A Return to Painting

Hi Everyone,

I'm sorry for the long delay between posts.
However, lots has happened, and one thing
involves painting.

This past weekend, I participated in an
Art Workshop, which was based in Lunenburg,
Nova Scotia, a designated World Heritage
Site.

We painted on location in a couple of small
coastal villages, as well as on the waterfront,
in Lunenburg. Now, I must admit that I'm not
often inspired by fish houses, boats, or cove
scenes. However, the workshop was quite
wonderful, in that I got to interact with
other painters, and with my good friends,
Graham "Buz" Baker and Heather Beaton. I
first took a workshop from them, and the late
Al Riggs, way back in 1982!

So, the workshop was like a home-coming
event! :)


Oh yes, you can visit Graham's homepage,
by Clicking Here.

If you'd like to see some fun, interesting
photos from the workshop, Click Here.
I'm the guy with the Corona beer -- oh yes,
I also won a yellow Corona cap that evening! :)

The workshop showed me how rusty I was,
in terms of painting on location! But, I
felt some skills returning to me, on the
final day of the event. Now, I'm determined
to get out there and paint landscapes on
location. I love to paint, woodsy, landscape
scenes.

Well, all the best for this time. I'll return
soon . . . promise!

Laurie

Herb Fair

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to touch base again, briefly,
to inform you that the workshop schedule for
the Herb Fair, is now posted on the Herbal
Association of Nova Scotia website. Visit:
Workshop Sessions.

It should be a fun and interesting time on
Saturday! Also, RiverView Herbs will be
having special events, and selling their
products, as well.

All the best,
Laurie

Announcing Herb Fest 2008!

Hi Everyone,

Well, I'm back to announce Herb Fest 2008,
which will take place at RiverView Herbs in
Maitland, Hants County, Nova Scotia, on
Saturday, the 19 July 2008.

This year, RiverView Herbs and the Herbal
Association of Nova Scotia, are having their
events together, as one giant Herbal Love-In
Festival. :)

RiverView Herbs will be having a giant plant
sale, and will have Display Gardens, a Picnic
Area, Greenhouse Tours, and you'll also be
able to view the Tidal Bore.

The Herbal Association of Nova Scotia will
be hosting workshops on a variety of topics,
including Plant Spirit Medicine, Herb ID
Walks, Clinical Herbalism, and Medicine
Making. I will be giving a Medicine Walk,
as part of the second session of workshops,
starting at 1:30 p.m.

There will be three workshop sessions during
the day, starting at 10:30, 1:30, and 3:30 --
each session will last for approximately
an hour.

If you have any questions about the event,
leave me a comment with this post, and I'll
get back to you promptly. Another option is
to visit the Herbal Association website,
and the RiverView Herb site, as well.

All the best, and I hope to meet you at the
Festival!

Laurie

Last Week I Created A Fire-Pit

Hi,

Well, I'm pleased to say that I now have a fire-pit on my
property. You see, last week I went to work and mowed
a large circular area of grass, removing the sod and
digging a shallow pit in the centre of the mowed-over
area.

When I finished that task, I jumped in my little Toyota
and headed off in search of rocks. Within a short while
I had returned with enough rocks to build a neat wall
around the fire-pit. Job well done!

I now have an excellent fire-pit, and one that I can use
when I feel like preparing an outdoor meal, or simply
feel like enjoying a camp fire -- also, it'll be great when
I have visitors or give weekend workshops.

Soon, I plan to place rocks along the perimeter of the
mowed-over circle, and place larger rocks at each of
the four compass or primary direction points. I may even
paint a circle on each rock with the colour that correlates
or corresponds with each primary direction.

All the best to you and yours!
Laurie

Walking in the Moonlight, Again...

Hi Everyone,

I just returned from a splendid late evening walk along
the old Mines Road. The temperature is perfect for
walking, while the Summer Solstice Moon to the south,
is still fairly high above the treeline.

I heard a lot of activity tonight. At one point, there was
a bird chirping off to my right, in the bushes. Unfortunately,
I wasn't able to identify its call, as birding isn't one of my
strong points. Then, later, aside from the usual peepers
in the ponds and ditches, I also heard the movement of
bushes and the breaking of twigs, but a short distance
from the road.

I stood listening, thinking it was probably a small animal,
and likely a porcupine. However, I suddenly heard the
snap of what sounded like a fairly large stick, so now
I'm thinking it might have been a bear or even a deer.
In any case, I decided to be merrily on my way! :)

So, that's it for tonight -- I'm now back home and about
to make myself a tea, before retiring for the night. I'm
hoping to be in bed a bit earlier than last night, when
I hit the sack at 4:30 A.M.

Best wishes!
Laurie

The Potato Garden

I checked my garden yesterday morning to discover that
almost an entire row of potatoes had popped up through
the soil overnight! I'm excited, partly because this is the
first time I've planted potatoes in a number of years. The
other reason I'm excited, is that the potatoes I planted are
an old variety that's been a personal favourite of mine
since childhood.

This old variety is called, "Green Mountain," and they are
an excellent, dry, baking potato.

Some varieties of potatoes will rot easier than others.
Unfortunately, the Green Mountain potato is prone to rot,
if they are planted in wet soil (Soil that tends to retain its
moisture for long periods.).

I also enjoy red and blue/black potatoes. I'm speaking of
the outer layer of the potato -- the part that's generally
peeled. Here on the south shore of Nova Scotia, those
varieties were called "fish potatoes," because they are
dry potatoes that go well with a fish dish. They were the
potatoes of choice in such traditional meals as "Salt
Herring and potatoes," or with fresh fried mackerel.

Yummy, indeed!

All the best,
Laurie