Hello everyone,
It is a cool fall day today, a bit overcast, not frosty yet, puddles of rain and dew on the grass. I started my day checking on my cat Felix. She is very ill right now and most likely going to pass away, so we’re all sad about that. For some comfort I played my octave mandolin for a bit, composing some new music. It’s pretty rough since I am just learning chords and such but if I keep recording little snippets, writing down lyric fragments and playing with my instruments eventually a song will come together. I’d like to write something nice for Felix. Maybe a lullaby.
For the last month I have been doing some serious job hunting. My labours are bearing fruit now. I have a number of contracts to teach some art classes with Westshore Recreation, the Coast Collective, and a shot at proposing a course for an adult education centre in the Langford area. All this stuff will start up in January so I’m still looking for work to fill in the gap.
I’m enjoying getting to know Langford. Yesterday I went to the Waterwheel Pub for their afternoon acoustic music jam. It was really great! Everyone there was very welcoming and friendly. The music was fantastic! I really like the pub itself. The fireplace built out of smooth beach boulders is gorgeous and the general atmosphere in the pub is very warm and rustic. The food is excellent. I think I’ll go back for more music next weekend!
Sarah and I did a short camping trip together last month. We went to Little Qualicum River Falls, a provincial park near Coombs. It doesn’t have full services, no showers and indoor bathrooms, which means the park is very quiet, not overrun with tourists and families who prefer more comforts and convenience. The river is beautiful. The walking trails and swimming holes in the park are very nice to explore. The waterfalls are pretty impressive. We watched some kids jumping into frothing pools. I was sure this one kid was a goner when he leaped into this smaller hole that fed a strong cascade of water going sideways into a skinny channel. But apparently the pool was nice and deep. He came up and was just fine! Technically you’re not allowed to swim there anymore but lots of people disregarded that. I just wanted to watch. It would be a great place to sit and draw for a while. I like figuring out the currents and patterns in the river channel as it carves through the rock formations. Someday I’ll go back there to make some art.
We had a really nice time camping together. The VW van was great. I played mandolin and enjoyed looking like a country picking’ girl in my straw hat. Sarah took some photos with her camera. Our dog Luci had fun too. She especially likes to sausage herself in between us at night, deep under the quilts. How does she breathe in there?!
Now that fall is here our veggie garden is yielding some produce. The potatoes are ready to come out. The pumpkins and squash are ripening. The lettuce is going to seed. I planted soy beans, asian greens, and some spinach for the winter crop. My spinach didn’t come up at all but the other seedlings are doing well so far. I’m going to plant some more lettuce.
I’m finishing up a printmaking series this week that features the two hummingbird nests we were watching in the spring. I’m hoping to print several editions today. I have a venue lined up to show the prints. I’m excited about it because this cafe has a lot of hummingbirds visiting their patio area. I’m also preparing to show some art at the Saanich Municipal Hall in November. I have some ideas for a display there but I’m still working on it.
To add to my pet portraits portfolio I plan to do a painting of my cat Felix in her prime. She came from a farm in southern Alberta, a barn cat with attitude. She’s been my affectionate companion for 14 years. I’ll post an image of the portrait when it’s finished.
I guess that’s all for now. I hope that your fall harvest is fantastic!
Cheers!
Caroline
