Garden therapy and Harbinger-of-Spring.

Harbinger-of-Spring (Erigenia bulbosa)

This week I am very depressed, so happen yesterday I decided to clean my garden pots a little bit. It is too much early to start planting now, but I enjoy playing in soil. Most of my perennials died this winter, but my chives are coming back and my lavender maybe still will live.




Last year my girlfriend gave me gloves with plastic claws, and they are really fun for digging. I also planted some coriander seed today, because cilantro is fine with cool weather. Old Farmers Almanac says we still have cold weather in middle March, so happen I will wait for every other plant.

This morning I went to Clifton Gorge again. We have a lot of rain this last week, so happen some areas were flooded. I can see the Little Miami River carried these logs and sticks onto the trail and pushed away many leaves.


Hepatica is blooming now. When the flower stalk grows, it curls down the flower to protect it from soil. The flower bud and stalk are covered with fine hair. They have a fur coat to protect from early spring cold. The Hepatica leaves are now more green, and they will become more and more green into spring. Hepatica flowers are white or pink, or sometimes purple. Each flower  has three green sepals, six petals, many white stamen, and many green pistils. When the Hepatica flower is finished, it looses all the petals. Most Hepatica plants have several flowers.

I also saw many Harbinger-of-Spring (Erigenia bulbosa). These flowers are tiny and white with maroon anthers. If you do not look for them you will miss them! The leaves are also small and very divided.

I hoped I would find Snow Trillium (Trillium nivale), but I think it likes higher areas. I was very close to the water today. Maybe if I return again and walk on the upper trail I will find them.

Hepatica leaves in the rain.

I went to Clifton Gorge this morning. It is 50 degrees today, but the rain is cold. I saw no people. I heard only water and rain and Canada geese. It is never quiet in Clifton Gorge, because you can always hear the river. But it was quiet with no people. I think the rain keeps them away.

I went to Clifton Gorge to find Spring. Recently the weather is warm and wet. I thought maybe I can see some early wildflowers today. It is still too early, but I can see Spring.

I found Hepatica everywhere. They were hiding under snow all winter. Hepatica leaves have three lobes. The lobes are sometimes pointed and sometimes round, but they are all Hepatica nobilis. 

 Hepatica leaves are many different colors. Later they will be more green, but now they are often red and brown.

 The flowers are only buds now. Maybe I will see them next week.

I found some Ebony Spleenwort (Asplenium platyneruon). I don't know how it is still alive from last year. There were many stonecrop buds (Sedum tenatum) on rocks but they will not bloom until later.

There were some small walking ferns (Asplenium rhizophyllum) still alive also.

 There were many brown liverworts. I think they are Conocephalum conicum. They will be green in the Spring.

 Spring is soon. I am ready.

An ocher drop suspended.

Happen I was thinking about "It filled the violet blue sky." and I thought, something still missing.

Then happen I remember lunar eclipse in, I think September 2015. My sisters, my mom, and me we drive home from somewhere, can't remember, long drive. Eclipse start when we drive. We watched in the car, moon disappeared a little bit and a little bit. Finally, change color, dark red brown. Ocher, my big sister her color, blood and brown and orange.

More difficult for remember how feel in 2015. Solar eclipse now really difficult remember, only 3 weeks. Three years more and more difficult. But I try, and the painting feels close. Now, solar and lunar eclipse are together on my wall.

It filled the blue violet sky.

Monday, I went to my grandparents their house for the total solar eclipse. Now, I feel I am forgetting. I painted today, trying to remember. I used a chalk drawing I made on Monday. I tried really hard to remember, but I am still forgetting. I remember the colors. The sky close to the sun was blue violet, deep; my friend said "blue violet void". The sky, more far away, was orange and yellow. I can see planets, maybe stars. Trees and houses and people were blue black shadows.

Most, I remember the corona, the white wisp cotton ghost around the bright ring around the moon; my mom said "gossamer". I want to remember this most, but I am forgetting things. I try to see picture in my mind, but now I remember more my remembering. I drew the chalk drawing, remembering, and then I painted it, remembering from remembering. I am too far from the real thing now for know if I am remembering or faking. I talked with my mom, I said, you remember long tail on left side? you remember break with blue violet sky on an other side? You remember, it was really big? She said, she remembers. She said, I remember right.

But it is really hard to remember. I could see the corona only one minute and 40 seconds. I tried to take picture, but cameras can't see it. They see the ring, but they miss the color of the sky, and they can't remember the big corona. No photographs are right. The painting from today, it is closer.

Button Lichen Studies

This painting series is with watercolors, gouche, ink, and coffee. It shows Amandinea punctata, the Button Lichen, in three scales, broad, magnified, and micro. Because this lichen is both really tiny and have more big structure, I wanted to draw more than one size. I can show detail both larger colonies and also apothecia details. I think this is first time someone paints this lichen. Button Lichen apothecia are really only most 1mm wide, so you can know what scale I draw.

Current Work

I work now on new lichen series. This with watercolor and gouache. I never use before, so everything new. I draw a lot concept picture before; I want understand this lichen! People ignore a lot microlichen, and I want show people.

 

You can see lichen on rock really small. First painting close finished, I think. Need still finish other two. This not for coasters; no more coasters for draw! This for wall.

Local Urban Lichens

Recently, I finish new series for coasters, name "Local Urban Lichens". I draw four local lichens, they all I can find close outside, not need walk far. They all on trees.

Candelaria concolor also name candle flame lichen. It yellow, little, and everywhere. A lot time it very messy, so I show very messy this drawing. Think, it like a lot nitrogen, so find more near farms.

Physcia millegrana name mealy rosette lichen, similar C. concolor it very messy. A lot times only seem have soredia, not have any arms. Mealy rosette everywhere, truly. Can find sometimes in city centers.

Physcia stellaris name starry rosette lichen. It same genus mealy rosette, but it not messy, it round. It have a lot apothecia big and small often, so I draw with a lot. starry rosette like new branch, so find on young tree or on high new branch.

Flavoparmelia caperata name common greenshield lichen. It name greenshield because it big and round and light green. It not like bad air, so need find on tree close to quiet road.

I don't know which my favorite. They all amazing!