From the farmers market,
stems chosen carefully
(I took so long)
for a bouquet
of the last of the tulips.

Every time
I walked past the table
over which these flowers presided
I remarked on their beauty
(their joyful individuality!)
and I must have done so
with such unconscious frequency
that I eventually exasperated
my dear boyfriend
who
somehow
does not share
as fervent an admiration
for this bouquet
as I do.

----

To those of you in the U.S.
have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!

In the studio recently:
charcoal drawings on grey paper
(with white conté crayon added to the first one,
the rest not).

I have decided,
that when it comes to charcoal,
I greatly prefer
working on grey paper
as opposed to white.

Unlike white paper,
grey encourages
to leave untouched
the spaces between
the marks being added
and the midtones already there,
reminding me
that it is usually those spaces
that are what
really make the drawing.

One last shot from the Tulip Festival,
and then some recent miscellany;

Been watching this movie,
reading this book (and then this one)
been listening to this song
and then everything by this band.

Hope you've been well.

A gift
for a loved one
and a reminder
for me.

Three different types of green
from one walk
on a recent excursion
up north--
which do you relate to the most?

It's been fun to watch
the pale haze
of the green of Spring
turning into
something more.

----

I Am Oak - On Trees and Birds and Fire

[Some recent posts (and comments) were somehow deleted by Blogger, unfortunately]

On a recent trip to the Zoo:
The mighty fruit bat!

He was adorable and sinister
at the same time.
I went
back and forth between
his delicate, mouse face
and the grasping hook
on the end of his wing
that seemed too large
and too jagged
for his small, furry body.

Taking flower photographs
sometimes feels to me
like eating chocolate.

Both are so enjoyable,
and relatively easy,
and there are endless varieties;
how can you stop?
But it can feel like an indulgence,
and the very qualities that make it so sweet
are what can make it lose its appeal
quite quickly.

But the tulip festival.
The tulip festival!
How can you not indulge a little?

Springtime offerings.

Happy May!
I have a good feeling about this month.

----

Susie Cowie
Sarah Maingot

Up and back down again;
when in doubt, I take walks.

Springtime (like Wintertime) is good for that.

Turning an over-achieving basil plant
into some pesto
with the unasked for
(but very welcome)
support
of my favorite
kitchen assistant.

My whales and I,
in the sun
and after a downpour.

----

Susan Lichtman
(I could not be more admiring)

One of the things
that I love about film
is the surprise of seeing
what you photographed
when you yourself
can't remember.

This roll was taken over the course
of two weeks
(unusual for me).
It felt like a long two weeks,
a tiring two weeks,
an emotional two weeks.

But--
a market bouquet (at the height of freshness)!
a slice of cake (waiting like a secret)!
sunsets,
and lavender scents,
and Springtime light!

These moments were forgotten.
How?

Thanks, at least,
dear camera,
for reminding me
when I can't remember myself.

Trying some things.
The beginning of a new painting:
an ink sketch,
some composition cropping (my favorite part),
a wash of burnt sienna and a bit of blocking,
reductive highlights,
& darker darks.

Now:
to wait
for this to dry
enough
to go in with color!