Painted Ladies on Apple Blossoms

Things are really happening at our house. I've never had such a pet centered week before.

Our butterflies are doing well. We will have 5 living ones, dining on flowers, and laying eggs. We brought them some apple blossoms, which they appreciated, but then they went back to their favorite dandelions.
Our caterpillars are munching along as fast as they can. The tiny things look like nothing next to a giant bull thistle leaf. They are growing. I think they are about 1/8 of an inch now. Every time we add a fresh leaf, more eggs are laid too. I can't imagine how many butterflies we are going to have. They will be hatching over many days. When it is time we are going to carry them out and set them on a thistle plant that we are reserving for them, so they will feel at home, and maybe there will be more butterflies that live in our area then ever before. The farmers will be happy for our little thistle eaters to settle in the area.

Pink Tulips for Sister

Pink treasure tucked into his dirt covered little hands, arms tucked behind his back, he came sneaking through the kitchen toward the dining table. "Close your eyes sister. I have a surprise for you!"

Then just before he darted outside again, he hurriedly whispered to her, "I love you."

It is not Raining Rain for Me, It's Raining daffodils

April Rain
By Robert Loveman (1864-1923)

It is not raining rain for me,
It’s raining daffodils;
In every dimpled drop I see
Wild flowers on the hills.

The clouds of gray engulf the day
And overwhelm the town;
It is not raining rain to me,
It’s raining roses down.

It is not raining rain to me,
But fields of clover bloom,
Where any buccaneering bee
Can find a bed and room.

A health unto the happy,
A fig for him who frets!
It is not raining rain to me,
It’s raining violets.

Questions about my nature journal

I've had some questions about my nature journal and thought I'd answer them this morning.

Yes, I do keep a personal nature journal. I'm not regular in writing or drawing in it, but enjoy it very much when I do. I mostly draw in the spring and summer, because flowers are my favorite thing to draw.

I draw with a mechanical pencil, then I trace the pencil drawing with a black Pigma Micron pen. My daffodils were colored with colored pencils. I like to work with watercolor too, but notebook pages don't hold up well with watercolor, even though the art journal I use says it is suitable for watercolor. I sometimes trace and transfer a drawing using graphite paper onto watercolor paper if I want to watercolor a flower.

A tip for drawing flowers is to always draw what is there, and not what you think is there. I usually start the flower where a petal and the center meet. I draw that petal, trying to put each straight line and curve of the edge exactly as they are. Then I move back to the center and make the next petal. It is really tempting to just draw straight lines for the stem and leaves and be finished. But you have to look at them carefully too. Does a daffodil have a straight stem? No, it has an elegant twist, as do the leaves. Carefully look at the daffodil stem and study where each line goes, then draw the straight segments and curves, just as they are. You will really enjoy the result.

If I don't have time to color right then, I like to have a blue pencil and an yellow pencil with me to color in the lighter and darker places on the leaves. Then when I come back later, I can remember how the light was falling, and apply it to the flower also. Blue darkness and yellow light, makes more lifelike leaves when you add a top layer of green. I put in purple shadows at the end.

I'd like to put out a challenge to each of you to try drawing a daffodil, or other spring flower, and then share it on your blog. If you do, come back and leave me a comment so I can see it too.

Daffodils Dance in my Nature Journal

Daffy-Down-Dilly

Daffy-down-dilly is new come to town,
With a yellow petticoat and a green gown.

English Rhyme

My little boy picked them for me and brought them in and placed them in this tiny vase for me. They look sweet next to the green teapot, but not as sweet as the smile on my boy when handed them to me.

Love-in-a-Mist

Love-in-a-Mist
Nigella damascena

These lovely little flowers are blooming in my garden right now. The are an annual in the Buttercup family, that are prolific self sowers. The foliage is finely cut, and very delicate or misty looking. These blue blossoms thrive in my garden. The seed pods are lovely in dried arrangements. My plants originally came from my elderly friend who is wonderful with plants and very generous in sharing the abundance of her garden. Many of my flowering plants came from her.