Sand Castles, Long Beach, Vancouver Island
August 30, 2011
We got up early and drove out to Long Beach yesterday. It takes about 2 1/2 hours to get there. We have stopped at many of the interesting spots along the way many times : Coombs Country Market, Englishman Rivers Falls, Little Qualicum Falls, Cathedral Grove (with the giant trees), Sproat Lake, Kennedy Lake, the water-carved rocks pull-out, all the beautiful places that you can stop, just for a few minutes, and enjoy the Island. But yesterday we wanted to drive quickly out to the Beach to enjoy the day.
We got there around noon and bought our parking ticket for the day and headed down to the beach. It is always a wonderful feeling to be on the edge of the continent, where the water meets the land. There is a special energy there at the cusp. The white sound of the surf and the wide expanse of the ocean in front of you... I love it!
We walked and talked and looked for gifts from the sea... We took Sugar Bear and Spice Girl with us and I tied their leashes together so they could not run off in different directions and they would be easier to control, if necessary. When we went past the rocky outcropping as far as we wanted we turned around and walked back, but higher on the beach, where all the big white driftwood sculpts the edge. Then we returned to the car and got out our picnic lunch.
We took it down to the beach and parked ourselves next to a driftwood hut that someone had constructed. Sugar & Spice dug themselves a hole and settled in. Then Lochlin decided that this would be a good place for us to build our sand-castle. While I went back to the car to get all the tools and molds, Lochlin set out the base structure, a large rectangle formed with pieces of driftwood. When I brought back the shovel he began to dig "the lake" as we called it and to form "the mountains" for our setting. I constructed the large lower floor, then started making the ramps that sloped up to the higher structures... We enjoyed working and playing together in the cool ocean breeze and warm summer sun. We finished up around 6 pm and took our pictures of our fabulous structure. I had called it "the Temple of the Sun".
We took a bit more time to walk down the beach to the South this time, then a cool wind came up and we decided it was time to head home, happy, tired and hungry.
We got there around noon and bought our parking ticket for the day and headed down to the beach. It is always a wonderful feeling to be on the edge of the continent, where the water meets the land. There is a special energy there at the cusp. The white sound of the surf and the wide expanse of the ocean in front of you... I love it!
We walked and talked and looked for gifts from the sea... We took Sugar Bear and Spice Girl with us and I tied their leashes together so they could not run off in different directions and they would be easier to control, if necessary. When we went past the rocky outcropping as far as we wanted we turned around and walked back, but higher on the beach, where all the big white driftwood sculpts the edge. Then we returned to the car and got out our picnic lunch.
We took it down to the beach and parked ourselves next to a driftwood hut that someone had constructed. Sugar & Spice dug themselves a hole and settled in. Then Lochlin decided that this would be a good place for us to build our sand-castle. While I went back to the car to get all the tools and molds, Lochlin set out the base structure, a large rectangle formed with pieces of driftwood. When I brought back the shovel he began to dig "the lake" as we called it and to form "the mountains" for our setting. I constructed the large lower floor, then started making the ramps that sloped up to the higher structures... We enjoyed working and playing together in the cool ocean breeze and warm summer sun. We finished up around 6 pm and took our pictures of our fabulous structure. I had called it "the Temple of the Sun".
We took a bit more time to walk down the beach to the South this time, then a cool wind came up and we decided it was time to head home, happy, tired and hungry.
Posted by lw. Posted In : Out & About
Celebrating!
August 26, 2011 Today is the anniversary of our wedding. We were married 33 years ago but we have actually been together since high school! I was only 16...
One day I heard Joni Mitchell on the radio. I decided that I wanted to learn to play the guitar and sing too! When I got home I announced my intentions. My younger sister, Bonnie, asked me, "Who is going to teach you?"
I replied, " I don't know yet."
She told me that there was a new family in town and that she knew that James Duperron played the guitar and was in one of her classes. We looked up their phone number and called to make the inquiry.I had decided that I would write a song and play it at the upcoming high school queen competition.
James said that he was too busy but maybe his older brother Claude would be interested. Claude and I spoke briefly and agreed on a price and time. I went over to the Duperron home for my lessons.
I was not happy when I learned that I had to cut my fingernails! I have always liked having my nails a bit long; my fingers seem to get cold if a nail breaks off and I have to keep it bandaged for a while... (we all have our idiosyncrasies).
Also, I was not aware that it hurt your fingertips and that you had to develop little callus's on the pads of your left hand in order to push down the strings. It was a lot harder to do than how it sounded when Joni played!
