My collection of sketchy, daily Moleskines dates back to 2006. They all share a common trait…empty centers. In the summer months I don’t spend as much time drawing/writing/creating in my Moleskine. There are other things to do.
While I slowly cooked my breakfast this morning, and listened to the latest edition of The Economist, I did a little illuminating. Some might call it doodling, and that is not a wholly inaccurate description of the activity. However, this was doodling with intent after self-assessing my annual habits.
I also made a conscious choice not to go farther than the pen work on these. I’m giving my overburdened/distracted/outdoorsy future self a chance to play with watercolors later. Yep, I’m making coloring pages for myself.
The garden club I belong to (Four Seasons Garden Club) plants a tree each year to celebrate Arbor Day and Earth Day. We plant each one at a school in the area, so the kids can help with the planting. Fun is had by all.
Here’s how Arbor Day came into being according to the History Channel: https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/the-history-of-arbor-day.
The modern idea of an arbor is more of a garden structure for shelter and/or plant support.
My sketch taps into a memory from my childhood of our elm-lined street. Everyone’s house had one or two elms on the parkway. Their canopy covered the street in a cathedral of moist, verdant shade. Blistering summer heat never penetrated that shield, and raucous winds were caught and mitigated by the high branches and leaves.
The monoculture planting that created this beautiful effect showed its inherent weakness when it was devastated by Dutch Elm disease…one by one the trees came down.
A smattering of new trees (more varied for greater resiliency and to address individual’s tastes) were planted. Volunteer trees that grew in convenient locations were left alone to flourish where they sprouted.
The neighborhood was never completely restored.
The strength of a tree is in a forest.
A single tree can provide some shelter, but for a true arbor you need the forest to envelop you.
I finished today’s illuminations with a return to a bit of doodling. These were created by outlining a petterned glass candleholder that lives on my kitchen counter. I offset it a bit and partially outlined it again. Do we think this will likely end up with a clock face? Not only possible, but probable.
Enjoy your weekend!
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