Busman's Day Off

My drawing class at the University Center wasn't starting until 3:30, and David and I got to town over an hour early, giving us time to have coffee at an outside table on Front Street, enjoying the sunshine, watching strangers go by, and generally soaking in a gorgeous day.

Yellow Flowers -- in Color and Then in Black-and-White

Taking a drawing class and working in charcoal have got me thinking more and more about dark and light, so I wondered what these bright yellow flowers would look like drained of their color. Below is the answer.

Into the Woods We Go

I couldn't decide which, 

so I've uploaded them all, 

mundane and marvelous alike.

Trillium

Big picture

Trillium and bellwort

Lovely bellwort, a favorite of mine

Sarah explores with her nose

Oops! Mistake -- but kind of cool....

Bellwort with Dutchman's breeches in foreground

Sarah sniffing again, up close this time

Dutchman's breeches

Trillium up close

Forest of wildflowers

Morning sun on east side of tree trunks

more

Pretty little clump

Old dead apple tree I drew a year ago winter when it had snow on its branches

Shouts and Whispers

The fields shout loudly their Irish green. Treetops whisper softly, hushes, hints and promises of more green to come.

The Woods in Spring -- No Better Place to Be

Can You See the First Hint of Buds?

We Live in Two-Seasons Country

I don't mean what you might think I mean. I'm not saying that northern Michigan has only two seasons, Winter and Company (or Winter and Bad Sledding). What occurred to me this morning is that while we do have at least four seasons -- and I often think we have several more -- we don't have them separately. This morning, for instance, while trillium are springing up in the woods (lots of leeks and spring beauties, too), almost ready to unfurl their blossoms -- flowers a sure sign of spring -- winter lingers on in the Manitou Passage and on east- and south-facing wooded slopes. Winter and/or spring: wing and sprint?

Manitou Passage, 5/6/2014