History

Tombstone Richard Atwell 1828 - 1873
copyright Jeanette Jobson

Last week I took a brief look in the General Protestant Cemetery in St. John's, which is one of the original cemeteries for this city, dating back to the early 1800s. There are a number of relatives buried there from my mother's paternal side of the family and I did a quick search to see if I could find any headstones. I did locate one, of a great, great uncle, (I think) who was master mason, involved in building the Gower Street Wesleyan Church. He unfortunately died from a fall while building the church shortly before it was complete in 1873. His tombstone is a testament to the art of stone masonry, being tall, columnar with ornate carving and precise deep lettering that has survived more than 130 years.

In the late 1800s hospitals tended to be for infectious diseases and doctors instead made house calls, so most individuals were confined to their own homes when ill. However, the thought of broken bones, possible head or internal injuries, being moved from the church to his house and the pain involved for this man leading up to his death, just makes me shudder.

Whether I have connections to family members or not, I have always found cemeteries very interesting places, especially the older ones that are full of history and much potential for sketching. Some people think this is a bit odd, but I like to explore and enjoy the amazing sculptural shapes of monuments, reading the headstones and imagining life in the mid 1800s in St. John's.

I hope to go to this cemetery again tomorrow if the weather holds and do a more thorough search for more headstones. I have great, great, great, great grandparents that I would like to have more permanent records of. Many headstones have been ravaged by time and weather and I intend to take some newsprint and charcoal with me to do some rubbings. Once a weak point has been found in a carving or headstone and it topples, the information on it is gone forever.

There are more tips on headstone rubbings and other methods of capturing headstone carvings here.

Herbal art

You wanted something?

The weather finally warmed up and Tripod decided to bake his little brain in the greenhouse. I found him asleep on a shelf, tucked in between shelves of begonias. He slept the afternoon away there in nearly 30C temperatures. He's an odd cat...

Meanwhile I inspected my herb garden to see what's survived the winter. I need to move my medicinal herb bed and either eliminate or at least restrain some plants which are threatening to take over. All the rain this year has made things very lush and now the heat has them rocketing upwards.

I harvest the herbs just as they flower as that is when the oils are at their peak point. They are then dried in a shady place to preserve colour and oils as much as possible. The objective is to have a dried imitation of the original plant, not a browned leaf that shatters at a touch.

One of the herbs that has done well is Blue Vervain. This herb has beautiful blue spires of flowers that look glorious in a group as they are now.

I counted thirty varieties of medicinal and culinary herbs currently in the garden and I want to record them in more than a simple photographic way. I found little blank paged book with 24 double sided pages which I must have bought some time ago but that got stuffed away in my art cupboard. I'm considering filling this book with 24 different medicinal herb drawings and perhaps some writing about the herb to go with each drawing. I'll create a cover and back for the book and it could be an interesting piece both in terms of art and herbal medicine.

I'll aim to see what I can come up with during July. Watch this space. I have visitors this week so its slowing both my drawing and blogging, but this is a long weekend for me, so I'll play at catch up then.

Laptop sleeve design

I bought a new laptop a couple of weeks ago and have been searching for an interesting travel case for it. There are endless utilitarian black cases on the market and some outrageously expensive coloured ones. I have been toying with the idea of making my own case using fabrics padding and the deconstruction of an old leather coat, but never seem to have enough time to work out the logistics of it

Then I came across Skooba Design. They have produced a cream coloured Skooba Skin laptop sleeve that I can draw my own design on! There are some designs shown on the site and I love this Muppet drawing. The possibilities are endless, and it could be a perfect marketing tool for my art as well as a design piece in itself. I could create a main drawing looping around the sleeve or do a series of small ones. I could incorporate the shape of the bag into a drawing.

Markers are used to create the designs from what I can understand at this point but it may be open to experimentation. However, I would imagine that markers would be the most permanent solution to a bag that would be handled. I wouldn't want my efforts disappearing after being used a few times or being caught in a shower of rain.

I've ordered one of the bags to fit my new laptop and now will have a week or 10 days to wait while it ships from New York. Meanwhile I can play with designs and figure out what I will draw on the sleeve once it arrives.

I did a little more research and found a number of websites that offer unique designer laptop sleeves.

• Skooba Design
• Designer Sleeves
• Acton Treadway
• Electric Baby
• Barry's Farm

Then there are the 'do-it-yourself' laptop sleeves to create.

