Last weekend, while biking home from nearby Coppola Winery, I stopped on Independence Lane to admire a weathered water tower overlooking a vineyard. Unfortunately, I was in a hurry that day and didn’t have time to paint.
The following Saturday I returned under clear blue skies, the air a crisp seventy degrees. This time, it felt like a vacation, and I reveled in the beauty of the autumn landscape, exhilarated to be out riding.
Leaning my bike against a fence post, I surveyed the area for a good place to sketch. While catching my breath, I delighted in the grape vines’ glowing red leaves, took several photographs, then settled down in the shade of an olive-green bush to draw.
Wooden water towers are scattered all around Sonoma County and most were built about 100 years ago. Back in the day, water was pumped out of the ground using a windmill and stored for later use in a tank at the top of the tower. Gravity provided enough water pressure to supply fresh, running water for a nearby home. Although most water towers have fallen under disrepair, some have been refurbished into guest houses and B&Bs for an almost tree house like experience.
After I finished painting my sketch, I packed up my gear and headed home in the warm afternoon sun.
Like the warm sidelighting.
Thanks for the comment Peter! I had to push the colors a bit to give contrast on the tower.
Gorgeous! And now you have me longing for another travel experience, staying in a water tower B&B. (BTW, Peter Bryenton has done a beautiful book of bicycle photographs.) Every time I visit your blog, it’s like a mini-vacation. (sighs)
Thanks Jean for your comments! I agree with you about Peter Bryenton’s ( http://www.brypix.com ) beautiful bicycle book too, I have a copy myself! : )
Hi Richard, really enjoying browsing your site. Especially like the inclusion of the bike in this one. I often cycle to my sketch destination, maybe we should have a Flickr group, ‘Cycling and Sketching’?
Hi Murray, thanks very much for the comment! Glad you like my site. A Flickr group about ‘Cycling and Sketching’ sounds like a cool idea! Shall we?
My husband and I ride our bikes a lot. We live near Greenville SC (near Sarah!) which is another bike friendly city. Sarah and I sketch together in town. I adore the loose watercolor style that you have!
Thanks very much Carol! Glad to hear you get out on your bike and that Greenville is bike friendly. Sketching is good but it’s also good to get some exercise! Looking forward to seeing some of yours and Sarah’s sketches!