This is literally a doodle from memory.
When I was a boy, all the homes across the street backed up to a creek in a ravine. For us kids, it was a secret place where we felt deep in the woods…adventuresome and pioneering. We would hunt for crawdads under the rocks in the creek, whittle, shoot the bull and occasionally run up on a copperhead or water moccasin while walking the banks.
Leaving the Daniel Boone in me behind, I would usually run like an adrenaline crazed maniac as soon as the word “snake!” was screamed by one of my fellow outdoorsman. It never occured to me that I might encounter yet another snake in the process of scrambling up the ravine. I just ran like hell. As for my cohorts? I would send help once back in civilization. Hopefully they would survive…
I was a mighty scrambler under the influence of snake fear. I’m still that way as an adult. I don’t think I’m alone in that either. I think many famous folk were probably influenced by fear to achieve great feats.
I suspect Meriwether Lewis was possessed by snake fear. How else could he have made sixteen plus miles a day on foot exploring the wilderness day after day for ole Tom Jeff while his mates stayed in the boat? Could be he had a little bear fear and wild boar fear thrown in the gene pool too. Of course, he wasn’t going to journal to the world and ole Tom Jeff that he was scared sh–less of snakes, bears and such.
Not to belittle Meriwether. He was a better man than I by a long shot. I just have this suspicion…
The woods and banks of the neighborhood creek looked a lot like this little doodle. I suppose that’s where it came from in my mind. The colors were of no particular choosing. I just plopped them down and wiggled the brush a bit. The same goes for the ink.
Such is a doodle from memory.
6 Comments
This “doodle” of yours reminds me so much of a very similar ravine where I grew up in Germany. Going down the hill from my house on a gravel road to the farm of of my friend, the ravine and creek were in a wooded copse on the left. Behind it, up the bank were huge sprawling wheat fields. My friends and I used to go splashing in the creek and clambering up the banks, catching our clothes on shrubs and trees. I can’t remember any snakes, but I do remember always getting scolded for being down there - it was supposed to be “off limits”. But it was an irresistable place to explore and play hide and seek!
Hi Bonny,
Ours was off limits too. But like you, we “went to the creek” anyway. Kids are supposed to do that aren’t they?
Thanks for the comment!
I think that’s a very evocative sketch and I like the abstract nature of it!
Thanks Karen
It was fun to do something abstract… I want to become more able to capture reality with abstract strokes and colors. I’m not used to doing that 
love the colors that you used, not your typical greens and yellow . Very nice
Thanks Gladys. It’s difficult to push toward the non-typical and feel comfortable with it.
Thanks for stopping by!
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