Holidays over: back to work!

These young folks have been our guests during the last few weeks: from left to right you see Ronald, Isabelle and Laura. Isabelle is a friend of Laura, Ronald and Laura are our children. One by one they have returned to their busy life in Europe, yesterday was Laura's turn. We have had such a wonderful time with them!!

Now it is back to work, for them and for me too...

I look forward to take up my artistic endavours!

Thanks for visiting today,

Regina

From Billings to Buffalo / continued

This summer my husband and I travelled across the USA in our small motorhome, this year the route went from the West to the East, all along the Great Lakes.

We had a slow start in Montana, but once we could leave we headed to Fargo. It may sound strange, but if you start a vacation with a two week delay, you feel somewhat in a hurry when you can finally take off, so this is exactly how we felt. Sorry to say that we did not really 'experience' North Dakota, but from the Interstate we saw nothing but Buttes, a treeless landscape that was beautiful in its strangeness, to us.

And in leaving N Dakota and enteringMinnesota it seemed that we left behind the cowboys, the Western clothes and -outfits that we had gotten familiar with. Until last year I would never have believed that there are still real cowboys walking around in cities and villages but believe me: there are, and lots of them too!! Western boots, jeans, belts and hats of course are a very common sight in states like Colorado, Montana and North Dakota.

Trail of Legends
original collage
4 x 4"
recycled tourist brochure

Coastal hike

Both my children and a friend were still here and whenever we have guests from overseas, we hike this coastal, rugged path. Since it is very hot these days, we started early in the morning. This hike runs from Guana Bay to Pointe Blanche along the east side of our island and offers such great views, come and have a look too...

just a small part of the trail runs between cactuses like these, most of the trail is a well used goat-path

midway the route is Geneve Bay, where a shelter has been built by using all kind of sea 'treasures'

I love this little place outside and could easily sit here for hours!

the ropes that bind the wood together have been knotted in a professional seamans way, according to my son

on the left you can see the path, to the right is the Atlantic Ocean

Once again it was a great experience, walking this hike along our coast!

Next time I will continue reporting our USA-trip, have a wonderful day,

Regina

Western Legends...

You don't have to ride to the sunset to meet Western Legends!

A Trip to the Stars

collage 4 x 4"

In the beginning of our recent trip to the USA, we spent almost a fortnight in Billings and surroundings, waiting for a part for our motorhome that we ordered long before we arrived, but unfortunately got a very 'lousy' treatment (sorry to say that)

But things being as they were, I tried to practise some Tao te Ching and succeeded to enjoy the moments, the days we were there. Because of this slow start e.g. we were able to visit Bighorn Canyon and to experience nature in its most basic state, it was so great there!!

The collage above is a reflection of that time, being in the vicinity of Billings (Montana) and already looking forward to the next state on our schedule: North Dakota.

I hope to be back soon, got so very much to tell, so hang on...

Regina

Traveling to Billings (day 2)

Moore in Denver

Passion series #2

Day 1 ended in Denver where we stayed in a hotel close to the airport, since we had to leave again very early the next morning. In my eagerness I took some brochures from the lobby and read there is a big Moore exhibit scheduled for August (I think...) Now Moore is an artist I have been admiring for a long time and whose sculptures I had the pleasure to enjoy in Hollandat National Park "Hoge Veluwe".

Alas for me I was in Denver in May, but still I wanted to memorize this current exhibit in Denver, hence my collage's name.

Denver International Airport, Colorado

Bighorn Canyon, Montana

Just a few minutes before our plane landed in Billings (Montana) we flew over this canyon. It was an awsome sight from above and when we visited the canyon afterwards the memories of this areal view made it even more special. You can read more about this canyon in this post.

Thans for visiting and enjoy your Thursday!

Regina

PS: I might have raised the suggestion that I am still traveling (to Billings), but I have been back on the island for two weeks now. During our 2 months trip from Billings to Buffalo, internet and wifi were out of reach most days, so I decided to 'let it go' and my recent posts are retrospective, mixed up with collages I made while camping and traveling

Art in airports

Copper inlay sealife figure

at Miami International Airport

photo exhibit in black and white at MIA of Miami's beachlife

in early 20th century.
detail of a mural at Denver Int'l Airport

Over time I have developed a special sense of finding art and/or beauty on my way. This can be while traveling on the road, but also in places like airports and coffeeshops.

So at the very first day of our recent trip, I rediscovered these copper sea life fantasy inlays at Miami international airport. Some time ago I wrote about these on my blogs and though I was at this airport afterwards I never succeeded in finding them again. However, this was my lucky day, for all of a sudden I found myself walking over them. A feeling of pure happiness came over me, for there seemed to me thousands of different motives of these and I made many many pictures. They will for certain appear on my blog in future digital collages. It is amazing that almost everybody walks over them without even noticing, or maybe they got so used to them that they don't see it as special.

Then there was a great photo exhibit in black and white of pictures from the beginning of the 20 th centure, depicting beachlife in Miami. Unfortunately I don't remember the photographer's name and googling did not help me either.

At the end of our first day we arrived at Denver's airport and there was a beautiful and very colorful mural of which I show a detail. I think it was near the luggage belt. All in all I had a very good start this year!

As always: thanks for visiting, grtz Regina

Montana

Detail of the Indian Monument

at Little Bighorn Battlefield, Montana, USA

Experience Montana

original collage 4" x 4"

(made of tourist brochure)

Montana series #4