Thursday, December 3, 2009

Greengages galore

A quickie watercolour sketch of the greengage plum tree in our garden - it's laden with fruit and the grey louries and other fruit eaters are gorging themselves - watch out washing (which hangs next to the tree) here come the dive-bombers... worse, though, is that it's mulberry season too... do you know what damage flying mulberry missiles can do to white sheets?!
The fruit eaters include the dog, who is very pleased that he can help himself to plums whenever he likes, which he obviously doesn't connect to his condition of lying around groaning with tummy-ache. Do other dogs eat fruit? He also loves the avocados that fall off the neighbour's tree. When I was a child we had a dear silly old squat dog called Dagwood who tried to climb the mulberry tree to get at the fruit and got himself well and truly stuck one day.
Now why am I sitting here drawing cartoons of a long-gone pet? Because I'm procrastinating, that's why - with holidays and Christmas coming up there's so much to do and I don't know where to start, but start I must!

18 comments:

Gillian said...

Ah! Sweet story about old Dagwood! Gucci is one lucky dog to be able to feast on plums and avo's. Lovely w/c of your plum laden tree. It's got cold here; we may even get snow tomorrow.

Suzanne McDermott said...

I'm glad you're procrastinating because I love the sketch of Dagwood - and his name, too! Can't say I've known any dogs that ate fruit but when I open a can, my cats come running, no matter what's inside!

Unknown said...

Suzanne said it... it's good you procrastinated - great cartoon.

My parents dogs have all eaten fruit, mainly pieces of orange that the scrounge off my mother.

Maree Clarkson said...

Great plum tree Cathy! And so is Dagwood!

Cathy Gatland said...

Gee, snow in Texas Gillian, that must be unusual... hope you get some for fun (I see on fb that Stefan is hoping for a day off school:)

Thanks Suzanne, yes any movement or noise that suggests food and they're there like a shot!

Hi Sue - thank you! I'm very good at procrastinating... glad we don't have the only weird dogs around!

Cathy Gatland said...

Thanks Maree! - just saw your comment as I posted mine

Anonymous said...

Cathy, What a magical place you must live in. Love the sketch and story of your dog. I have a Dobermin and he also put's a wonderful smile on my face as did this sketch.
Have a great day
Linda

Carol King said...

Beautiful green tree. Love the dog stuck in the 2nd one with the chickens mocking him!

Art with Liz said...

I've had so much fun reading through those posts I've missed! How they passed me by I don't know. It's like reading an illustrated story book and I love it! You always bring the little things to life, things that we take for granted, like mulberry eating birds flying over the clean washing! Thank you Cathy.

Joan Sandford-Cook said...

I agree Liz - wonderfully descriptive 'events' in the life of Cathy. I just thought you have to do a cartoon of the dive bombers and Mulberry bright red splattered sheets blowing in the breeze, when I read the story of Dagwood and then view the great cartoon!!! See, I know how very talented you are and can work in any genre. Three weeks to go so you had better get out there shopping or creating/cooking for Christmas!!

RH Carpenter said...

Oh, yes, I know what mulberries can do to cars (I don't hang out laundry here) and sidewalks and...ha ha Love the painting and the cartoon...I can hear the chooks chattering away at poor Dagwood!

laura said...

I have never been able to succeed with the method you use on the tree, though I always admire it in others' work--so light and airy!
(Is Dagwood's name from the comic strip? We had a Daisy when I was little ...)

Cathy Gatland said...

Yes, it was Laura - he was born before I was, but I think he had a sister called Blondie. His mother, Scruffy was our other dog, and looked absolutely nothing like him (more like a chewed mango pip!)

Kris Wiltse said...

Delightful painting and drawing! Very fresh and vibrant. And since I'm a dog lover, hey, dogs in any form are worth a look see!

Cathy said...

Hilarious post! I do know about mulberry flying missiles - as you call them - and why do they always have to land on WHITE clothes hanging?
I love the dog stuck in the tree!
I don't care if you have loads to do: I love you spending time posting things as funny as this one!!

vivienne said...

Hi Cathy, What a great post of a special boy and special days. One of my favourite images of him is of his heaving his body, in sections, over the garden fence, so he could rush down the road after the chase of the day. (The cat up the road could reverse the chase, involving several dogs). Can you please draw the chickens with their platform-soles of black clay-mud? And of them trying to eat sticky toffee with popcorn in it? And the dogs running on the spot in the doorway on the polished floor as they tried to joiin another neighbourhood chase.
As if you need any more ideas?! Lots of love.

Vivienne said...

I just left a long comment that did not seem to make it. This is so great. Dear old dog.
Our current dogs, together or separately, eat all my green tomatoes, anything cabbage-like, including ornamentals and Virginia stocks, chew on lemons,and hoover up olives (ever tasted one straight from the tree?). We buy them such expensive, all nutrient-inclusive dog food too!

Cathy Gatland said...

Hello V - it's just when a post is over a week old, the comments are sent to me first to be moderated - I think to prevent spam, or something...
Yes, the dogs and cats and chickens of Bulawayo could provide material for a whole comic series - don't know if my memory is as good as yours though! Hope you guys are well... XXX