Scribble Picnic - Forest

I had another piece ready for today's theme however I just can't bring myself to post it!

I took a photo of a forested area and worked on it with my watercolor pencils etc.,

but it reminded me too much of the devastating fire scenes sweeping through
 California yet again, with the clouds looking more like billowing smoke, and the
 autumn leaves brown, crinkly and burnt looking. . . . .not a peaceful forest scene.

Instead, this is a photo of a 'forest floor' scene taken in my back garden - which 

I must admit these days is resembling a woodland on its way to becoming a forest!

There are golden toadstools, green and gold fallen oak leaves, acorns etc. Worked 

some with watercolor pencils. . . . .but perhaps it's best just left unfinished.

Today's theme is FOREST.  It will be interesting to see what everyone comes

 up with this time. 

Head over to Michael's SCRIBBLE PICNIC later today.

Sending happy Thanksgiving Day wishes to all. 

I will be visiting family in Arizona for a week and am hoping to get

 photos to share later. It's been a while since I was in the desert!

Winging it . . . . . . . . . .

As mentioned recently, there are still surprises hidden in the garden even when 

the flowers aren't blooming due to the weather conditions.

Yesterday I found two - a dragonfly wing and a huge toadstool which had popped up 

under the fig tree. The lumpy fungus cannot be mistaken for a mushroom by any means, 

but it definitely has an astonishing beauty all of its own.
I think this is the Black-staining polypore -  Meriplus sumstinel- which 
grows around the base or stumps of deciduous trees, July through September, and can
reach 32 inches across - this one was about 10 inches.

As for the ethereal and delicate beauty of a tiny wing, discarded on the front 
steps . . . . . one wonders what happened to the dragonfly. 
I so hope it had its days in the sun.

Here's hoping your weekend has a few lovely 

surprises in store for you.