Earth Day

There were a lot of posts on Facebook about Earth Day. It was also Good Friday, but I didn't see too much about it, although to me and a lot of others it is pretty important . Some of my friends observe Passover, too, so by phone and email we shared our thoughts on the significance of their week.

After finding out the other day that I flunked my cholesterol test, there are going to be some additional observances in our household as well, creating what we call "a new normal." We have had those before, and this is yet another phase of life. I have been a great admirer of artists who get out and sketch every day, and draw slices of life and activity on the spot. Part of the "new normal" is going to involve w-a-l-k-i-n-g. I have a sketchbook and pencil tucked in my pocket so that when I go out on my walks there will be more of those "slices of life" based on what I see. I still carry a camera- I mean, you can't draw everything, or remember everything, or get it all down. But there is nothing like that first impression that simply isn't there once you get back into the studio.

On Friday morning I walked up the road to the north to see if the lambs were out at the delightful Black Rabbit Farm. They weren't. But there's a great old barn on Sequim-Dungeness Rd that has always intrigued me. It is on the verge of collapse, and almost invisible from the road tucked into the trees on the far side of a green meadow. Later in the day I walked to the coffee shop to meet with a friend, after which I walked back up to see if the lambs had come out. They were in a group running in one big circle. How fun it is when young animals discover that they can run! The calves in the other pasture get themselves into a frenzy now and then and go prancing around. The lambs were out running, the big pig was lying in a gooey glob sunning himself and the pony had already seen me earlier, thus was not particularly interested in my presence.

So having left very little footprint on the environment, or so I think, and pondered the significance of Good Friday as well as Passover, I came home with my watercolor painting of the old barn. Sketches of pig, pony and lambs will follow.