Fyo's Birthday Bash

Gifts From the Sea

Along the Way

Photo from lunchtime walk, posted on the Sketchbook Projects page. Things you see along the way... Happy May Day! Seems we are still stuck in the April showers yet.

Art Room Aid

Hey guess what? I had won a gift certificate from Dick Blick for sharing their Art Room Aid contest on facebook. After perusing through so very many items, I chose to stock up on some printmaking supplies. Thanks Dick Blick!

Happy April Fools Day!

The weather played a joke on us today. First it fell back to winter temps, but then the rains passed further north. Cold and windy, but still lingers optimistic that winter is gone. "Tsi law 'nee" the Cherokee word for "flower month" or "April" is certainly a lovely word that flows like spring. Thinking good thoughts of dear blog friend April and how she consistently blossoms with her creativity, a great asset to strive for. But here the meditation reminds us of differences of language and race. How some could choose to consider others of lower intellect, yet while theirs may be greatly inferior and single minded. Watching politicians speak today is often of same ignorance even though granted to those with superior education. Understanding is for those with experience not education. The ultimate April fool.

March came in like a Lion...

...and is going out like a lamb. So fitting today's warm temps and impending April showers. Still the March winds do blow. I sketched a little broken Christmas ornament depicting a return to the garden of Eden. Been seeing quite a few photos of unexpected animal friendships on the internet, like a tiger befriending a goat intended as prey by caregivers, precious wildlife photos capturing a young rabbit and deer frolicking, a farm dog playing joyfully with a member of flock of sheep. We should all play so well.

The "Dreaded" Project

I had done this drawing in colored pencil on provided paper for the Brooklyn Art Library's Project Dread. The surface of the paper began the reject the layers of color as I added them and removed the previously laid color. SO... marker it is. Changed the appearance greatly as you would imagine. My disdain for the legless creatures didn't prevent me from photographing them when witnessed. The snake has good meaning and since this was a harmless brown snake, I'll run with positive rather than the representation of the serpent devil. The snake animal meaning is powerfully connected to life force and primal energy. When the snake spirit appears in your life it likely means that healing opportunities, change, important transitions and increased energy are manifesting. The spiritual guidance offered is promoting personal growth. The snake may appear when you are stepping into the unknown and need support to move further. Also snake can serve as a reminder of staying grounded as you move through changes. I think I may look at snake a little kinder, but still choose to keep my distance.

March-One Week till Spring

I keep thinking it has not been windy, but then I watch the snow blowing across my driveway and drifting to complicate what's left of a long winters struggle to survive. The sun returns today and melting the ice leftover from yesterdays carnage. Tomorrow will be above 50 degrees again, I hear people stating their early snowdrops are showing up. Mine are under piles of snow still two foot deep. I had noticed a flock of red-winged blackbirds near the house and their songs returning. Waiting on the elusive robins. "We the great mass of people think only of the love we have for our land, for we do the the land where we were brought up." ~Chief John Ross

Sketchbook Snakes...

I've never considered myself a fan of snakes, but current project asked me to look at photos I had taken back at Dillman's in spring past. I believe identification of my photos include a northern brown water snake often confused for a water moccasin and a northern ribbon snake or garter snake. I do have that common fear or dislike anyway of the cold reptile family, you will not catch me petting one in the children's zoo. Bad enough that I've felt the garter slither under my bare feet on a few occasions. But with a little look see, I've come to understand that in a region of the brain known as the pulvinar, certain neurons respond only to these legless animals. Signals from life direct our attention quickly to particular objects and the suggestion is these snake sensing neurons are a legacy of our distant primate past when snakes posed a great threat to our survival. So the fear of snakes stems from perceptual bias, people recognize snakes faster than other objects in the environment. All said and done, I prefer to see them at the distance that I originally photographed them at, about thirty feet below the seating area in craggy area of lake that we would not intentionally cross without purpose.

February~Gaga lu' nee

February~Gaga lu'nee, Bony or Hungry Month "The whole earth belongs to Asga Ya Galun Lati, the Great Spirit." ~Cherokee People February is a difficult month for many people, myself included. Although I really didn't hunger and lose weight(which would have been a good thing), I've had to cut back on many items and am not seeing the light at the end of the tunnel as of yet. I believe that May is a three paycheck month, woot! But rationing funds and settling for lessor desired toiletries and groceries is what has always been expected after the cold hard days of January, when shivering temperatures increase the appetite. (Like we really can cut back on calories when hungry all the time.) So here's to March, the Windy month, hoping her coming in like a lion will really go out like a lamb! Think Spring!

