hunting for apples and drawing boro and sashiko

What a lovely day here today. Summer clothes after succumbing to having the furnace on earlier in the week. Wally had the afternoon off so we went for a little jaunt before applying ourselves to the much neglected yard tomorrow.

I do love a beautiful poplar lined field. This one borders the organic farm we wanted to see.

Cucumbers at 75 cents and green peppers for $1 each; not too bad considering the price of most imported produce around here.

 

We drove by some beautiful apple orchards

Their boughs heavy with apples

There is something so heartwarming about a late afternoon on an Indian summer day

 

As beautiful as these apples were, it was "no spray" apples we were looking for

 

Gates family farm did have a row of a tart Macintosh variety next to the cornfield.

And look! Another row of poplars in the background.

 

"Give me spots on my apples but leave me the birds and the bees, plea-ea-ease."

(by Joni Mitchell)

 

A beautiful bin of squashes.

 

As for creativity, I've had my mind stuck on Boro, the Japanese art of mending. I am fascinated by the old garments that were patched and darned, peasant wear that was made of coarsely woven indigo-dyed hemp. I've been thinking about playing around with needle and thread.  Sashiko thread most closely resembles pearl cotton crochet thread but is twisted tighter and lacks a sheen. Sashiko is the running stitch that the Japanese used to mend and darn, once a necessity, now recognized as art.

 

Man in Boro Noragi with Goat

Last night I chose instead to draw a man in a boro noragi. The noragi is a farmer's work coat.

I was delighted to find I could draw the sashiko (running stitch) with white pencil and colour over it with navy blue, simulating the traditional indigo.

 

Man In Boro Noragi with Goat (detail)

The original is done in the same sketchbook of 9x12" drawing paper that my recent graphite drawings were done in. This is all done in coloured pencils and has been so much fun to do.

 

Again my photos are somewhat blurry and again I apologize. I have a somewhat ambivalent relationship with my camera which I've ironically grown quite attached to regardless of its faults. We've made a certain kind of peace.

 

I keep thinking about life's abundance, grateful that I can have such a thing as a camera.

Now for a fresh, crisp, tartly sweet, unsprayed apple.

Choose our blessings, and then be grateful.