Capturing fond memories

Here's a painting of our friends in Nova Scotia, Ian and Marilyn
Fancey. Almost everything in the painting has changed. They are
sitting in front of their century old farmhouse, which they sold
a couple of years ago. Taking care of the large acreage got to be
too much of a hassle, and Marilyn was lonely out in the country.
Sometimes in winter the icy roads made it treacherous to venture
into town, only a fifteen minute drive away.

At the farmhouse
watercolour
14" x 16"

The kids reflected in the window are my sons, who loved to play
at the farm, and watch TV. We don't have a television at our
schoolhouse, so a trip to the Fancey's place was always a treat
for them. The little boy in the reflection in the window, is my
son, Sam -- who graduated from high school last week, and is
now 6' 3". All those Nova Scotia summers helped no doubt --
clean air and seafood.

The little dog, Tess, sitting on Marilyn's lap is no longer in
this world, and we miss her when we visit. Before we met
Marilyn and Ian, we had never really been card players.
But they are absolutely astonishing cribbage players. Now
any visit includes potato chips, instant coffee, and hours
of cribbage, punctuated with lots of laughter and endless
jokes.

I don't paint in watercolour anymore, although I think about
it fondly now and then. I just like the feeling of painting
in acrylic so much more. Someday when I have time, I'll
do both, but for now I'm sticking to perfecting my skill
in one medium.

Have a fondly-remembering-great-days-and-enjoying-the-present-one day.