Sears Hair studio at Limeridge Mall Hamilton Ontario Canada

I went to get my hair done today, and sat watching fascinated as a sweet old man had his hair permed.  really tight perm too.  His wife was waiting patiently for her turn as well..

Sketching at "The Royal City Bowmen" Guelph, Ontario, CANADA

"The Royal City Bowmen" archery club is located near Guelph, Ontario, Canada. It is a 44-acre forest which is rented from the Grand River Conservation Authority and is on the east side of Guelph Lake, located just northeast of Guelph, Ontario, Canada. My friend Lynn, took me with her, to her plein aire painting class. It was a fantastic afternoon, and I did this sketch.

Westfiled Historical Village

In 1960 two Brantford high school teachers purchased 30 acres of land in the Hamilton region to store a THB (Toronto, Hamilton, Buffalo Railway) Class "G" Consolidated locomotive.

This was the birth of the Westfiled Historical Village. There are now 35 period buildings on the site, ranging from the 1700's and 1800's, and it is open to the public Sundays and holidays. It really is worth the visit. The Historic interpretors wear historical costume. There are also first person interpretors who speak in period language. It adds authenticity to the village.

While I was there last Monday 23rd May, I had the pleasure of listening to the "Mercoledi Strings" Orchestra. It was an hour well spent, the music was heavenly, and I managed to draw this quick sketch.

Montebello Park St Catharines Ont. Canada

Montebello Park is the main recreational park for Downtown St Catharines.  It was designed in 1887, by Frederick Law Olmstead, the founding father of landscape architecture in the United States, and one of the designers of Central Park in New York City.

This man was busking in front of the Coffee Culture restaurant, on St Pauls street, where I stopped and had my lunch.  He had disappeared straight after I drew him, so I didn't get a chance to give him some money..  Pity.

St Catharines Ontario Canada 19th May 2011

St Catharines Town Hall and Market House was built in 1848-49. The builder was William Barren and the architect was Kivas Tully. It is made of Thorold stone.

It is a magnificent building with Roman Arch windows, heavily molded eaves, and gorgeous corbels.

It was originally used by the Board of Police and Town Hall, and Farmers Markets in the east wing. This wing was a later addition, built by Samuel Dolson, in 1863.

The upper floor boasted 22 foot ceilings, and was originally the council chamber and meeting hall.

I did not go inside as court was in session. I would have loved to though. Maybe next time.

The clock tower is a working three faced clock. It has an 8 foot long pendulum, with a 50lb bob. The dome is octagonal.

Man eating lunch in the Court House gardens.

Lisa's Cafe is in the St Catharines Public Library.  I stopped for a wonderful blueberry/cranberry bran muffin and a hot chocolate.

Westminster United Church St Catharines Ontario - Canada

Sadly, I can find no history about this lovely church.  I sketched it from my friends balcony.

My Trip to Canada May to August 2011

Brisbane Airport

In flight on Korean Airlines

Lady in Traditional Korean Dress at Seoul Airport.

Sketching for Japan. (Sketchcrawls 31st world wide Sketch Crawl Southbank Brisbane Australia) 16/04/2011

Today was/is Sketchcrawls 31st Worldwide Sketchcrawl.  A friend and I went to Southbank, Brisbane, Australia.  Southbank was under water in January, from the Brisbane floods.  Pretty much everything was damaged, all of the heritage buildings are gone forever, except one.  The Ship Inn.  I did try to sketch it, but I am still architecturally challenged.  I will keep practicing.  I did these sketches though, and really enjoyed doing them.

Sketching at Cannon Hill Train Station 10th April 2011

Cannon Hill was named after the Weedon family home 'Cannon Hill House'. Built in 1867, the house, which had extensive grounds and a maze, burnt down in 1927. Cannon Hill was still mainly bush, with a few settlers growing crops or bananas until the 1880s. In 1881, the Queensport Freezing and Food Export Company produced the first frozen meat. This began Cannon Hill's change from rural and residential to an area focussed on grazing and the meat industry. Officially, most of the meat working was in the suburbs of Morningside or Murarrie, but Cannon Hill supported and is identified with the meat industry.  In 1889, the train line came to Cannon Hill, but the area was still mainly bush for another twenty years. One waved a red flag to tell the driver to stop.  

