In Absentia

What I did on my Summer Vacation;

Farm Lane

First off, I didn't write a blog...

Second, I got poison ivy three times from clearing brush.  Well, no-- twice from clearing brush and once from plowing through a thicket on Monhegan Island to get some photos.  I don't know, but it could have been this one:

But then again, whose to say?  Between Ellen and myself, we took over three hundred shots.  But do you want to know the worse part about getting poison ivy?

For the week or so it takes to clear up, I have that damn song Poison Ivy in my head!  You know how it goes:

You're gonna need an ocean
Of Calamine lotion...

Poison Ivy-e-e-e-e
Poison Ivy-e-e-e-e-e...

It's not so bad during the day, but when you're trying to sleep at night and the itch is keeping you awake-- That song can drive you nuts!


I want to bid a found adieu to my beautiful old parlor woodstove:

This old gal was the subject of this painting from earlier in the year, with Ellen as a model:

Stoking The Fire

We took it for a little restoration and clean up for use this Winter, and found out we were only twenty-five years too late.  It was beyond repair.  The place we took it to had another one identical to it, so we traded for it.  In truth, I'll feel a lot better about having a stove that won't burn the house down while we sleep.


We didn't go on any long trips this summer, mostly stayed around the house.  That afforded me an opportunity to do yet another painting of our little yard.  I call this one Summer Morning Dew:

Oh let's see, what else...  Oh, I was asked to participate in this years A Gathering of Maritime Masters show at Art Of The Sea Gallery in South Thomaston, Maine.  Thanks to Joan, Tad and Ruth for all the work they do to put on this successful and stunning show.


Speaking of galleries, I want to wish Casco Bay Artisans a hearty hello as being another gallery to carry my work!  Jen, Lori and Tina who are wonderful artisans themselves have a beautiful shop smack in the middle of the busy shopping district called the Old Port in Portland, Maine.  If you are ever in Portland, stuff that lobster roll down your gullet and head on in to see them.


I know that for most of the country, this Summer's weather has been a trifle strange.  It's been hellishly hot out West, and wicked cool here in the East.  But I must say that the plant life has loved it!  For us, it has been a great growing season.  The blueberries were a bumper crop.  The strawberries were bursting red and plump.  My lawn has loved it, too.  Mowing my field is an all-day event that in the past I would do once every ten days.  This Summer, I've had to take my long lawn ride every friggin week!    I also recall that this past Spring the flowers bloomed as large and colorful as I have ever seen.   

And as I sit here and scratch and claw at these little raised bumps on my arms and legs I'm reminded of another plant that has thrived this Summer...


Poison Ivy-e-e-e-e-e
Poison Ivy-e-e-e-e-e


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