Opening buds and budding urban designers

Dear Sarah - Day 124 of our daily drawing exchange

May 4, 2025
Hi Sarah!

Well, no surprise I guess, but another very full day today that included two Jane’s Walks in Calgary (and a bunch of other stuff). One of the walks was led by Bryce, a grade 7 student who took us on a fabulous tour of the Sunnyside neighbourhood. The final stop was a playground close to the train station where a) Bryce is involved with a campaign to try to have speed bumps installed to slow traffic charging past this park and b) there are things to climb that I suspect were never meant to be climbed.

After her official duties as a Jane’s Walk leader were done, she shimmied up a post and surveyed her domain from on high. It was hard to get the scale and perspective right, so I’ve included the photo used as reference.

She reminded me a lot of Dani when she was younger. No doubt Dani would have led such a walk had they been a thing when she was a kid. I think Dani and I both had a particularly excellent time during the walks today because we’ve been immersed in our psychogeography readings and thinking about urban design, social spaces, and what factors impact our experiences of a place.

I’m looking forward to seeing what has happened with your latest flower bud…

Nikki

Hi Nikki,

Another day, another rhodo bud.

Here's day two. The changes are quite subtle, but no less challenging to draw. I missed taking a pic on day 3, but took day 4 this morning. What a difference a day makes! I meant to draw it today but became involved in a trip to get ice cream followed by some time at a playground. The ice cream was from a local ice cream maker--soooo good. Kianna had Key Lime Pie, Kai had a strawberry-mango froyo, and I had lemon cream. We all agreed that mine was the best (tangy, smooth, not too sweet, very lemony), but they were all very tasty. What can be better than sitting at a picnic table in the sunshine, eating artisanal ice cream with happy kids?

Hope you had an equally happy day.
XO Sarah