Those of you who sketch outdoors regularly may recall times when you entered a trance-like state while sketching. Without planning it, you traveled from effortful thinking to effortless rapture, and before you knew it, you had the shallow breathing of a focused hawk.

When I am close to finishing a sketch, it feels a bit like I’m regaining consciousness. I sit up tall, stretch, and take a deep breath. Then, if I brought a snack and a thermos along, I have a cup of tea and a nibble, then indulge in a brief writing session on the next page of my sketchbook. I jot down thoughts about how the day’s art adventure felt, what I saw, and what I learned. These sessions, fresh on the heels of sketching, have been the source for most of this blog post series, and for all of my book, Double Take.

Join me on my adventure from about six years ago – enjoy!

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July 7, 2018 – at The Flume Gorge, Lincoln NH

When you live year ‘round in a tourism mecca, it is all too easy to hunker down for the entire summer, avoiding the seasonally heavy traffic, while sadly denying yourself access to all the natural delights those “outsiders” drove so far to see and enjoy. Happily, today, I joined the swift-flowing stream of cars heading north on I-93, to visit one of my favorite spots in the heart of the White Mountains: the Flume.

Once I arrived in the parking lot, I strapped on my sketching backpack (complete with campstool) and joined the throng of people of all ages trudging up the main pathway into the park.

Frisky Kids raced and chased each other everywhere, unaware of the geological glory surrounding them. Instead, they devoted their full attention to transforming this steep, rocky forest trail into the best obstacle course ever.

The next demographic group I noticed was the Athletic Adults, all walking at a zippy pace, with or without children on their minds. Most of them looked like they were having a good time, although some seemed more interested in their fitness trackers than the forest treasures.

The final group was the Senior Strollers. We are never mistaken for real “hikers” because we meander, stretch, pause to catch our breath, and enjoy simply looking around.

So much to see! The crystal-clear headwater stream of the Pemigewasset River has tumbled along here through the Flume Gorge, day and night, year ‘round, for more years than any of us know. It’s mind-boggling.

The lichen-covered boulders and gnarly tree trunks have witnessed animals and humans trekking these trails for centuries. The water and stones and relentless root systems carry secrets we can only imagine.

Such a challenge deciding where to plant my campstool to do a bit of drawing. I finally picked a spot at the edge of a wide trail, making sure not to block foot traffic. Artist Etiquette is important!

Kids and folks of all ages walked past me as I sat there working away. Most tried very hard not to “bother” me, which always feels funny because I’m happy sketching in public. I’m looking for beauty, not privacy.

As I was watercoloring this sketch, I sensed a presence and looked up. An elderly Japanese man was standing some distance away, carefully watching me work. Our eyes met. He smiled and bowed slightly a few times, the international sign for, “Ah, yes, continue, thank you, yes!”

I placed my hand on my heart, smiled back at him, took a deep breath, and nodded. I love that in the middle of his time enjoying the natural beauty, he also paused to watch me play.

My mind drifted back to 2005, when I traveled to Japan and was fortunate to be the guest of a family there. I enjoyed witnessing the role of elders in their culture, so was especially pleased (and not surprised) to see this Japanese gentleman taking time to pause and enjoy the present moment.

All those memories – of kids hollering, seniors smiling, water rushing, and sunlight dancing –  are packed into this little painting. I would forget some of these tales if I didn’t enjoy writing/storytelling almost as much as I love sketching, all right here in my sketchbook journal. It’s such fun to be just me, talking to me.

Life is good when I let it be.

(to be continued)

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The newest book, Look at That! – Second Edition, is also available as a beautiful hardcover.

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 As always, thanks for spending some time with me “aloft.” Happy sketching!