sketchbook :: ignoring the details

The first sketch in my newly made spring sketchbook, looking out my back door to the hillside across the way at the late afternoon sky. Actually I am looking through many tree limbs that live between my house and this hillside but I wanted to focus on the light of the late afternoon sky casting its glow on the hill this first day of spring.

When I settled in to do this sketch I first gathered my supplies on the kitchen table then looked around for inspiration. And I put dinner on. And tidied up a bit. Not finding a suitable subject for the first page in my new journal I looked out the window and noticed the sky. So I began painting that. I enjoyed using this watercolor paper that I had chosen for my sketch journal. I left the sketch to dry and attended to other things. Then it was time to clear the table for dinner. When I picked up my sketch book I realized that the first page spread that I had opened had flipped over by an entire signature when I wasn't paying attention. So my ceremonial first sketch for the first day of spring is actually five page spreads into my journal. In my world where these kinds of details are extremely important this was nearly a disaster. I do hope this isn't some kind of an omen for the season. The message here may just be to slow down and pay attention.