Illustration Friday: Together

I did this illo back in August. It illustrates very well the topic of this week Together but it was not  done with that topic in mind. Every time I had the urge to draw and did not have any idea I would do an illustration about the joys of summer. So one of the joys of summer is to pick up your own apples straight from the tree. You and your little sister, together.

Illustration Friday:Hidden

My submission for this week's topic Hidden .He was hidden in the woods ,evil, hungry and lonely. His life completely changed since the moment he  met that strong little girl in the red hood. Now he is happy, fed and friendly and he follows her everywhere. But it is a different story.

Bye,bye,August! Hello,September!

It seems to me August passed by so fast. It was a busy one for us or it seemed to me like a busy one. It was full of celebrations and things that had to be taken care of. A late graduation party for my step son, an early birthday celebration for my daughter, school  supplies shopping, school clothes shopping ,long awaited going to the movies to see the One Direction movie/Yes, she is a fan!/,sleepovers, taking care of my little veggie patch, harvesting the produce , cleaning after the Guinea pigs and playing with them, bike rides and reading aloud The Little House On The Prairie and so many other activities that come with the sweet summer time and the school vacation.
But this time is over now and she is /almost/ready for school. But I am not ready for the fall yet. This year the summer was kind of short and  I would not mind some more warm and sunny days.

Illustration Friday: Power

This is my submission for this week's topic Power. It illustrates the powerful bond between a person and her dog. The love between a person and a pet can be so strong that in moments of danger they can risk their lives to save each other. This one is an old doodle that I did back in June but I like how it turned out and would like to share it with you. The girl in it also reminds me about my step daughter Alana who loves animals so much ,especially the dogs, so she goes to school to become a vet technician.

Water

At the last moment I realized that there was water in every picture I posted here. I guess I wish I could have some relaxing days by the water but well, may be the next time. Otherwise the life goes on with its little ups and downs. Wonderful weather, more time outdoors, bored child, who spends too much time on the computer, sleepovers, work, rest, family bike rides, small health problems that ended well. I wish I could travel more though...
Pictures 1,2,3-Lake Pepin and Lake City, 4,5 Pet shop in the City of Forest Lake, MN, 6,7-Forest Lake, 8-St.Paul,MN with the Mississippi River

From my sketchbook-botanicals

For this one I looked for inspiration on the Internet in the old time botanical drawings.

Cold summer soup

Hi, guys, long time no see. You know how sometimes life throws at us little things, not big, just little ones but they take away all our time and energy. That was the situation with me. Now when I got my  time and brain back I started thinking about my next blog post. It is going to be a recipe that I have always wanted to share with you. It is so delicious , I am addicted to it!  It is a simple cold soup called TARATOR , a Bulgarian staple that screams "summer" and brings a lot of memories to every Bulgarian. I don't know why it reminds me about summer camps at the sea side ,about that happy and carefree time in my childhood when everything was a discovery and everything was about fun, lots of fun!
So, let's begin. You will need:

1 big or 2 smaller cucumbers finely chopped
2-3big cloves of garlic, crushed with some salt
3 tablespoons  of vegetable oil, olive oil is the best
2 cups of plain yogurt
2 cups of cold water
a small bunch of fresh dill
salt to taste
a handful of walnuts, chopped-this one is optional

In a big bowl combine crushed garlic, chopped cucumber, oil and yogurt and stir. Thin the mixture with the water and stir it again. Add the dill finely cut and the walnuts if you have some.
*Now if you like your soup creamy the ratio yogurt-water is2:2.If you prefer it more liquidy  the ratio can be 2 cups of yogurt:4 cups of water.
The soup tastes better after being refrigerated for at least one hour. You can keep it in the fridge for up to three days. It tastes even better on the next day. Enjoy and let me warn you something: it is addictive. So delicious!

Puppy

The last tree or four weeks the topics at the Illustration Friday did not inspire me very much and I did not participate.Anyway I did  some drawings inspired from different ideas. This puppy though is an old one, done in June. It was completed in watercolor straight with the brush. For a reference a used a photo from Country Living magazine , the British edition.

Holiday Trip-2

Some more pictures from our trip to Stillwater, MN. The Mississippi River was above its flood stage so all the walks along the river were under water. But as you can see it could not stop people from enjoying this beautiful day in the park by the river.

Holiday Trip

One day trip to Stillwater, MN during the long holiday weekend. Beautiful drive along the Mississippi River. I could not get enough of the amazing scenery. The waterfront ,the hills, the woods, the picturesque little towns, the boats ,the birds !!!
My girl couldn't wait to reach the destination for the fun to begin. Too young to realize that the journey is the greater part of the fun.
We ate lunch at a great restaurant at the water front-The Freight House,  browsed in some gift and antique shops and got carried away buying candy in one of the most amazing candy shops -Candy land.
Next time I am going to post some more pictures from our trip.

Summer

We had a few warm and sunny days. The nice weather  calls our names and we spend more time outdoors. Walks, bike rides ,hanging out in the back yard with the guinea pigs or watering my little veggie patch. No much time for sketching or drawing. The drawing in the first picture is an old one. It reflects my mood at the moment. The red shoes remind me about the pain in my right foot I am dealing with. I haven't been to the doctor yet hoping to walk it off but if it goes on like that I will have to go. I do not let it stop me from doing fun staff though. It is summer!

*****

Random pictures from June. Unpredictable weather, rain and sunshine, rain and sunshine, then rain again. The level of the rivers are high giving reasons for worries. We are in and out, in and out, trying to enjoy the outdoors as much as possible. A regular work week with no much time and energy for creativity. Substituting drawing with photography. Finding the beauty in the everyday life. Tending to a sick Guinea pig. He got his last dose of antibiotic yesterday and he is feeling much better.