Today's goal on Monhegan was to walk farther than yesterday, to find a spot among the rocks to settle in and draw. So, I walked down to "Swim Beach", interestingly named, because it is mostly too cold for swimming, found a way up onto the rocks and did some drawing. My physical therapist and I have been practicing stepping up with balance onto a surface about a foot off the ground. In fact, his parting words to me before vacation, after 30 of these step ups, were "Don't you think there are a LOT of rocks on Monhegan about 12 inches high?" Hmmm. Feeling listened to... So I drew for awhile, watched the visitors, then headed back to the local coffee shop for more sketching and people watching. A family had a couple of dogs with them, who mostly hung out under the table, although the spaniel was on alert every time the door opened.. never confrontational, just watching. You can see below how I began my drawing.
This is my two hundred eighty-seventh daily drawing submission. Thank you for looking.
Yesterday I perched in one of my favorite spots along the rocks above Swim Beach here on Monhegan. There's a great space, nestled in the rocks with just the right surfaces for sitting, leaning, and laying out a small watercolor setup. I always wanted a window seat in my bedroom as a girl; this has a lot of those same qualities; comfy, snug, good light, a view, and just remote enough to know what's happening nearby without being in the midst of it.
And, I watched a gull through its entire "I snagged a crab, and this is how I eat it" routine; a few jab it-drop it-grab it-repeat cycles until the crab stopped wiggling; devour the inside; then eat the shell and claws in small chunks by crunching them up and swallowing them. So interesting. I really thought the gull would eat the tender innards. (Definitely the first time I have used the word "innards" in a blog post; can't promise it will be the last).
I added a couple of photos here of my sketch without watercolor and the finished piece with the subject in the distance.
Another great afternoon. Thanks for looking.
Sitting above Monhegan's "Swim Beach" yesterday. It's more like a "Dare-yourself-to-jump-in-and-bear-it-for-as-long-as-you-can Beach" for those of us who aren't used to the Atlantic's frosty temps.. but there's lots of activity, kayaking, digging, painting, chatting, splashing about. This great little family showed up on the beach yesterday; with two single-digit aged children in small kayaks, and mom, dad, and a pre-schooler in a small rowboat. The children had great, creative energy, and the parents obviously were giving them the room to explore and to approach everything with confidence and curiosity. The older children were building a dam to block a tidal stream that was flowing down across the sand. I hung out and observed for awhile, and did a few sketches. Here's my take on Girls Just Wanna Paint's June theme of "bathing beauties" with the children from this family sitting in front of a few other beach visitors.
Thanks for looking... more Monhegan images to follow.
Today's goal on Monhegan was to walk farther than yesterday, to find a spot among the rocks to settle in and draw. So, I walked down to "Swim Beach", interestingly named, because it is mostly too cold for swimming, found a way up onto the rocks and did some drawing. My physical therapist and I have been practicing stepping up with balance onto a surface about a foot off the ground. In fact, his parting words to me before vacation, after 30 of these step ups, were "Don't you think there are a LOT of rocks on Monhegan about 12 inches high?" Hmmm. Feeling listened to... So I drew for awhile, watched the visitors, then headed back to the local coffee shop for more sketching and people watching. A family had a couple of dogs with them, who mostly hung out under the table, although the spaniel was on alert every time the door opened.. never confrontational, just watching. You can see below how I began my drawing. 
