Here Thar Be Dragons!

Some Dragons in the park for this week's Chalk Theme.  Not that there is ever a "theme" that I stick to.  Mostly it is just things that inspire me.  Or things that I find a lot of really good pics for.  I have always liked dragons.  Both drawing and just the idea of a flying lizard that breathes fire.  It calls back to the days of playing the "Godless Satan Worship" of Dungeons and Dragons. ( By the way, it was NOT Godless, nor Satan worship!  It was a bunch of nerds and geeks playing out their fantasies of being barbarian dragon slayers.... And saving the world from the undead hordes!) Back in those days, there were no computer games to fret over.   Everything was in a very dangerous place  called "Your own imagination."   A place  parents and teachers did not seem to approve of when we were growing up.  But I digress!

On Sunday, a couple of girls helped me finish the water dragon and the frost dragon.   Even though they were fairly young and a little inexperienced, they did fill out the big stuff quickly and help me finish 4 dragons that day.  

Since then, I have been lucky if I could complete three dragons on my own.  Even the little ones seem to take about the same amount of time.  You would think that I would get faster as I gain experience, but no!  In fact, it seems after three hours of crawling around on the hot concrete, I'm totally spent! If no kids are readily available for recruitment, I have to call it for the day.  

The kids start school next week, so any hope for future apprenticeships in chalk art and design will be gone along with them. I will once again be on my own and racing against the 3 o'clock deadline. ( That is when the schools let out and the kids flood the sidewalks...  With a million questions and no time or intent to help...) 

In other news,  we captured one of the Giant Iowa Spiders in our small apartment a few days ago.  It is getting to be that time of year when they find the inside more desirable.  This guy looked like one of those really big black crickets running along the edge of the wall.  When I saw it was not "jumping" I realized it was one of those giant spiders and about screamed like a little girl!  

Yes!  Forget Snakes...  Spiders freak me out if I am not prepared for them.  Especially the ones without webs.   Webs are up high and out of the way... but those creepy crawlers sneak into your bed  or shoe and give you a nibble when you are not expecting it. I'm not sure if this is a brown recluse ( wolf spider) but the legs looked transparent enough to me, and I know they are here in Iowa. Some guy from the Farmer's market even showed us one of his bite marks just to give us nightmares!  Thanks for the anxiety....

The weather is warming up now that the clouds have moved on.   On clear days, the sun does a great job all by itself.   But the evenings are cooler and there is rain predicted later this weekend.   We shall see if it arrives as planned.  In the mean time, Cheryl is preparing for a run on Saturday, and I am planning on picking up Subie on Thursday.... Fingers crossed he is ready and everything works out.   Thanks for stopping in.