Going Sketching with a Visitor from France

I went sketching with a high school art student 
from France who visited me with her U.S. host family.

Lisa, the talented and artistic owner of Brambles, 

welcomed us to sketch in her front "garden"

of ornaments, potted herbs & flowers 

such as lavender & verbena.

The steady buzzing of bumble bees  in roses 

& floral scents kept me company as I sketched.

My friend sketched nearby.

This is something that I enjoy when sketching with others:

You are together, but separate while drawing.

Then there is time for sharing.

There is a park a few steps down from Brambles, 

next to the Harbor. 
With benches, shade & boats,
it's perfect for sketching. 
While there. a windjammer, rowers, sailboats,
& my least favorite, a smelly diesel boat, came & went.

Sketching in front of well known photographer Neal Parent's Gallery, 
right in the middle of downtown, 
attracted friendly passersby.

Some even stopped to speak to my friend in French.

A city councilor, one of the early Back to the Landers 
who became entrepreneurs in Belfast in the 70's, 
stopped to tell us that he had formerly had a café 

where Neal's Gallery is today. 

Another great thing about sketching:  If you stay in one spot long enough,

you often learn more about the place.


At the toy store across the street, Scott Canon,
local educator, musician & mime
sang a little English language song with his uke,
to my French friend, who is here to leanr English.

There is not a moment, not in any season, that I don't appreciate my little town. 

Visitors & sketching add so much to my enjoyment.

No Spring Chicken

 Eight years ago, when I was selling my art at Art in the Park
a woman asked me to create an illustration
for her daughter, who was raising chickens.
                                                              

I thought of it recently as I was 

writing a letter in French, and I wanted to say, 

 "I'm no Spring Chicken, you know!"

Google translates that as 

"Je ne suis pas un poulet de printemps,"

which is literal, & I knew that that was probably wrong. 

So using websites, I came up with 2 other, 

probably more accurate translations of what I meant to say.

But that's another story...

I'm not as young as I used to be. 

But I am lucky to still be able to: 

Express myself 

To dance Zumba • to wear fun clothes, 

To work/play at my art • to learn new things,

To eat well • to cultivate healthy habits,

To have old friends and to make new ones.

And on occasion, to be able to share my experience

and to help some one who IS a Spring Chicken.

I'm no spring chicken, but I am very grateful.