dready of ‘Balomoral’ – 34×14 – original on canvas

fishermen with boats out from northern europe and britain were said to have fished the area around nova scotia, labrador and greenland, that was then teaming with fish, and gone ashore to salt their catch, years before columbus was even ‘invented’ and set sail for the ‘new world’ … its rich fishing grounds brought europeans there in search of food to feed blossoming populations back home … it was home to the Mikmaq ‘indians’ when europeans first arrived, but seems likely that is was populated for many thousands of years before that.

anyhow, i’ve never actually been to cape breton nova scotia, but was asked to do this commission of a house there, and the vibe and feeling of the place  … the rabbits, the lobster boats … the garden and the husband and wife as the gardeners …

i like gardening, it’s a soothing, invigorating pass-time – i was just out, pick axe, shovel, rake in hand digging garden beds, planting crotons and asparagus fern and dis and dat; the grandfather i grew up with, was a great gardener; we were all born of farmers and came to town to become townspeople when i was a small boy … we still have the farm in our blood and so gardening allows for that.

this dready has a warmth to it that I like … which probably doesn’t happen much in cape breton!

peace …