Seasonal Tree and Rock Sketch

Out on the porch for the morning ritual of food, birds and news on the iPad.  Actually more weather and traffic than news in the mornings.

I sketched another half page in the new sketchbook with a Micron 02.  For Scavenger Hunt from Life 194.   https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-194-jul-7-jul-19.9140/

Number 6 tree - I started in the middle of the page in the tree.  Number 7 seasonal - some morning glories  near the shed and Number 8 rocks - a small pile of white stones, maybe from the other house and we left them on the lawn.  Now just part of the yard.  Hmmmm.

Ceramic and Wood Sketch

As usual, sketched on the porch.  I put my models on the arm of the wooden glider and sat there.  While sketching we listened to the birds and watched the people walking.  Not too many folks today for some reason.  Person(s) is on the list, so I was hoping to see more.

 

For Scavenger Hunt from Life 194  https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-194-jul-7-jul-19.9140/page-2#post-145180

Number 4 ceramic - plate 
Number 5 wood - arm of glider

Sketched on the bottom of the page from the last sketch in the Fixsmith 9 x 12 inch sketchbook with a Micron 02 and colored pencil.  

I do not enjoy coloring with colored pencil.  There should be at least two more layers of color to get close to the colors of the items.  It takes time to do that.  My painting buddy, Regina Burchett, says coloring is therapeutic.  Not in my world, it makes me crazy.  I prefer the old pastels.

I had avocado on rice cake.  An attempt to be like avocado toast.  The avocado was not nearly ripe enough so I had hard slices to chew on!  It was still good but not great.  If it had been ripe I would have had a hard time finishing the sketch before eating the snack.

 

 

Bricks Glass Sketch

We have been able to sit on the porch a bit in the mornings.  It is pretty warm but with a fan and just sitting there it is OK.  We were listening to birds with an app called Merlin.  It listens and identifies the birds.  There were about 10 this morning.  It doesn't recognize the local rooster.  That was a surprise.

I got out my new sketchbook.  It is a FIXSMITH 9 x 12 inch plain paper sketchbook.  I've been sketching with ink in the watercolor sketchbooks and that is sort of a waste.  If I want color on this paper it will be with colored pencil.

Our Scavenger Hunt from Life list https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-194-jul-7-jul-19.9140/ had brick and glass as a couple of the items.  There it was, the lamp on the wall of the porch.  I thought I was being careful with perspective and got a line wrong and that messes up the whole thing.  You can see, I hope, that it is metal and glass on the red brick wall.     

Number 1 brick and Number  glass sketched with a Micron 03.

We are doing OK.  Gene is slowly recovering his strength and that helps a lot.  We won't be traveling or anything like that but we are hanging in there.

With Wheels Sketch

I started to look for an item on the list this afternoon, taking a break from paperwork and washing clothes. I saw "with wheels" and right in front of me was Gene's wheelchair.  So.....

 For Scavenger Hunt from Life 193  https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-193-june-25-july-7.9123/

We are doing OK.  I need full time help with Gene now.  It is difficult having another person in the house.  We will figure it out.  Lots of doctors appointments after Gene's hospitalization.  Checking in with family doctor and all the specialists.  Hopefully he will get back in PT in a couple of weeks.  We have an intake evaluation coming up.  Yay!

 Hope all of you are well and sketching/painting/reading/writing/making music, etc.  Back soon. 

Nature Takes Its Course Sketch

An item on the new Hunt was nature.  I decided to sketch the flowers over the fence.  I said in my last post that they were Indian Blankets, well, they are Mexican Hats.  They look a little like sombreros.  These are mostly yellow with the red center and brownish pestle I guess you call it.  Others are red with yellow centers.  So pretty and fun to see.

For Scavenger Hunt 193  https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-193-june-25-july-7.9123/  Check out the link to see what the other Scavengers (sketch artists) find for their items.' 

