Blue Springs Golf Course

Sunday golf at Blue Springs Golf Course. A wee bit about Blue Springs ... a picturesque and exciting layout, changes in elevation, tall trees, wondrous views and rolling countryside combine for a challenging but fair course that also serves as the headquarters of the Canadian Professional Golfers' Association. Here are 2 of the 5 sketches I did while playing. First sketch, hole no 5, made par with a very long putt and then tap in and hole no 15, made par from under a tree on the left side of the fairway. We were a twosome in amongst foursomes, so was a bit of waiting. I always enjoy this course!

Art Gallery of Windsor

No golf on Sunday, just resting a sore arm, so off to Windsor. I had never spent time at the pictureque waterfront in Windsor. This southern most city in Canada boasts 3,000 acres of green space, 180 parks, 40 miles of trails. The Art Gallery of Windsor located on the waterfront in Windsor, has amazing views of greenspace in front of the (very clean looking) Detroit river and the Detroit Skyline across the river. Was able to spend a little bit of time sketching before we came home.

Detroit Skyline Sketch

While at the Gallery, viewed "Masterworks Southwest" a juried, traveling exhibition of contemporary southwestern Ontario craft and "Uumajut: Symbols of Spiritual Power" an exhibition pulled from the AGW's extensive historical archives of Inuit works and highlights those pieces concerned with the notion of the "living spirit". I also looked at Art Rental & Sales Gallery, which has works displayed thoughout the Gallery. Very inpressed with the gallery, the exhibitions and the space.

Friday Night Golf

Played nine holes of golf on friday night. I started double bogey, bogey, then I did this quick sketch on hole number three. A change of pace, getting my mind focused on being there "at the golf course" ... not thinking about work, what I should be doing at home, etc. made all the difference to my game. I then made par on the next 5 holes, then a bogey and ended with a par, for a 39. Very happy with that nine holes.

County Jamboree

Sunday, I will be at the Biggest Country Music Event of the 2010 Summer, the 2nd Annual Boot Hill "Country" Jamboree in Bothwell Ontario. The weekend of festivities started on Thursday with karoko and a Jam Session with Guest Jamie Warren. Friday evening included Marie Brottrell with Aaron Solmon (Memories of Hank & Patsy), Jamie Warren and Little Texas. Today the line up of entertainment includes Jessie Farrell, Mustang Sally and the big attraction George Canyon. Sunday's entertainment includes Desert Heat, Deric Ruttan and Larry Gatlin & Gatlin Bros.

North Middlesex History

Over the past few months, I have been doing some drawings of historical architecture of North Middlesex county. I will have a booth at their celebrations this weekend, Friday night and Saturday morning at the North Middlesex Community Centre in Parkhill. Included will be streetscapes, churches and beautiful old barns. This is my favourite "Parkhill Streetscape No. 3" an ink drawing measuring 4" x 9", double matted to 9" x 14" in size.

Golf in the Muskokas

Holidays last week. Rented a cottage on Six Mile Lake. Spent the week drawing, golfing and sitting on the dock. It was great! Played Rocky Crest Golf Club, twice ... my favourite clublink course. A "walkable" course that still has all the beauty of the Muskokas. Played my best round of the season there on Monday, shot an 81. Followed that up with a 95 on Wednesday.

Played Grandview Golf Club for the first time. I played from the red tees, which is normal for me and found some of the holes rather short. I usually can't reach a par four in one, let alone be over the green in one. Having said that, it was one of my better drives! Grandview is descibed ... "Two-time major champion Mark O'Meara knows a thing or two about golf courses and that insight is obvious to anyone fortunate enough to play the Mark O'Meara Course at Grandview. Winding its way through the granite, forest and wetlands of the incomparable Muskoka region, Grandview is a delight to play." It did pour rain for a couple of holes, which was fine because it was a very hot day.

Also played The Lake Joseph Club. "Architect Thomas McBroom utilized the granite crags, towering trees and heaving topography of the incomparable Muskoka vacation region north of Toronto with such success that the course was named the best new course in the country by Golf Digest." We took a cart that day, so it was easy to do some sketching while playing.

Last sketch was practice greeen at Greenhills after ladies night on tuesday.

Sketches by the River

Went sketching by the Thames River, by Blackfriars Bridge last evening with my friend Kym. With thunderstorms looming in the distance, I was convinced we would get rained on... but we were lucky and didn't get wet.

We were sitting out in the middle of the river on a rocky patch with our chairs. Before we knew it, the water started to raise and we were soon surrounded by water, came up at least 4 inches in less than an hour. There was abviously heavy rain to the north of the city! This first one shown here was not complete when we had to move.

We moved up to the top of the break wall, facing downtown and did some more sketching. It was a lovely evening to be sitting outside drawing.