Knitted Aran laptop sleeve
Laptop bag
Felted laptop sleeve

And not forgetting the Macs

AirMail
Wrappers

I have finished my 1460 portrait. I'm not 100% pleased with it, as I haven't been able to get a good smooth dark background. And it looks even worse once scanned. But I'm calling it done and don't want to fiddle with it anymore or it will just get worse. As well the tooth of the paper has taken all the graphite that it can hold so there's no point in frustrating myself.

Glass completed

Broken glass

graphite on mat board 7 x 12
copyright Jeanette Jobson

This is the completed drawing for a glass tutorial that I've finished. Well, almost finished. I have to clean up the image a little and finish some explanations of techniques then its done. Oh and the formatting. See? There's so much to do!

People often have problems finding me when they come to visit, even if the directions are fairly straight forward. Today I was playing around on Google Earth and found they give an option now of saving or printing an image. This image gives you an idea of where I live and my surround of trees, trees and more trees, interspersed with rocks and ponds or lakes. The images of some areas aren't as developed as others on Google Earth, but you get the general idea. The house is the light grey area on the right, the barn the dark grey on the left and the greenhouse further up centrally in the fields.

Classic art toys

Garden visitors
graphite 11 x 14
copyright Jeanette Jobson

I don't know of any saved record of my drawings or paintings as a child. I think that was before the trend arrived for parents to save every gum wrapper and scribble that a child produces from cradle to high school and beyond.

I was asked when I started to draw and the question made me think about some of my earliest memories of drawing. Not structured academic drawing, but simply drawing or creating for pleasure. I remember from the age of 5 or so always colouring or creating something and that stayed with me as time passed. When other kids were outside playing, I would be the one inside creating and decorating theatres out of shoe boxes with elaborate sets, characters and backdrops.

There were also a variety of toys that I had which fed my need to create. These may bring back memories for some or be completely new to others.

When children's Give A Show projectors were the rage in the 1960s, I had one. Not content with the slides that came with it, I scrounged pieces of hard cellophane from packaging, created cardboard slides and drew my own stories on the clear surface. I wish now that I could see some of those early efforts at around age 10.

Etch A Sketch. Remember those? Yes I had one and used it til it wore out. Here's an online version for those who want to try their hand at producing something. Was this the early version of the graphics tablet?

Visit Etched in Time to see George Vlosich III's amazing Etch a Sketch art.

You can still buy Etch A Sketch toys.

Spirographs came into existence in the late 1960s and they fed right into the psychedelic patterning of the 60s. I recall making endless patterns in colour or black and white with piles of patterns stacked up in my bedroom or posted to the walls.

If you want to create patterns, or treat a child in your life the Spirograph is still being produced. Check out Ebay for lots of spirographs for sale.

Obviously, toys that bring out creative skills tend to become classics and are used by generations of families and have appeal to both old and young. With the tendency for the thinking to be taken out of life these days and the McDonald's 'instant' gratification needs, we often overlook basic, simple toys that help minds develop ideas and explore possibilities.

Writing

Kiora- 17 months old

I've been doing more writing that drawing these last few days as I try to make inroads into some drawing tutorials that I've been putting off. The drawing part comes fairly easily, but the writing is more of a challenge. Once I wrap my head around the task, I can get into a similar zone as I do when drawing and the words flow. About 1500 so far on the first tutorial. Another 500 or less perhaps and I'll be done.

I need to always remember to scan or photograph at high resolution and leave that image on my computer, as the high resolution of a minimum 300 dpi is the standard for printing crisp images. I am so used to reducing resolution for blog images that I often forget to leave the high res image intact.

I have a few more tutorials in my head and I'll play with those once this is out of the way. The drawings can be built up fairly quickly; the writing takes a day or so of solid concentration then formatting on top of that, which for some reason, I always struggle with. I like to just fit things in where they'll go. However, there is a standardized format that I must stay with and thank heavens I have a lovely editor who is very kind and helps me a lot with that. Let's hope she understands my speed in production lately which is slow, slow, slow.

Above is a photo of my grand daughter who lives quite a distance from me. I don't see her often and quite miss her at times. She's at the walking/exploring/active age and this photo shows the glimmer of intent in her eyes I think. This image may well become a portrait soon.