Gene is holding his own.  Went to have a general look over after the hospital release.  Dr. Chavez, our family doctor, has been in the hospital as well so we saw Dr. De Leon. She was very nice and checked all Gene's boxes, uh, meds and how he is recovering.  Our first caregiver with Gene is very patient with him and very conscientious. A new experience for us. We are so pleased as it is not easy to have someone else in the house full time.  We can't thank him enough.

We had maids in South America but they were not live in maids.  Our long time maid, Felipa, was so special and like family but she worked 8 - 5 unless we needed her to take care of the kiddos.  

Hoping to get back to a regular routine.  It is taking some time!  i still haven't cleaned off my art table.  Sigh. 

Landscape Sketch

I am so far behind on computer stuff, paper work, etc., my studio and table are covered with junk mail and junk.  It will take a few days here to get back to just litter!

We did have our breakfast sandwiches on the porch the last couple of days so I sketched this morning.  A small landscape on the bottom of the previous doughnut in box sketch.

 For Scavenger Hunt 192 https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-192-june-13-june-25.9093/

Number 2 landscape - as usual the back yard.  The Indian Blankets are blooming.  Pretty after the bit of rain we had.  I think there was about 2 inches here when it was flooding north  and south of  us.  Some is better than none.  This is Sharpie pen and watercolor.

 I used an old Windsor Newton set of paints, very small with 12 colors.  Not the best tones.  No good green.   But at least I put pen to paper!

 

Sweet Sketch

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder.  I'm hoping you will still be reading my posts!  Gene had a setback starting with pneumonia on May 19.  In the hospital for about 10 days and then in rehab where he was after his stroke.  He is home now and working on getting strength back.  I think the worst is over.  He isn't able to walk on his own but getting around pretty good in a wheelchair.  We are thankful for our great kids.  Such a big help at this time.

For  Scavenger Hunt 192 v

Number 1 something sweet - a doughnut in a box.  A little out of proportion.  I am so out of practice.    This was done in the large Canson sketchbook with a Micron 03 pen.

Take care out there.....
 

Skyline Indigo

 It is great when an unplanned sketch fits the Hunts. This is the view from our window in Austin. It fits in Hunt 191 https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-191-may-2-2-jun-13.9055/#post-144074

Number 1 Indigo - the night sky was very much indigo. It was cloudy so this was the sunset. The lighted dome is the state capitol and the dark building to the right is the top of the football stadium. I used the app, Bushes, on my iPad. 

We are in Austin as Gene is spending time in the hospital. He is better. Some pneumonia and congestion a stomach bleed. He is recovering and should be released in a few days.

Never a dull moment in our lives. I hope to sketch a bit more around here. 

Here is a link to another nocturnal in Austin.  I did this from another hospital window a few years ago nHave fun   

 https://jocastilloartblog.blogspot.com/2018/11/nocturnal-sketch.html?m=0

Food Trucks Bastrop Sketch

Today was my day out.  I went to lunch with my friend, Susan, at Anita's.  Such a nice lunch.  I had a non alcoholic margarita, asked for lemonade and she asked it I wanted frozen.  Sure I replied and she brought a mason jar of "lemonade".  It tasted just like a margarita so maybe I got margarita mix.  It was delicious.  Must have had 800 calories, but worth it.  I ate a Puffy Taco.  I like those a lot.

After lunch I went over to the food truck plaza so I could sketch in the shade.  I had a latte and sketched for about an hour.  Then got some carnitas at El Fercho to take home for Gene.   I asked what Fercho meant and the waitress said it was a nickname for the owner Fernando.  Hmmm.  They have pretty good food their.  The carnitas was more like shredded pork like we put in tamales.  Usually carnitas are fried pork.  It was good.  I will add some red New Mexico chile for the leftovers.  Pep it up a little.

For Scavenger Hunt 190 https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-190-may-9-22.9023/
Sketched in the older Ohuhu Mix Media sketchbook with Ohuhu pens and watercolors.  I put in the red letters with a Prismacolor pen when I got home.

