Irene Hedgerow surveyed her gardens. Having just come from her morning woodland walk, she could not help but feel pride in the place. Despite her living so close to the sea, as one could not help on Cape Cod, she managed keeping the salt and sand at bay.
Her neatly trimmed hedges of box and conifer made her heart swell. But, what was that? Trampled flowerbeds? Broken branches? A flash of cap and plus-fours?!
Mr. Parr had done it again, trampled his way from the links onto her lawn. **Irene Hedgerow could keep the sea and sand at bay, but golfers from the neighboring course was another matter. She'd have to see Old Ellison, her gardener, about putting up fencing.
Irene Hedgerow's morning had gone from fabulous to frustration.
The sketch without color added.
When I was considering some other characters for my New England group of 'critters, I was having a good think in my own garden. The Sun was warm and the wind was down, which was a treat from this past weeks heavy rains, whitecaps on shore, and wind , wind, and more wind.
Well, sitting in the garden dreaming of Spring plantings, I was disturbed by a squirrel. You'd think their antics would charm, and they do when one is in the city park, but in my own garden...They are forever digging up bulbs, knocking over bird feeders and scaring away song birds from bird baths.
But, I thought I'd have my revenge on them by turning one of their kind into a calm dignified lady who, in her own garden, is having to see havoc upon her own space. My revenge in the form of pen and ink and watercolor.
A Gif of some of the layers of Irene Hedgerow.
I hope you enjoyed my latest little character and my own form of getting back at the squirrels, tho I know they'd care little for it and if left out long enough, they'd chew up my drawing and squatter my paints without a swish of their tails.
May you find a moment in your day to enjoy your own gardens and may the squirrels be few and well behaved.
Bunny Portraits