With Claude's guidance, I bought myself a small, warm-sounding Gibson guitar that I still have. It was built in 1953, the year that I was born!
I wrote a simple song called "Smile" that I nervously played on stage at the competition. I thought to myself, " How could I have been so foolish to think that I could do this so easily?" Live and learn...
As I went to my weekly lessons and fell in love with music, I also fell in love with Claude, the Music-man.
We were together for many years and had many experiences before we took the time to get married. By then I already had a strong sense of self that I was trying to get to know and I did not want to give it all away by changing my name. The woman's movement had begun and I read many books by strong female authors. I was awakened to see that I could develop my own direction and make my own contribution to life. It was the times that I grew up in...
One day I heard Joni Mitchell on the radio. I decided that I wanted to learn to play the guitar and sing too! When I got home I announced my intentions. My younger sister, Bonnie, asked me, "Who is going to teach you?"
I replied, " I don't know yet."
She told me that there was a new family in town and that she knew that James Duperron played the guitar and was in one of her classes. We looked up their phone number and called to make the inquiry.I had decided that I would write a song and play it at the upcoming high school queen competition.
James said that he was too busy but maybe his older brother Claude would be interested. Claude and I spoke briefly and agreed on a price and time. I went over to the Duperron home for my lessons.
I was not happy when I learned that I had to cut my fingernails! I have always liked having my nails a bit long; my fingers seem to get cold if a nail breaks off and I have to keep it bandaged for a while... (we all have our idiosyncrasies).
Also, I was not aware that it hurt your fingertips and that you had to develop little callus's on the pads of your left hand in order to push down the strings. It was a lot harder to do than how it sounded when Joni played!
With Claude's guidance, I bought myself a small, warm-sounding Gibson guitar that I still have. It was built in 1953, the year that I was born!
I wrote a simple song called "Smile" that I nervously played on stage at the competition. I thought to myself, " How could I have been so foolish to think that I could do this so easily?" Live and learn...
As I went to my weekly lessons and fell in love with music, I also fell in love with Claude, the Music-man.
We were together for many years and had many experiences before we took the time to get married. By then I already had a strong sense of self that I was trying to get to know and I did not want to give it all away by changing my name. The woman's movement had begun and I read many books by strong female authors. I was awakened to see that I could develop my own direction and make my own contribution to life. It was the times that I grew up in...
Posted by lw.
Waterfalls
August 8, 2011 We just finished making a large beautiful piece from my Waterfalls series. It took us over 3 hours! I am exhausted... I look forwards to opening the lehr tomorrow morning! I will set up my pattern so we can do one more tomorrow...there is just enough glass left. The image takes a lot of glass as I make many trips back and forth to the piece adding more rivulets until I get the feeling of cascading, cool, frothing water...
Posted by lw.
Coincidence?
July 21, 2011 Yesterday morning I was reading my book about the life and times of Camille Pissaro. The author was describing the newspapers that were read by the local Parisians. He talked about how Camille was deeply moved by the serial chapters of a story published in the Paris Revue by the author Gustave Flaubert. Flaubert was arrested and tried on the grounds of 'violating public morality' for his novel, "Madame Bovary". When I read this I thought, " What kind of story could get an author arrested ...
Posted by lw.
Sharing
July 20, 2011 Yesterday Claude and I made a large pocket in the Autumn View Series. It turned out great! I also made a fairly large cylinder with a tree drawn on it. Claude made some seashells.
I am currently reading "Depths of Glory" written by Irving Stone. He wrote "Lust for Life" and many other great books about great people's interesting lives and explorations. I read one about the life and times of Freud that was very informative as well. I recommend probably anything that he wrote. I like hist...
I am currently reading "Depths of Glory" written by Irving Stone. He wrote "Lust for Life" and many other great books about great people's interesting lives and explorations. I read one about the life and times of Freud that was very informative as well. I recommend probably anything that he wrote. I like hist...
Posted by lw.
July 20,2011
July 20, 2011 Happy 189th Birthday Mr. Gregor Johann Mendel, father of genetics!
Happy Moon Day, too!
Happy Moon Day, too!
Posted by lw.
The Filberg Festival
July 19, 2011 Come and see us in Comox B.C. at the Filberg Festival July 29 30,31, and Aug. 1, 2011.
Filberg Festival
Filberg Festival
Posted by Claude R. Duperron.
New pieces from the past week.
July 19, 2011 We are currently working in emerald green.
Linda is making pieces in her Autumn View Series.
Linda is making pieces in her Autumn View Series.
Posted by Claude R. Duperron.