Roots

Roots

8x10

acrylic on canvas 

#12 art work of the Spy Pond series

I noticed this tree with it's enormous root system on the shore of Spy Pond when I was snapping some pics at Linwood Circle the other day and thought it might make an interesting painting.  It was fun to do though no pond view in it.

skating

First Skate

photo 

So exciting that I had to post this right off!  Of course I had just spent an hour walking Cally around Fresh Pond with temps in the teens and wind also so I'll just enjoy watching these folks.  And they're skating where I heard it was iffy, but all the pond looks frozen so I wish them well.  I may yet be tempted...maybe in the morning.  The weather's been so up and down that one needs to seize the opportunity or it'll be gone quick.  

Opposites

Winter Reflections

8x8 oil on canvas

Ice and Water

8x10 oil on canvas

Quite a day!  Inauguration of our 44th President and Martin Luther King Day and Volunteer Day.  I watched the whole inauguration event which included a tribute to Dr. King while my daughter and her husband planted bushes on conservation land in Santa Barbara. Good job!  Of course Arlington played a key roll in our history so I'm honored to live here near where it all began in Concord.

Here in Arlington it was cold, overcast and we're waiting for snow--or at least I am.  Spy Pond is open but Hill Pond is frozen.  The first painting is of a cove visible from the Route 2 path and the view was captivating.  The water was still and reflections were pure.  The second was a week before when the ice was just going out.  A couple of girls were exploring the rocks and I thought that the figure in red made a nice focus for this gray day.  The green lichen on the rocks came out too bright in the photo and I'll have to work on color correction or improving my photos.  

Ice in and ice out, snow down and snow gone, fog in

photo: snow, no ice

photo: ice, a little snow

photo: fog eating snow and ice

So this has been an interesting winter so far.  First the snow came and it was so beautiful.  Then the local ponds froze--also so beautiful.  Now I love both snow and ice and should really think about living in a locale that has both for at least 3 months a year.  However,  having family and friends all over New England, it's hard to leave.  So I did ski once around Thorndike Field near my house, and skated at Hill Pond in Menotomy Park a few miles from here.  Both were lovely, but I want more!  So like Ally McBeal,  I'll try Friday nights at the Frog Pond,  and look for snow north and west.  Here are a few photos of Spy Pond's ice in and out.  So with both gone,  I'm out walking the dog more and hiking around Menotomy with her and friend, and the fog has been serene.

winter's arrived!

Ice and Snow

8x10 acrylic on canvas

Reflections in the Ice

photo

Winter finally came with some snow on Christmas and then later in the week.  It's lovely and probably my favorite nature event.  Every thing's cleaned up and crisp, even the temps which dipped to 9 degrees last night.  The sunrise and sets are beautiful and the moon's low and large.  There's plenty of activity at the pond in terms of birds, commuters, families out for play and people like me out for a good picture.  The edges of the pond froze about a week ago and today it looked like ice covered most of it.  I was told that the area near the parks is deep and dangerous to skate on.  Boy I'd love to skate and even ski there! The banner on the Boy's and Girls club was nicely reflected in the ice this morning and I posted a picture.