Garden distractions, Macbeth and festive tea

 Tea with Marcia (work in progress)

Acrylic on canvas

8 x 8 inches

Barbara Muir © 2014

I've been working on this little painting for
a couple of days now -- as I work on the larger
breakfast painting too.  After the winter we've
had it's true that as James Russell Lowell said,
"And what is so rare as a day in June?", and
today our garden, unfinished, weeds and all
was perfect.  The weather was idyllic, warm
but breezy, and the sky a perfect blue.

I sat in the garden on my breaks and the dog
was so happy she plunked herself down
flat out testing various spots -- on the porch,
under the cherry tree (which is in bad shape)
and beside me under the apple tree -- which we
both agreed was best. The view from a pair
of Adirondack chairs I am promising to paint was
spectacular.

The day began with my brother quoting from
Macbeth, which he'd read the night before because
he was missing my mother.  We both agree
that if our mother read something she knew it.
But it is rare indeed to have long animated
talks about Shakespeare over the phone with
my morning coffee, and I relished this
happening, and the knowledge that it was a treat.

The painting is of a delicious tea preceding lunch
at the Art Gallery of Ontario, where I saw a
superb exhibition of work by Henry Moore
and Francis Bacon last week.  In the Members'
Lounge tea is an occasion, and I always like how
it looks.

Have an enjoying-June-day.