what a dump!
right?
this is my command post. from which i do nothing.
all day and night long.
except stare at the islands.
and pull heavy metal chaise lounges down a step and across the lawn at midnight in the pitch black darkness.
so i can get a better view of the stars.
without falling over the bluff and into the drink.
i don't want to miss a single shade of blue.
also if you get up early there's several hours of extra time in which you can do nothing.
the best thing? pure quiet. no human voices. silence. except for the waves all day and all night.
i heard someone say the other day, "i like people. i just don't want to hear them or see them."
yeah. i know what you mean.
me neither.
i'm keeping track of the different shades of ocean and the exact time when i notice the change of color across the surface of the water. i paint little swatches into my sketchbook. blue blue blue blue blue grey gold blue blue blue mercury.
data collection never stops.
there is much to observe and study.
also last night i saw a fireball. which is, for the time being, the most awesome thing i've ever seen before in my entire life.
i submitted a detailed report to the American Meteor Society.
A fireball report.
i like to do my part to help.
eventually someone is going to need to know about the true color of the ocean. over the course of a week. during november. of 2014.
and when the time comes i'm going to raise my hand from the very back row and say, "GOT IT!"
I love these places you find! Add me to the list of people who would give their eye teeth to stay there too. (what a weird expression, I’m just now thinking! ) But what a perfect place/piece of calm/peace….sigh!!
Oh my!!!! I would never accomplish a thing in such a beautiful place except to sit and observe and ponder and reflect….heaven!!!
Hmmmm very jealous you saw a fireball as I have been watching the night sky and haven’t even seen a satellite. R u sure you weren’t drinking a sister cocktail called fireball? The one with cinnamon candies and peppermint schnapps? Also jealous of the silence as I have not persuaded my 4 male people that my cooking stinks and thanksgiving with others is the way to park and celebrate. Hope one day to sketch cocktails with you…thru one eye or two….your call.
Can I join you? I’ll be extra silent…. no human voices from me. Just happy “sighs”…
Love the view, the kitchen and the fact you can jump right into the ocean any time.
What a dump! I should be so lucky to find such a dump. I’ve examined every bit of this place, love the floor to ceiling windows so that no part of the view is obscured. White is my most favorite color in the world, so I could easily live there.
That farm house sink is killer.
I once read a piece on some art blog about a woman who moved to a cottage on one of the Great Lakes. She’d never painted before in any media. She spent the entire year with a small palette of water colors trying to capture the changing waterscape scene before her. A painting a day for one year of nothing but sky & water. At the end of the year she anointed herself an artist. Loved that story.
The quote about people cracked me up. I used to be a social butterfly, flapping my mouth constantly and liked being around people. One day I realized that I no longer wanted to hear myself or anyone else talk, not on the phone or face to face. I relished silence. When I was at home I didn’t turn on the TV or radio. NO TALKING. I loved the silence and peace.
My husband thought I’d gone over the edge. Maybe I did but I still relish silence.
Enjoy your little corner of the world and see how many combos of blue you can put down on paper. Have you read Ann Morrow Lindbergh’s “A Gift From the Sea” A lovely read.
What a lovely spot! Just being.
Aloha, Kate
THAT is what data collecting should be!
I live in California and need to find out more about this place. Very interested in maybe staying there sometime. It is fabulous!
OH…OH….OH!!!
can I just fill this comment section with O”s???????
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Ok..I;ll stop . Only because I feel your resistance. At one and the same time, this posting just utterly ROCKS!!
Words first…then these awe-some images.
Rest……
I’m thankful for you ,this year.
~sass
PS. Am baking a peach pie tomorrow…and will be thankful for that , too. First fork will be raised in your name….
How wonderful! Once you’re back, you must give us more information about this amazing place.
Dreaming, and living vicariously through you on this little ocean side trip of yours. *sigh Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!
Are there any biting insects? No? Well txt me the address and I will sit in silence.I may scratch a little. Our house has been invaded by bird lice and the mosquitoes have reminded each other that I taste nice.
What a beautiful place. The silence, the ocean, the sky.
Oh. My. God. That is a beautiful place! Enjoy, enjoy, ENJOY!
I am SOOOOOooo grateful for you and all you bring to us.
Peace to you, Maryann!
I almost cried reading this, so beautiful! I was the one that answered the phone when you called to report that fireball. Best report ever!
Yeah. What a s—hole.
Wonderful, it’s cool, dark and sorta rainy here in Seattle. This looks like heaven to me. Thanks for that.
How absolutely wonderful!
Thank you for sharing the beauty of that fabulous spot.
Enjoy.
Me too! Wow….that is the most amazing place. Is it ok to ask where it is and if I can rent it ? I would love a week in such an incredible place ! Thanks.
amazing pictures. amazing cottage. amazing colors. thanks.
Wow….that is the most amazing place. Is it ok to ask where it is and if I can rent it ? I would love a week in such an incredible place ! Thanks.
Every word and image in this post comprises a most incredible form of poem. I love every morsel of it, mam. Sheer poetry.
Really, such a dump. . . . . . . . .And the interruptions, of all manner of brightness flying around willy-nilly…
Happy Silence / rhythmic oceanic lulling / celestial quiet conversations.
