Sunday, September 18, 2011

Monhegan sunset













Monhegan has always been a magic place in my imagination, I was first aware if it some 40 years ago from paintings by Stephen Maniaty, a great landscape painter in Mass. I went on to notice that place name in other great paintings.




This afternoon I painted the lighthouse on Pemaquid point. The first
one, a small 6 x 8 inch done plein air in the front seat of the car. For the photo that the second one came from, I coaxed Jack to climb down the hill on the sea side of the lighthouse, and aim the camera up at it.


Tonight at sunset as I looked across the water from Pemaquid peninsula toward Monhegan, it has turned a pink gold against an almost purple sea. Incredibly beautiful sight. I had to think it is a memorial for a man swept off Monhegan's rocky shore earlier this week by a huge wave associated with the Katia storm. The rogue wave took him away along with several others, but one did not make it back out of the sea. The young man lost was part of a wedding party.

We really never know! Every day is meaningful or should be so.




Added here later... a letter from a friend...

Hi Edyth:
Just a short note to say I'm sorry your stay in Maine was a little on thedamp side. Regardless, Maine is still a wonderful place to visit. We just returned from Monhegan, our annual visit, as my husband is an avid birder. We go out every Sept for the fall migration. However, this year was a rather sad visit due to the tragic accident involving the drowning of that young man. After talking with the locals, they said the people involved were in a dangerous spot and with the sea as rough as it was, they shouldn't have been there at all. I believe the young man was from Ireland. His girl friend was one of the bridesmaids in the wedding. They did, however decide to go through with the wedding which took place the following day. Such a tragic accident.

The weather was quite nice for our stay. It rained one night and had cleared by morning. We do love Monhegan and so look to our visit every year. You are so right, the sunsets are just beautiful. And each night, I couldn't help but think of that young man and felt that he too, was enjoying them. Glad you had a successful antiquing venture here in New Hampshire. You were so close to me. You mentioned Rt 4 in Concord. Love reading of all your goings on!Sincerely, Elizabeth B.