The Irish Pub of West Harwich, MA

Hard to believe, but one day is nicer than the next. Had a wonderful lobster dinner last night with fresh corn and good company. Awoke this morning and out painting. I had run by the Irish Pub earlier in the morning and decided it was ready for painting. I have done it before but there is enjoyment doing it and remembering all the good times singing and dancing in the place.

The road in front was extra busy with cars. This is the end of the summer season for a lot of families with children returning to school next week. The remaining summer will be less joyous without their squeals and laughter around town.

Searching for Sea Shells

Another beautiful day on Cape Cod. I painted this in the morning and will probably look at it and do some changes. Here, the light is so special and the air so clear. This has to be good for your lungs and your spirit. The Cape is basically one long sand dune and there are dunes everywhere. People grow gardens and lawns on the two inches of turf that can cover the dunes but you need plenty of watering because it is the best drained area in the world.

Painting pictures on Cape Cod

This is the home across the street from the park in HarwichPort, MA, where we sell art every Monday. I set up my easel and painted it while dealing with clients. The house is gigantic and I only included one end of it along with the drive.
My sales of paintings have been picking up and I need to build up some inventory. Last week at the gallery, six of my paintings sold. Wow. I am having a great summer.
There is a bit of fall weather today and the sun is warm and sky is clear. Great for painting on location.

Up From the Beach

With the summer winding down and my grandchildren headed home, I can now ponder what their absence means. No more early mornings at the beach and no walks over the dunes. Every experience was new and 'the best' according to Theo, the spokesman. He is such a cool dude in his sunglasses, which he rarely removed.

I painted this picture while in the park selling my art. I love the effect of the sand. We are headed up to Wychmere from the beach.

On Our Beach

The sun was out but I was at Art in the Park, so did my painting there. I had in mind a beach scene that I recall from somewhere and painted it not exactly but you can see the result. My bod wasn't built for sun and sand but I love it. I avoid the bad sunburns of the past but have to be careful.

Sailboats on the Herring River

Today turned out to be ecstatic. I kept waiting for the sun and it was always promising. My scene was the Herring River, the home of these two wonderful boats. I pass them every day and they never seem to be out sailing. They have been here for as long as I can remember...12-15 yrs.
The beauty was not there due to the changing sky but it needed to be created. I loved putting it together and talking to all the joggers that stopped to critique.

The Fishing Shack

It doesn't get any better than this. When I am alone and painting I feel alive. It was such a great day on Cape Cod. Low humidity and sunny. I saw a little guy trying to catch crabs with his father and put them in the picture. Painted on location at the fishing shack on the Herring River, West Harwich, MA.

The Irish Pub Race in Harwich

Today is the day of the great Pub Race on Cape Cod. I have been here painting and enjoying lots of guests for the past 3 weeks. Families that I know, wait and train all year for this event. My friend Paul lives and dies based on his performance. One year he was totally humiliated by his new daughter in law beating him at the finish. They have reconciled only by producing new grandchildren. It is a tough race and today was hot and humid.
There is something new to get in shape for an event like this. I read the other day that a pill was given to ‘couch potato mice’ and when tested they were as fit as the mice that were working out. Wow. I hope that it works in humans because I would love one about 3PM. I remember a similar 'breakthrough' in the ‘70s. It was put out by the Royal Canadian Air Force and said you did not have to go to gyms, jog for miles, buy exercise bikes or rowing machines or weights, you could get fit by answering the telephone or putting your hat on.
The answer; isometrics. Isometrics is a muscle stress technique in which you gave total effort to every action you took. You lift a phone like it weighed a ton, you put your cap on like Arnold Schwartzenegger was trying to hold your hand back. The effect was to drive oxygenated blood to your muscles and transform your body into a rippling powerhouse. I tried it. There were drawbacks. My wife worried about a heart attack everytime I was on the phone; “your knuckles are white, your veins are popping and you’re covered with sweat”. When I served drinks to friends I could hear their concerns: “he closed the door like there were two wrestlers trying to push it open, he’s gripping the glasses like a madman, his face goes purple everytime he lifts himself out of the chair.” You try to ignore such comments when you’re transforming yourself into the Hulk. I’m looking forward to the couch potato mouse pill and next year's pub race.