I sketched toward the Moosebelly BBQ trailer (I wrote Mooseberry on the truck, guess I was thinking about the blueberries in their BBQ sauce.) and the Thai food trailer.  Neither was open.  Tuesday is probably a slow day.  The latte trailer shut down shortly after I got mine.  I guess they stay open only until lunch time.  The stage with the bench is wired with electricity and has small speakers up.  It is new to me.  It is about 20 x 12 feet, my perspective is off.  I added it after I did the trailers.  It should have been in first.  The back of the Moosebelly trailer is a screened in section and the think sticking out of the orange Thai truck is actually a blue pickup in the parking lot.  There were more flowers but I had been sketching about 45 minutes and needed to leave so quickly added the color.  

Gene had speech therapy and stayed with Pam, caregiver.   He also rode his stationary bike today.  Pretty busy, too.

Strange not to have a baseball game tonight.  Longhorns have one more regular season series with Missouri on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  After that there will be the conference tournament.  After that the Road to Omaha starts with Regionals, Super Regionals and the College World Series.  We shall see how the Horns do.  They have played well, only losing 12 of their 49 games.  One game was rained out.  Hook 'em Horns!  You can get more info here https://texaslonghorns.com/sports/baseball/

 

Full Sketch

Sketching took place today at PT for Gene.  I forgot my watercolors and brushes but did remember the sketchbook.  It was pretty nice outside but I didn't feel up to the wind and stayed inside.

For Scavenger Hunt from Life 190  https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-190-may-9-22.9023

Number 1 full - a cup full of plastic flowers.  At first I thought they were real.  I picked them up to change the angle and realized they were silk/plastic, it was so lightweight.  the tag on the cup read, "You are the Berry Best".  A gift to the receptionist.  Fun.

I sketched in the new Ohuhu smaller sketchbook with an Ohuhu .7 pen.  I added the watercolor at home.

Mother's Day was nice.  Joanna, Jennie and Brandon came out to visit.  Joanna brought pizza for all .  Crazy, as we all had different pizzas.  Jennie and Brandon brought chocolate covered strawberries. Larry was working out of town and of course David and bunch are in Kentucky.

 

We played a round of Telefunken (a progressive rummy game I learned in Bolivia) and had some mocktail margaritas, by Top Hat in Austin.  (very unimpressive, made with kombucha and lots of other stuff)  They have caffeine in the tea.  Next time I will try making regular margaritas our way and use non alcoholic wine in place of tequila.  

Joanna brought another surprise.  She gave me a bluebonnet cup which was special on its own.  The real surprise is that it was made by Lou and Toby Baggett in Oklahoma.  Lou is Bag Blog here in comments and her blog, link in sidebar and you can find them on Instagram and Facebook or whatever it is now.    So unexpected!  I love it.

 

Sketch Pens

At PT yesterday I wanted to sketch my sketching pens.  I had a pack of Ohuhu pens so that was perfect.  I held them in my hand but decided not to include my fingers in the sketch.

 For Scavenger Hunt from Life 189 https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-189-apr-27-may-9.8965/

Number 5 used in my art - Ohuhu pens sketched in the Ohuhu Mix Media sketchbook with the Ohuhu 0.7 pen.   

Indoor Scene Sketch

Off to PT as usual today.  I sketched in the Ohuhu Mix Media smaller sketchbook with an Ohuhu 0.3 pen.  About 20 minutes duration.

For Scavenger Hunt from Life 189 https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-189-apr-27-may-9.8965/

Number 1 soft - tissue
Number 2 has wheels - chair
Number 3 indoor scene
Number 4 rectangle - tissue box

For the previous Hunt I did #4 rough texture - a pen basket at PT done with the app Brushes on my iPhone.  

That's all folks!  See ya later.

The Last Purchase

 The Scavenger Hunt list had "the last thing you purchased".  Not exciting for me, it was a prescription for Gene.  They come in a brown paper bag, so that made it somewhat interesting.  

I sketched out on the porch on a gorgeous morning.  It got hot and muggy later so had to close up the house.  I sketched in the large Canson Mixed Media sketchbook, a full page with the two sketches.

