Would you believe six-and-a-half?

I can hear you snickering already. "Told you she'd never stick to six."

I'm back to work on the "ground cover" linocut, but of course the first thing I discovered when I returned to the block was a mistake in the previous carving. Oh, horrors! (She says with tongue firmly planted in cheek.) There were just a couple of leaves that should have remained yellow and/or green when the third color was printed, but in my rush to squeeze in one more pass last week, I overlooked them.

I tried for a while to figure out a way to ink just the one section in green and the rest in the next reddish color so I could do it all in one pass, but in the end it was faster to cut a little stencil, ink only that small area, and print it. Just a little section to clean up, and then the reddish color could go right over the top.

Of course, I forgot to take a photo at that stage, but you'll just have to believe me. Colors 3 1/2 and 4.

Tonight I did pass number 5-- another blend. This time from light at the top to dark at the bottom. I struggled with my 6" brayer... it's developed a bit of warp and it won't roll out evenly... but in the end I decided it was okay. Didn't want it TOO perfect. (Cough. Ahem.)

I also struggled with a dilemma I don't usually have indoors. Gnats. Little. Tiny. Gnats. Small enough to find their way in through the window screen and on to my work table. Thankfully I finished before I squished too many of them on the back of prints during burnishing, and before too many spent their last moments expiring in my ink. Who knew studio work could be so much like Wild Kingdom?

Curiously, the green stenciled area shows a shadow more in the photo than it does in real life. The red-orange has gotten lost, too... too much direct overhead light or something. At any rate, there's just one more color to go. Should be able to wrap it up tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed!

And on a completely different subject... Monday I went out on my favorite morning walk route,  through clouds and rain and sun and clouds and... well, you get the picture.

I wanted you to get this picture, too. Frantz Lake, about 5 minutes before it started to really rain. I stood under some trees and listened to the shower intensify as it swept across the lake surface toward me. A lovely moment, especially since it didn't last long enough for me to get completely soaked and I made it back home without squishy shoes.