Our Little Girl

She's growing up and I can't stop it from happening. It's a thrill to watch it happen, yet part of me pines for the old days, too. She'll be fine. We'll see about me.

I had a 2-day business meeting in her town recently and crashed at her apartment for the night. That gave me a chance to sketch her chair. On my way home after the meeting I stopped to sketch one of many buildings at her campus. The final piece came when she was home for a weekend and I snapped a picture of her wearing her engagement ring. Then I figured what to babble about. I feel better now.

877

Last weekend was the big start of Spring around here as far as yard and garden work. Wilma tended the garden. I hit the yard and took her car in for new tires, while taking some fun time, too. One morning was clear and warm enough I could eat breakfast out on the front porch and watch the country wake up. Always like that. Each year I pull some pasture cedar seedlings. This time of year the ground is moist and loose and the grass isn't green and thick enough to hide them, so I can pull the out, either by fingers or with pliers. Usually I bag them up, but this year I just threw them in the wheelbarrow for the burn pile and counted them . . . thus the title of this sketch. Got more than I figured. I found the youngin's to be very graceful and attractive, even if I hate them. The donut shop just opened up this year. It's open 24-hours a day with drive-up service and can seat probably 100 people. What a business model! Hope they make it. Need to rest up for next weekend.

Tools Of The Road

I was having tires put on Wilma's car Saturday morning and had time to kill, so I packed along the bike and rode to a coffee house. As luck would have it, our Shunga Trail was close and I could get a 14 mile round trip in. Topeka doesn't have much for cyclists, but it does have the Shunga Trail, with it's nice surface for riding/walking/running and follows Shunganunga Creek. I brought along my sketch gear and figured I'd find something to draw. Once I had my coffee and was ready to draw, I thought of my tools. Love tools. I actually forgot it had some of the features. Much better gear than when I was a kid.

Spring Break 2010

This year we decided to check out Santa Fe for our daughter's Spring Break (her idea). We've visited once before a few years ago and wanted another look. Made a 4-day holiday out of last weekend and took Amtrak from Kansas City to Lamy (closest train depot).



The main purpose of the trip is a family short vacation with a full schedule of things to do. I usually like a loose schedule with a few anchor events, but when time is short ya gotta keep moving. So, travel journaling had to take back seat and I sketched when I could work it in. Luckily I still managed to get most sketching done on the trip. The writing and maps followed when I got home.




That's it for this trip. Don't know if my travel sketch process will stay the same forever, but it works for now.

Spring's Here

Well, I think Spring has arrived in eastern Kansas. I think that deserves a journal entry. Never know in the future when one will ponder historic trends. The wife is getting antsy to plant the vegetable garden so I dashed out last night and tilled the garden. I feel it's going to be a good year for growing things. Soil looks real nice, assuming you like dirt.

Joy In Order

This project took way too long to get going. Years of contemplation. I should have just done it a decade ago: building shelves for the kitchen pantry.

I usually said I'll do it in the Spring when it's ideal working condition in my garage/shop. But I waited too long. To save some do-it-yourself dignity I did it this month in a very cold garage, just to get it off "the list". But it's done! Looks fine and I get a warm feeling seeing all the order it has instilled in our kitchen supplies. Wilma doesn't take it to that level, but loves the shelves anyway.

Five Cents Worth

Back in Little Rock for a little business travel. Time to kill so I sketched a Jefferson nickle I found with a really neat Lewis & Clark engraving on the back (Jefferson was the president to authorize their expedition, so it all ties together well). Tried out Noodler's ink in my new fountain pen in my new sketch book. The waterproof (?) ink still doesn't work. It didn't work in my Moleskine Sketch books either, so I'll give up on it for my watercolor pencil work. I still like it for writing (and calligraphy) and pen and ink sketching. Had a chance to get into Ozark Outdoor Supply store again (maybe I shouldn't bag on women who like to shop). It's a house converted into a retail store. They have serious gear for hiking, backpacking and canoe/kayaking. Just packed to the walls with stuff. Love the place.