"Little Muskeg Pond"

Here in Southeast Alaska, we have these boggy muskegs all over. They are cold, soggy, and filled with tiny berry shrubs, lichens, mosses, and even orchids! The trees struggle to grow in them, so often die leaving lovely silver sculptured trunks and limbs that contrast intriguingly against the deep greens of the live trees. The live trees are fascinating too, as with the stress of growing in the muskegs, they often look like carefully manicured bonsai trees.

As usual, I sat on my little stool to paint this with my hiking gouache paint kit, surrounded by my three border collies while the winter sun was just beginning to glow over the hilltops.