Jewels of Summer

The Dragon-fly

By Alfred Lord Tennyson

Today I saw the dragon-fly
Come from the wells where he did lie.
An inner impulse rent the veil
Of his old husk: from head to tail
Came out clear plates of sapphire mail.
He dried his wings: like gauze they grew;
Thro' crofts and pastures wet with dew
A living flash of light he flew.

The dragonflies are enormous and plentiful this year.  I had to try to capture them. I had some iridescent ink that I used on their wings but it didn't photograph very well.

The Start of the Harvest

Last year, I drew produce that I had bought at the Farmers' Market.  This year, I'm drawing produce that I grew myself in the community garden. I'm pretty proud of these. The colors are intense and the flavor is unbelievable.  That's the way a tomato is supposed to taste - bright and vibrant - an explosion of flavor in your mouth.  The lettuce was fabulous this year, I got a third crop by planting the seeds underneath the potato leaves which protected them from the hot sun in July so the leaves did not get bitter.  The onions and peppers have a really intense taste without being harsh.  Next up is potatoes and carrots. There is something so simple and satisfying about growing and harvesting your own food. And of course, drawing before devouring it.
Watercolor paint in the HandBook sketchbook. Photo taken with the iPhone 4 camera and a way better photo than in the previous post.