Accurate Anchor and Rough Around the Edges

Dear Sarah - Day 76 of our daily drawing exchange

March 17, 2025
Dear Nikki,

I was called out by a neighbour today for failing to wear green! So Happy St Patrick's Day!

I went for another early-ish walk today to catch the sun. This time I was in James Bay so I walked along Dallas Road and came across this enormous anchor sculpture. I must have walked by it hundreds of times before, but I never stopped to appreciate how beautiful it is. So I took some pictures and carried on to a great little bulk foods store/cafe to pick up some things.

While I was there, a woman came in from the outside tables saying that someone had left what looked like a piece of carved driftwood on one of the tables. Upon closer examination, I could see that it was indeed driftwood, and very intricately carved. Parts of it were also wrapped with brown garden string. The woman working in the store said that someone in the neighbourhood has been leaving things on the tables and she didn't want any of it. So I said I'd take it and draw it.

When I got home, I put it on my table while I had lunch, and realized that the carvings (three faces) were quite tortured, twisted and very malevolent. After a few minutes I couldn't even look at it, and I really didn't want it in my house. It had, as we used to say, a very dark vibe. So I took it outside, and stuck it in a tree across the street. I can honestly say, I have never experienced anything like that before. And you know me--I'm not exactly a woo-woo person!!

When I came back inside, I embroidered a very cheery sunflower, and drew a huge anchor. The anchor drawing is not finished--but I wanted to get the basic proportions in place. I like that the anchor itself forms two letter As, with the railing behind it. Anchor Art.

XO S

Hi Sarah!

Ewwww… that carving sounds creepy - no wonder the store owner didn’t want anything to do with it. What an odd experience.

Not to rain on your St. Paddy’s Day parade, but in our household the 17th is always a day best left uncelebrated as it was on Saint Patrick’s Day when Dani wound up in the hospital, very ill as a six year-old, and was subsequently diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. We mostly ignore the day and don’t generally wear green. Or drink beer. Or do anything special except bemoan the fact that DECADES later there is still no cure and the multinational drug companies are still making a lot of money selling test strips and insulin pumps. Rant over.

As for my drawing - a ballpoint pen scratchy thing that more or less captures my somewhat ragged mood as I reach the end of yet another very long, very full day/stretching into night.

Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow for a writing session - it will be good to be still and focus on something fun for a bit.

Until then, good night!
Nikki