Good bone structure

Duck skull

This is the remains of one of the small ducks that a fox caught a year or two ago which was found in the woods a week or so ago. Although it may seem a bit gruesome, I quite enjoy examining and drawing skulls and bones. Since my year of anatomy, I developed a new found respect for how a living creature is constructed. It really is quite extraordinary how a living thing works so well with every part having a function.

Looking closely at the tip of the bill there are a series of small holes where nerves ended. Ducks are constantly sifting through mud or grass and the ends of their bills are very sensitive to any change in texture or movement, sensing food.

I will draw this skull in the next day or so, but have a few other obligations on my plate right now. I laid a handful of fresh cherries on the table after supper with full intentions of drawing them. Somehow or the other they got eaten instead. They were good however and there are plenty more to draw.

I need a few deadlines to push myself into action. I'm getting lazy. There is an exhibition on June 29th that I haven't yet decided to put pieces into or not. I should for exposure and potential sales, but do need a couple of pieces framed in order to do that and don't have the correct frames on hand. I know its an easily solved problem, but lethargy is over taking me this week. There is always tomorrow...

Creating tutorials

Glass tutorial update
copyright Jeanette Jobson

I think I must either have too much going around in my brain or not enough as I can't seem to keep going to the end of a project without another one sneaking in beside the first. Tutorials seems to be rather like that with me, maybe because they take up so much left brain and right brain activity and the switch between activities is quite difficult to master well.

My tutorials are a combination of drawings in progress and explanations of techniques and processes to get to the final image. It is a lot more difficult than I had ever imagined it would be. Drawing is something that I do without consciously thinking about how I'm doing it. It just 'happens'. I need to make a very conscious effort to articulate just what I am doing with a pencil. Pressure, softness or hardness of the lead, what I am observing, what lines I am placing, all these things come into play.

The drawing part of a tutorial is easy. However, it is punctuated frequently by stops to take progress photos and that is fraught with problems. I prefer digital images rather than scans so my images are only useable in daylight hours. In winter I end up using the scanner as I am mostly able to draw in early morning or evening when its dark. I have to make myself stop and take a photo when often I'd much rather keep on drawing. It really does break my concentration from drawing, having to take a photo or scan, upload it, tweak it, resize it, etc. That can take 10 minutes or more away from drawing and its difficult to get back into the drawing zone again sometimes.

The other end of the scale is when I get so involved in the drawing that I forget to take progress shots then realize I've gone too far, then have to redo a step. That's probably more frustrating than stopping to take an image.

Once drawings are complete, the real challenge comes. How to write the information that guides the person through the piece? I aim at a beginner audience, explaining each step as I go, trying to remember that what is simple or common to me, may be totally new to someone reading the tutorial. I used to think, before I did any tutorials, 'how hard can this be?' Pretty hard. Try describing exactly how you draw something or build values. In a live class I can demonstrate what I'm trying to explain. On paper or online I can only use words and images to get that technique across.

Finally, formatting needs to be complete to ensure everything looks the way it should and images are labelled in sequence. I seem to swear a lot when I'm formatting tutorials. You put an image in place, add words and everything moves, no matter how you lock down things. Yes, formatting....sigh.

The headaches and angst of creating a piece seem to disappear once it is complete. It sits in my binder of tutorials and I leaf through it, still marvelling that anyone would want to read it, let alone learn from it.

I have another layer or two to add to the glass before its complete but above is the piece to date from line drawing to its current state. Drawing glass is like putting together a puzzle for me. All those little shards of light and shade and the subtle changes in values that go along with it are such fun to draw!

Donkeys

Donkey study
graphite 11 x 14
copyright Jeanette Jobson

I have wanted a donkey for as long as I can remember. Why? I have no idea except that they are sweet gentle creatures - or at least the ones I have encountered in life so far are that way. A woman in the next town has a donkey, along with her horses and I drive there everyday. I make a point of watching out for the donkey, who never seems very happy. He stands well apart from the horses with his ears back, looking rather dejected. It seems horses and donkeys don't mix well.

I'd love to offer to take him, but then I'd need another donkey to keep him company and donkeys are hard to come by in Newfoundland. I'll keep looking though.

Here's an old photo of me and a donkey friend on the Aran Islands, off Galway, Ireland circa 1975 or 76.

Sketchbooks

I haven't accomplished much in the way of drawing today, even though I intended to lock myself away and do so. Life just got in the way. The start of this sketch was done this morning over coffee and may not proceed any further. Its more like my form of doodling.

