Thursday, August 27, 2015

From Paris to Pugwash

 
 Missing Fiona
Black marker on Moleskine paper
8 x 10 inches
Barbara Muir © 2015
We've spent the past five days in Pugwash, Nova
Scotia in our little 100 year plus old school house.
You couldn't contrast our living conditions much
more here to Paris where we were in June, if you tried.
But what has our place in Pugwash got?  I don't think
that's something many people would understand.
We have to bring our water from a tap at the beach,
 it has an outhouse for a bathroom, and we have
minimal electricity.

The structure itself is the charming child's drawing
house shape -- which is my favorite.  I am in love
with all the white clapboard houses here, many
originally exceptionally well built by shipbuilders
a century or more ago.

And what we do here is visit friends, eat lunch at
the Chatterbox café and in good weather go to the
beach.  A bath involves the Degas women in the
bath technique.  And I think the smile on my
sweet Steven's face tells you how worth it the long
drive has been to get here, and our lovely five days.

Steven at the beach in Pugwash, Nova Scotia
There hasn't been much reliable computer time,
and hardly anytime for art.  I drew this drawing
of me with just the ear of my cat Fiona coming
up over my face.  It was International Dog Day
yesterday and I missed my dog and my cats.  When
I think of home in Toronto, I think of my family,
friends and our animals, and I know I'll be happy
to be home there too.

Thank you to the Maritimes and our friends here
for a wonderful vacation!
 

12 comments:

Nicki said...

I love your description of your home in Pugwash. It makes me want to go there. So badly. I love your drawing.

XO Nicki

verna vogel said...

Sounds really, really lovely Barbara!

It all sounds great, but not having "reliable computer time" is truly wonderful, hey. *laughs* You get back in touch with the present. At least, that's how it works for me.

:)
V

Unknown said...

hi Barbara, lovely sketch of you and Fiona. your little school house holiday home sounds charming and sweet. It is wonderful to slow down and live simply on a holiday. Sounds like you've enjoyed it immensely. Safe travels on the roads.

Linda Popple said...

Your little house in Pugwash sounds heavenly!

Elizabeth Merchant said...

At first I was not going to comment ... because the alive quality of your painting just dazzled my mind... and truth to tell ... I was just browsing. But ... a talent such as yours deserves some acknowledgment ... don't you think? I do.

Alyson Stanfield said...

I love the name Pugwash! And how fun to see Steven. Hope you had a lovely vacation.

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Nicki,

I know you would love it, being a camping kind of girl. But you'd also love Paris I know. If you've been there, go back. I am. Head out and visit us next summer
in Pugwash, I'd love to see you!

XOXOXOXOXOXO Barbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Verna,

It is strangely wonderful not to be able to keep up. We don't have TV, listen to Ocean Radio from P.E.I., and read and laugh a lot. In recent years we have used our computers to watch movies on rainy days, on DVDs. But that's not a feature of the trip. The sound of the trees, counting our apple trees (five) nestled into the pines
that surround the property, getting to see and hear the ocean -- that's what it's about.

XOXOXOXOXOXO Barbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Sally,

Thank you. It seemed to be the break we both needed. We've been travelling a lot, but this is actually home. I came home ready for the next round of painting and travelling. Miss you.

XOXOXOXOXO Barbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Linda,

Well it is pretty nice. Right on a highway, so there is some traffic during the day, but at night quiet, and on clear nights the Milky Way arcs over us.

XOXOXOXOXOXO Barbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Elizabeth,

Thanks so much for the compliment. I'm delighted that you dropped by and were
pleased.

XOXOXOXO,

Barbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Alyson,

It's a great name isn't it? Actually it's home to the Pugwash Peace Conferences for international nuclear disarmament. For a small town it has contributed on the world stage. We had a lovely vacation. Thanks for your wishes. I've been travelling a lot, so need to catch up on you and your blog. Since May we've been to New York twice and Paris once. In October we're in Florence and may get back to Paris again (our dream). I hope all is well with you.

XOXOXOXOXO Barbara

Portrait Artist

My photo
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
I paint and draw on commission and for shows. To commission a portrait, or purchase one of my paintings please contact me at: barbara.muir@sympatico.ca
A major highlight in my career? Drawing Oprah Winfrey live via Skype for her show "Where in the Skype are you? Galleries: Studio Vogue Gallery, Toronto, Canada. The Amsterdam Whitney Gallery, New York City. Gallery at the Porch Door, Kingston, Canada. Your positive comments on this blog mean the world to me. I'd love to hear from you!