We have had a lot of rain this year in California, and throughout both ends of the state. North and south. As a result, the hills are a brilliant lime green, and when the sun hits just right, it’s hard to believe our once beige state has blossomed into such beauty. The wildflower bloom is beginning, from the desert to the high Sierra. Cacti, poppies, lupines, and so many other flowers await our eager eyes.
I haven’t had time to do any artwork for the past four or five days, and I can feel it. Colors, ink, brushes all feel like aliens. To counter this, I watched a Peter Sheeler video – his pen work is phenomenal – delicate, spare, assured. The same may be said with his usage of color. With this in mind, I went ahead and did this. The inking is okay; I didn’t do any drawing in pencil, but went straight ahead with a Micron pen. From there, I applied color and tried to keep it simple, but my usual messy style took over.
A few miles up the road from me is the local botanical garden. It’s located on a series of hills that cover several acres. Trails wander through oak groves and chaparral. Specific areas are planted for butterflies and birds, sage plants, California natives, rare fruit, cacti. It’s always a pleasure to meander around in it as it changes with seasons. Different times of day bring out different animals; as well, the light shifts and changes. Early morning, sunset, high noon. Benches line the paths throughout the garden. For a wilder walk, there are the trails along the creek. I’ve seen squirrels, road runners, coyotes and hawks. Critters like it as much as I do. It’s even better when you are the only one there except the wildlife!
I went out to take pictures and to draw – it’s been several weeks since I was last there. Rain and cold as well as being ill kept me home for a bit. With today’s 70 F, it was hard to stay indoors. I took a couple of cameras – one film, one digital – some paper and a pen. I wanted to see the flowers in particular, especially the spring bulbs which come up at this time of year. I wasn’t disappointed.
The outing was soul-satisfying on a personal and artistic level. I’ll be back sooner rather than later! There is little more satisfying than time spent in solitary and quiet appreciation of nature.
I suppose I should also include the finger . . .
Hobbling around on a broken lower limb makes sense if activity levels are lowered, but a broken wrist? Yep. I didn’t go out scrambling on the trails nearby for the simple fact that I am right-handed, and if I started to take a tumble, the right hand is the dominant one. Four weeks, five weeks later, a rather sedentary lifestyle, and I am sore as hell after going out to the local botanical garden, looking for the flowers I have been missing on my usual weekly jaunts.
Gardens change every day, and certainly after 5 weeks, a lot. Spring is now in bloom and I was so happy to see so many flowers, wild and domestic, native and foreign. A lot of work has been done, too, in the garden itself. A new gate on one side. Cleared brush and hillsides. New plants, new labels. Sheer heaven!
Yesterday I felt like a drunk all day, tottering around on extremely sore legs. Oh, well! A bit better today. And, a few flower photos, too. 
Ink, Yarn & Beer 