Back from Holidays.....Where do I start??!?

Whew!  We've arrived back home safe and sound.  Glad to be home and at the same time sad to have the adventure end.  Lots to share, especially on my experience at the Emma International Collaboration - more on that later.  But first, we spent 2 weeks at my folks cabin in Shell Lake, Saskatchewan.  Blissfully relaxing this time.  Which means I didn't really get much accomplished - which is what a holiday is supposed to be about anyway, but this is tricky for me.  Our family seems to be all about projects and getting them done.  I did manage to get my sketchbook out a few times which was nice.  We enjoyed the Hey Days Parade in town where I seated myself across the street from this little wishing well flower planter and later that day I was sitting at the beach enjoying the huge old tree that shelters us there:

One of our usual daily routines which is notorious for sending me home with a few extra pounds around my middle is happy hour before dinner.  I'm not sure why we think this should be a daily ritual, but it does stop us from our frenzied activity and gives us a chance so sit together and gab.  I've discovered that I like ciders over coolers because they are not so sweet, however this particular one wasn't a favorite....suitable only for drawing because of its pretty color.

Unfortunately when staying that long we can't avoid doing laundry, so on this particular day while waiting at the little laundromat I sat on the deck and drew my sandals.  I LOVE these Birkenstocks!  Well, I love any Birkenstock really.

 

While the community here is very tiny, they always have something wonderful going on - lots of cultural activities of every variety.  Wood turners, blacksmiths, sculptors, musicians all come to the gazebo in town to spend a day or a weekend enjoying each other and their craft and sharing that with the lucky folks who happen to be visiting the area at the time.  Accompanying these activities inevitably are cinnamon buns and coffee.  They have built a wood-fired bread oven that sits outdoors next to the tiny museum and all the town ladies make cinnamon buns the evening before, ready for baking in the morning.  Early in the day someone gets up and builds the wood fire which burns until the oven is sufficiently hot.  Then the buns arrive from various homes, and are cooked right on site.  You can't even imagine how wonderful they are - a true culinary delight!  This particular time we were entertained by a group playing bluegrass music - preparing for a festival to be held in a few weeks further north at Ness Creek.   I managed to capture two individuals who performed - a tricky endeavor to try and sketch a subject that doesn't stay still and within the limited time of their performance.  So, it's a little rough, but it was a good experience.  I really must practice drawing people more....