Everywhere in the house I have sketchbooks stashed in case I have an idea or vision I want to capture. And there is always one next to me first thing in the morning when I'm having coffee. I don't know that I have a favourite type of sketchbook and I've tried a number of them. Each sketchbook has its own idiosyncrasies from size to binding to paper. Paper tooth and quality tends to be the deciding factor for me when buying a new sketchbook.

For drawing nothing beats the Moleskine for silkiness. Its comparable to drawing on drafting film with that smooth,buttery surface. I use Moleskines to carry around with me as they are inobtrusive and easily slipped into my bag. In the studio, I use large sketch pads to work out drawings and ideas and my favourite there is Canson Universal 65lb, as its surface is versatile enough to let me use a number of materials on them.

Birds

Sunbather
graphite on Stonehenge
copyright Jeanette Jobson

This hasn't been a good bird week on the farm. Four ducks have mysteriously disappeared since Saturday - two today. And there has been no trace. No feathers, no sound, nothing. Three Khaki Campbells which are sweet little soft sounding brown ducks and today a large white Pekin too. A duck skull was found in the woods this evening. While it sounds a little macabre, it was a duck that went missing a year or more ago most likely and the skull is fascinating to draw. I shall see if I can find the jaw bone of it to make the complete skull and perhaps some other bones.

These latest disappearances may be the work of a large hawk or an eagle. Its nesting time for bald eagles here and one did come visiting last year in search of ducks but was unsuccessful luckily. Then again it could be a fox or a coyote, but in broad daylight unlikely. The ducks will stay in for a few days and we'll see what happens.

Meanwhile this sketch of a pigeon settled in on a sandy beach fit my craving for drawing birds today. Its been a very busy week with little time to draw and tonight was a teaching night so that slayed my chances to draw once more. Tomorrow is a late night at work so perhaps at the weekend, I'll finally have time to block out the world and get some graphite on paper.

Health hazards for artists

Raccoon
graphite 9 x 12
copyright Jeanette Jobson

Many occupations have some health risks attached to them, whether mental or physical and they often come through a variety of external factors which can be controlled to some extent by the individual. As I get older and the usual range of aches and pains set in from mild arthritis in my hands to increased sensitivity to fumes or substances to decreased eyesight, I wonder about my ability to continue making marks on paper into the future.

Illnesses can be caused by:

• art materials,
• the contents of art supplies and their effects on the body,
• improper handling of art materials,
• selection and use of equipment to prevent illness and injury,
• the design of studios, classrooms, and other work environments to minimize dangers to artists

There are a number of organizations and groups specifically designed to provide information about safety in the arts.

1. Monona Rossol is a chemist, artist, and industrial hygienist is President/founder of Arts, Crafts and Theater Safety, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to providing health and safety services to the arts. ACTS publishes data sheets (from 1 to 10 pages) on over 60 different technical subjects related to health and safety in art and theater which are available free of charge or for a nominal fee.
2. Art and Creative Materials Institute is an international organization that was organized to assist its members in providing the public with art and creative materials for children and artists that are non-toxic. All products in the program undergo extensive toxicological evaluation and testing before they are granted the right to bear the ACMI certification seal. The institute provides information on hazardous products.
3. The Artists Complete Health & Safety Guide - this provides information on an incredible variety of art materials and processes.
4. The Arts Resource Centre outlines health, safety and insurance for artists.
5. The Crafts Report looks at studio ergonomics.

The list of hazards, erogonomics and impacts on health is extensive and can take up a lot of research time. I think that my preference of graphite tends to be one of the least offensive to my body with the exception of fixative spray used at the end of a drawing. So as long as my eyesight and hands hang in there, I should be fairly safe.

Ethnic diversity

Fabric seller

Graphite 9 x 12

copyright Jeanette Jobson

The horrible bug that got me over the weekend lifted, of course, by Monday morning so I could go to work. Why do I only get sick on weekends or when I go on holiday?

Feeling so awful all weekend, I didn't accomplish much of anything in terms of drawing, but I found this sketch done a few weeks ago of a fabric stall seller. The hands look rather small, but in fact they are in reality, suprisingly small. Oriental people can be very petite sometimes and have such refined features.

I'm often asked how to draw a specific ethnic population, as beginners tend to concentrate on skin tone to define ethnicity. While skin tone does play a part in defining a person's ethnic background, I find it is facial structure that is the determinant of ethnic origin. So back to drawing and exact placement of features that is the key to creating any individual, no matter what their origin. All faces, no matter what their ethnicity, possess the same features and these are more or less standardized. That meaning they have similar structure physiologically, but the flesh around those features and the bone structure vary to define the individual face.

