Powassan, Ontario

 

                           

I am back in the town I grew up in, Powassan, Ontario, Canada.  It's small, over a thousand people in the town itself and three thousand in the council area.  

Our house is in a convenient spot and when I was growing up it was a minutes walk to school, to the pool, park and shops.  I sat on the corner of the property and sketched the view looking up to the United Church (see above).

                            

Last night I sketched this  view from Mom and Dad's back deck, looking to the north.  I like the vintage chair, one of a pair.

It's great to be on holiday!

Back to Newtown

 

                              

On this cold and threatening to rain day, Sketch club met in Newtown to sketch the chimneys . These are at the back of restaurants on King St.  Chatting and sketching with good friends is hard to beat.

                                 

This is a little street called Crooks Lane, sketched from Church St.

After lunch we sketched each other which was great fun.

Church in Woollahra

                                

Sketch club met at Woollahra in Sydney which is an inner eastern suburb.  This church burned down in the 1980's.  I remember seeing the ruins for many years.  Twelve years ago it was converted into a small number of apartments.  We met the woman who lives in the section which I sketched and she said that her apartment was four bedrooms and five stories.  She weaves on a loom in the top room with views of the city.  The windows in the room were put in for the apartment otherwise the rooms up there would have had no light.

It was a beautiful winter day, warm in the sun.

George St Barber Shop

                                             

After sketching at Central Raulway Station on Saturday we headed over to Chinatown for lunch.  We passed this colourful building on the way and I returned there to sketch later.  At street level there is a barbershop, $9 a cut according to the sign.

Central Station

                                     

Urban sketchers met this morning at Central Station.  It was a beautiful day but quite cold even when sitting in the sun.  It's a great group getting together and lovely friendships exist,

Sketching in Newtown

       

What a day!!! Went sketching in Newtown today ALL day.  First stop was Newtown courthouse, built in 1885.  We sat in front of the Black Star cafe drinking coffee, dreaming of their watermelon cake and working away in sketch books.   People were lining up outside to get their excellent coffee and most wonderful desserts.

                              

After lunch we went to the grounds of St Stephens Church on Church St, Newtown.  The church and adjoining historic cemetery are very picturesque.  I particularly enjoyed this house which is called Cemetary Lodge.  There is a community garden within this property and there were some locals tending that while we were there.

      

After a very satisfying lunch and trip to the art shop I did this sketch of folk studying the menu or their newspaper.

It has been a big day out and now a cuppa and rest are in order.

Corella Pears

    

Corella pears are such a pretty fruit and are much redder than other  types of this fruit.  I made a nice pear muffin the other day using ordinary pear but a person could use corella too.

Pear Muffins

2 cups self raising flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup buttermilk

1/4 c vegetable oil

1 egg

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 1/2 cups chopped firm pear

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.  Place flour, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and mix to combine.  Add butter milk, oil,egg and maple syrup and mix well.  Gently fold pear through mixture.

Grease 12 normal muffin tins or use the papers.  Bake for 25-30 min or until cooked.