Gradually semi-rural Cannon Hill came to be seen as the meatworkers' area. More workers came with the new meatworks.  In 1931 the saleyards opened and many stockmen and their families moved into the area. 

During the Depression itinerant workers lived in a settlement on the corner of Creek and Richmond roads, with huts made out of flattened kerosene tins.

An American Army camp was located at the corner of Lang and Richmond roads during the Second World War. Most of the development of Cannon Hill took place in the 1940s and later, and even into the 1950s cattle were driven along the main roads to their fate. It is now a popular suburb to live, and is still growing.

Sketching people at Carina Leagues Club

I went to the club to watch my grandson play last night.  They had a great game, and I sketched!

My daughter and her partner

My daughters best friend

My daughters best friend and her husband

Galeria Cafe, Westfield Carindale

I had some business to do at Westfield Carindale, so I called into my favourite cafe for my favourite long black. I couldn't resist practising my sketching while I was sitting there :-)

                                                                   

Carina Leagues Club 25.03.2011

My grandson plays rugby league.  He is in the under 15's, and I went to watch him play a home game on friday night.

 

Sketching at the Mater Specialist Clinic 22/03/2011

I had an appointment at the specialist clinic this afternoon.  I was kept waiting for two and a half hours!  Got to love our public health system, not. :-)
Never one to miss an opportunity, I got out my trusty sketch book and pen.

 

Sketching at the Cannon Hill Bus Interchange. 21/03/2011

I missed a great opportunity this afternoon.  I had to go to the Transport department, and I forgot to grab my sketchbook!! So, I got a lift to the bus interchange, and spent a delightful hour and a half down there sketching.  I walked home, so got my sketching fix, as well as my health fix :-))

AUSTRALIAN OPOSSUM (Brushtail Opossum)

I have a visitor every night, as beautiful Opossum.  She has a baby in her pouch, which she allows out sometimes to hang onto her back.  She comes to eat her supper on my patio.  She loves seeds and apple.  Opossum's are nocturnal marsupials.  They sleep during the day, in hollow logs, or in suburbia under houses and when they can get in, roof cavities.  They are so sweet, and very timid.  They will bite and scratch if provoked, but in general they will run away, or roll over and "play dead".

This little lady was very patient.  She sat at the feeding dish eating away, while I sketched her.  Once in a while she would look at me long enough for me to get a face on sketch too.  I need to practice on that, though.

AUSTRALIAN OPOSSUM (Brushtail Opossum)

I have a visitor every night, as beautiful Opossum.  She has a baby in her pouch, which she allows out sometimes to hang onto her back.  She comes to eat her supper on my patio.  She loves seeds and apple.  Opossum's are nocturnal marsupials.  They sleep during the day, in hollow logs, or in suburbia under houses and when they can get in, roof cavities.  They are so sweet, and very timid.  They will bite and scratch if provoked, but in general they will run away, or roll over and "play dead".

This little lady was very patient.  She sat at the feeding dish eating away, while I sketched her.  Once in a while she would look at me long enough for me to get a face on sketch too.  I need to practice on that, though.

Royal Poinciana Tree (Delonix regia )

Royal Poinciana Tree (Delonix regia )
The Poinciana tree is indigenous to Madagascar, where it is on the endangered list. Everywhere else in the tropical world, the tree is a prolific grower. It has naturalised itself in Brisbane, Australia, and is a very popular shade tree. I have one growing in my back yard, and it rewards me every year with the most magnificent display of red flowers every summer.

(This species was previously placed in the genus Poinciana, named for Phillippe de Longvilliers de Poincy, the 17th century governor of Saint Christophe (Saint Kitts), who is credited with introducing the plant to the Americas. Because it is a legume, the tree has nitrogen-fixating and soil-improving properties. Quote from Wikipedia.)