Globe-thistles, pears and mirror

Well, I'm not doing NaNoWriMo or even a poem-a-day this month, because I've got too many deadlines ahead. But I will try to post something every day.

To start, here's a drawing of the last things I picked from the garden before cutting everything down for the October 31st closing. This quick drawing was made through transfer paper (thin paper coated on one side with graphite; it works like carbon paper.) Strange how much more effective it is than the actual pencil drawing on the front side. I also like the way it looks in reverse - the white lines left remaining on the graphite-coated side - but I couldn't get a good photo of it. I'm hoping to do a couple other explorations of this subject before the thistle leaves dry up completely.

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We had our first snow here over the weekend - not much, but when we headed for the cathedral yesterday morning, the mountain was white. Over the weekend they put up the hockey boards in Park Laurier, and finished draining the lakes in Parc Lafontaine. Today, driving to Adonis for grocery shopping, we saw entire neighborhoods dotted with "Tempos" - the greyish-white temporary structure people put over their driveways for the winter. I hate the day they go up, and love the day they come down.

I am so Not Ready.

But I did find a great pair of gloves today at Winners (kind of like TJ Max): black leather with black rabbit fur pompoms around the wrists. They made me smile, as does the thought of five months of hot soups and stews, and fires in the fireplace. It's a kind of pained smile: pretty thistles with thorns.

Comments

[Marja-Leena]

Your lovely sketch is inspiring me, Beth, though I don't think I could manage to post every day. By the way, I finally picked up one of those brushes with a water holder, not a nice as yours though, but I look forward to trying it out sometime soon in the little book you made!

Winter already? Here we are into the monsoon month, the darkness is the worst of it. At least snow makes everything so bright. Stay warm, Beth.

[Beth]

That's great Marja-Leena, I look forward to seeing your sketches! Be careful with the water on those pages, though, I don't think I used paper that will want to get very wet!

[Uma Gowrishankar]

Oh yes you have been posting everyday and it's such a pleasure reading them every morning first thing when I open my computer. It's monsoon time in Chennai and time of Deepavali, the festival of lights. Far apart geographically, yet so close through this. Beth, I wish you and your family happiness and good health this Deepavali.