What a Difference

Spring is rushing in and winter is in full retreat. The difference in the landscape in the past 2 day is amazing. The table outside the studio is emerging and have the moles/voles ever been busy. The lawn that is exposed has tunnels and mounds of earth everywhere. Looks like a Brice Marden painting from that wonderful  Attendant series. The moles and I have a love/hate relationship. I try to convince myself that they are aerating the soil but when I step into their holes in the garden the air turns blue. They love to tunnel along the edges of the stone walls.  I march after them stomping the earth back. We have been lucky with the snow melt, the rivers and streams are high, but no flooding. Only in the spring and sometimes after very heavy rain do we see water rushing through the garden gate to the pond.

Water rushing to the pond

Encouraging Signs

Outside the studio doors there is still 2.5 feet of snow but elsewhere around the garden there are encouraging sign of spring. Ten crocus are now in bloom over the septic tank and more and more snow drops bloom every day. I can hear the sound of the stream running high and the edges of the pond are showing. Water from the small hill behind the pond is making its way home and making beautiful patterns on it way.

Water running to the pond

Spring Runs High

Yesterday J and I went to Sherbrooke to see a show of artists books at the Musée, and while the books were gorgeous and the craftsmanship exquisite, there was a decidedly off putting feel to it. All the books were in vitrines, very few open, in fact most had bands of clear plastic holding the pages tight together. I realize that things need to be protected but for me one of the things I most love about artists books and books in general, is the touching, the feel of the paper, the heft of the very book itself.  Pass me the white gloves please. This was more of an historical survey of bookmaking in Quebec from the 1970's on.

Across the parking lot at the Musée is one of my favorite places in Sherbrooke. The Magog river runs a gorge through the city, meeting up with  the Saint-François (St. Francis) river; and in spring or after a heavy rain it's quite dramatic.  Lots of mist and thundering water, and the city has built an elevated walkway beside it that must be several kilometers long. A great place to spend time.

Dramatic spring run-off