getting acquainted with the apple tree

We have this lovely apple tree growing just outside the wall around our studio building. So this morning I sat on the outside staircase and drew it. I think I’ll try to draw this tree often; it feels healthy, like a really Zen/Franciscan contemplative thingymabob to do. I started out with an Arthur Rackham book sitting next to me, and I was being very precious with drawing the leaves. But then I got a big ink splodge in the middle of the drawing and stopped trying so hard and did some mucking about, and I think it turned out much better than it would’ve otherwise. I got ink all up my arms and it felt more like painting than drawing.

I had to take a picture of it because it’s still wet, and now it’s taped up on the studio wall. I was kind of embarrassed because I was getting texts from Gary and Viv who were running around doing Useful Things for the studio, and I was just sitting there drawing a tree, but ah, well.

It’s handy having apples just outside, we’ve been eating a lot of them. Although we do get the occasional worm, here is Mercer the Maggot. He was very energetic and clambered around for a good while before we chucked him back outside. A little boy on his tricycle rode up to me and solemnly informed me that they were ‘boisonous’. ‘Poisonous?’ I asked. ‘No, boisonous’. So we have been well boisoned.