Uninvited Guests

Across the street from my bedroom window is a poplar tree that has suffered a fate common to poplars.  The tops of the tree die out due to drought.  The city planted them because they grow fast, but forgot that they only do that when in their native habitat along a river.  Away from an abundant source of water, they die off or send strong roots searching  for the nearest source of water, which in most neighbourhoods, is usually the water mains.  Most have been replaced by more appropriate trees.
The ones left become favourite gathering places for murders of crows. At his time of year when the days are long, their raucous cries can be heard from about 5:00 am to 10:00 pm.  They dive bomb pets and people who venture too close to where the nest is.  They are like the uninvited party crashers who drink too much, get rowdy and don't know when to leave.   Their loud and unlovely calls brings out the worst in me, and I admit to wanting to "stone the crows" as they say. Hopefully they will settle down a bit when the babies leave the nest.  Then maybe we can sleep in a bit longer, and enjoy the back yards without having to chase them away.
Water colour and micron pen in Moleskine wc book

Ever Day In June #14

This was the daily challenge for June 14.  I don't usually join in these challenges, and there are several of them each year.  I like the prompts but inevitably I know I will fall behind, and then feel like a failure.  And then it's no fun.  It's not so much the daily drawing that defeats me, but the daily posting and finding something interesting to write about.  Weekly challenges are more my speed.  But this particular challenge "Draw a fish" grabbed my interest, and I chose to draw a koi because I like their graceful lines and pronounced scales.  Apparently lots of other people like that too because when searching for images via Google I found lots of tattoo designs based on koi - one woman had a tattoo that covered her entire side from her hip to her shoulder. It was truly spectacular.  I found drawing all the scales an almost sen-like experience, you know, when you get into "the zone" where there is nothing but you and the paper and the lines.  It's a simple sketch, but it's really why I enjoy drawing so much.
Watercolor and ink in the hand.book sketchbook.

Garden lovelies

These are some of the flowers that are blooming in my garden.  The poppies and irises are perennials, but  the Gerbera daisy in an annual.  It's so wonderful to have things blooming around me.  Gardening and growing things have a profoundly deep affect on us.  It touches something primal and elemental in us - not just the need to nourish our bodies by providing food, but to nourish our souls by providing beauty. It teaches us patience and to let go and allow the world to unfold as it will. It teaches us that everything has a season and life is a transitory experience.  We need to savour and enjoy every moment because that moment will never come again. So many of our phrases use this as the basis - "Stop and smell the roses",  "our salad days", "our time in the sun", even "the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence".  The cyclical nature of growth, blossom and decay is at the basis of everything for us.  We are truly children of the earth.
Inktense pencils in Hand book sketchbook.