Rain is falling outside as I pack up in the pre-dawn hours. In a little while, I'll be driving from St Andrews to L'Etete to catch the ferry to Deer Island. I'm thankful that the rain held off until today, Saturday. The good weather gave us a wonderful week for the workshop at Sunbury Shores Art & Nature Centre.
I'll miss my routine. Every morning, I got up early to brew coffee in my motel room. Then I drove off to the Centre to organize, followed by a walk down historic Water Street and a big cup of better coffee from Honeybeans. These morning walks were full of Maritime moodiness. Often, a blanket of fog enswaddled the wharf, and the boats sat in the harbor, sleeping. Few people prowl the streets at that time of day: the solitary jogger or dog-walker, a town employee emptying the trash cans.
After class, I'd walk the streets again, and it'd be an entirely different experience. Every shop was open, and music and the enticing smell of a tasty seafood dinner spilled out of the restaurants. Throngs - mostly families on holiday - sauntered by, examining dinner menus and colourful window displays. Others hurried to the wharf to catch a tall ship sunset cruise. Last night, I grabbed a pizza to-go and found a picnic table in the shade and watched the boats go out.
In a little while, the ferry to Deer Island will drop me off at the northern end of the island, and I'll drive 20 minutes to the southern tip. There, I'll board the second ferry, which will take me to Campobello Island and home. As much as I enjoy my time in St Andrews each summer, I always look forward to getting home to Trina and Saba. Saba, I hear, has been catching mice.
Here are a few images from the week, including a demonstration I did (and sold), plus photos of my workshop gear and the class painting out at Joe's Point.
