Blending In

With the longer lens attached to old T4i, I was able to take advantage of its ready-to-go status and take a couple snaps of a neighbor's cat, Quinny. He is usually out all night and can be found to be skulking home, along a side street, at about the same time every morning. During the afternoon I noticed he was uncharacteristically out and about. It appeared as if he was trying to blend in, stalking some of our favorite songbirds hiding in a thicket.

I continued to make progress on a new landscape painting, completing a value study and blocking in some of the main colors. Setting the photography aside, as we are finally getting some much needed rain, it will be a good day to paint.

Visitors

Had a few visitors to the garden. My neighbor feeds the birds and I reap the benefits of being able to see what comes along for a meal. Yesterday a pair of cardinals were about all afternoon. I had, just a couple of hours before, dug out a second camera body I had (Canon T4i), deciding that it would be convenient to hook up my seldom used 70-300 zoom lens. In the past when I have thought about catching some close-up snaps of the birds, I would have to go through the process of changing out the lenses. By the time I had done that, I had missed the shot. Now the zoom stands at the ready for use on just such an occasion as yesterday. No if I could figure out how to open the screen door withoug scaring them away...

Female Norther Cardinal

Male Northern Cardinal and what looks to be a Female House Sparrow

"wheet wheet wheet purty purty purty chew chew chew"

Have spent the morning working on a new painting. A seascape, in oil on canvas panel. I got the a quick sketch worked up with a thin wash of burnt sienna. Trying out the oils in my studio for the first time and have decided that I will need a fan going all the time.

Errands

This morning ended up being errand morning. It has conveniently coincided with a new ferry schedule. More boats daily, means not having to wait on the mainland for extended periods of time for that ride home to the island. So this morning I was able to go uptown on the 8:15, walk to the pharmacy and back to the ferry terminal in time for the 9:30 home to the island. During the height of the pandemic, going up on the 8:15 meant you couldn't get back to the island until 12:15. Four hours to kill in a city for the most part still in the preliminary stages of reopening due to the pandemic.

On the trip back to the island this morning I got a nice picture of the "Rising Tide" hauling traps.

"Rising Tide" hauling

Fog Finally Lifted

After three days of fog and cool temperatures the weather finally turned more summery and favorable. I am in between painting projects right now and mulling over a few ideas while combing through GBs of reference photos. Beautiful morning to get out early and walk yesterday and I grabbed a few new pictures.

Looking NE down Massachusetts Avenue

From the intersection of Massachusetts and Seashore Avenues

Multiflora Rose

Yellow Warbler in the thicket

Island Wedding

There was a wedding on the Island last Saturday. My neighbors from across the street got married and they had a wedding "crawl" around some of the neighborhoods and the processional stopped at various locations for some dancing. What a great community I am becoming a part of.

I grabbed a couple of pictures from my porch as they went by. Using them as reference photos I turned them into a portrait of the brides as a wedding gift.

"Island Wedding," 11x14inches, acrylic on canvas panel

Foggy Days

This small contingent of island boats has been disappearing and reappearing from the fog over the last couple of days. Have resorted to photography a little more over the last few days as the studio has been a little hotter and more humid than I care to tolerate. 

There was a wedding on the island this past Saturday and have started a portrait of the brides from a reference photo that I took as there processional went by the cottage. Love the quaint living of this place.

Summer Solstice

What could be more fitting than to usher in the summer with a hazy, hazy hot and humid day. 78F when I got up this morning at 530. Already too hot in the studio so will focus on some photography today.