Next door we have hay bales and a clear view of this odd structure now that much of the hedgerow has been cut down. Just as I was starting to paint this my cat Harrley jumped into my lap and insisted on staying. Fortunately he didn’t paw at the paper.
I was relieved to see the local farm stand open recently. I feel fortunate to have this nearby, just down the road from my auto repair place. When I had to wait for my car recently I had time to sketch this. I’m not sure what happened to the “ce” on their sign.
As I was trying to sketch this I was wishing I had completed Shari Blaukopf’s course on light, colour and shadow. Next shadow attempt will be better.
Today is the Summer Solstice in the northern hemisphere, specifically at 5:44pm when the sun reaches its highest and northernmost point in the sky, marking the start of summer for this part of the globe. And this is the last sketch in this series (and last page of the sketchbook devoted to it). This sketching theme has been a good focus during these recent exceptional months in our human existence. What lies ahead is uncertain, but hopefully, as Sam Cooke sang many years ago, “a change is gonna come” — on many fronts.
Happy Solstice greetings from my home to yours.
The variety of greens growing in my raised beds are doing very well. And soon the Scarlett Runner Beans will be climbing the cedar obelisk. As I was sketching, a gorgeous bird landed on the top of the obelisk – but the top was not in my sketch. This lovely Waxwing stayed long enough for me to observe it’s most distinctive features (Batman-like mask and tuft of head feathers) to include on the page.
Although technically it is still Spring, it does feel like summer this week. The Summer Solstice is just days away. So this sketching project is drawing to a close. Good thing, because the sketchbook I started for this is almost full.
I have several rhubarb plants growing along one side of the back deck. I let it go to flower and the result is rather dramatic with the plumes of alien looking flower tops reaching high above the masses of enormous leaves.
I love my front porch – from Spring through Autumn. So does my cat Harrley. The chair is a vintage garbage find from decades ago. It makes for a fun and challenging object to draw. It is a remarkably comfortable seat.
At last! I have successfully grown radishes. Specifically this French Breakfast radish, an heirloom variety that I first tasted at the home of Deborah Madison (that’s another story!) in 2013.
These small radish are delicious, even the leaves! And so sketchable!
The cooler temperatures of late have meant that the lilac blooms have stayed fresh and smelling wonderful. A great flower to bring indoors.
Also in bloom are the alliums. They look particularity comical next to this wood sculpture in the garden bed. Is it an eagle? A penguin? We’re not sure.
There is a virtual wall of lilac in bloom next to the front porch and the scent is heavenly! The recent heat wave caused the lilacs to burst into bloom quickly, then the cold swept in, so the flowers (and scent) may last a while yet.
Remarkably, after being too hot to sketch outdoors a few days ago, yesterday evening it got too cold to finish the sketch outside. Spring’s arrival has indeed been odd this year.
The tulips were in full splendour when I first sketched these on May 16 (first sketch below). The current heat wave has seen them quickly whither, unfortunately. They continued to whither even as I sketched their current state yesterday. Between the heat and the short downpour yesterday, this clump of daffodils looked like yellow rags on sticks.