Observational skills are critical to achieve a likeness with any individual and cannot be emphasized enough. Take time to observe, measure and practice drawing people from different backgrounds.

Cat & mouse

Black cat

Cat & mouse

I've had this idea of drawing a black cat in my head for ages and have finally gotten around to putting it down on paper. I used Artagain paper, white charcoal and Prismacolour pencils. As today is Drawing Day, it seemed a good time to tackle this idea. This is the original study for the piece. I will create this on a 22 x 30 sheet and see how it turns out.

Originally it was intended to be just the cat, then the mouse sort of came into being. It could have a macabre ending - or not - depending on how the story plays out in your head.

Today I bought a new laptop as my old one was getting slower and slower. This one has all the bells and whistles as well as a 17 inch high resolution screen which is much better for viewing art on. I've spent most of the afternoon installing programs and updates and re-finding links and sites.

I also woke with a horrible cold today and feel awful so I spent the afternoon in bouts of sorting the laptop, sneezing, napping and drawing. I've been trying to get a good image of this drawing without a lot of success. They all come out a little blurry or too light. Black paper......ahhhhh

Art grants

Laguna arch study

I have been mulling over several larger scale ideas for art in my mind recently and wondering how I can fund them. Grants spring to mind, but I've never applied for one personally before. I've done scores of applications for grants for non profit work, so the transition shouldn't be too different right?

Well yes and no. The implication of writing a grant proposal for myself puts the onus on myself to perform. Grants are given not out of the love of providing money to starving artists. The grant foundations want proof that you've done what you said you'll do. That will take a bit of planning on my part to achieve any of the project ideas that I have in mind.

As the funds aren't sustainng grants, it means that I would need to still work and produce a body of work. I do work full time and draw now,but not at the level that I want. There are few demands for performance aside from some commissions now and then. A project grant would mean accountability and performance, neither of which are bad things depending on whatever else is happening in life at the same time.

However, if I can get an art grant it will provide me with funds to concentrate on my project, buy materials, market, frame, etc. etc. I don't want to share my ideas at this time as I don't want to influence anyone or encourage anyone else to beat me to it! A few secrets are always a good thing.

So where to find an arts grant and what type of grant do I want? I'd like to hear from other artists who have received project grants to find out what the process was like, how the project progressed, the evaluation and overall experience.

Here are two links to grants that are both local and national and may be useful to other Canadian artists besides me.

Deadline September 15, 2008 - NL Arts Council - Project Grants

Deadline December 1 2008 - Canada Council for the Arts - Assistance to Visual Artists - Project Grants

Knitting and art

Sock and cookie

copyright Jeanette Jobson

"knitting as a means of expression in fine art has become a global phenomenon, appearing in galleries all over the world. No longer is knitting pushed into the realm of being ‘a suitable pastime for the ‘aged and feeble-minded!''

I started knitting a sock the other night and also was drawing some chocolate chip cookies that I'd made that same day. I was getting torn between the two pursuits as well as listening to a knitting broadcast on my iPod. Sensory overload! (Just in case anyone wants to know, the yarn used here is Patons Kroy Socks 4ply - colour Stained Glass. 75% washable wool, 25% nylon. Knitting on 4 doubled pointed needles size 2.75mm)

I haven't knit for years despite a penchant for buying good yarn when I see it and stockpiling. I think I have the makings of a small wool store in my utility room. What is it about supplies? Its the same with art supplies. I keep buying them, even though I know I don't need them sometimes. It must be that squirrel tendency to store things away for a rainy day - just in case...
Of course living on this island I can justify some purchases as there are things here that I can't buy locally which must be mail ordered or I buy them when I travel.

Knitting small projects is quite manageable and I may make a dent in the Christmas list if I apply myself to it. Knitting is another creative pursuit that has many similarities to drawing and painting. Knitting can also become sculptural like this.

Knitting as an art form and as the revival of a tradition is increasing in popularity. Brigette Cameron's article The Knitting Train delves into knitting as art on the Craft Culture site.

Finally, a unique music video that was knit! The group is Tricot Machine from Quebec (tricot means knit in French). Over 700 of the frames were knit. Its quite amazing really.

