Pruned

1/16/15 Sailor Doyou and Iroshizuku Fuyu-syogun inks,
watercolor, Caran d'Ache Museum water-soluble colored
pencils, Zig marker, Canson XL 140 lb. paper

Whether these trees were the victims of disease or over-zealous pruning, it’s hard to say. Tiny twigs were sprouting from some of the haphazardly whacked branches, so maybe they’ll recover someday.

Although the sky in front of me was dark and foreboding, behind me the clouds sporadically split apart to let the sun through, and I’d have a few seconds at a time to put in shadows. 

Meanwhile, I don’t know what was going on with the cones in front of the house – I didn’t see any nearby holes, construction or other hazards for them to be marking – but I suppose it’s not the strangest sight I’ve seen in Maple Leaf.