black honeybee
Images
The art of soil
My daughter gifted me the four pan mineral suite from The Art of Soil. The pigments behave a little differently to regular watercolours, so I’m enjoying playing with them to learn their properties and how best to use them. They are very muted and grainy, which I love. They can be mixed with other brands to good effect. (The bright green above includes some Daniel Smith green gold.)
the upside
I thought this would be a more difficult read than it is, which is a good thing, because I’m not at my best or brightest right now.
edible weeds
Two of the most successful weeds here at our place are mustard and mallow, which are quick to germinate after the first winter rains. There’s already a thick crop emerging on the sward, though unfortunately that area is used by the dog for relieving herself, so we won’t be harvesting any of those leaves for the soup pot.
corona blues
I spent the morning and half the afternoon happily working on a quilt, but noticed that my back was getting really sore. I stopped to stretch and make some tea and suddenly realised that I was SICK. Yep, after managing to avoid it for two years, I have caught the dreaded ‘rona.
Am I still going to feel like daily sketching as the virus runs its course? Of course I’m hoping for a light touch and a quick recovery, but we’ll see!
alaria esculenta
From a session by Jean Mackay on different approaches to nature journalling, offered at Wild Wonder 2022. I really love her work and aspire to make pages as beautiful as hers.
Plegadis chihi
I was walking the dog in Legacy Park when I spotted the distinctive shape of an ibis! It’s the first time I’ve seen one in America (they are very common in Australia). The white-faced ibis Plegadis chihi is sighted so infrequently in these parts that my birding apps didn’t even offer it as a possibility. But I checked with my naturalist friend Suzanne, and she confirmed the ID. It was a pretty metallic bronze-green colour. Made my day!
psephenidae
If you see a coin in a fountain, it might be a penny. If you see a coin in a stream, it might be a water-penny beetle larva.
waiting room
I spent some time in a light-filled chemo ward yesterday (I’m fine, I was there with a friend). Everyone who came through, both patients and staff, seemed cheerful and gentle. There was an air of optimism that felt good. I think it was partly the design of the space, and partly, I suppose, the quality of care. Patients are there to get better, and that was reflected in everyone’s tone. It was actually quite a lovely place to wait an hour or two.
sayornis saya
I spotted my first Say’s Phoebe yesterday morning. Such a pretty belly!
hashiworks 