My first sight of Gimli !

Our  first ever trip to Gimli to mark our 28th wedding anniversary! After we checked in our motel at Winnipeg Beach, we drove 15 km north to find ourselves in Gimli. Can not believe that I had never been to this part of Manitoba ! We left Brandon early in the morning. However, about 30 kilometres before  we reached Portage right on the highway, the  front tire of our car got suddenly flat out . It was a scary moment. We pulled up , and managed to put on the spare tire to reach Portage to get it replaced with a new one at Fountain Tire. I started to paint right away after we reached Gimli marina. I felt physically exhausted after standing unprotected in the sunlight  and looking towards the west  for two hours in the afternoon !

another quick oil sketch

another quick oil sketch from the same concert of Clear Lake Chamber Music Festival.

A quick oil sketch from Clear Lake Chamber Music Festival

a quick oil sketch on the last day of Clear Lake Chamber Music Festival. Could hardly see my palette when sitting in the audience in darkness.

From the Spray Park - Kin Park of Brandon

It was rather windy today when I came to Kin Park on First Street and Aberdeen Avenue in the afternoon. There were few kids playing at the water spray spot. My setting up of French easel drew the curiosity of a few young kids who were having a birthday celebration there, and when they realized what I was doing, started to go to the water spraying spot . I did a quick oil sketch of each one of them when they came into my view to mark the summer moment here in the newest park of Brandon.

Walking her dog in the hot glare of noon hour sun

A quick oil sketch from our driveway when a young lady walking her dog passed by in the hot noon hour sunlight.

The same view from this morning

Painted this view from the same point of view as the previous sketch early in the morning when it was a bit cloudy.

In the last light of the day

Painted this view in the last light of the day when the backyard was already swallowed in the shadow of darkness.

Approaching the season of change

In the glare of later afternoon sunshine from our back alley

Early in the afternoon from the same point of view

Painted the same view a few hours later.

In the first light of the day

Upon opening the door early in the morning.

Soaking up in the summer light and color on our patio

a cosy corner of our patio

a few pots of tomato in our backyard

My wife planted these tomatoes  early in the summer , and now it is harvesting time!

River Bank Discovery Centre of Brandon

Drove to River Bank Discovery Centre of Brandon to try to reach the foot bridge. The path leading to it was destroyed in last year's flood. While walking around the building of the discovery centre, noticed how the glass façade of the building reflected brilliantly the morning light and colour. Setting up my easel in a hurry I tried to capture the fleeting moment  when the building was steeped in the glory of morning light and colour.

Before the encroaching shadow

It was past 7 in the evening when the casting shadow from our house was just about swallow the lone ash tree and junipers. A quick oil sketch to mark the end of the day.

St. Mary's Anglican Church of Brandon

Stopped here on my way to do some shopping at 11   this morning to paint this Anglican church on first street when the full sunlight was on the back  of the building, and a young native couple walked by under the shadow of the building.

A cottage on Wasagaming Drive

Painted this cottage late in the afternoon on Wasagaming Drive. 

Family time at Deep Bay of Clear Lake

Drove to Clear Lake again today. At around 11, Deep Bay already was teemed with activities there with children playing  in the water under the watchful eyes of parents.

House and car in the last sunlight

Panted  this view of our house and car in the last light of the day trying to capture the last glow of the day on the roof of the house, and top of the car and foliage of the tree and hedges.

Under the prairie sky

Drove to the open field at 11 today along the first street north. Setting up my easel right in the field to paint this panoramic view of the fresh hay bales stretching as fas as the eye can see with large looming clouds gathering above brooding with storm . It is so mesmerizing to paint there in the midst of such an open space surrounded by absolute silence broken only by the faint muffled traffic in the distance moving towards north hills, and the droning chorus of the crickets in the field.

A view from our backyard

A morning view from our backyard

In the dazzling noon hour light

Painted this view from the path around noon when the light was really intense , and a little boy riding his bike came into my view.

When it was raining outside

Setting up my easel close to our door to avoid the drizzle, I did this quick oil sketch in the afternoon when it started to rain outside.

In the first light - a window view early in the morning

Woke up to a beautiful sunny morning when the first light was shining on the trees , and a lady from our neighbourhood passed by our window with her dog.

Painters painting together at Whirl Pool Lake of Riding Mountain National Park

My workshop group chose to go  to Whirl Pool Lake for today's painting activity. It is such a delightful choice! 10 of us spread out on the spot painting away to our heart's delight. I had a surprise encounter with Dr. Stadel from Salzburg Austria with his family at the lake.  Dr. Stadel had taught at Brandon University for many decades before he moved back to Austria to teach at Salzburg University. I had the fortune to take his last class in the summer of 1992 before he moved away. I still remember vividly how I enjoyed his world regional geography class , and how I felt so sorry that he would soon be leaving Canada and I would not be able to class his class again. I had a nice chat with him and his lovely grandson from B.C who was also very eager to try his hand at outdoor painting. I am happy to be able to put  tiny  images of Dr. Stadel and his grand son onto this painting of mine as well as the three of the ladies from my workshop group to mark this extraordinary occasion.

Aspen wood from lake Katherine

Aspen wood on Lake katherine is my second demonstration for my workshop class today.

From Lake Katherine early in the morning

Painted this view as a demonstration for my outdoor painting workshop today when we gathered at lake Katherine early in the morning. There are nine participants in my workshop this year!

A glimpse of the lake from the Clear Lake golf course

Painted this view from the 9th hole of the Clear Lake golf course when it was overcast with impending thunderstorm in the late afternoon.

on a hot and dry summer morning

A quick oil sketch of Fengping's garden where flower and plants are way past their peak of blooming days on this hot and dry late summer morning

Early sign of the fall season?

a glimpse from our backyard in the morning

a window view from 1 Crocus Crescent

a quick oil sketch at about 4 p.m. from the living room window of no. 1 Crocus Crescent