"Disheartened That I Sketched A Used Muffin Liner"

 

A kid's hand grenade!

Good "Gateway to the West" Friday Morning, y'all.

Trying to decide what we want to do today, I decided to post a sketch I did about a week or so ago. Therese decided to try her hand at the sketching the magnolia cone that I brought to the Giddy Up sketch get together and did an admirable job. She hasn't signed it, so I figure it's not finished.

Therese's unfinished symphony!

A few days later, the red green cone turned brown, opened up its pod leaves and started spitting out bright red seeds. I figured that I'd better sketch the cone before the entire pod explodes.

Talk about explosions, I told the friend who gave me the spikey projectile how, as kids, we use the cone as hand grenades. At one time, we had a large magnolia in the front yard that would drop lots of cones around the early fall. The stem of the cone was the pin that one would pull on a real grenade before throwing it. Kid's imagination, ya know.

Phil told me that he gave me the cone to use as subject matter since he read that another friend of mine found it rather disheartening that I sketched a used muffin liner on a saucer.

So, I present for one's perusal and approval my exploded magnolia tree cone and my wife's unfinished symphony!

First Starbucks cup!

Copyright 2023/Ben Bensen III

Every Now And Then, I Gotta "Ride, Ride, Ride The Wild Surf"

 

Good "Muffin'" Monday Morning, all bodies.

We should be getting an appreciable amount of rain today from that storm headed for Florida. Even the badass azaleas are feeling the heat.

Well, Adam and Eve might have been satisfied with an apple for breakfast, but feeling a twinge of deprivation and knowing I shouldn't, I bought myself a "Morning Glory Muffin" at the coffeehouse.

It is not gluten free!

But, every now and then, I gotta "Ride, Ride, Ride The Wild Surf" ya know? It was delicious and to celebrate the event I decided to sketch what was left of the temptation. I think it turned out quite nicely.

First very early home brewed cup!

Copyright 2023/Ben Bensen III

"I'll Take The Plane With The Teeth!"

Beechcraft Model 18

 Good "kinda freaked out" Friday Morning, y'all.

I received a call about a month or so from a woman representing the Sonoma Valley Airport looking to use one of my Beechcraft on-site drawings from the Van Nuys Days circa 1986. It threw me for a loop.

The Vintage Aircraft Company has recently completed a rebuild of a 1946 Beechcraft Model 18 with plans to roll it out at the airport's Chili Cookout Car and Aircraft Show in mid-October. They wanted permission to use one of my drawings for a tee-shirt fundraiser. But, just yesterday morning, I told Therese that I didn't think it whole idea was gonna happen since I called many times attempting to negotiate terms and never got a return call.

A bit disappointed, I decided to forget about the whole thing.

While sitting at a local Wendy's still trying to decide what Wendy's Frosty flavor I was gonna get while Therese went shopping, I got a call from Sheryl.

After apologizing for responding, we talked about the project, the fundraiser and the price for the usage of my illustration. When she mentioned a possible ride in a WWII Warhawk or Mustang, I got the feeling the museum board didn't wanna pay what I was asking for the design.

So funny. When I mentioned to my wife about the option to fly in a WWII fighter, she was, amazingly, all for it. I mean, SAY WHAT? My demure, shy, Miss Prim and Proper companion of 51 years wants to go air combat over the skies of Sonoma!

"I'll take the plane with the teeth," she said.

"Whoa!"

BTW, the check's in the mail!

First cup!

Copyright 2023/Ben Bensen III