Doodling as an Art Form

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh, summer is just about over. The dry cooler air is coming to North Texas on a more-often basis. In the meantime, the garden is welcoming the last chance to show off its spender. While gardening is winding down and weeds are not flourishing, I have discovered this art form of doodling. I've been a minimal doodler......mostly straight lines and circles, etc. However, this old but new again style, named Zentangles, is fascinating. As the wise man Solomon said, "there's nothing new under the sun." He followed that statement with "all is vanity and vexation (or frustration) of spirit." Too bad that Solomon didn't have a Pitt Pen or a Micron pen to doodle on the parchment. He was chasing his 700 concubines and 300 wives anyway. No time for doodling.

The examples here are my first attempt at Zentangling. I did use a template to achieve the beginning circle so they would be uniform, but the rest is freehand. It's so addictive and easy to do.........no calories either. I'm using a Drawing Pad which is 80 lb. paper and a Pitt Pen. I find the Sharpies bleed through on most paper or cardstock. I'll try Sharpies on watercolor paper soon. Watch for coming examples! Thanks for checking in on my blog. I welcome your comments.

Double Purple Althea

Last year one of these oddities showed up on this white double althea shrub. I was so surprised to find a whole stem with open blooms today. Things like this always make my heart sing!!
It's beautiful how the double white althea blooms so heavily compared to a regular althea. I also have white and purple single althea, but they have never mutated.

Double White Althea

The Double Althea (Rose of Sharon) looks very much like a Gardenia, but without the lovely scent. It is a heavy bloomer in late summer. I received seed from a friend several years ago and began the plants in pots. The shrub is now about 6 Ft. tall.

Varigated Leaf Morning Glory

In the morning glory (Ipomea) family, this beauty has amazing varigated leaves. The foliage is as spectacular as the blooms. I first bought a plant about 10 years ago from a Nursery, but have saved the seeds year after year. They always perform with such gorgeous foliage and blooms.

Henrii

Henrii (Henry-I)

Here's what's blooming in my garden now. This beautiful specimen stands about 5 Ft. high with multiple blooms. It's fascinating to watch the blooms form. They're elongated and orange and the next day they've opened, but the petals are straight. As the day progresses, the petals curl backward. Each bloom lasts for about 4 or 5 days before fading.

Early Morning Visitor

What a surprise this morning to find this little hairy visitor taking advantage of all the spilled sunflower seed from the feeder (above). This young Opossum must be living under our deck. This is the second sighting.

In the Sink?

From Cre8it.com, I've taken the suggestion of our moderator, Jessica, to consider the usual and most accepted function of a thing and see if we can repurpose it. She allowed the use of one of her templates.......the kitchen sink. I've drawn this scene driving through the mountains of New Mexico with our little travel camper in tow.