Maine

September 5, 2007
I arrive in Mount Desert Island in Maine, having vibrated through PA, NY, CT, and MA. (our interstates are crumbling and are being pounded by trucks and bad drivers!) I was invited by Richard & Judy Carrell to informally paint the Big Lobster Croquet Tounament in Southwest Harbour. I parked my home in the back yard of Ann Bright. Ann is a wonderful summer resident who opens her home to me, feeds me and lets me use the facilities and the internet & phone. I drive each day to the Claremont Hotel. The scene looks like a John Singer Sargent painting with the players all in their whites against the beautiful harbor in the background.

September 12, 2007
We are fortunate to have 3 sunny warm days but the cool nights signal the end of summer. At the end of 3 days I have sold a few paintings, the weather turns rainy and I am thinking it is time to go. I spend 2 more rainy days waiting for the sunshine so I can go out and take some more photos. I have gotten a few commissions for later and lots of great material.I pause on September 11 and thank those who have made it possible for me to have such freedom.The following morning the sun is out and I do a quick study in Seal Cove. There is a van in my view and as I am about to be irritated by it, a man steps out and
starts playing the bagpipes. WOW. The sun, the ocean, the 25 knot winds bouncing the boats and bagpipes - can it get any better?I head southwest on Rt 3 and 202 to Turner to visit some old friends and catch up on the last 10 years, kids, aches and pains... Gerry and Angela Maloney were there when my kids (now 25 & 26) were born. I enjoy the comforts of home for a few days before heading back on the road.

September 21, 2007
My internet system has not worked so I am dependent on Wifi locations which have been few and far between. I spent 4 nights in the Camden Rockport area to catch up with Mary Erickson. She is visiting Maine from North Carolina so we met at the campground and went painting after a quick visit to the Farnsworth Museum to look at the Wyeth paintings. Mary is the hardest working painter I have ever met - she will stop to paint on her way to go painting and is one of very few people I will get up at 5 AM to hang out with.
On the 18th we met up with Don Demers and Gary Davis to paint on the Olson farm where Wyeth painted Christina's World among others.
I have horned in on a reunion paint for the other 3 who met in an Ireland workshop of Don's. But they are all great people and don't mind the intrusion.
( I show my cluelessness at the end of the day by being the only one not drinking Guiness.) I dashed out a little 6 x 8 of Mary and Don painting together which they both liked.