Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Plant name: Mexican hat.
Also known as prairie coneflower or Ratibida columnifera.

It was hot again today and hard to find a spot to sketch that wasn't in the blazing, burning sun.

A group of tourists from Japan were the in park, dressed in what looked like going to the garden attire, complete with umbrellas for sun parisols.

Another group toured the garden while I sketched. They were very loud master gardeners - I heard them mention several times they they were a group of master gardeners. They shouted to each other about soil conditions and such, but when they saw me sitting on the ground drawing, they lowered their voices and whispered to each other instead of shouting.

"I can't hear you when you whisper," I wanted to say, but I didn't.

I did hear this person talking to a companion nearby in the garden:

This looks like oregano. I love oregano. Doesn't this look like oregano? It looks just like oregano, don't you think? I think it does. ... And it smells like oregano. Smell it. That's just like oregano, isn't it? I'm going to taste it. ... It tastes like oregano! This plant is just like oregano. I wonder what it is.

It was oregano.

Colored pencil and #2 pencil in Moleskine sketchbook.

9 comments:

  1. What a wonderful drawing (no surprise, there!), and I loved your stories. I love to eavesdrop, too. Your oregano story is a riot. Keep 'em coming - I love them! nancy

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  2. I like the way you used the page with the line and finished work---very well done and loved reading the people talking about the Oregano :-) winna

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  3. LOL. I just love your writing! People like that are so hilarious! My mom had a friend like that, he thought he was funny... y'no!
    Your picture is beautiful as always and thanks for the smile by your words.

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  4. Beautiful drawing. I like the detail in the finished section and the balance of line and colour. And what a great story - it brought a smile to my face

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  5. I like how the line drawings frame the finished flower. And I know some Master Gardeners. Don't know them well, though. I have noticed when they get together they LOVE to talk plants. A shared addiction. I suspect they have spouses that don't share the hobby to the level that fellow Masters can, so they revel in the shared passion.

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  6. What a great page! I caught my breath as it opened and i saw your sketch - love the way you have the line drawing backing the coloured flower. Then I read what you had written and came to the end laughing! Thanks for the good experience!

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  7. Hahaha too funny! We have a saying in the UK: 'There's nowt as queer as folk', meaning that there is nothing odder than people!

    The stamen (I think it's the stamen lol) looks very similar to that of an orchid. Don't you think? Maybe it's just me!

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  8. Is everyone in the mood for oregano now? I really would love to whip up something tasty in the kitchen. (John...spot on!)

    Heather, I know you aren't reading now, but a good book is The Orchid Thief. Really interesting read about the orchid world in Florida. I highly recommend the book...though with school coming up soon you might not have time for it. Anyway, your comment reminded me of that book.

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  9. Resi, I've heard of this book and it does interest me. It forms part of the main storyline in the Charlie Kaufman movie, Adaptation, which stars Nicolas Cage. Have you seen it? Nic Cage plays Kaufman in the movie, and is trying to write a screenplay from the novel, but finds it impossible because nothing ever happens in it. If you haven't seen it I recommend you do.

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