Capitol Nights

On a recent evening when the weather was a bit more balmy and standard time had not yet set in, I took a walk after work as the sun was setting. When I got back to my starting point darkness was just surrounding the Capital so that the dome glowed. 

I did a second without lines. 

Pumpkin farm on Yelm highway.

Seattle Urbansketchers went to Craven farm in Snohomish in mid-October. I couldn't go that day but instead went to a local pumpkin farm on Yelm Highway. It was a wet and drizzly day, but the weather didn't quell the turnout. Parents and kids roamed the lanes picking out the biggest or the roundest or the most orange. There were games and activities and crafts and hot apple cider. 

The heavy rain held off until after closing time, but a bit of drizzle added texture to the paints. 

Lumberjacks

Last Saturday we had to say good-bye to a huge, double trunked cedar that has graced our backyard since long before we bought our house 32 years ago. Our friend, Chunkie Keith, high-school teacher by weekday, arborist by weekend, headed up the crew of five, including his son Julian.

They started early and I soon realized this was an amazing opportunity to sketch these guys in action. As they shimmied up the trees, cutting limbs and trunks, I drew gesture after gesture. They climbed, cut, roped, chopped, chipped, ran, ranted and felled. I watched it all and couldn't stop drawing.