I spent a good part of this morning watching a dvd on my computer and doing thumbnail sketches in my notebook.  I’m feeling in a bad-head,  low frame of mind; thumbnail sketches help keep me focused, work things out.  With the exception of one, all the above sketches were done with black ball point pens that are a lot like India Ink.  One sketch was done with soft pencil.

 

In mid-afternoon, I decided to go work out at the gym.  I also decided that before I went to the gym I’d drive around down-town Torrington a bit and try to find Center Cemetery, which I saw last year for the 1st time from the back lawn of the Historical Society.  I’ve wanted to look at it more closely but have never made the effort to go back – until today.  I started out by going east on 202, then took a quick left on the first side street to the north.  I found the cemetery.  But it was in a section that was fenced with chain-link, so I kept driving around the block and tried a few more streets, one from east to west, one from north to south and at the end of both streets, found the cemetery as well as the fence. Finally I found the Main Gate – open – on a side street off Main St, from west to east, with City Hall on the corner.  I should be able to find my way back.

I decided that for today, I’d just step inside the main gate and do a sketch of the dirt roadway etched into the grass that led to then disappeared into the dark beyond the huge maples at the edge of the large grave yard, filled with all manner of carved stones.  It was a very quiet and peaceful cemetery yet around the edges, over the trees,  I could see parts of downtown.  Today is a beautiful summer day and quite beautiful there with green lawns, huge and lush maples, an incredible blue sky filled with poetry clouds.  I’d like to walk through the cemetery, look around, but have decided I’ll save that for another day.  I purposely took only pen and paper as I planned to spend no more than a half hour on the sketch.  I didn’t take my camera because I didn’t want to be distracted from sketching.  It was a peaceful and quiet a half hour for me, almost as peaceful and quiet as the Green in Milton this past Friday.  The high chain-link fence around the cemetery made me feel a little apprehensive about wandering around by myself.  There was also a sign at the entrance warning that Loiterers would be arrested which somewhat validated my apprehension.  I was content to sit and sketch at the entrance and will have to see what the future brings as far as any return trips.

 

I’m glad I made the effort to find the cemetery and do the sketch, though.  It was a change in my day, my routine, gave me pleasure, helped take me out of my bad head.