October 31

I spent all morning working on a new web site for my graphic design business, then tossed the lot and started again. Now I'm exploring the idea of using the same site/design for both my "work" and my "play" art. Here's what I've got so far ... what do you think?

October 30

October 29

People are preparing their costumes ...

October 28

Another drawing inspired by National Geographic. Original photo credit: Ian Waldie, Getty Images.

October 27

Halloween's a-coming ...

I found a wonderful photo of Antrozous pallidus in a recent National Geographic that inspired me to draw their crazy shape.

October 26

October 25

I've been so impressed with Danny Gregory's portraits of late, that I was inspired to try a few of my own.

October 24

October 23

Copied from a stock photo while waiting for a large file to print at work.

October 22

More spearmint flowers.

October 21

The hummingbirds and the bees love the spearmint bush (which I keep cutting back with no detrimental effect). Check out the load of pollen on this little guy's legs.

October 20

I came home to a happy family and a happy garden. I'm so glad I live in a climate with a long growing season. My capsicums (bell peppers) are turning red, the eggplant bush is full of fruit, and tonight we ate fresh-picked salad greens.

October 19

October 18

October 17

October 16

October 15

I'm on the road again.

October 14

I had to smile when commentors on a recent post asked how I ended up with all those mittens. You might also ask how I ended up with a [fake, life-size] severed foot. The answer is the same -- my husband is a prop master. We have a LOT of weird and wonderful and useless stuff in our garage and storage units.

His latest gig is a new cable show that features a lot of body parts. He had a few spare feet hanging around this week, so he brought them home. It is, after all, nearly Halloween.

October 13

October 12

October 11

October 10

In my dreams nearly every night lately I am aware that my mother is dead. Sometimes, like last night, I sob in my sleep and awaken with a blocked nose and wet face. I miss you, Mum.

October 9

October 8

Not sure what to do with them now that I've drawn them. Anyone want six pairs of white fleece mittens?

October 7

We were all at a bit of a loose end this morning. Lauren unsuccessfully tried to organize a friend to play with, and Josh wanted to spend time with her but desperately needed to rest after working nearly 70 hours this week. It was such a gorgeous day that we all wanted to be outside. So we found something that pleased us all. We drove to beautiful Serrania Park, and Lauren and I hiked 2.2 miles (3.5 km) up to Mulholland Drive and back, while Josh snoozed in the shade of this sycamore tree.

It turned out to be more of a photography day than a sketching day. Perfect late summer Southern California weather, and Lauren had a blast playing with all the dogs in the park before and after our hike. Afterwards she hugged me and said, "Thank you Hashi. This was MUCH more fun than having a play date."

October 6

It's Blind Contour First Friday, and this month's theme is "SPOOKY".

As a non-American, I find Halloween to be pretty bizarre. I mean, you spend all year telling your children there's no such thing as monsters, and that they should never accept food or gifts from a stranger, then on this one night you deliberately scare them and send them off to ask strangers for candy. Makes no sense to me.

But anyway, I was going to get down the freaky alien fetus that is stored in our Halloween box in the garage, but I was too lazy to haul out a ladder and move a bunch of boxes. So I found this pretty scary mask to draw instead. Wouldn't want to meet him in a dark alley, that's for sure. Unfortunately, my rendition is more innocuous than the original.

October 5

MISSING: Three fire-bellied toads.

October 4

I dropped into Chinatown on my way to today's press check, and took the opportunity to sketch the very large rooster on the roof of Superior Poultry. This store, I've heard, has been a landmark in Chinatown for more than 50 years and is said to be the last place in Los Angeles to sell live chickens to retail and wholesale customers. EDM Challenge #41 - Draw a landmark of your city.

October 3

When I arrived at after-school care to pick up Lauren, there was a note on the door saying they were all at the park and would be home soon. Aha, thought I, some drawing time. I had no paper with me, and only a scratchy ballpoint pen, but I found an old composition book inside the garage so made do with a page torn from that. Here's as far as I got before the van-load of kids arrived back.

October 2

I had the idea of introducing frogs to my veggie garden to help keep the ants under control. This morning, I sunk a sturdy plastic container in a shady corner under the spearmint bush, filled it with water, and went searching for a frog to inhabit it. Not having a pond full of tadpoles nearby, I went to the pet store. There I was informed that all their frogs were hand-fed from birth, and would never survive in my garden. The only breed that would live outdoors would be the Southern Toad, and they didn't have any. But the next pet store had little (2"/5cm) Fire-bellied Toads, so I bought one. Back in the garden, it seemed very happy with its new home -- it hopped off to snavel a few ants and came back to the pond. Greatly encouraged, I sent Josh off to buy a couple of friends for it.

I am inordinately delighted with the three new tenants. I hope they stick around. And eat a LOT of ants.

October 1

September 30