The Great Oklahoma Ice Storm of ’07 is now in cleanup phase and Oklahomans are coping with cold, no power, low supplies at the local stores, and huge piles of debris from broken trees. The sound of chainsaws are ubiquitous in town where the damage is very bad. Today I went there on a scavenger hunt in search of lamp oil, wicks, batteries, lanterns, bird seed, and other survival supplies. I was largely successful after going to almost every store in Norman, but it took up much of my day. I spent an hour or so helping a friend clear his front yard, which was covered by leaves, heavy oak branches and heaps of crushed ice (I suggested that he lay out some oysters on the half shell when we finished).
The good news is that we are back home- our power came back on yesterday afternoon and all is warm and cozy for the time being. After emptying out the rotten refrigerator, washing up, and baking chocolate chip cookies, the house is home again. The bad news is that another storm is headed this way tomorrow.
As promised, I’m posting drawings from the Ice Storm on a new page. You can see that I was still in a fine good humor that first day, something that wore off a little as time dragged on. Did I mention I’m a weather wimp?
Drawing The Motmot 
Your work is really gorgeous! I just love the way you lay down your marks. I’m curious as to what kind of pencils you use? It looks like you use a moleskine sketchbook to draw in, right?
Thanks! I’m drawing in a Moleskine sketchbook (5×8) and using regular cheap mechanical pencils- my current favorite is a Papermate Clearpoint .5 or .7(that’s a Sanford Clearpoint for all of you Australians). That’s what I use when I’m drawing small. For bigger stuff I like a 6B Koh-i-noor Triograph.
Brrrr. Brrrr. Brrrr. Brrrr. You are scoring SO many gold stars for working, working, working through an ice storm. You are now officially off the chart, and it will take me years to catch up. Glad to know, though, that you’re keeping warm(ish) and safe.
Amazing! I think I’d be joining you in the weather wimp category if I had to go through something like that.
Great sketch.
After looking at my last two entries, they were taken from indoors looking out, I think that I have you beat in the weather wimp department!
I LOVE the photograph you took in the earlier post that you called cowboy coffee … it just looks so “rustic” and cozy. I also LOVE your sketches of your pets. Now, in the sketch of your husband “reading,” is that your cat curled up in the quilt near the base of his feet?
That’s Gizmo the tabby cat curled up between Mike’s feet. She is a fur-covered hot-water bottle, essentially. Very useful in cold weather.