Looking for inspiration

Study of Moose

copyright Jeanette Jobson

I was looking for a reference photo of a black cat, as I wanted to try something dramatic on black paper. While I was looking, I came across an image of Maggie Stiefvater's cat, Moose in the WetCanvas library and while I was at lunch today, I sketched it. Eyes always appeal to me and this one was no different.

I've been in a bit of a drawing slump this week, likely because work has been over the top in terms of busy and by the time I get home, I end up collapsing on the sofa not doing much of anything else.

I have snippets of things that I've done this week, but nothing significant. But I hope by this weekend I will have started a larger piece Inspiration hits in strange ways and I never know when it will or what will trigger it. It seems there are a number of artists who are going through a slump right now. Maybe its the change of the seasons. So what do I do to find new inspiration? Here are a few things that usually provide me with something to sketch:

1. Visit other artists blogs. Leafing through pages of other art blogs often provides inspiration for drawings and sparks off ideas.

2. Visit a local art gallery or museum.

3. Looking through drawings that I haven't finished. I am often tempted to go back and finish them or redo them in a different medium.

4. Go for a walk. As I like detail in my work, walking gives me a chance to explore the world at my feet. I bring a camera with me and take a few shots of whatever strikes my interest.

5. Wander through the barn. There are dark hidden corners and lots of animals ready to pose. If you haven't got a barn, go to the zoo or an animal sanctuary or even the animal shelter or explore someone's garden shed.

Rust and iron in the barn

6. Go to the supermarket. Aside from buying groceries, you can find interesting fruits and vegetables, shiny displays, glassware - a artist's treasure trove.

7. Look through old photo albums. Old photos of relatives and friends from when they were children or portraits from the 30s or before make wonderful reference images. That's where I found an old photo of myself as a child and did a drawing from it.

What do you do to break out of a slump?

Nothing and something

Pulsatilla flowers

Usually, throughout the day, thoughts come to me that I can use in my writing in this blog. But for the last couple of days nothing is coming. I've sketched and seen compositions as I drive or walk or drink coffee at the local coffee shop, but nothing has made me pay enough attention to devote time to putting it into cohesive thoughts.

So here I am. Writing, but not writing. Why do I feel a sense of guilt almost if I haven't written here for a day? I created this blog as a motivation for me to continue to draw and it has achieved that.

Am I at a stumbling block or have I run out of things to talk about after 2.5 years of writing?

I started a little knitting project yesterday that took me away from drawing for a night. Its been years since I've knit and I'd forgotten how it feels. There is the same creative element in knitting as in drawing and it has similar abilities to take me away from the world for awhile as I get lost in rows and patterns as the wool and needles do their magic almost on their own.

Today I received an order of some more art supplies. I had wanted to try the Derwent Inktense pencils so bought a tin of 12 to play with. I like most Derwent products and will post my experiments with these new pencils. I also bought some carbon pencils, which, for some reason, I couldn't access here. Sometimes the simplest things become inaccessible on this island. Finally, I added some Linetex 3000 illustration board to my order. This is a smooth plate finish on 15 x 20 inch boards. I like the very smooth surface for drawing, even if it has both advantages and disadvantages.

Vulture update

Vulture - update
copyright Jeanette Jobson

Today has reverted back to cooler temperatures again, but my gardening and the feel of sun against skin helped rejuvenate me yesterday. I also added to my store of images both physically and in my mind with a wealth of colours and light and compositions and I am busy creating compositions with.

As I wake so early lately, I added more layers to the vulture and decided that feathers, or at least this bird's feathers, are a pain to draw. They are fluffy and very much like drawing messy hair, so may take a bit of time to conquer. It makes me wish I'd played around with this on drafting film, as its easier to erase mistakes on!

The duck pond

Another duck disappeared mysteriously. He is no doubt food for another fox or perhaps a mink. 'Abe' was a mottled dark duck that was hatched out here on the farm and he continuously paired up with another male - a white Pekin and they were inseparable. Once spring arrived, they decided that they didn't want to go back into the barn with everyone else at night but wanted to stay on the pond and play. I wasn't about to chase them all over the marsh to herd them reluctantly back in so they got their wish and have been doing so for a month or more. Then the other morning Abe didn't turn up at the barn and the Pekin (known as 'New Guy' even though he's been here more than a year) was there looking subdued and nervous.

Its frustrating this cycle of life. I've come to accept it more but never will do so completely and I resent the eyes in the woods watching, waiting for their turn to pounce.