HOLIDAY IN LA!

 IT'S FUN TO BE IN OUR OLD STOMPIN' GROUNDS OF WOODLAND HILLS AND TOPANGA WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY FOR THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY

 PREPARING THE FEAST AT RONE'S

 THEN ON CHRISTMAS MORNING ENJOY JACQUELINE'S FAMOUS BREAKFAST AT JEANNE AND ROBERT'S HOUSE

AND FINALLY ON BOXING DAY, FUN, FOOD AND CAROLS AT NED AND LARA'S

Into the Light

THE FORECAST WAS PREDICTING MORE OF THIS FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE

PHEW!

MIGRATION TIME

I do love Port Townsed.  I also love warmth and light,  so it's at this time of year when both those qualities are in short supply here that I can happily head south.

 No, I don't want to have my evening aperitif in this chair!

Even the ceramic deer head has taken refuge beneath the old camellia.

WHIDBEY ISLAND FINE ART STUDIO AND THE DAVID GRAY WORKSHOP

A friend had told me about David Gray's workshop soon to be hosted at Whidbey Island Fine Art Studio.  Knowing nothing about these things, I took a look at David's website and fell in love with his luminous classical still lifes.  I took the plunge and just returned from a very full and very fulfilling four days.  Here's a snap shot of the four days of instruction.

The instruction is held at the fairgrounds in Langley, lots of nice red farm buildings and lots of bunnies running around on the green grass.

Cary is the owner of the studio and a welcoming presence as we get set up the first day.

Arranging our compositions

Here is mine

David getting to know the participants.  This is his fifth workshop at the studio.

Palettes of various earlier teachers

One of David's unfinished paintings showing the process

Below is some of the work of the participants.

This is the stage of David's painting at the end of the workshop.....beautiful even unfinished!

SIGNS OF AUTUMN

 FORAGED CHANTERELLES

 THE PORT TOWNSEND FILM FESTIVAL

 

SEATING FOR THE OUTDOOR MOVIE

Wooden Boat Festival and John Steinbeck's "Western Flyer"

                               Early morning on the first day of Port Townsend's best festival.  

The Western Flyer,  the boat that John Steinbeck and Ed "Doc" Ricketts took to Baja California and whose journey was chronicled in "The Log from the Sea of Cortez" had been at the bottom of the Puget Sound for some time and is now being restored here.   Have a look.........

 There was some very nice paella served, too!

                        A perfect ending to the festival with a glass of wine on the Vito Dumas