Sketching

At the moment I'm sitting at my dining table with my tea. I've been sketching. I read on a blog yesterday that January can be a soft, quiet meditative month and I find that to be especially true here in the north where it is cold and dark in the morning. I wake up and get moving slowly.
Combine that with a trying time that we are going through right now- nothing life threatening or too serious, perhaps life changing- and I really feel the need for quiet time. Perhaps that is why I've turned to my sketchbook.
Also, i have these twigs lying about that i collect when I'm out walking the trails. I can't help but notice the little bits of twigs that stand out against a backdrop of snow.

It slows one down even more to hold it in your hand, quietly examining and sketching the details.

It requires focus and stillness to capture the tiny details. The tiny knobs on these twigs fascinate me. I only notice them this time of year when they're lying on the snow. Now, I'm on a quest to see which tree they come from.