Often for breakfast (just this morning), I have hot oatmeal mixed with a spoonful of Sun Maid Raisins and a tad of brown sugar. Yum! It only stands to reason that I chose these items for InkFinger's Blind Contour Friday challenge.

This is about as "fresh" as it gets, eating a freshly opened container of Sun Maid raisins! I remember when my Mom would pack those tiny boxes of raisins in my lunch. The packages were so small and cute and you just hated to eat the last raisin. Well, now they come in great big containers so enjoy to your hearts content!

Once again my computer was down while K was in the process of stripping and reloading everything. I got a hungry worm or virus that seemed to invade everything with a nasty vengence. The good part is that I have dual hard drives with 120 gig each so I am pretty safe with my work being backed up. I get sooooooo frustrated though when I can't work on my illustrations. Our other computers don't have all my programs loaded on them so it gets me grumbly at times. I am very thankful though that K builds computers and writes code, I couldn't imagine how much money and time lost it would cost if I had to take it to a computer shop to be fixed.

I needed another go at Inkfinger's Blind Friday so here goes! I was at my usual Starbuck's after a very busy Friday and needing just a little peace and quiet and a little sketching to help me relax. Low and behold a police car was parked outside. Imagine that, a policeman at a coffee shop?!

Week #7, Blind Contour Friday.

Self portrait of my eye for EDM's #33 & #11 challenge. I started this illustration some time ago thinking it was going to be the challenge for that week (someone mentioned it in the group)but it never became one until now. As a result I finished only one eye, but hey, it's me and wearing my glasses instead of contacts. Just a quick sketch without a lot of shadowing or contour.

Thinking of Illustration Friday's theme "escape" immediately brought a clear picture to mind. When I need to just get away I escape with a good book, a Starbuck's coffee and "me" time. Time to relax and reflect and for goodness sakes, turn off that cell phone!

This fellow was really jovial and had a nice smile. He and his son both talked to me while I was sketching and didn't seem to mind a bit. For some reason he looks like a "Joe".


This fellow was incredibly self conscious while I was sketching him and kept fidgeting. He finally got up and left, but not before I was able to complete the sketch.

After spending a week in Wichita, Kansas I am glad to say I that I am back home safe and sound. I attended a training course provided by the company I work for which has it's own college, along with 3 other colleagues I work with at our corporate office. I met so many people, many of whom I had only talked with by phone. Over the course of a week I personally got to know quite a few of them and built what I think will be some lasting friendships. I also learned more than I wanted to know about some of them :) and not enough about others. The week went by fast, we put in long hours, did plenty of work and we had a few late nights. The night we went go-cart racing and played laser tag was the most fun and NO, competition is NOT one of my top 5 strengths, though most would say you could not tell. :) I was just on top of my game that night! Everyone went away from the activities that night feeling much more at ease with one another and a camraderie and alliances were beginning to form among the ranks. To all of the WIGLESS WONDERS, thanks for a memorable experience!

Now that I'm back, I have much to catch up on. Last month this blog received 22,844 hits but to date is running somewhat behind as I have not been able to post any illustrations in over a week. I'll try to post illustrations for IF, Blind Friday and EDM this week. Thanks to all who frequent this blog and left such warm messages and emails, I do appreciate it!

This week's Illustration Friday theme, "roots", immediately brought images to mind of all my favorite root vegetables and I quickly set to work creating vivid colors, shapes and textures. I may still may add more to it at a later date. Click here to view a larger image of it.
Can you name the vegetables?

I am one day late posting Every Day Matters Challenge # 30, however the Labor Day holiday just now gave me the opportunity to sit down and complete this illustration. The chair sits in our great room and is green leather and dark wood.

My mind is filled on a daily basis with the devestation and tragedy left behind from Hurricane Katrina. The heart wrenching images fill me with such a mixture of intense emotions it is difficult to express. Pain and rage over the immense loss of lives and grieving for those that have died and those that were able to survive only to face a future of uncertainties. The suffering these people will face in the days, weeks and months to come cannot even be measured. My thoughts and prayers are with each and every person who has been a part of this ongoing tragedy, including those who are able to assist in the rescue and relief efforts. God be with you.

It's the first of September and I can hardly believe how time has flown by. We have now lived in our new home, town and state for 1 year and have just begun to explore it. I am already anticipating fall, the colorful leaves, pumpkins,gourds and the change in the weather; cool and brisk. Ah, there is nothing like taking a walk on a cool fall day in jeans, flannel shirt and sneakers. Good by summer, good by white after labor day, hello beautiful FALL!