The Sketchbook

A beautiful 80 degree day called us outside to draw, paint, and look more closely at nature. We never knew what sweetgum blossoms looked like! They're very small but delightfully intricate! Much nicer than their spiny, seed-bearing counterparts that drop to the ground in the autumn.

Painting with the kids is always an adventure. The only one who really didn't get frustrated was the 5 yr old, who just sloshed color around without a care in the world. His painting is at the top. He added a few hand-drawn fish, but it was more about playing with color for him. The older kids tried to paint fish, but found the watercolors clumsy and not as precise as the pencils they're used to. I remember feeling that way - so grown up to hold a paintbrush, but then the results made me feel like a toddler! Like many things, it takes patience and practice. Nobody went away in a huff, so I'm confident they'll pick up the brushes again. We'll just paint color and not objects to ward off the frustration. Baby steps.