Spring has Sprung!

"The Gathering"- Opeongo Road - oil on canvas 12x10 inches

"Winter Waning... in Algonquin Park" - oil on panel 20x24 inches

"Melt Water Reflections Along the Madawaska" - oil on canvas 16x20 inches

"Madawaska Relics" -oil on panel 16x20 inches

Morning... and Fog-shrouded Islands at Rockport

Golden Goose at Dawn

Rushing Water at O'Hara 's Mill, Hastings, ON

Well... Spring has indeed arrived in full dress over these past three days! The above average temperatures for March have the entire human and animal world... "a-flutter!" Flocks of newly arrived American Robins... the honorary ambassador for Spring in these parts... along with Red Winged Blackbirds and Canada Geese fill the Spring air with ribald tunes of male rivalry, as each species claims its territorial space and enters into the annual rituals of mating. Even the small amphibians that fill each large puddle or brackish backwater and swamp have begun their nightly serenade... living up to their title as night "peeper- a joy to the ear!

Once winter-silenced creeks and streams are now raging torrents of foaming cascades and fast-moving dark waters... running towards the larger rivers and lakes. Beavers are busy everywhere building and repairing their large dams beaten down by the fury of this new water deluge... busy trimming saplings and even larger trees to be used in their engineering projects to shore up their dams.

Beside the house and in the garden... the daffodils are now fully bloomed... pansies as well. The tawny grass... and fields are revealing a prelude to their summer greens already. All of the trees have budded and the Oro hills have shifted to their traditional pinkish red dress... and the softwoods are displaying their catkins. I cut sprigs of pussy willows to place in a bouquet for my daughter Lisa. The maple syrup run is finished for certain. The temperature today of 19C is the highest ever recorded for this date. As welcoming and warming as it may be to the winter wearied body... it remains troubling to the mind... that such severe change has occurred almost overnight!

Children have shed their winter layers and are arduously pumping their bikes all over the village once again. Young teenagers clad in tees.. flip-flops and shorts are either skate boarding... or strolling back and forth through the village... hand-in-hand with their "spring squeeze." Is the human response to Spring's arrival much different than the rest of the animal kingdom? I think not! HA HA!! Spring has simply... quite suddenly sprung up everywhere... and with it a spirit of renewal... Love and ...Hope!

We are busy into the packing... getting ready for the quickly approaching moving date. I am off to Algonquin Park next weekend to help my friend David Kay with his Spring Paint Out in the Park Group... and will contribute an evening demo on Saturday evening. Looking forward to a paint with David and the twenty-three fellow plein air enthusiasts. Still some snow in the woods and sheltered places there to add some interest to the spring painting.

This will be my absolute last "spring fling"... en plein air... until Rockport is all in place. I was down to Rockport for the weekend to make final arrangements and arrange for material deliveries with the fellow we have contracted to convert the 24x30 foot garage into our gallery space. I have the new brochure which I designed and a new sign back from the printer as well. Those important checks are now off the "to-do-list"... so things are well underway at both ends!

These jpegs illustrate some of the sure signs that spring has indeed arrived in Rockport... and what Algonquin will look like next weekend! These paintings were from last year's Spring foray! Stay tuned...

Wishing you all... Good Painting... and a Happy Spring!!