The Replacements #17.

Replacement #17.

For each of my Long Series paintings that I sell, I intend to do a replacement painting. I recently finished the Long Series, and I have 18 replacements to do.

Anne of Green Gables House. An Artist’s Review.

Green Gables through the barn door.

Every year we pile our family into the car and drive out to Cavendish on a pilgrimage that many young Japanese girls dream of making. We are heading of course to Green Gables, legendary site of Anne of Green Gables. To say that Islanders have a complex relationship to this famous creation of Lucy Maud Montgomery is an understatement. Summer is Anne time and Anne is everywhere. It is amazing that we aren’t all forced to wander around dressed as characters from the books but that will be left for some future government to legislate. Of course the story of Anne has brought much money to the province and has provided much entertainment to many people.

Green Gables and barn.

The site is rather pretty in a literary farmyard sort of way. They have in recent years added a large barn to show what farms on Prince Edward Island never looked like.

Door.

My wife worked here as a teenager, and once fell of this front step and landed in the peonies. The tourists thought it was part of the presentation. Once when she worked here someone asked one of the guides how much the house weighed. The guide quickly asked with or without the furniture.

Anne's room.

Contrary to many tourists’ beliefs, Anne WAS NOT A REAL PERSON, she is a work of fiction. Almost everyone on the Island has had those strange moments when someone asks about Anne’s birthplace or grave site. Never ask this question. You may be told that she is buried up west, a two-hour drive away, and given detailed directions so vague you might never find your way back to the bridge.

Marilla's room.

Same with Marilla she too is a literary work of fiction. Though almost everyone on the Island is related to someone like her.

Lovers lane.

My favorite part about visiting Green Gables is taking a walk on one of the trails. Lover’s Lane is a nice little trail, and if you are lucky you may see a beaver busy building a dam in an attempt to flood the golf course.

Stream.

There is a nice little stream running through the woods. I once dropped a brand new camera in the stream. I hate the stream.

All in all I have to say I really do enjoy visiting Green Gables. It’s a fun outing for our family, and we have a little girl who is crazy about Anne. And if you were ever to ask I can give you very detailed though vague directions to Anne’s grave site.