"Fun on the Diving Float - Lake Sebago, Maine" (Watercolor, 11"X14", $150)
I was sitting on the beach, under a stand of White Birches and watching the young son of the family we used to go to the cabins with play on the diving float with his dad and a friend. The float was pulled close to shore because the friend was a little squeamish about the water. That's him in the inner tube, keeping to the shallows. The father is on the left while his son is stepping back to take a running jump - probably on top of his friend. Their sailboat-of-the-year (they would sell them and buy a new-used one each summer) is on the beach with its sail slack, its rudder in the air and its tiller folded, waiting for someone to decide on a sail.
The tangle of trees and undergrowth along the bank fades into abstractness on the right. I think I was too distracted to do it quite properly; I wanted to get in there and have some fun myself - not do this 'artistic homework' - but I'm glad I persevered at least as long as I did. I like this picture and it certainly reminds me of the good times and the daily routine of activity and relaxation in fairly equal measure.
The morning routine that Tina and I had was to wake up early and go for a swim around the cove on the silent, still lake before anyone else had risen. Then a hot shower in the cabin followed by a breakfast of waffles, bacon, fresh fruit-filled granola and coffee. Probably a toasted bagel with butter, and a banana would make its way in there, but fresh blueberries was always a feature on the waffles and the granola. This is Maine in the summer, after all.
After breakfast, at about 8:30 or 9am, the long day of relaxing could begin: more swimming, and snorkeling (my favorite thing - spying on the fish in the rock pile at the other end of the beach) and lots of diving off the float. Exploring outside the cove (with snorkels) is also a favorite activity. Lunchtime was loose, as well as the continued swimming and outdoor painting schedule. It wouldn't be any fun if it felt like 'homework', now would it?
No comments:
Post a Comment