Another afternoon trip to Cape Cod before we head over to our friends house for dinner tonight. Lisa wanted to go for a walk and do a little shopping downtown Falmouth, Massachusetts. I decided that I would enjoy relaxing and sketching in a little French boulangerie on Main Street called Maison Villatte. This pen and ink drawing is from a small table looking towards the windows and street beyond. Lamy Safari fountain pen with Noodler’s black ink in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.
Lisa and I spent a wonderful day yesterday on Outer Cape Cod. The weather was amazing for December and people were strolling the streets and shopping in the village of Chatham, Massachusetts. This sketch is from a photo that I took of a window box at an information booth all decorated for the holiday. Brightly colored ornaments with fishing net and seashells. It was beautiful and the epitome of Cape Cod. Faber-Castell Pitt pens with Holbein and Mission watercolors in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.
This fishing boat had a perfect name for the scene of Chatham Harbor at the Fish Pier. The water was calm and a deep blue with the reflections of the sunset behind me in the clouds. While I was standing at the quay, a harbor seal just below me swam by slowly on his back enjoying himself. It was a wonderful pleasure to see the seal so peaceful and probably closer than you would see in an aquarium. A wonderful experience and true serenity. Pilot Falcon fountain pen with Noodler’s black ink and Daniel Smith watercolors in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.
One final sketch from our weekend getaway. The North Conway Scenic Railway has a collection of old trains and passenger cars. They also operate scenic tours in the valley, up to Crawford Notch and Dinner Trains. #573 is the engine that is operating the Christmas Polar Express Trains. Lam Safari fountain pen with Noodler’s Black ink and Holbein watercolors in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.
I am catching up with scanning from our travels over the weekend. We spent Saturday evening at this resort in North Conway, New Hampshire. It is located off of the beaten path of downtown North Conway on West Side Road , but still only a mile or 2 from the shops and restaurants. The resort sits at the base of Cathedral and White Horse Ledges that are very popular with rock climbers. The climbs range from 5.5 to 5.11 and can be very challenging to even experienced rock climbers. The perspective is drooping a little to the right. Faber-Castell Pitt Art pens with Holbein and Daniel Smith watercolors in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.
Christ Church sits at the corner of White Mountain Highway and River Road at the North end of North Conway, New Hampshire. The building is a simple wood board and batten building with an interesting bell tower. Lamy Safari fountain pen with Noodler’s black ink, Holbein and Daniel Smith watercolors in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.
The Mount Washington Hotel is located in Bretton Woods – Carroll, New Hampshire. This beautiful majestic hotel is located on Route 302 between our first and second night stays and is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. Bretton Woods is part of a land grant made in 1772 by Royal Governor John Wentworth. The area was named after Bretton Hall, Wentworth’s ancestral home in Yorkshire, England. The superstructure of The Mount Washington Hotel boasted a steel network, uncommon in its day. The Mount Washington Hotel was built by New Hampshire native Joseph Stickney, who made his fortune in coal mining and the Pennsylvania Railroad. Stickney spared no expense in building the imposing hotel. The latest design and construction methods were used. Innovative and complicated heating and plumbing systems were installed. To this day, the Bretton Woods Hotel has its own private telephone system and Post Office. Ground was broken in 1900 and construction was completed in 1902. Two hundred and fifty Italian craftsmen, skilled in masonry and woodworking, were brought to Bretton Woods and housed on the grounds. This view from the highway shows the hotel set against the backdrop of the White Mountains and Mount Washington with the Cog Rail bending up the slope. Lamy Safari with Noodler’s black ink and watercolor in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.
It all began with the view. Once upon a time, on a rainy night in 1865, two weary travelers on their way from Boston to Montreal found themselves literally stuck in the mud after the stagecoach in which they were traveling overturned. The driver directed them to a nearby farmhouse in the small township of Whitefield, New Hampshire. The original farmhouse was replaced with a 3 story structure in 1872. In 1919 the property was expanded into a world class resort and the 4th floor was added along with other amenities. The entire property was renovated for $20 million dollars in 20o1. This property is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places and is a wonderful resort to stay at. Lamy safari with Noodler’s black ink and watercolors in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.
The British Beer Company is restaurant concept in Massachusetts that is modeled after traditional British Pubs. The interiors are fit out with salvaged woodwork, features and the bar from traditional pubs that have been dismantled. This location is across the street from the beach n Falmouth Heights in Falmouth, Massachusetts. My company does most of the architectural design for the British Beer Company. Prismacolor black pens with Holbein and Daniel Smith watercolors in a Stillman and Birn Beta sketchbook.
Continuing the Thanksgiving tour of Plymouth, the Jenny Grist Mill is a working grist mill located in Plymouth, Massachusetts. It is a reconstruction of the original Jenney Grist Mill, and it stands on the site of the original mill. John Jenny came to America from Leyden, England in 1623 on the Little James. The original Jenney Grist Mill was built in Plymouth Colony by John Jenney in 1636, and was run by him until his death in 1644. After his death, his wife Sarah and son Samuel continued to run the mill until Stockbridge took over the mill for legal reasons. The mill burned down in 1837. Lamy fountain pen with Noodler’s black ink, Daniel Smith watercolors in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook.
A SKETCHBOOK ODYSSEY 