“Summer Thunder” at Kubota Garden

 

8/30/26 Taiko drumming event at Kubota Garden

Since notice was very short, I wasn’t sure how many sketchers would join me at Kubota Garden for “Summer Thunder,” a taiko drumming event that also featured dancing and storytelling. I was happy to find at least a few folks there!

As soon as I arrived, I realized I hadn’t been to the garden in quite a while; I think the last time was in 2022. It’s lovely year-round, but late summer is probably one of the best times to be at Kubota. Some Japanese maples were just beginning to hint at turning; in a couple of months, they’ll be gorgeous. I could have spent a long time trying to capture layers of foliage, but on this sunny afternoon I was more in the mood for the festive taiko event (top of post).

Eventually I took a walk through the maze of the garden. No matter how many times I’ve been there, I always get lost on its meandering paths. I don’t know where I was when I found a pine tree that was asking to be sketched (a good eavesdropping spot, too).

Lunar Eclipse

 

8/27/26 partial lunar eclipse

Not paying attention to the time, I nearly missed last Thursday’s partial lunar eclipse when a text from a friend reminded me to look out the window. Luckily, the sky was clear at exactly 9:12 p.m. PT, when 96.2 percent of the moon was obscured – the peak of the near-total eclipse. I knew I would be asleep by the time it looked interesting again, so I was happy to catch this much.

Back in January 2019, I made a series of sketches of a total lunar eclipse that had begun earlier in the evening.