Once again that electric time of year comes around when the Canadian farmers are pulling the last crops off the land before the first frosts. The tradition of gathering around the family table with more than one generation of family members and perhaps a few friendly stragglers either local or foreign is quite a natural type of happening. Turkey, salmon or chicken might be served although homemade chili or a baked ham have had their glory. The meal draped with all the fixins including cranberry sauce, pickles and finishing with a table checkered with apple, berry or pumpkin pies pretty much sums up a typical Canadian Thanksgiving Memory in my mind. Once again I am not in Canada for THE celebration. I am in France modifying the traditional ways to encompas my own lifestyle but truely aching to be home. The following watercolours of Canadian landscape have been included to pay tribute to this land; I may not get home as often as I want or need to but my heart has never left.
One of the sweetest things my family ever did was to move over to Vancouver Island. It not only allows us to recapture our reunions around the lake setting but it allows me to capture precious stolen moments in watercolour on the familiar ferry crossing.
My last time to Canada was a very moving one. I was on a mission to see my Grandma while she was very sick. The day she actually was temporarily feeling better I celebrated by painting the view of the North Shore mountain range from the hospital sitting room. Now the paintings are all that is left of that charged moment in time. Oh Thank You Canada!