Mated Pair with Spring Fever

On return from lunch walk I spied the pair of ducks looking for nesting sights. Hadn't seen any life in the creek since early fall. This creek was frozen solid the last few weeks, hopefully the return of polar vortex won't refreeze their sanctuary.

Garden Tortoise and Heron

Cold walk back again to the greenhouse today, thought some ornaments would be easier to draw with my minimal time allotment. The smile on the tortoise enamored me. Wanted to take him home. Maybe I'll need to spend some time sketching Jack, my son's Asian tortoise of whom I guardian. Had hoped years ago to create a summer outdoor pond for him. Suppose when little grandson Fyo takes an interest in Jack, he may go home to his rightful owner. Certainly Jack will outlive me. But then of course I will need to buy or create my own garden tortoise replica. The heron statue in same display at Schaefer's has a much more appropriate background.

Creative Pay it Forward

Early last month a Creative Pay it Forward popped up on Facebook. I jumped on Uta Mooney's offer and sent out my own, which sadly did not seem to generate further. I have one acquaintance to send something to but am considering simply sending to the few people liking the post. The package from Australia arrived yesterday when my spirit was dragging behind me. Just so wonderful, a coin purse with photo by her daughter of Julia Thomas photography filled with Aussie coinage. The little handwritten note topped it off. Squishy hugs right back at you Uta! And love!

Ready for March 17th!

Life speeds by too quickly, but March 17th sounds almost close enough to spring for me. Trekked back to the greenhouse to see what might be new this week and found shamrocks! Another quick sketch to capture and be on my way again.

Color Pencil Pomegranate Sketches

Still working on the pomegranate practice. Switched out to color pencil for effect, takes up quite a bit more time, but was delicious after I finished!

Sparrow

Another marker sketch, this one I spent several days with in like five minute time increments. It actually was a much nicer sketch in two colors, I should have photoed it earlier. Early one Sunday morning she must have hit my window as I found her alive on the front porch in frigid temperatures, put her in a large box indoors hoping she would regain herself in the warmth, but she had passed when I got home from Sunday mass. Many sparrows in my repertoire of sketching past, she somewhat hurt more as I hoped to free her again.

Cacti

Another trip to Schaefers Greenhouse. Cacti shipment arrived and enjoyed learning a few things from staff. Just enough time for a quickie sketch of one of the lovely arrangements available. Had a photo of terrarium I sketched, but had some issues with cold camera lens fogging over in the dry desert warmth, so posted clearer images. Check out the tiny little blooms in center pot. Sure would enjoy a few of cacti at home!

Dracena

I think it actually may be a happy corn plant, had always had corn plants without a stalk in the past. Took the photo a few weeks back when it double blossomed. I only had had one blossom stalk last year. I think it was last week... maybe the week before when I had a little time to do a marker sketch.

Morning Frost and Sunrise

I was surprised at how cold it was yet this morning, always makes for a beautiful sunrise. Ran out to get the morning paper and definitely needed to get in a few frosty photos. Later heading toward town, I realized it was only my rural area decorated so carefully, guess Jack Frost can't do everyone's yard in one night!

Schaefers Greenhouse

Walked back to Schaefer's last Monday when the weather was a bit warmer and did a quick sketch of one of the succulents in photo, unfortunately I had not taken photos from sketch books before uploading to a CD at Walgreens... My personal computer had crashed last week and while waiting on my son to try and upload a new driver on it, I have been attempting to use my old computer and not getting anywhere with that one either. Issues to deal with. Hoping for a couple nice days later this week to get a few more greenhouse sketches in.

Maybe not the best photo, but managing to move forward without personal computer! Quick sketch done last week.

Red-Tail Hawk Nest

Last week I spotted two hawks in the nest, but of course my camera battery wears quickly in the cold weather. Thought I did get a lovely shot of falling snow in the woods. Pass this way regularly, hope to get another opportunity to photo the hawks, not today, camera battery on charger...

Lunch Walk to Schaefers Greenhouse

Got past a few winter blues with walk down to the greenhouse. Lovely colors ready for upcoming Valentines Day! Very easy to assimilate into the warmth with water fountains flowing and staff showering the plants. I might have to come back for some quick plant sketches!