Alma Visit

I love these small towns. One of the women I work with lives in Alma and another was born and raised there and lives in another small town close to Alma. Since the town comes up in conversations I decided Wilma and I needed to make a visit. Their retail stores close at noon on Saturday since they are so small so we had to get there early.

As much as I wanted to sit and sketch, it was just too cold and windy. I shot a few pictures on my cell phone and sketched at home. I focused on the hardware store because it's been in the family of one of the two coworkers I mentioned since the 1970's. My 4-H Shooting Sports kids compete here in a couple weeks for air-rifle competition. We've made it here for the last six years, so I see some of the town then, but by the time our competition is done on Saturdays, the sidewalks are rolled up.

Lunchhour Coffee

I wanted to start the new year with a work-day tradition of mine. A cup of hot coffee at a coffeeshop over lunch, with time to sketch or draw. Needed a sketch, or course. This is the closest independent coffee shop to my work location right now. These coffeeshops seem to move or go out of business. Blackbird is a change of ownership a few years ago and is a nice shop with a personable owner. Until I win the lottery I'll need to limit my time here to just the lunch hour. I could spend the whole day.