For Scavenger Hunt from Life 188  https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-188-apr-15-apr-27.8930/page-3#post-143138

Number 2, the last thing you purchased

Number 3, person or persons - a couple of walkers with their dog.  You wouldn't be able to pick them out of a group from my sketch.  Not even the dog is close.  They were walking pretty fast.  Really.....

The Longhorns are playing Vanderbilt this weekend.  They won Friday night and lost tonight.  All the teams in the conference are pretty close.  The Longhorns and Aggies had one game canceled for weather.  That may hurt them in the standings as other teams have an extra win in their column.  Hopefully they will win tomorrow and win the series.  

Palette in Watercolor

My watercolor palette is always a mess.  Maybe that is why my watercolors are used mainly for sketching.  I sketched while Gene was in PT.  

For Scavenger Hunt from Life 188, Number 1 - used in my art, watercolor palette

I sketched in the Ohuhu Mix Media sketchbook a full page 10 x 7.6 inches with an Ohuhu .5 pen and watercolors.

The baseball game tonight was interesting.  The Horns played the Alabama Crimson Tide in Austin at the Disch.  The Longhorns used a different lineup tonight and it seemed to spark them.  They lost the series last weekend in College Station against the Texas Aggies.  Bummer.  Tonight was fun, they won 10 -2 with 4 errors.  Yikes!  They haven't played Alabama many times over the years.  I captured this screen shot from ESPN+ SEC network.

Ink and Watercolor Fun

Well, as much fun as I can have painting with watercolors.  I have to think to paint with them so not an easy feat these days.  I'm thinking for two as Dr. Chavez says.  I need to save the brain for paperwork and such.  

I sketched by the ponds/lakes at the picnic pavilion and  down by the new construction close to McCoys.  So much going on.  Texas Roadhouse, Longhorn Steakhouse, Chuys, Chipotle, Smokey Mo's Barbeque, Jersey Mikes, Firehouse Subs, Sprouts and much more.  Bastrop is growing too fast.

 

For Scavenger Hunt from Life 187  https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-187-apr-3-apr-15.8897/

Number 4 sand - the dried up lake bed on Easterly lake/pond  Only a puddle left
Number 5 heavy machinery -  some sort of lift.  The workers were on top and no one near the lift.  Maybe they had another on the other side of the huge building.

These are in the Ohuhu Mix Media sketchbook with Ohuhu pen and watercolors.   

It was beautiful weather for my day out.  About 80 degrees F.  Soon it will be in the 90s to 100.  Enjoying while we can.  We have been using the porch.

Spring Break Family Fun

 We had all our family here this past week.  It was amazing to have all 19 of us together.  We have 2 grandkids and 19 great grandkids.  Doesn't seem possible.  The first day was just two greats so we sketched.  After everyone got here the kids were mostly outside.  They had their Easter Egg hunt on Tuesday I think.  Went to the playground by the firehouse.  Played disc golf with Uncle Larry.  We had New Mexico food and brisket.  So wonderful to see all the kiddos.  We hadn't seen the last two since we aren't traveling.

We did sketch a little with the the first bunch.  I post my three first and then the kids.  They tried to do items from the Scavenger Hunt with me.

For Scavenger Hunt 187 https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-187-apr-3-apr-15.8897/

Number 1 cup - my Christmas cup this year.  We think the 4 on it means aisle 4.  I want to sketch it in pastel.  Maybe one day.  In the new Ohuhu smaller sketchbook with Ohuhu pens and watercolor.
Number 2 useful - a plastic basket to hold brochures at PT In the larger Ohuhu Mix Mecia sketchbook with Micron 03 and watercolors.
Number 3 vehicle - in the Ohuhu Mix Media sketchbook with Micron 03 at PT... oh the perspective.  Front and back not too bad.  Middle is ???

David sketched one of my Kachina dolls in colored pencil.

 

Christy sketched on paper from the Little Fingers sketchbook.

Lucas sketched in the Little Fingers sketchbook.  He draws really well.  He did some others but they weren't from life.  The hanging basket was a good challenge.

