Buttercups and Cannon: Day 2 – If These Stones Could Talk

I heard a rustling in the grass nearby.

“Hey turkey,”  I called.  No, this was not a lost hiker who had wandered up to the patio where I was working. This was a real wild turkey, walking at the edge of the woods behind the park headquarters where I have my studio space for the next two weeks.

My project on this beautiful morning (pollen excepted) is the journal I am creating from an old book that I will use this to record my thoughts during my time here. I started by “gutting” the book, a painful procedure for a book lover, but I only choose books that are in bad condition. I like to think I am giving them a new life. I always save the text pages for other projects. To pay homage to the previous owner, I take care to include any inscription on a page in the finished project. The next step is to reinforce the spine with duct tape. Now the fun and creative part starts as I choose papers and tidbits to fill the “new” book.  Check back tomorrow for photos. . . I left this project in my studio.

Later, I took my lunch over to Chinn Ridge, a great area to hike and site of Hazel Plain, the former Benjamin Chinn home. All that remains is the stone foundation, but it is a lovely, serene spot where I decided to sketch. Before I knew it, I was afloat in a yellow-green sea of buttercups and butterflies. It was one of those experiences that you want to capture and be able to refer to over and over.  This was a good day.

My sketch for today:

Thanks for reading about my adventure.