feeding it.  But as of today, it appears the baby has spread its wings.  The tree is vacant.  I hope the fledgling is doing well!

Moose sighting in North Bennington Vermont....

Meanwhile, I set up my easel in the backyard where I've been experimenting with my oil paints, trying to get to know the properties of my colors better.  It isn't done.

Images from a summer

In a few days, my students will be back for the fall session of DragonWing Arts, and I'll be back sharing art projects with you all, but I thought in the meantime I'd show you a few summer photos, since photography is a big part of my summer creativity.  Above, a great blue heron is playing peek-a-boo! Below, a luscious sunset over the lake, as viewed from our dock.

We are incredibly lucky to have a "camp" (that's the Adirondack name for a cabin or cottage or summer residence by a lake, or for some other recreation) on lovely little Loon Lake (one of several Loon Lakes in NY, but anyhow...), so any chance I get, I'm either in my kayak, or relaxing on the dock, or tromping through the woods. This summer my kayaking has brought me close to this great blue heron on a couple of occasions.  I just sat quietly and watched him. 

 That thing you see hanging in the center of my kayak below?  It's a waterproof box, for my camera, a spare battery, and a phone for emergencies.  Of course, since I obviously took the picture, you probably have realized that my camera was not in the box.  

 I'm not sure what this interesting aquatic plant is!

 Drip drop splish splash. 

 Morning fog

 Lunch!!

 I hope you've enjoyed a little of my summer joy! 

A moment for pre-convention reflections

I apologize, faithful readers.  I haven't posted in a while.  My DragonWing Arts art enrichment business went on unplanned hiatus this fall, when my former students suddenly had too many conflicts, and I had only one enrollment for a planned fun fall program.  With no students, I haven't had much I've wanted to post.  I am disappointed, but hopefully my business will improve.  But nevertheless, I've kept really busy. 

I love the fall, and have been outside whenever possible.  The top two photos are from a walk on the bike path along a canal, not far from my home. 

We've been back and forth to Cape Cod to see my brother's new home, and to Boston to see my son's new apartment (the two photos above are from the drive home), and I've been raking leaves, and last week, on a couple of lovely fall days, we spent a little time at our camp where I kayaked alone on a totally empty lake.  (Empty of boats and people, that is.  There was a pair of loons on the lake.)  The autumn colors may be gone, but the quiet lake is still beautiful.

Meanwhile - a few days ago, I went to the driveway to get into my car, and looking across at the neighbor's driveway and the pile of raked leaves at the end of it, I saw this cutie below.

But anyhow...

I haven't just been 'playing' outside.  I've also been prepping madly for the coming weekend, when I head to Rochester for our annual state convention.  My art studio is a total disaster, filled with boxes holding the supplies and handouts for the four workshops I'll be teaching, and materials for the "Bling Your Badge" table that I'm in charge of, and supplies for the Saturday night Partici-Paint activity. 

All of this means, of course, that I should have lots of artsy stuff to tell you about when I return at the end of the weekend!  See you then!