Festive Favourites

So, the advent calendar is out and Facebook is littered with photographs of people decorating their trees.  We are about to rediscover our annual month long obsession with Slade and Wizzard and I'm sitting with a big pile of Christmas cards in front of me ready to be written.  I'm not going to share the designs here until you've all actually receive your cards so instead, I thought I'd get in the mood by revisiting a few old favourites.

These pictures are different to most pictures on my blog because they're not actually places I've been to so they don't have stories associated with them.  Instead, they came from those books people buy you when they come back from a particularly scenic holiday.  Or the ones they get you for Christmas sometimes that list out thousands of places you're supposed to visit before you die.  Although they represent an immense challenge, I do actually quite like those books because they have some lovely pictures in them.

The first picture is (I think) Yosemite which is right at the top of my travel wishlist.  The second one is Banff which is actually somewhere I've been but I never saw this place.  I always think it looks like such a cosy little cabin tucked away in the mountains and a great place to spend Christmas.  I've no idea where the third one is but it looks like lovely snow to ski on - maybe popping back to that cabin afterwards for a vin chaud.

I've reprinted each of these pictures a couple of times over the years because they're three of my personal favourites so I'm sure some of you will recognise them.  I hope you like them as much as I do and enjoy the countdown to Christmas wherever you are.

On the Slopes Again

My first ever skiing holiday was about 10 years ago in Banff. I went with some friends from work, not really sure what to expect and I was hooked from the first day.  Since then I've had several memorable and enjoyable holidays on the snow and I've picked up some good friends along the way.  It may seem a little strange then that I only actually starting painting pictures from my ski trips 2 years ago.  I'm not sure why I hadn't done any earlier. I've come back from those holidays with some great photos and it is a bit unusual for me to pass on turning my favourite photos into paintings.  Anyway, this all changed after a trip to La Plagne in 2011 with my friend Ellie.  The conditions weren't great that year.  There hadn't been as much snow as in some years and there were patches of ices dotted around the slopes.  Still, we had a good trip and on the last day we made our way up to the highest point on the map to the Glacier.  The top of the slope was quite steep and I wasn't feeling all that confident so I took it slowly.  Big mistake!  On the first turn I slipped and fell into the slope twisting my knee with a rather unpleasant pop.  Now I don't know if you've ever sat on top of a Glacier in the wind and snow but for those of you who haven't, it's really really cold.  Much as I would like a go on a skidoo one day, there was no way I was sitting up there waiting for help so I slid down the hill on my bum until it leveled out enough for me to use my skis as crutches and hobble to the top of the gondola.  So that was the end of La Plagne.  The picture was done a couple of months later while I was at home on sick leave following my operation.  It became a Christmas and thank you card for a few people who I think deserve a mention here too:  Ellie for getting me off the mountain and helping to lug my bag through the Airport; Paul the surgeon who stuck me back together again; Sarah the physio who got me mobile again and Stefan from Get Set Go for helping me get ski fit within a year and ready for Courchevel....

Courchevel was an amazing holiday.  Perfect conditions, great company and a thoroughly enjoyable return to the mountains.  I was a little cautious at first but soon regained my confidence and by the end of the week I'd made it down my first black run with both knees intact. This picture was based on a photo Leonie took during that holiday.  I love her photos - she has a way of catching the light perfectly and I'm not sure I've done her picture justice here but I hope she likes it.  Those of you who know her should check out the original on her Facebook page.

Now, with less than a week to go, roll on Meribel - let's hope Leonie has her camera ready...