Rideau River Basswood (oil on canvas 5 x 7 in.) SOLD!

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17 May finds me at the "Long Reach", the longest stretch on the Rideau River without any locks.  The old Highway 16 north of Kemptville, Ontario, crosses the Rideau at Becketts Landing, and I'm at the north end of the bridge, backed into a vehicle track beside the guardrail on the east (downstream) side, painting the reflected sunset as the western sky behind me glows in even more vivid pink and orange.

I'm laying down the colours of the sky and river, having taken photos to paint the Basswood tree and its vines of Wild Grape, which join two trees like a necklace.  The river bank is lined with Basswoods here, with Honeysuckle and some other shrub with small white flowers at their feet - and more Grape vine of course.

A Great Blue Heron flies westward over its reflection, and suddenly the tail of a huge Carp lifts lazily out of the water and wags back and forth as its owner grubs the bottom, as unconcerned as a dabbling duck.

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