(12x12)A few years ago I had phenomenal success with sunflowers: I planted a variety of them out front, where I get sun all day, and had some that were over six feet tall. I've tried every year since, but the squirrels always outsmart me.
This year I thought I had a good plan and started the seeds indoors, then planted the seedlings. But I guess seedlings must taste pretty good too, because the next morning they were all gone.
Now I just buy them: I picked up a little bunch at a farm stand day before yesterday. And continue to try to figure out how to paint them.
Houses on bay, North Wildwood(9x12 sheet)
I put in a long day yesterday trying to finish a proofreading job: an anthology of Middle Eastern writing of the last century. It's fatiguing working on a large job with so many special characters and diacriticals--so many little things, along with all the rest, to keep track of. Diligence is a short-lived virtue.
The collection is one in a series of works put together by Words Without Borders; you can visit their website here. I read their eponymous short story collection and would recommend it. The anthology I'm proofreading, Tablet and Pen, is edited by Reza Aslan and features works translated from Arabic, Persian, Turkish and Urdu.
I didn't finish, but had to stop and was going to just enjoy a few margaritas on the deck, but the bugs were a nuisance, so I came in and made these sketches for painting later, when the job's finished.
My father's--or as I called him when I was small no matter how many times my mother told me he was "daddy," Danny--last job was for Conrail, whose motto was "Keep It Moving," which I've adopted as my own.
"Lucky Danny," Cape May fishing boat (11x15)
(11x15)
Ooooh--these houses and boats are really great drawings, Laura. I'll look forward to seeing you post those sometime. Your editing sounds tedious but interesting. As for planting sunflowers, I odn't know much about how to keep squirrels out of anything, but the painting is an instant fave. I love the colors in the center of the flower.
ReplyDeleteYour sketches are really great. I especially like the boats.
ReplyDeleteThe proofreading sounds tedious. Ouch!
Oh... a postscript: in my yard it's the rabbits vs. the Black eyed susans. Score: Rabbits about 100, flowers 2
ReplyDeleteDon't get me started on squirrels! Danged tree rats... I would live and let live except for the problem you mention here, their wicked glee at destroying flowers. They killed every one of my marigolds this summer.
ReplyDeleteDeep breath, and repeating to myself, "Serenity now."
Your painting is warm and cheerful, which is good.
Best of luck with the proofreading job, which sounds just plain hard.
Love the fishing boats, you use the same technique as me to paint them in watercolor.
ReplyDelete