Thursday, May 19, 2016

walkabout


Still plugging away on these drawings, er, tracings. They aren't as easy as one might think. All three dogs are shaggy, though it looks like Reveille had been groomed to within an inch of her life; shaggy with large areas of white shaggy and these enlarged black and white prints don't show any detail in the white shaggy hair areas. I've got the color images open on my desktop and I have to keep referring back to them as I draw trace. Well, I'm on the last one. The next step is to get prints off the mylar drawings and then enlarge those to full size and re-draw them deciding what stays and what goes and how the hell I'm going to cut the stencil and what will be carved and what will be shaded.

Minnie sits patiently, naps, while I work waiting for me to indicate that I am moving away from the table at which point she bounces over for my attention. She reminds me that yes, I do want to go outside and stroll around for a bit.


Big Mama is on walkabout and Minnie is just a little freaked out about the turtle being in the yard and not in her pond.



The cardinal nest in the mock dogwood has been abandoned. I saw the female sitting in it for a week or so, so I guess something got the eggs. But! We have spied mockingbirds making a nest up in the native pecan and some other bird yet to be identified is making a nest in the jasmine over at the shop. Both are too high up for pictures.



Because we had a mild winter and the shell ginger did not freeze down, it is in full bloom, massive full bloom, all over town. My variegated variety is just now coming into bloom. It's a little behind because it's on the east side and under the shade of two trees so it doesn't get a lot of sun.



It's dark and rumbly and sprinkley outside. It's been rain and rain and overcast and sunny and overcast and overcast and sunny and overcast and rain. The sprinkle has upgraded to rain.



Just as the altheas have come into full bloom we have had rain more often than not. The bush with the white flowers is getting crowned by the low branch on the crepe myrtle next to it. I'm going to have to take the whole branch as it is also getting too low to mow under. Still, the rain is good, keeping me focused on my work.

Sort of.




9 comments:

  1. Oh, Ellen. We have so much in common. I love your yard, I love your mama turtle. I even love your dog although I am glad she is YOUR dog and not mine.
    And I love your art and wish that I had more in common with you in that aspect.
    Thanks for all the flowers.

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  2. We've got the rain rolling through now, which is why I'm home clunking along on the keyboard, and why I'm probably going to hang it up, shortly. There's a good bit of lightning and thunder with these, and we've already had one close strike. I have the gizmos meant to prevent damage, but I don't like taking chances.

    Your flowers are glorious, but I love that turtle. I'd bring her a lettuce leaf if I were closer. What a sweetheart!

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  3. I think that's what my dad called Rose of Sharon. And, it has only quit raining here, after two weeks.

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  4. I like the dog herding the turtle. My herd dogs would never leave it alone.Lovely blooms, I want some ginger.

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  5. Is it my imagination or is that turtle GROWING? How long have I been following you.

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  6. Dogs are essential to keeping us healthy.

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  7. How annoying when things are blooming and then get beaten down by rain.
    I'm here in Florida for the month and we have an ENORMOUS turtle who wanders through our area from time to time. Never seen one like him, though. His back looks all leathery, although he doesn't look friendly enough to get closer to find out.

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  8. Olga does the same -- the minute I move a muscle she leaps up and is raring to go! Love the ginger. Very exotic looking.

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  9. Oh dogs, oh dogs, how that makes me miss mine but yours looks so happy that it kind of makes up for the miss.

    I used to have that white flower with the red in the center, I think you said it was an althea..(?) It bloomed for ever, May through October. So pretty. I'm living vicariously through your garden!

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