late summer

even when
it rains
this time of year
it usually gives way
to sunshine
in the afternoons
and people
meet up by the lake
for an apéro
or
a game of pétanque.

. . . . .

many shops
are closed.
almost everyone
seems
to have left town
for a month
holiday.
from
my american
perspective
it is annoying at first-
stores
and restaurants
closed
and
emails
quickly answered
with
réponse automatique
letting you know
they are away
until some time in august...
but then
you start to
settle in
to quieter streets
and everything
moving
just
a little bit
slower.

august 1st
is swiss national day
so everyone
from
kilometers in
every direction
gathers by
the lake
for bbqs
and fireworks.

after putting
wee grub
to bed
i sat on the balcony
and watched
the tiny lights
of boats
gathering
on the lake
for fireworks.



the swiss
know how
to put on
spectacular
firework shows.



. . . . .

we had visitors
in town
for the past week
and i finally
took the long
train ride
with them
to zermatt
to see
the matterhorn.



it was even more
beautiful
than i could
have imagined.

. . . . .

i am still
trying
to keep up
with
a drawing-a-day
but it is a struggle.
it is difficult
to find even
10 minutes
to sit down
in the last hour of light
to draw something.

mornings are best
if i have the time...




week 5:
29 juillet: pods
30 juillet: unknown yellow flower
31 juillet: wee grub's naef ring
01 août: wee grub's haba frog
02 août: orange clothespin
03 août: pencil sharpener
04 août: rosehips
(all in colored pencil)

and so
i continue...
i have
so much to do
but the summer
is fading
and i want
to enjoy it
for a little while longer.



happy
wednesday.

xo

dissection

when i walk
around town
with wee grub

we often stop
to examine
plants
and
tree leaves.
i tell her
what i know,
if anything,
about the plant.
usually it
is bug-related.
i pick a leaf
or flower
and put it
in her hand
to examine.
she holds it
tightly
and often
i find
the flower
or leaf
shredded
still in her grasp
an hour later.


the other day
when i came
in from
our walk
and pulled
her out
of the carrier
a whole
series
of parts
tumbled out
onto the bed.




it reminded
me of the plant
dissections
i would have
my students do
in
introduction to biology
class.

. . . . .

to some respect
that is what
i do when i draw.
i carefully
dissect
the object piece
by piece
and try
to reassemble it
on the page
part by part.

sometimes
somewhat
successfully,
sometimes
not.




week 4:
22 juillet: pin cushion
23 juillet: sewing scissors
24 juillet: tea bag
25 juillet: tiny ceramic pitcher
26 juillet: skein of yarn
27 juillet: large crochet hook
28 juillet: trumpet flower
(all in colored pencil, some with wash)

this week
i was happy
with the
drawings of
the
skein of yarn
and
my sewing scissors.




have a lovely
week.

xo

catching the light

on sunday
i came in from
my walk
with wee grub
and saw
our paris muji toys
lit up on the sill
in the afternoon sun.
i had
to put
wee grub down
immediately
(to much protesting)
and
grab my camera.

. . . . .

i wasn't
as productive
as i should
have been
this week.

at least
i have
been
enjoying
the summer
by the lake.

feeling quiet
lately.



week 3
of my
drawing-a-day project.
i am learning
to draw with color.
i may try
a little painting
next week...



week 3:
15 juillet: banana
16 juillet: flower from walk home
17 juillet: wee grub's nijntje toy rattle
18 juillet: miniature metal lawn chair
19 juillet: chili pepper
20 juillet: yellow daisy-type flower
21 juillet: thistle flower
(all in colored pencil)

i am happy with
my drawings
of the chair
and
nijntje toy.

hope
you have
a wonderful
summery
week.

xo

early bird

i like the quiet
of sunday morning
before
the church bells
ring
at 10 o'clock.




i was never
one to
purposely
get up early
on weekends.
having
a wee grub
has changed
my morning
schedule.

nowadays
i am
up
and busy
by 8am
at the latest.




this weekend
i tried
to attend to
some projects
that have been
demanding
my attention
for quite
some time.

i crossed
at least one
off my list.
(photos soon).

. . . . .

i have
been doing
my daily drawings
although
i have not liked
almost all of them
this week.
i did like
the last one.
the apricot.

i think
that i prefer
drawing
with
color.




week 2:
*drawing on top left from last week*
08 juillet: wooden covered bowl (colored pencil)
09 juillet: old metal nail (pencil)
10 juillet: wooden ladle (pencil)
11 juillet: wooden ball (pencil)
12 juillet: tomatoes (colored pencil)
13 juillet: lemons (colored pencil)
14 juillet: apricot (colored pencil)

have a
good monday!
xo

drawing-a-day

i have
been absent here
because
i have
not been
feeling creative.

i decided
to finally do something
about that
to kickstart
my creativity again...

lisa solomon
did a
drawing-a-day
project
a long while back.
i was
very inspired by it.

i always meant
to do the same
thing myself
but,
as usual,
never got around
to it.

recently
she
started it again.
this time
i will do it,
i thought.

that was in march.

well,
i like to start things
at the beginning
of the month...
so it took me
until july
to get myself in motion.

i am not
a trained artist
but
i want
to become
better at
drawing.
daily practice
is one way
to do that.
i was
hesitant because
i am rarely
pleased
with what i draw
(especially coming
from a family of artists)
but i was motivated 
by this post
and these words:

"... i am reminded 
that sometimes 
i make 
REALLY CRAPPY 
drawings... 
it's okay
to make mistakes
and 
hate what you've done."

the goal is
simply to 
do it daily.

i will
try it for a month
and see how it goes.
hopefully
i can make a regular
habit of it.

i allow myself
no more
than 10 minutes
per drawing.
otherwise
there are no rules.

week 1:
01 juillet: wooden egg cup (pencil)
02 juillet: grappa glass (ballpoint + white out)
03 juillet: feather (pencil)
04 juillet: slice of a tree branch (ballpoint + white-out)
05 juillet: pear (pencil)
06 juillet: same pear next day (ink)
07 juillet: heath mug (pencil)

. . . . .

okay.
next up
finish something
knitted
and
make a mobile.

stay tuned.

xo