Dragonflies, Flowers, a Migraine and perhaps some Ballet Dancers?

Dear Sarah - Day 73 of our daily drawing exchange

March 14, 2025
Hi Nikki,

I love the sketch of you and Dani chasing the wheelchair down the path. So much movement and energy--I could feel your panic. Did that really happen?

Not feeling inspired by my groceries (or anything else) today, and I'm short of time, so I drew four flowers to remind myself that spring is coming soon. This morning I filled a big pot on my deck in preparation for planting sweetpeas. Soon I'll be able to go outside and draw all the flowers and grasses I grow on my deck: zinnias, petunias, alyssum, lobelia, calibrachoa, coreopsis and verbena. I love my deck garden but I do pine for more garden real estate.

I'm going to see Ballet BC tonight with Jen. I haven't been to a concert or performance in a long time. To mask or not to mask?

XO S

Hi Sarah!

I can’t remember the last time I went to the ballet - I hope you had a fabulous time!

I sure understand the desperate need for spring and new things growing. Alas, we were shovelling snow today as it started coming down quite hard for a while this afternoon. The growing season is short in Alberta, though that doesn’t stop keen gardeners from trying. Sadly, our deck is shaded by trees and faces the wrong way so we get very little direct sun in the summer. I get my garden/floral fix during my trips to the coast.

As you did, I turned to YouTube for some inspo this evening as I was trying to draw through a jiggeldy migraine aura and couldn’t see very well. They are vaguely dragonfly-esque and a subject I’d like to come back to when I’ve recovered.

As for yesterday’s panic-filled drawing, both Dani and I were terrified we would let go of the wheelchair on one of the many steep hills over which we trundled in Spain. We had nightmares, but didn’t actually lose Dad (thank goodness). We wound up rigging an emergency braking system using a travelling clothesline. We looped that around the back of the chair and then the emergency brake person held onto the ends while walking behind whoever had a death grip on the handles of the chair. I don’t know that we ever got a photo of the setup, but we must have looked quite comical heading downhill, grimly determined not to let go.

Will you be doing a Degas next and attempting a ballerina?

See you tomorrow!
Nikki