summer scatter brain

hello lovely people!

First, I'm sorry I disappeared for so long.

It's summer here

and it's been hot, hot, hot!

Need I say more?

I am spending as much time as I can outside

and as little time as I can on the computer.

Secondly, I have several pics to share,
so i hope this post doesn't explode on me. :)
It is the annual Lobster festival here in Shediac
and these few photos were taken on July 1st - Canada Day (evening)

Shediac is the Lobster Capital of the world...
which basically means nothing,
but lots of tourist come in during July to share in the excitement. ;)
And yes, the big lobster is always an attraction.

Kids love to play on the big claws
and have their photo taken with Mr. Fisherman. :)

I thought this little girl admiring the flowers was so cute...

Guess where I've been spending some time? 
We have several beaches around here,
and the above sketch was done in the morning.
I love the beach during the morning or evening.
Too hot for me during the day now,
and crowded with too many tourists.

Another beautiful one (Parlee Beach) 
where I often go for walks during the evenings.

So beautiful, especially when the tide is low.

Even the seagulls are cooling off.

I had to take a picture of this.
When my nephew was about 5 years old (he's over 30 now),
he rarely swam in the ocean  because he said
he didn't like the lettuce. :)
Makes me smile every time I see it now.

A friend got me this book
and i've been sketching like a madwoman
along with drinking wine
because his mom also got me this glass
and i have to use it. 
Often.
Because that's what friends do for one another.
:)

 Beautiful clouds...

"Is that thunder I hear"?
dad's dog Fluffy is terrified of thunder. :(

My son works in a Vietnamese restaurant in Shediac
and I wanted to give the owners a little something
because they've been so good to him.

She is from a small coastal village in Vietnam called Sa Dec
so I found a few images on line
that I hoped would bring back fond memories for Binh.

I did 2 small paintings (6" x 6") on canvas...

And in the end, I was happy when my son told me
that they both loved them
and hung them in the restaurant.

A quick little Paul Cézanne watercolor on thick board.

And a few books I got from Amazon
to give me the kick in the ass I need
to take that LAST step towards publishing my book.
Or maybe these books are actually distractions?
Either way, summer has always been a 
"running on empty" kinda season for me.
I sketch a bit and paint a bit
but far less than I do in the fall.
It's a slow motion season.
It's a "do what you want" season.
It's a "pay attention to what's around you" season.
It a gestational period.
But come the fall -
I get a burst of energy like no other time of the year
and I "make something" with everything I gathered in my head
during the hot summer months.

I suspect most artists do the same thing.

I want to post more consistently - like once a week -

and have smaller posts ;)

You shouldn't feel like you're reading a book

when you visit here.

I'll probably aim for Friday posts,

although I'll be leaving myself lots of flexibility

cause I don't do well with rules

or with anything that constrains me.

The minute you say: "don't think of a cow",

you can bet your butt

i'll be thinking of a cow.

Wishing you all a wonderful week ahead!

Thanks for visiting here - I appreciate you all.

Now get off the computer

and go outside if you can. :)

xx