The main thing is to draw and not think too much about the end result. This is an uninspired drawing of a ballhead waterleaf (Hydrophyllum capitatum). I laid on my belly on the ground to get a good look at it, and cranked my head and arm around to see and draw. My hand didn’t have full mobility across the page, and some of the lines were shaky. These are low growers, so you need to get right down to appreciate the purplish-blue spherical flowers with the stamens protruding out. Also the leaves have elegant shapes and simple veins. I noticed particularly the way the leaf lobes attached to the stem. When you just look, you can be pretty amazed.

Wind roaring through the pine tops this afternoon, and sun illuminating the yellow lilies, the new green leaves, the drab dried grass and weeds. I hiked uphill, farther than I have in weeks. It was fine. The heart behaved itself, and I wanted to keep going.