Monday, October 31, 2016

CALLA LILIES OVER TRASIMENO



Calla Lilies Over Trasimeno
James Aponovich
oil on canvas,  50" x 34"


TERREMOTO

The Earth shakes and cities are destroyed. Amatrice, Norcia and Castelluccio will never be the same. Buildings that have stood for 800 years are rubble. The geological forces that are unleashed as the African Tectonic plate slides under the European are felt as pain and loss.

Just beyond the Mountains in this painting is the epicenter.

Our hearts go out to everyone touched by this disaster.

James & Elizabeth




Monday, October 24, 2016

BACK ROAD IN AUTUMN....From Peterborough to Hancock, NH.


Here in New Hampshire the flag of autumn is shown in bright colors of the Sugar Maples followed by the more earthy russets of the oaks. The true sign of a pending New England winter is the wood pile and here is ours.



Out back, over the garden the trees at "peak" color just a few days ago. The tall New England Asters provide color and the bees adore them. I did attempt to cut a few stems for a vase, but the flowers were so full of bees at work I just left the flowers to them.




ON THE ROAD..... Peterborough to Hancock

First  to Peterborough to buy a newspaper, and some coffee for the morning.



Coming down the hill into town it was difficult to get a good shot of Peterborough through trees and with trucks going past, but here it is, although it really is much prettier.




The Peterborough Town House is at the corner of Main Street and Grove Street , aka, Grover's Corner, and if you are familiar with Thornton Wilder's play "Our Town", you will recognize this as the town that inspired Wilder. Copeland too was moved and composed a piece of music after the play, also titled "Our Town".
James tells me that if you listen very carefully you can hear this music as you enter town....

It is up to you whether to believe him...or not.



The Contoocook River runs through  town.



Like every town  there is a Main St., where you can find a market, a stationary store, The Mariposa Museum, a woman's clothing store and antique shop, Around the corner, a real diner, a movie theater and a great bookstore. There's more....just walk and see what you might find around each corner!



TIME TO MOVE ON.......to Hancock


It was such a glorious day that James and I decided to get out of our studios and take a ride to the neighboring town of Hancock. The clear blue of the skies made the colors of the foliage amazing and the long late afternoon shadows added drama to the landscape.



I often post about our time in Umbria with its beautiful landscapes, medieval villages , and art-filled churches and museums, but I must say that New Hampshire holds a wealth of visual splendor as well.





To reach Hancock, James drove up Windy Row. There are a few farms along the way and this one has a magnificent herd of herefords. These animals are huge! In the large pasture there is a sign that reads...












Approaching the village there is a field with  newly sheared sheep that are curious and come over to check us out.  There is another farm that has belted black and white cows and goats that are often out in the pasture, but not on this day. 
On Hancock's Main Street there is a place that sells goat cheese, aptly named Main Street Cheese.




Main Street, Hancock is rich in historic buildings, the Meeting House (1820) is a grand example of what we think of as New England architecture. The blue sky does does its part to show off this magnificent Meeting House.



The  curved carriage sheds behind the Meeting House once held horses and carriages of the people attending Sunday service, town meetings, weddings and funerals, etc. Of late, these  outdoor stalls are where the Saturday Farmer's Market is held in the summer months.





Norway Pond reflects more of the colors of the season.... a cliche, I know, but I couldn't resist!



These sheep are having a fall feast!



Right in our own back yard the color the season is lit up by the setting sun. I love this time of day when through the windows of our house the western sun is sinking behind mountains and like a flare lighting the sky and illuminating the rooms, if only for a few minutes, the rooms that face west.




Twilight and  a rising moon.



BACK ROAD IN AUTUMN....From Peterborough to Hancock, NH.


Here in New Hampshire the flag of autumn is shown in bright colors of the Sugar Maples followed by the more earthy russets of the oaks. The true sign of a pending New England winter is the wood pile and here is ours.



Out back, over the garden the trees at "peak" color just a few days ago. The tall New England Asters provide color and the bees adore them. I did attempt to cut a few stems for a vase, but the flowers were so full of bees at work I just left the flowers to them.




ON THE ROAD..... Peterborough to Hancock

First  to Peterborough to buy a newspaper, and some coffee for the morning.



Coming down the hill into town it was difficult to get a good shot of Peterborough through trees and with trucks going past, but here it is, although it really is much prettier.




The Peterborough Town House is at the corner of Main Street and Grove Street , aka, Grover's Corner, and if you are familiar with Thornton Wilder's play "Our Town", you will recognize this as the town that inspired Wilder. Copeland too was moved and composed a piece of music after the play, also titled "Our Town".
James tells me that if you listen very carefully you can hear this music as you enter town....

It is up to you whether to believe him...or not.



The Contoocook River runs through  town.



Like every town  there is a Main St., where you can find a market, a stationary store, The Mariposa Museum, a woman's clothing store and antique shop, Around the corner, a real diner, a movie theater and a great bookstore. There's more....just walk and see what you might find around each corner!



TIME TO MOVE ON.......to Hancock


It was such a glorious day that James and I decided to get out of our studios and take a ride to the neighboring town of Hancock. The clear blue of the skies made the colors of the foliage amazing and the long late afternoon shadows added drama to the landscape.



I often post about our time in Umbria with its beautiful landscapes, medieval villages , and art-filled churches and museums, but I must say that New Hampshire holds a wealth of visual splendor as well.





To reach Hancock, James drove up Windy Row. There are a few farms along the way and this one has a magnificent herd of herefords. These animals are huge! In the large pasture there is a sign that reads...












Approaching the village there is a field with  newly sheared sheep that are curious and come over to check us out.  There is another farm that has belted black and white cows and goats that are often out in the pasture, but not on this day. 
On Hancock's Main Street there is a place that sells goat cheese, aptly named Main Street Cheese.




Main Street, Hancock is rich in historic buildings, the Meeting House (1820) is a grand example of what we think of as New England architecture. The blue sky does does its part to show off this magnificent Meeting House.



The  curved carriage sheds behind the Meeting House once held horses and carriages of the people attending Sunday service, town meetings, weddings and funerals, etc. Of late, these  outdoor stalls are where the Saturday Farmer's Market is held in the summer months.





Norway Pond reflects more of the colors of the season.... a cliche, I know, but I couldn't resist!



Right in our own back yard the color the season is lit up by the setting sun. I love this time of day when through the windows of our house the western sun is sinking behind mountains and like a flare lighting the sky and illuminating the rooms, if only for a few minutes, the rooms that face west.




Twilight and  a rising moon.