Summer's Not Over Yet

Hot afternoon sketching at U-Pick Beans on Maxwelton Rd. just as the Labor Day weekend begins.

In other parts of the country they think Summer is over; here it's in full swing!  Doesn't get better than sketching in the sun and interesting conversation with gal pals.  Oh... and taking home fresh-picked beans for dinner!

Cow skull, sunflowers & beans.  Fabulous combo!

Being One with Spirit at One Spirit Garden

We all had a lovely afternoon  in this inspiring garden. The Chocolate cake was heavenly also.

The fragrance of lavender was in the air

I've been wanting to sketch here for ever. Finally enjoyed the day with the lovely Anacortes  sketchers.

My kind of day at the beach

These are great rocks. I didn't do them justice. I'll have to go back again. I think they will be there for a while.

So many people having so much fun.

One Spirit

This grass was perfect!

Shed was cute with an antique egg box inside.

Many decks to sit on and enjoy.

It was almost a zen experience, the sun, the quiet, except for our giggles, sketching in a beautiful English garden.  Add the most delicious soup, tea and gingerbread and I can't wait to go back!

August

Lavendar pots of lavendar.....Lavendar Wind Farm

Three little boats nesting in the beach grass, Langley Marina

And, a  spirited sketcher at Betty's on the beach!

One Spirit Garden Oh My!

  

Okay, so it started with picking "our cup" from a selection of charming china tea cups, and then a choice of tea from an exotic list. I went for chai. A pot covered with a cozy arrived. And then a choice of soups. Yum. Would I ever get around to sketching? The day seemed long and lazy, filled with color, texture, shape.....so many places to choose from. This little garden shed had my name written all over it. Barb in her big sun hat called to me. And even though I don't much like drawing flowers and greenery.....what was I to do? I find it interesting that every sketching session involves sketching other sketchers somewhere along the line. I guess it's because they are generally all over the place....usually right in front of what I want to draw. Sketching is such fun! Oh.....and then the lemon cake arrived. Our hostess found me where I was sitting and delivered the very most delicious lemon cake ever. Does it get any better than this? Hard to imagine. 

Double Bluff Beach

What a delightful way to spend a Summer day....sitting at Double Bluff Beach and sketching what's going on around. The two women in the first sketch were having a spirited discussion and were completely oblivious of the sketchers behind them. Often I like to just draw without the use of watercolor. I really like this two page drawing of looking back from the beach toward the land. And, of course, there sits Barb drawing some of the same scene.

Lavendar Wind Farm

Yep! That's Mike B. sketching away in front of the lovely rows of lavendar. I wish I could convey the fragrance and the slight breeze that was present that day. I was really entranced with that wheelbarrow thing, but then there were all those other things around. I just kept on painting and drawing. In this sketch I threw in all the color first and then did the drawing. I love doing it that way. One of the many fun things about WISketchers is that I end up getting to go so many places that I never knew were there! This was a delicious day.

lavender wind farm

a beautiful setting on a sunny afternoon.

at One Spirit Garden in Clinton

What a perfect afternoon! After what seemed like months (because it has been) I joined the Sketchers at One Spirit Garden in Clinton for tea, soup and delicious cake (oh, and to sketch) The weather couldn't have been more perfect (sunny, bright, warm, blue sky - in a word, perfect!) Our hostess, Glo, has made a little piece of total serenity in her garden, from the trickling waterfall, to the butterflies and dragonflies, to the brilliant blooms all around, to the peaceful background music in the gazebo. So peaceful - like a total, overall massage, mind and body. Wow!

Sketches at Sunnyside

Sunnyside Cemetery is such a beautiful place with pioneer gravestones plus stunning views of Ebey's Prairie and Admiralty Inlet.  The massive landscape views seemed a little too much for me to tackle yesterday so I just chilled under the big trees and sketched what was all around me.

Sofie at Piano

This lovely South Whidbey High School student volunteers her talents to Whidbey General Hospital's music program two mornings each week in the summer months.  She looks like an angel and plays so beautifully. The staff remarked on how many compliments her playing had elicited Tuesday morning. It was a pleasure to draw her, but I was trying too hard, I think.  I wanted the sketch to look like her in case she wanted to see it.

LEA AND JAY'S GARDEN Summer is finally lingering in Langley, offering us infinite opportunities to get out and sketch! Fellow sketchers Sue, Phyllis, and I visited Jay's farm on Maxwelton Road for a quickie sketch after bike riding. The sunflowers stretch towards the sky - stunning! but if we had more time, we'd no doubt have sketched animals, skulls, crops, buildings ... the choices are endless. We'll be back!

Lea and Jay's Garden

Today Sue and Barb and I went on a bike ride to Maxwelton Beach with every intention of sketching at the beach, but the stand of sunflowers in this garden nearly stopped us in our tracks. We had to sketch at Lea and Jay's garden. I was enamored with this little honor system bench for weighing and paying for u-pick beans. We had very little time to sketch, so this is just a quickie, but I can't wait to go back. There is SO MUCH to sketch there...buildings, animals and of course the sunflowers.

Double Bluff Beach

Most of you missed a great afternoon at Double Bluff Beach. It's a happening place for sketching - lots of beach bodies in addition to the spectacular views and wonderful driftwood formations.

Barb in the foreground sketching beach bodies

Girl talk and sunbathing while the kids play.

Barb at Patron

Beverages on the deck chez Barb where activities included sketching, recipe testing and cranky cat brushing!

Travel Sketching on Trip to Baltimore

Managed some travel sketching on planes & Amtrak while back in Baltimore to teach a grad class at Goucher College.

Alumnae/Alumni House on Goucher College campus.

Sketching in Penn Station and on Amtrak, Baltimore to DC side trip to visit a friend.

Waiting at the gate between flights, Chicago O'Hare.

Final leg home - on the plane from Chicago to Seattle.

whidbey island winery concert

a beautiful place to sketch and listen to music