It has been a week of humidity (no surprise there!), early morning dog walks, drawing and Pokemon catching with ‘Pokemon Go’.  Is there anyone not playing this app!? Wherever we go there are kids pointing their phones at random points and swiftly heading off to the next ‘catch’.

I snapped some pics to share my week with you.  What have you been up to?

1. On Monday I went with my husband to the Missouri Botanical Gardens. It was a lovely cool morning and the gardens are in bloom in every direction. These lily pads are amazing and the reflection of the cherubs in the water made the photo.

2. My most favorite part of the gardens are the lotus flowers in the Japanese Garden and they were in bloom so I was a happy snappy chappy! I love these flowers so much, they influenced my whole week!  I drew them, painted them and used the colour palette in my art journal.

3. This wet pebble path was strewn with bright leaves.

4. Every time I visit the gardens, I have to take a photo of the sunburst glass by Dale Chihuly, I think they are the most beautiful thing.  This time I held my camera up as close as I could and took lots of photos from different angles, so some glass was in focus and some not.  I really like the effect I got.

5. I have spent lots of drawing time on the porch this week.  This is a sketch for the Tinkersketch challenge.  

6. I spotted this guy while walking the dog, he posed for long enough for me to get in nice and close.  I don’t know what kind of fly he is, do you?

7. There was a cracking sunset on Saturday night.

8. I made a fresh tomatoes sauce with tomatoes and basil from the garden and mozzarella balls (not from the garden!). It is from the Laurie David book The Family Dinner.

9. Our neighbours have been unwilling landlords to this snapping turtle all week, we managed to get him down to the creek and everyone was much happier. They think he is about 35 years old!

Stay warm or cool depending on which end of the world you are!

Happy Monday x