 

Owen sketched in a Fabriano Masters Touch watercolor sketchbook and tore the pages out to put on the fridge. He did the cutest chicken but it is so light yellow that it wouldn't show in the scan. 

They did some chalk art outside, too.

 Anyway lots of fun.  The house is sooooo quiet now.   

Fire Hydrant Watercolor

Yesterday was my day out.  I met Joanna and spent time with her so didn't sketch much.  I did stop by the fire hydrant in front of the Super 8 on the way to meet her.  It was good to have a daughter and mom time.

For Scavenger Hunt from Life  
Number 5 fire hydrant - sketched with pencil in the Ohuhu Mixed Media sketchbook and added color at home.  I didn't take a photo.  The hydrant was so rusty that I couldn't tell the color.  I guess it may not have been painted like the one at the juice place I sketched a few weeks ago.   I wondered about them leaving the hydrants unpainted.  

It was a nice day.  A bit windy.  The Longhorns baseball team played Texas State in Austin.  Horns won for the first time in a few years.  They have been playing two Tuesday games every season, playing one in San Marcos and one in Austin.  Horns have been winning in San Marcos and then the Bobcats have been winning in Austin.  So the streak was broken.  Horns won both games this season.  

Markers and Ink Sketches

Our weather has been between late winter and late spring this week.  Cool and then hot with no in-between.   Sort of missing regular spring.  But ... nice to sit on the porch and watch the folks out walking.  We saw a couple on horseback today but no photo or sketch.  Gene was having speech therapy also on the porch.

I sketched yesterday in the Marker Sketchbook with Blick gray markers.  Number 1 in the new Hunt for "spring flower".  I bought a new geranium.  It is a bit fuller than my sketch.  I'm sure it will be bedraggled like the last one in no time.  I ordered it with groceries and they had potting soil on the website.  I ordered it too without thinking about size.  So I got one small geranium and like a 20 pound sack of soil.  Never thought about that.

For Scavenger Hunt 186 https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-186-mar-22-apr-3.884

Today I did these three.  Number 2 fits in hand, Ohuhu pens

Number 3 statue or figurine - the plastic owl on a pole that is supposed to keep birds away from the windows.

Number 4 building - next door.  I have painted the shed in pastel and called it a fishing shed as it is by the water.  Seems to actually be a tool shed.

These three are on one page in the large Canson Mixed Media sketchbook.  
 

 

 

Another Tree

I am behind on my sketching so decided to sketch this tree yet another time.  I wonder how many sketches of it I have - with leaves or without and in a group or alone.  There are two trees close together and I thought I would do both so left room for the other.  I got tired of making leaf marks so this is what you get.  We also have to go to Austin again to the eye doctor.  We went Tuesday to Gene's oncologist.  Makes for long days and the traffic is getting so bad.  

 For Scavenger Hunt from Life 186 https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-186-mar-22-apr-3.8844/

Number 1 tree - From the porch in the large Canson Mixed Media sketchbook with Micron 03

 

There aren't many bluebonnets this year but Jennie took photos of the grand-dogs in a little clump at the end of the back porch.  Gray doggie is Chewie and the black one is Reese.

 

 

Reese in Markers

We had a visit from Jennie and the grand-dogs today.  It was fun with some tidying up paperwork, sitting on porch, having chicken fried steaks from the Roadhouse Paige and visiting and watching movies.  Wow, lots accomplished.  

Both doggies were standing at the screen trying to see what was going on out in the world.  Listening to birds and some dogs in the distance and a few voices trailing in.  They had been for a walk out there earlier.  I went to get the sketchbook and of course Chewbacca decided to sleep in the sun.  So Reese accommodated me by looking out a couple of different times.

Number 3 yonder - Reese was trying to see what she was hearing over yonder.  She is so black that you can't see any shadows or form so I added a bit of gray.  She is really just black, black, black.  Jennie took some photos of them by our bluebonnets, I will ask to share them with you.

I haven't mentioned much about Longhorn Baseball.  The team is doing great with 18 wins and 2 losses so far.  They travel to Auburn tomorrow.  I will watch on the SEC streaming.  Hook 'em Horns!