Mid-Atlantic Gardening: Chincoteague and Assateague Islands, Virginia, 1 by Gitagal

Gitagal wrote:
VA_Wild_Rose,

I looked at all your "Slide Show" while at work--but there were too many interruptions......
I will try to look at all your pictures again. It REALLY made me want to be there--again! What a gem of a place--right here in MD! I just am such a home-body I do not go anywhere much. Living alone--it just does not hold all the same "magic".....Still--I would like to see this place again!

I remember--back in Summer of 1964--when I was 4 months pregnant with my first daughter--we went to Assateague Island. I still have a box-full of Conch Shells I picked up on the beach--just sitting on a shelf in my Shop (basement).
I hear, that those are NOT that easy to find any more--unless you are on the beach the morning after a big storm.
Is that right???? How many did you find?

Anyway---back in 1980--1984 I oil-painted a large # of paintings. I was enrolled in one of those "Adult Classes" that ran 2/ 10-week sessions a year. MAN! I knew I had artistic talents--but I produced about 35 amazing paintings in those 4 years. Most of them were given away FREE as gifts to friends.....I still have several in my home....

Anyway--I painted from pictures--Magazines...Caledars....National Geographic.....Christmas cards.....etc...copying them all just by EYE! I suppose it is a "gift" I have. Everyone says--"You need to paint again!" !!! I just cannot re-capture those days!
Haven't painted since! Life has changed.....I am divorced now for 18 yrs. Still work PT at HD.----Getting older and having to deal with too many responsibilities with the house and my Garden--which I love! Time seems to just FLY!!!! NO time for all that "devotion" I had back then. I still like to do crafts and such--as needed--but NOT in any serious way. What a waste of talent!!!!

I wanted to show you one of the paintings I did. It was from the cover of the book "Misty of Chincoteague" I got from the Library. As most of my paintings were--the finished product was close to a "carbon copy" of the original.

If you want to copy it---photo-shop it---take it to Kinkos and print it out to whatever size you want--and frame it for your daughters to remember this trip by--I give you permission to do so. One day--it may bring back lovely memories from your trip there as you look at it--or as your daughters look at it. Besides--You will have a framed "original" painting by MOI!!!....:o)

SO! Here it is!!!!.......Gita

Gita