Springing Into Winter

Every February we have a faux Spring here in Seattle, with temperatures in the mid-50s and hints of sunshine, and camellias in bloom.  We had that for about a week recently, during which the hardy Seattle folk brought their t-shirts and sandals out of storage and pretended for a few brief shining hours that they actually lived in Phoenix.

Well, truth to tell, I see people here in t-shirts and sandals on 40-degree, rainy December days.  Just not quite as many as you see during the faux Spring.

Alas, it always ends with a shocking 30-degree, snowy reminder that February is still Winter.  I did not get outside to sketch.  I huddled inside my car at Magnuson Park:

And I huddled inside my living room and stared out the window:

And I huddled inside an antique mall:

I spent two hours on the drawing above and then I was tired.  Later, at home, I decided to try adding a bit of shading to enhance it, and I can't decide which version I prefer.  Of course, now I can't take the shading away, as it's in ink -- which is why I always take photos before I ruin a drawing.

On Sunday I huddled, along with the Seattle Urban Sketcher group at their monthly get-together, inside the U.S. Bank Centre (yes, they spell it that way...) tower in downtown Seattle.  There were sculptures and fancy glass work all over the place, most of which I utterly failed to convey in any way worthy of sharing.  I sketched some glass vases inside cases, which looked like scribbles inside wonkily off-kilter boxes.  I sketched a huge arty glass sculpture thing that looked like dinosaur ribs, but which looked like a chicken carcass on my paper.  It was not pretty.

And because I always sketch directly with pen, I couldn't erase the wonkiness.  I may need to re-think that strategy.

After nearly two hours of failing, I happened upon this upper-story view looking down at a hanging ring thing in the lobby.

It spoke to me.  It said, "You have half an hour left before the group meets up to share their work.  Surely you can draw a circle in half an hour!"  Well, I could, and I did, and it was 90% done when the fire alarm went off.   I ask you!  Is this fair?

Despite the fact that half the people in the building completely ignored the alarm, I dutifully trotted downstairs and outside.  A fire truck arrived, the alarm stopped, we all shared our drawings, and I went home and added the finishing touches from memory.

What can I say.  Sometimes the magic works, and sometimes it doesn't.

Meanwhile, here is what you really want to see:  DACHSHUNDS!

Pippin is sun-hogging dog.

Oh, and remember how I said it was too cold to sketch outside?  As in 35 degrees for a high?  Well, did that stop the Hounds from wanting to go for long walks?  Of course not.  And did I bow to their wishes?  Of course I did.  They trained me well.

We went out nearly every day.  My favorite outing for the week was to Green Lake Park, where you can always find good bird life.  The coots were foraging on the grass, showing off their fabulous coot feet:

The American Wigeons were also chowing down:

Or coming in for a landing on the lake:

Pippin got in a lot of good socializing, while Truman did his best to ignore everyone but me.

They did actually walk most of the way -- the stroller is handy for photos, where they can be forced to sit still for five seconds.

This week the forecast calls for continuing Winter.  We might crack 40 by Wednesday.  I will be huddling inside of things, except for when the dachshunds make me go for walks.