Big Talbot Island Residency- Day 6

Notes From My Residency Journal

Big Talbot is a happy memory now. I am very grateful to North Florida Land Trust for their generous gift to me for two years. They are saving thousands of acres of wetlands for birds,artists,  naturalists, wild animals and recreational boaters and fishermen. Please support your Florida Land Trusts to save what is left of our wild lands.

My favorite places were Big and Little Talbot Islands, Ft Clinch State Park , and the Kingsley Plantation, a national monument. 

I really liked the Marche Burrette restaurant in the Omni Resort for breakfast and the 29 Bistro in Fernandina Beach. 

The views from the back yard at the house were spectacular.  The best time to go the Rebault Club Road is morning, and the best time at Little Talbot Island is late afternoon for the color and light. 

I hope to find a residency in that part of Florida again.

Residency at Big Talbot Island- day 5

Afternoon Palms

Ft Clinch Boardwalk

Fishermen with their catch at Ft Clinch State Pa

Notes From My Residency Journal

For some bizarre reason we were up at 5:30 AM today. It is not an hour of the day I am fond of😫 After a cup a Joe, we were off the Ft Clinch State Park. We enjoyed taking some photos and exploring the park. We ran into these two fishermen who asked us to take some photos of them. We gladly obliged. They went through an elaborate staging for their photos. They are evidently in the fishing business, so wanted publicity shots. They were a lot of fun.

After the park, we headed for Fernandina Beach, to check out this quaint town. We toured two art galleries and enjoyed lunch at the 29 Bistro. They had service out on the porch and it was a cool day so we opted for that seating. The service was very good and so was the food. They serve an upscale version of Southern cuisine. I had the roasted pulled pork Cobb salad. It came with fried green tomatoes stuffed with goat cheese, delicious, and corn bread croutons, with a nutty flavored shredded cheese over greens. It was called BBQ pork, but it was roasted pork with a tangy sauce. Very tasty but not true BBQ. True BBQ must be smoked.  Mary Jane had a pork sandwich with napa cabbage slaw. She said it was good. A very good lunch, well served. 

We headed back to the Big Talbot where I did today's painting, while Mary Jane watched the critters on the marshes. We left for our late afternoon drive to study the light and take photos of Little Talbot Iland. The light was glorious indeed. My last day in paradise. I must get back to my town studio tomorrow and will go with gratitude to North Florida Land Trust for a fine week of painting.

Residency at Big Talbot Island - Day 4

Palms at Big Talbot House

8x 10 inches

Oil on canvas panel

Notes From My Residency Journal

My guest Mary Jane and I had a full day of exploration at Little Talbot Island and Big Talbot and Ft George Islands, all the small and large nooks and crannies. The dune walks and beach boardwalks are especially lovely this year. All of the pink grasses are in full bloom now. I got to spend some time watching th waves roll in on the white sand beach at Little Talbot State Park. I have a great love for the large Red Cedar trees that grow prolifically in the dunes there. 

We toured the Kingsley Plantation, which is beautiful but sobering with the history of slavery there. The tabby slave houses are all still intact. I learned that Kingsley plantation was a major destination for slave boats coming from Africa. It is such a beautiful place to have produced such horror in our past.  The front yard has tall stately palms with a vast view of the marshes. 

After my lunch of tuna fish on potato chips, I settled in to do the above small painting of a view from the Big Talbot House, provided by my friends at North Florida Land Trust.  This house is large and very comfortable, with a lovely view of tall cabbage palms and the distant marsh. There is a fine long dock out on the water with spectacular marsh views. I could paint here forever and not grow tired of it. This chain of pristine barrier islands beats the heck out of St Simons further north. This is a truly splendid part of Florida. 

Tomorrow we are to explore Amelia Island, Ft Clinch, and Fernandina Beach. More from paradise tomorrow.

Marsh Palms

Mary Jane

Salt Marsh

Talbot Island Wrap Up

Renault Club Tree

9x12 inches

Oil on canvas

This morning dawned bright and clear on the marshes before a lovely bacon,sausage and homefries breakfast prepared by my host Bonnie. We enjoyed our coffee on the deck facing the marshes, as they turned from orange to gold and finally to green. We scurried around straightening up the house and parted with fondness for a happy adventure we will remember. I look forward to returning next October.

I headed out and got lost, naturally, heading in the wrong direction for about 20 minutes. I finally got turned around heading west. I made it back to my loft studio I'm happy to write. 

The highlights of my residency were many:

The lovely and comfortable Big Talbot House and grounds, my painting studio on the porch.

My wonderful sponsors, North Florida Land Trust

The beautiful marshes and wetlands

The extraordinary trees

Renault Club Road

Amelia,Little Talbot, and Big Talbot Islands

Simpson Creek

Dead Tree Beach and the park

The kind and helpful park rangers

Nicole's Restaurant

Marche Burrette Restaurant

Sliders Restaurant

 

I had a splendid time! Thanks to all who welcomed me so kindly.

Big Talbot Island Residency- Day 3

Marsh Palms

9x12 inches

Oil on panel

www.lindablondheim.com

Notes From My Residency Project

Welcome to the first cool day of Fall this year! I woke to cool breezy overcast weather. I'm so happy to have a cool day.

 I went in search of breakfast in Amelia Island. I stopped at a place called Parkway Grill. It is really more of a bakery/deli. You go up to the counter to order. It is self serve for utensils and coffee. You put a number on your table and someone brings your food. The room is on hard floors with small diner style tables. No atmosphere at all, but it is clean and well organized. They brought thick sliced bakery bread, which was a nice texture. The bacon was over cooked but I don't mind that. The eggs were cooked right but the hash browns were not crispy. The best thing was the coffee which was quite good. They did not make it clear whether refills were allowed. The server did not return to the table after delivering the meal. I would rate it as adequate. I am the first to admit to being a foodie. I love breakfast the best, so I'm always in search for a really good breakfast restaurant. I am happy to brag that Gainesville has some outstanding breakfast restaurants. I will search out a new place tomorrow.

After breakfast I headed back toward Big Talbot for a bit of exploring.  There is a new bridge between the islands. They saved the old bridge as a pedestrian only bridge. I love to see this. It is so nice to save old bridges for hikers and fishermen.  I wish they would do that everywhere.

I stopped at the state park on the marsh side first, for some photos, then headed to seaside to see the dead tree beach. What an interesting park. Bonnie took me there for a quick look see on Monday. Today I had time to get some photos. The tide was high so I didn't go down on the beach. I climbed up on top of the platform bench to get some good photos of the trunks on the beach. The real appeal for me were the huge twisted trees growing in the park. They were quite splendid. 

Since it is dark and overcast today, I headed to the house to set up and paint on the porch.

Another day in paradise thanks to North Florida Land Trust. Bless them for supporting my project.