All so very Beauty-Full. Thank you for wafting some of it thru the screens.
‘Squisite Peace.
x x x
I have to agree about this being a favorite post. You sure know how to pick these gorgeous, restful places. Is there really anything as good as just staring out at the ocean?
this looks like a fab place – I know you have provided before but where do you find your gems again please?
Oh, Mary Ann….. how do you find these wonderful places to stay? I wish I was there too (but out of sight and sound so as not to disturb your stay…) Sooooooo restful!
Peggy in Tulsa
If only your. cats were there too, you could just live there. Looks perfect to me!
Simply amazing. It doesn’t get better than this!!
Love this post and what you said-all of it! When you mentioned about the changing colors and how you’re recording them, I remembered a website called leafcutterdesigns.com, where the woman knitted a scarf each day, adding the colors of the sky for that day: light blue, darker blue, white, gray, etc. She called it ‘conceptual knitting’, and you can read about it and see the scarf there with a short video-she offers a kit-very nice. I noticed the sky more after that, and you’re reminding me of it again. I sure like that house-it looks just right-I noticed all the windows and how great that is for the light for painting. You teach us how to live well and paint well. I laughed out loud at the comment about people! Happy Thanksgiving-I am thankful for you and all those who write in here.
Looks and sounds fabulous!! Glad you are enjoying yourself. I have something similar planned for February, will be using this post as a template!! 😉
ahhhhhhhh – this post is too mah-velous for more words dah-ling : )
if I were there with you – I wouldn’t say a word – nope – not a peep – it would break the magic I’m sure ; )
(I think we’re ALL LICKING OUR SALT BLOCKS – hahahha)
Blessings & HAPPY THANKSGIVING – Sandra in AZ : )
I felt healing begin just in seeing these photos. I swear my pulse slowed, my breathing deepened. The beauty, the big openness, calls to me. I’ll just breath it in here until I can get to the real thing in person.
Beautiful!!
I am infinitely blessed you are out in the world keeping stock on such valuable things. Without you out there in the great big blue, I’d have missed all of this and my life wouldn’t be nearly as colorful and bright. I’m gonna carry your photos in my heart for the rest of the week and every time I need a moment to myself, that is where I’m gonna transport myself. And can I just add that HOLY MOLY did you get some awesome digs for this adventure. WOWZER and every other big, happy word I know!!!!!!! xoxoxoxo
Everything is absolutely stunning…the ocean, the sky, the house…very conducive to making art!
Yes to all of it.
Wow. What a stunning spot!!! The ocean! The light! The windows! The orange flowers. The sky………..
The quiet…………………. I loooooooooooooooove quiet………………
(Not so sure I like people, all that much, and VERY sure I don’t want to see or hear them, unless I choose to!)
Love your data collection. That’s how I feel about what I do, too. Walking through my days, saying “Hey! Look at *this*!!!” I’ll sit next to you, in that very last row, and if they want to know about what I’ve got, I’ll sing out, just like you. 🙂
Thank you for taking us along. In a way that ensures we are silent and invisible. Very clever. 🙂
what a great post and what a fabulous place you have found to land for awhile and I love the quote!!
Fan.Tas.Tic. That is all.
Are you sure the fireball wasn’t a UFO? 🙂
It’s tough to put down reality. Gratitude has it’s rewards. Enjoy your solitude. Whatever you have, you’ve earned it. I give thanks everyday. For everything including you.
Ah, great! Every pic of your post got me to drool an dream: the place, the colours .. Under the grey sky and the rain we’ve had for some days here in Normandy, France, I’m craving for blue skies,sun, sand under my feet and the sound of the sea and the liberty to get up early, enjoy loads of tea, play with my stuff and do nothing. You mad emy day!
How come I just got back from an amazing beach walk with beautiful autumn skies on my wonderful monday off and can still feel a little envious of you? Maybe I need to catch up on my doing nothing just a little bit more? 😉
Have a great time!
you are one lucky lady….to sit, relax, observe, document,and take in nature’s beauty in a way only you can do…..glad you had a chance in this amazing setting…..thanks for sharing.I must paint again…..
I. Have.No. Words.
This my be my favorite post ever. My soul resonates with longing for this very thing. Visual poetry…Capturing the different shades of blue could very well be a life’s journey. At least I think so…
OMG!!! My eyes just did a slow tour of the cottage. I love every blooming bit of this room… toaster,kitchen, floor, rugs,those benches at the table, those little touches of blue, every bit of that space. LOVE it. Just the right amount of calm, not overwhelming, beauty to NOT detract from the panoramic beauty outside those windows. I want to come and live there right now. Swoon… I’m breathing deeply right now, I can almost smell the air. Lucky, happy you, have a simply splendid week.
Gorgeous day and night,
so very happy for you,,
life has just rewards.
WOW. Amazing. Great. Made my day!
I’m just going to whisper this….I loved this post. You always say the funniest things and tell the best stories. Also, that place is GORGEOUS! but I’m still whispering.
Wow! Wow! Wow! What a gorgeous place and view. It looks like you’re enjoying your time painting too!
I’m that way too. Do you think it’s teaching. We talk and listen to little people ALL DAY LONG, it’s really the last thing I want to do when I’m not working.
Enjoy the rest of your break!