Linda Denis

Spring turtle Pond, Farm Point, Chelsea, watercolour/ hot pressed Fabriano

The weather here in the hills- very warm days at 30 degrees Celsius, with intermittent rain showers. This is acceptable but not ideal for plein air sketching with watercolour. However, sometimes the extra splash of rain drops enhances the landscape on paper.

The main actors here are the turtles trying to cross the chemin de la Rivière on their way to their summer residence. Slow down they have priority (we hope) if they need encouragement you can nudge them slowly with your foot or take out your rubber mats from your car.

Farm Point, Chelsea, Qc – the local turtle pond, 2026

Respect the turtle crossing, slow down the turtles are off to the Gatineau River

Finally Spring is here in the Gatineau Hills. We are still getting snow showers, below zero Celsius at night but to-day the sun is warming up the soil and snow patches are small and few.

Time to get out and plein air sketch with my watercolours. Here are two watercolours from past years sketching in Charlevoix, Qc

Beautiful and plentiful spots to paint this time of year in Charlevoix, no excuses just go and enjoy yourself.

The deed is done. Snow is here

Today on our third snow storm, the ski hills are open for business, roads ploughed and sanded, local stores full of Christmas goodies and food.

November signals that  winter is on the way. We have dark sombre hills and the Gatineau River showing her character with one day quiet still water and the next churning whitecaps.
These watercolour sketch are from the advantage point of Déry Quarry on a cold November day with threatening snow flakes and cold north winds.

Next move is for old man winter to descend on the hills and river.

The  hills are adding orange, lime and crimson to their colour scheme. This is the « in between season » not hot or cold, wet or dry – each day has it’s own personality. Below are two paintings originally painted earlier this summer but with the season changing to autumn here they lended themselves to this early fall colour scheme.

The sheep are kept close to the barn probably because we have stray dogs and coyotes in our area. As usual, they chose between grazing or curiously staring at the viewer.

The Rupert barns are always a mystery on how they manage to stay upright. It’s been years since any maintenance. My thoughts are the Irish settlers where proud farmers who built and maintain these barns for their cattle, hay and grain storage. These barns are testimonial to a passed rural life when  well built barns, livestock and farm implements were a status of prosperity and success.