Mountain Snow & Roast Lamb at the Hodge Podge Lodge

 There was plenty of snow in the White Mountains when I packed up my gear and loaded it into the car.

The sun drifted in and out of the clouds, making the mountains along the Kangamangus Highway look mysterious . 

Main Street in North Conway, New Hampshire was sunny and warm, the sidewalks were packed with tourists.

The road up to Cranmore Mountain was packed with cars. 

It looked like everyone was on vacation...  

Here's my big painting kit for the day ! A black fine line pen, a Koi 24 color water color kit with a water brush and my 6x8" sketchbook.

I had a real tight schedule. My husband Marcus was performing a concert in the lodge and I had one hour to sketch and paint whatever caught my attention...

Some very nice shapes were formed by the curve of the mountain and the bands of trees as they draped down the slope.  

4x6 pen & watercolor on 90 lb paper

I walked around and looked up the ski trails.

I loved the dramatic views and sweep of the snowy slopes...

4x6 pen & watercolor on 90 lb paper

My car was parked in a spot with great views...so...

I set up and proceeded with the "JaneRamsey " method of watercolor painting in freezing weather...on the heated hood of my car!  Brilliant...it kept everything warm and liquid.    

The sun began to get low in the sky... nice shadows formed...heck it was only 3:30 pm !

Still the light on the trees was hazy and golden.

4x6 pen & watercolor on 90 lb paper

I went up to the bottom of the slope to watch the skiers coming down.

What angles some of these folks formed.

6x8 pen & watercolor on 90 lb paper

Every so often this snow machine towing this sled full of tiny skiers went by with instructors holding on to them tightly so they wouldn't fall off.

The ski "life guards" had the best form.  I could have sketched them all day. Very casual, fast and elegant. They would come swooping down the slope holding both ski poles off to the side in one hand... 

4x6 pen & watercolor on 90 lb paper

The teenage boys were interesting.  They could go fast at an angle but were a bit ragged in their form... 

6x8 pen & watercolor on 90 lb paper

Marcus finished his concert and we packed the car and headed out of town to Beth & Nordel's Hodge Podge Lodge. 

The lodge is the sweetest place you ever saw... after traveling a mile and half into the woods on a snow machine...

...the welcoming fire in the wood stove and the campy feeling were perfect !

Alan, Vitali and Owen were watching dinner as it was cooking... guests were arriving and lamb roasted in the piney woods was on the menu for New Years Eve.  Happy New Year everyone!