We have been living in quite a whirlwind of late. But sketching and painting some Autumn leaves really helped me relax a bit.

I will miss Autumn's color when we move to Texas.

autumn joy

autumn joy, a photo by vickylw on Flickr.

With this on-going drought, I wasn't sure there would be much variety in color for our Autumn Joy maple tree. But for the last few days, color has finally blossomed . . . . and will soon be blown away in this week's winds.

maple and elm seeds

recent sketches & ramblings, a photo by vickylw on Flickr.

The Kansas wind never stops. Just last week, there were over 90 verified tornado sightings in one day. So why is my yard still littered with all these seeds?

Japanese Zelkova

Japanese Zelkova, a photo by vickylw on Flickr.

One more in my studying Autumn leaves in this very dry year ---

We planted this tree several years ago after loosing two Chinese Elms. Because it is near a busy street, we chose this for it's growth characteristics --- The first few years, all growth is upward only. Then, when it's well above the traffic height, it spreads out to form a great shade tree.

Normally the leaves are brighter green, then turning color about now. But these are curling up and drying on the tree with a weird whitish cast.

Autumn leaves

maple leaves, a photo by vickylw on Flickr.

One of my favorite things about this time of year is painting the leaves. But the drought conditions make me search longer for leaves to sketch.



Not much color this year. Many are dried and crinkled before falling from the trees.Others fall while still green.



Some seem to fall as small branches instead of individually.

follow-up photo of mystery bird

mystery bird near nest, a photo by vickylw on Flickr.

Thanks for the comments on my previous post of sketches of this bird! My sketches were probably the male (he was very high on a power line -- I don't have any binoculars).

This photo is probably the female a juvenile on a branch near the nest. Not sure if it's a Mississippi kite or some kind of falcon, but it is a bird-eater. Over the weekend the male flew close over my head --- I'd say the wind span is about 24".

mystery bird

mystery bird, a photo by vickylw on Flickr.

I have long wondered why birds won't come to my bird feeders. This may be the reason why . . .

This mystery bird and his mate are living in a huge nest at the top of our old elm tree. Near as I can guess, it may be a small falcon or a Mississippi kite. But my bird book doesn't list the kite as a bird-eater --- this bird and his mate definitely eat other birds, the remains of which I find scattered on the ground now and then.

There is at least one baby in the nest. Its cries remind me of hawks but this bird is smaller. Any guesses?

In my own yard

sketchercise from last week, a photo by vickylw on Flickr.

These are painted these grape hyacinths with gouache w/o pencil or ink first. The background wash was done before leaving the house, using thin watercolor.

This and the sketches below were done after taking Ceilidh, my new puppy, on one of our small daily "walkabouts" --- she is slowly getting the hang of walking on a lead. I'm looking forward to longer walks with her, but until her third shot we are avoiding other dog's areas.

And this is what happens to the 7 wild tulips in our yard every year. We may dig them up this time and place them closer to the building. ("wild" in that we didn't plant them -- they are placed very irregularly in the side yard --- they have unusually short stems of only a couple of inches.)

Saturday in the country

Saturday in the country
Originally uploaded by vickylw

Bill was told by a friend that there was a light commercial sander available on Craig's List. We drove 40 miles east to see it Saturday. While they drove to another farm building to check it out, I stayed in the farmyard with two sweet border collies, sketching.

In a back pasture lies this strange little hill with a cross on top. The rancher said it's where their church meets for sunrise service. He also told us that the hill has been there longer than their family can remember (several generations) --- rumor has it that an old American Indian was buried there on top of his horse. I also found this old hedge stump fascinating.

empty larder

empty larder
Originally uploaded by vickylw

. . . on the trees, that is. The squirrels' larders must be busting to running over by now.

Bill tells me that it's a sign of a very cold winter ahead. He noticed that all the walnuts from the tree behind his wood shop have already been cleaned up by squirrels.

Friday morning . . .

Friday morning . . .
Originally uploaded by vickylw

. . . and a few things I picked up.

It's hard to believe these are the first Autumn leaves I've sketched this year. Leaves changing colors is my favorite part of the season.

Sunday's sketch

Sunday's sketch
Originally uploaded by vickylw

A few days ago I saw this grasshopper sitting on a trellis next to our porch; the sun was so bright, the grasshopper's features were hidden in an odd transparency.

I quickly snapped a photo and sketched it in my sketchbook yesterday while it rained. I could almost feel the warmth again.

Thursday's walk . . .

Thursday's walk
Originally uploaded by vickylw

. . . and the acorns I found. Still very green and not ready to leave the branch.

unknown fungi

unknown fungi
Originally uploaded by vickylw

I found these under my chives, growing out of the mulch, while watering my tiny herb / rose bed --- no idea what it is.

morning walk

morning walk
Originally uploaded by vickylw

Today I picked up some fun little seed pods . . . . you can shake them to make music!

When I got back home, I looked up what kind of tree these come from and sketched them. Still too hot and sticky to sketch on the spot!

These are from a golden rain tree, which should be flowering about this time. But the flowers are long gone and the seed pods (the tree's fruit) are falling to the ground in the heat wave.

walking, 28 July

walking, 28 July
Originally uploaded by vickylw

Doesn't seem right that trees would be casting off leaves in July.

morning walk and a snitched pear

beginning new handbound journal
Originally uploaded by vickylw

I suppose this may count as sketching in nature, even though I added the pear (and watercolor) after I came home.

As I stood on the sidewalk sketching this flower shop-turned-house, the sweetest little tortoise-shell cat came to greet me, then sit and watch. But when another early morning walker came by, she was up and chasing after him.

I don't understand why the owners of the two huge pear trees one block from this house just let the pears rot on the tree every year. They own a local health food store; one would think they would value fruit fresh off the tree. Neighborhood kids use the pears for ammunition . . . even when they get soft.

deadheading roses

deadheading roses
Originally uploaded by vickylw

The David Austin rose shrub I almost got rid of two years ago due to lack of flowers has come back stronger than ever. Fully loaded with blooms in May (or so I was told -- I was in Texas at the time), and now a whole new crop of roses coming on. Plus a couple of spent blooms like this one. I think it took me seriously when I cut it back to just above the soil.

a bit of sketching . . .

a bit of sketching . . .
Originally uploaded by vickylw

. . . after a bit of gardening. I found wild morning glory with a strangle-hold on the Russian sage, and both basil and dill trying to flower (I grow them for cooking, not flowering).

I don't spend much time gardening, or even outside in the summer. Being extremely allergic to bug bites, I stay away from them as much as I can. The leaves from hens & chicks are to chill --- then use the sticky sap inside to sooth the bug bites I already have. It even helps with the itching.

bits of bark

bits of bark
Originally uploaded by vickylw

There seem to be bits of bark everywhere my dog and I walk. I'm not sure if that's a bad thing (trees under stress) or a normal thing (like a snake shedding it's skin as it grows larger).

Sketched with a Pentel Pocket Brush pen; painted with the muted palette I am currently carrying in my bag:



Another bit of bark: