FARM HARMONY, FROM UNDER AN APPLE TREE

It will be hard to ever beat the time I had yesterday, sitting in the shade of an ancient apple tree, inside an old chicken pen, with ducks and ducklings muttering about in the grass behind me, a group of chatty hens scratching around next to me, a robust rooster serenading his biddies across the drive, a flittering flock of swallows swooping and swirling overhead and through an open window, and mama goat mewling to her trio of four day old babies in the pen behind the barn. Down the yard apiece - meat goats (unaware of their fate) and pigs (also unaware).  And at the farmhouse, on the porch, a comfy old hound snoring in his bed, and, inside, an escape cat, plotting. 
The peacefulness, the bright blue sky, the soft breeze rustling the leaves and grasses around me - all of it influenced my palette, I am sure. But I am reminded, once again (as I have been hundreds of times in my 70 years), that I could never be a farmer. I could never work that hard to achieve all that peaceful harmony. And, I could never, as Annie the Farm Kid does, name my food.

Sky Root Farm in Clinton on Whidbey Island

Sky Root Farms

What a lovely day at Sky Root Farms, so much to sketch!  I kept thinking how I wished I could capture the sounds of the happy pigs and goats  (who knew there were so many different goat noises?), the taste of the Kohlrabi (a turnip looking thing fresh picked and sliced up) and the smells (some not so good, but so wonderfully farmy). A delicious day with fun people and great stories of their livelihood .... and they genuinely appreciated our sketches.

Bob Bowling Rustics

Tidy and elegant old things neatly categorized, lined up and ready to be repurposed

Creativity all around, the kind of place that makes you smile

Mukilteo Lighthouse  great day!

Bobs Rustics!

Sketching at Bob Bowling Rustics in Bayview

I was outside for the afternoon today in the bright (but very shy sunshine, with only a tiny spit or two of raindrops), beneath a circling pair of skree-skreeing bald eagles, at Bob Bowling Rustics in Bayview with the Whidbey Island Sketchers. There was literally something to sketch everywhere you looked. And, in the very center of the "front yard", one of Bob's Rustic Garden Sheds, surrounded on all sides by raised beds bursting with colorful vegetables and flowers. Here are lettuces and herbs and red stemmed Swiss Chard.
https://www.facebook.com/Bob-Bowling-Rustics-118649761489938/?pnref=lhc

Sketching at the Lighthouse

A chance for a Three-fer. I need a new wall piece for the Whidbey Art Gallery switchover on Tuesday. Also, yesterday was the Friday Meet-up with the Whidbey Island Sketchers, this time in the glorious (and very temporary) sunshine, at the Lighthouse Park in Mukilteo. Also, #19 for the Every Day in May Challenge is Draw Anything. 
So I parked my folding chair in front and dived in for an extended and larger watercolor sketch of the lighthouse, which I can maybe mat and frame. 
well, meh
maybe not so much

Crossing to Mukilteo

Yesterday we walked on the ferry at Clinton and sketched at Mukilteo landing. It was a beautiful day in the sunshine, though a bit brisk by the water.  We warmed up with happy hour at Ivar's. 

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Artsy trip to Bothell

These sketches were from our Field Trip to Mcmennimans in Bothell.  I had so much fun sketching the creative eye candy and embellishing it with sparkly and white pens.  It was a fun day!

Ceiling lights at McMenimans Bothell

This was so much fun to sketch.  

@ Meerkerk Rhododendron Gardens in Greenbank

It was a "Three for One" day for me yesterday at Meerkerk Gardens in Greenbank on Whidbey Island.
#1 - sketching and laughing and enjoying shared company again with my Whidbey Island Sketcher Buddies on our weekly Friday sketch/meet (after two weeks "off" in DC), deep in the woods in spangled sunshine among fragrant rhodies and azaleas in all their blooming glory.
#2 - catching up on Every Day in May with #11, "Bucket" (a bucket of rhodies) and
#3 - EDiM #12, "Leaves"
Voilá!! A Bucket of Rhodies and Leaves, surrounded by Whidbey Island Sketchers!!

Mukilteo Coffee Roasters

Such a charming spot and so much to sketch. The factory setting was fun, it felt so Willy Wonka. At the table outside I was captivated by the light fixtures. It is a quiet and peaceful setting yet full of spice.


          

5th Friday Surprise

Our magical 5th Friday in April was with April Ducharme the tarot card reader. Her positive energy was wonderful.....and geez was she RIGHT ON with me. I shared her insight about me as a youngster to my brothers & sister who laughed so hard  - and now they want to buy plane tickets to come get their readings done by her too.

McMenamin's in Bothell

A small group of sketchers headed over to the Seattle side on April 15 to explore Mcmenamin's - Anderson School in Bothell.

We had a fun lunch at the Tiki bar. The menu recommended pairings with the appropriate alcoholic beverage - so we did - fish tacos and some sort of "vacationy" feeling tropical drink. Then we wandered and sketched by the fire. Warm sunshine sparkled through the trees and through the drink glasses.

A bit of a ferry line gave us time to hang out together....and that wonderful wait at the dock let us top off the day with an ice cream cone. A rather indulgent day, huh?

Good Fortunes with The Whistling Mystic

The Whidbey Island Sketchers know how to have fun - throw a fortune telling party, dress up in the tribal garb of your choice, get your fortune told by the Whistling Mystic and sketch if you can find the time.

Thanks to Kathy and Team Opera Rose for setting up the event, Barb for hosting and April for being the enchanting Whistling Mystic.   My future is looking grand, but next time, I want some whistling with my fortune.;-)

April Ducharme, the Whistling Mystic

Barb, the Bedouin Gypsy

Paula gets her fortune told by the Whistling Mystic

The Whistling Mystic

April Ducharme, aka the Whistling Mysti,c spent the afternoon delving into our pasts, presents and futures with much insight and humor.  Thank you April for a fascinating & fun day!

The Whistling Mystic'

Magical Tarot Sketching

These were done by our fabulous guest sketcher Kay, visiting from Colorado.