Alaska, part 4

A rough sketch of mountains and more grizzlies
















Fireweed, a beautiful wildflower that grows everywhere in Alaska, color not yet added.














In Denali, at the Eielson visitor center, we hiked UP a nearby hill (1000 ft in 1 mile.) The wind was incredibly strong. We took shelter on the lee side to rest, and I painted this while huddled and fighting the wind. It was invigorating. It was also an advantage not to be a photo realist.











Sketches of Mt McKinley from the Eielson visitor center.

Alaska, part 3

After the cruise ended, dh and I ventured inland and went to Fairbanks and Denali.

A sketch in Denali at Polychrome, color not added yet.

I stopped taking photos of the animals and just sketched them and found that very rewarding.

On the way to Fairbanks we stopped at this lake to take pictures and sketch. I may add color to it.

Back in Juneau, I saw the Mendenhall Glacier. Will add color later.

Alaska, part 2

A tugboat in the Skagway marina













An island in the inside passage










Another tugboat










Sketch of Haines, color not added yet














Leaving Ketchikan

Alaska sketches, part 1

My mother-in-law took her children and their spouses on an Alaskan cruise in celebration of her 80th birthday. We had a great time. I was able to sketch a lot, and am posting most of my sketches, good and bad. (Ok, maybe not the airport sketches...)

A lady saw me sketching this totem and exclaimed, "Oh, I wish I could draw!", and that prompted me to rip out a blank page in my sketchbook, which I never do with my hardbound ones, hand it to her with a pencil, and say, "Anyone can draw." So she drew with me and did a good job on her own. Maybe she'll get herself a sketchbook and keep drawing.

A quick sketch of Ketchikan. I love boats and marinas.

Yes, the paper buckled. I don't mind.

The shoreline looked like this, leaving Vancouver.

Typical inside passage shoreline

More shoreline

Challenge 228--something that makes me laugh

I started collecting quotes from work when I started my part-time job last August. Some are from me and some are from the fun people I work with. Sometimes I will recall one of these quotes and the events related to it, and I often laugh out loud at the memory. Ok, maybe I'm easily entertained, but I do have some great people to work with. And so, to them, L, L, J and M, this post is for you.

And this poem is for them, too. A friend shared it with me years ago. I do not recall the author.

God, Hurrah! Part 3

Lord, we are glad for those who laugh

Who can be heard in a crowd having fun

Who have words of joy when visited

Who will smile or wink across the room at a meeting.

Lord, we are glad for those who laugh

Who will find a joke to tell to break the gloom

Who will turn to the comic strips though the headlines are grim

Who will carry hope in their eyes through the tears.

Lord, we are glad for those who laugh

Who say it is alright when it looks bad

Who are not afraid in the dark

Who know for sure God lives!