Rained Out in Accokeek

Piscataway Creek at Low Tide, watercolor, 6" x 9-1/2."

Last weekend at Accokeek a group of friends had planned a kayak picnic to see the full moon rise over Piscataway Bay on Saturday evening. To travel light, I had taken only my watercolors.

The weather didn't cooperate--thunderstorms in the afternoon and into the evening forced us to call off our picnic on the water. In the afternoon, Linda and I went down to the newly-installed boardwalk at the park to try to get in a quick sketch. I was maybe ten minutes into my sketch when ominous steel-gray clouds began to crowd the sky. I hoped the storm might blow over to the east of us, but a minute later, I glanced overhead, and it was obvious we were in for it. I packed up as fast as I could and beat feet to my car. The downpour had not arrived yet so I grabbed my camera and went back to the creek to photograph the scene. The first drops started as Linda and I took photos; we ran back as the rain picked up, and by the time we got back to the car it was pouring. I finished this sketch from memory in Patrises' studio. It's interesting to see how much darker and somber the photo looks. To the naked eye there was a lot more color and light, particularly yellows in the marsh grass.

Instead of the picnic, we had a wonderful dinner at Josephine Withers'--her house is most usual; I remember reading about it in the Washington Post many years ago when it was first built, never dreaming I'd ever meet her and get to see it in person. She is an art historian and counselor, and a fabulous cook--her garden-grown tomatoes & veggies were a special treat.

Tickseed Sunflowers, watercolor, 10" x 7."

Next day, I went back with Linda to Piscataway to try for another sketch. The weather was once again threatening, and light sprinkles punctuated the morning, but gradually, the sky cleared. By the time I was finishing this one, the sun had come out and was heating up the day. It was one of those DC weekends: if you don't like the weather, just wait a few minutes.