For all my spirit being willing, the flesh got weak when the temperature fell below 20 degrees. I managed to sit all of ten minutes in the snow out the back door of my Nebraska in-laws, where I was spending Thanksgiving, and draw what I think might have been an elm tree. It grew in the yard next-door. Whatever it was, it had been limbed up the day before and the scars were fresh where the saws had done their work. And it had been a young tree when the neighbors built their house and put a chain link fence around the yard, because the fence post is now a permanent part of the root system. This is the hard thing about suburban drawing: you can’t pretend there’s anything wild and natural unless you’re pretty good at pretending. I thought about leaving out the fence and the telephone wires but in the end I gave in and drew them in. I would have put in the swing set and tool shed, too, but damn it, it was cold out there.
Drawing The Motmot 
Glad to see you back in action. I really like this piece. I think the fence and wire add to the design giving a horizontal, and you did a good job suggesting the chain link fence.
I sort of doubt it was an Elm. They mostly all died out with Dutch Elm disease. My home town in Iowa lost over 5000 trees. Today there are no Elms left.
You can get those warming bags to put in pockets, under your hat, etc. I think most sporting goods and sometimes drug stores carry them.
If you are drawing vs using oil paints you could draw from your car (some people paint also, but it has risk of a big mess). Tell your family and Santa you want a big plush van to draw from in bad weather.
Long live the tribe of Weather Wimps.
Does this mean that you won’t be adding to your One Hundred Starts until the Spring thaw? Not that I don’t blame you! I hibernate the moment the temperature drops below 50 degrees!
Janet
http://janetwilkins.wordpress.com
You and me both. I’ve finally learned to appreciate winter birds in New York but I still can’t sign on to the “winter” part!