Swiss Cheese

Eastern Cottontail Rabbit seen through a fence
August 3, 2014
conté pencil

We lost our cats. last year. The secret is that the nearby wilderness veritably crawls with coyotes and we let those cats roam outside everyday. For years all went according to plan. And then, one by one, our two enchanting and wise cats: a kitten and a twelve year old veteran with stories to tell, never came back. Big holes in life; a life like a Swiss cheese.

We have two new cats now. They are siblings and couldn't be more different from each other. They are endlessly amusing and they teach me things. And we keep them indoors now.

I wonder that one result of having indoor cats is the plethora of rabbits I see this summer. Also, a deer has been visiting our yard and garden and has had a significant impact on the beets and lettuce. I'm sure it's merely a coincidence. But that veteran cat, misnamed "Cupcake" could stare down any deer! Or perhaps, Cupcake told the deer stories and protected our beets like Scheherazade entertaining the king. The deer misses the stories. Imagine the stories our cats could tell us. My kingdom for this ability!

Gla gla weather

ice covered branches of the cherry tree

Another snowy day. A gla gla kind of day that is bone-chilling. We've had a lot of storms this winter and it's beginning to take its toll. Today was a bit warmer; I was able to draw in my sketchbook outside without gloves. Of course I was standing in snow up to my knees and there was a mixture of snow and tiny ice pellets falling.

The sleet made drawing very interesting. It melted on the paper and my crayon slid over the wet spots and caught and gave a good black in the drier patches. Maybe I'll try to replicate this in the studio: wet the paper discontinuously and work over it with waxy and greasy media.

The South Natick dam | Feb. 2, 2011 | litho crayon on paper

A detail view showing the resist caused by the melting snow on the paper

I was heartened to see a flock of mallards feeding in the calm of the eddies at the base of the fish ladder. Maybe this means that food is not so plentiful elsewhere. A recent spell of very cold weather has limited the open water and they are congregating in smaller areas. Maybe. They looked "happy", cooperative  and very active dipping and dabbling in the swift current. I don't know how they survive.

All in all, it was a nice day to spend indoors working on special projects.

I'm working on a children's book. Here's a spread with a flap and die cut

The die cut hints at the surprise (a bright red balloon) underneath

Snorri and Cupcake

I'll write more about this project when it's farther along.  I'm early in the process of developing it and hope to have it ready for my agent next week. Stay tuned!

I think the cats had the best strategy for a gray, gla gla afternoon.
:-)