another bluebonnet meadow

I almost didn’t post this one. These are the final pages of my blue purse-size Field Notes Memo Book, which came in a set of three colors named the “Sweet Tooth” collection. I grabbed a travel set of gouache paints and just started playing in the above sketch, the idea coming from a photo I once saw of a local meadow with bluebonnets. I used the book’s blue paper for sky and pond, but the greens of the trees and shrubs dried too dark to see detail.

The last pages were used to play around with my favorite Celtic style of letters. I am not a calligrapher by any means; I just draw what I see, even fancy fonts I find in books or online.

the downside of a new kitten

The downside of having a new kitten join the family is introducing him to grooming tools.

I try to do this after they are well fed and sleepy, which works fine with Bardie MacRuadh.

Who knew Scottie Dubh, weighing hardly over 2 pounds, could put up a fight equal to a panther?

I prevailed . . . this time.

this morning’s cup of tea in gouache

This Scottie mug is old and chipped, but I still love drinking my tea from it, as it was a gift from a dear friend back in Kansas. I used to keep it at our small church to drink my tea from while the others enjoyed their coffee.

everyday stuff

Yesterday was a day to randomly draw whatever was in front of me. I had just phoned in for refills on these two prescriptions so that’s what I drew.

One is eye drops to treat glaucoma and the other is a scalp solution to fight a type of psoriasis.

Isn’t getting older fun?

Scottie ready to sleep

Bardie likes to sleep near my feet, but Scottie chooses to sleep on top of this cat cubicle, next to my side of the bed. . . . Bardie also likes waking Scottie up by tipping the cubicle over!

bobcat

Eddie’s crew of carpenters used this wee bobcat to lift 4 ginormous beams into place when building our new carport.

Scottie, old and new

Scottie paused for a nano-second and I snapped a quick photo of him sitting in front of my favorite quilt . . . which happens to have Scottie patches on some of the flannel squares. I love Scottish terriers, I love all things plaid and I love flannel — so my mom sewed this quilt for me.

As soon as I snapped the photo, Scottie Dubh was bouncing off again, full of kittenish energy.

The next “pause” was on the cat tree — he surely can’t be comfortable like that?

He likes sleeping in that cubby, snuggled up to Bardie’s old baby blanket.

busy at work

When we bought this cabin there were 2 ugly car ports; this spring we tore them down and had carpenter Eddie and his crew build one new one in a better location that matched the cabin better.

Days were already getting hot yet Eddie wore 2 shirts as well as fingerless gloves!

I drew this from a photo, thinking it sort of fit the quote I found online.

kitten whiskers

Though we fed Scottie from a low-rimmed dish, he was only tasting a bite or two before running off to play. He had been given vaccinations on Friday so at first we thought his appetite might have been affected for a day or two. But he continued to not eat as much as his energetic activity needed. I found that if I placed some kibble on the floor, he’d eat it . . . one at a time as I put it before him. He’d still rather play than take time to eat! Bill commented that he had extraordinarily long whiskers — so maybe he wasn’t eating much due to whisker fatigue? (Cats with very sensitive whiskers don’t like their whiskers touching the sides of a dish.) So I pulled out this tiny flat saucer that our daughter-in-law gave us and tried feeding him on it — Success!

Scottie played hard with one of Bardie’s crocheted toys, then snuggled it as he went to sleep.

breakfast with a new friend

After each of them finishing up their own breakfast, Bardie and Scottie each tried the other’s leftovers. (It’s a good thing that Bardie’s food is good for both cats and kittens.)