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This is me on January 3, 2018 outside painting in our Wascana Park. Friday January 3, 2018 was an exceptional day in that it was so clear and so warm. After having lunch with Cheryl, she went off to her church and I started mewing about the house agitated. Deep down inside feelings of a strong need to be outdoors doing what I love best were stirring.I realized that nature was calling and I needed to be out doors. I hurriedly gathered my panels, my carrier box, my Strada easel and tripod, oils and solvent, brushes and rags, threw on my coat, got my shades and a cap, jumped into the car and hustled off to Wascana Park. The sight I went to was one I had passed many times driving our granddaughter from her school to our house where she would be with Grandma until her father came and picked her up.It was on the north side of Wascana Lake obliquely across from our performing concert hall. Having lived in Regina all my life, I knew this area very well. As a child I would come here to fish in the lake in the hopes of snaring a Jack fish. At one time my location was an old farm dirt road running along the north side of the lake and on the south side of a huge grain field. The banks were lined with many old scrawly willows and from the main road to the west was quite obscured. So much so that at night, many cars would travel to this "idyllic "spot and stay for a while. We kids knew it as Lover's Lane.And here some 75 years later I am camped out alone painting. But I was never alone for I had the company of many tweeting birds, an odd Nuthatch, a woodpecker knocking himself silly on a tree over there and many human companions - some alone out for the day, some as couples, with and without children, some as friends and many stopping to chat and watch as I grabbed the site. As I did not leave home until after 2:00, after set up etc, I did not have much timer in which to dally so i set about my work and enjoyed the experience. The one regret I had was not having our purebred Border Collie - Baxter- with me. But he was only a n 18 month old pup and full of energy and inquisitiveness. I knew I had not yet trained him to where I could have him with me and paint. But I know I will be out several more times before winter leaves Regina and Baxter will join me.Here is my two hour painting - needs a little refinement in the art room at home but not too sad. Enjoy the rest of the site and do drop a comment. Cheers, Jim
