Day 12 drawing and cherry for carving and looking at

Day 12 Little January Art Book drawing up now.  Haven't done today's drawing yet, but planning on a Chinese ink and pen gesture type of thing.  Day 12 is the pilot pen still in action, need a change today. Gnarly old cherry tree branch.  This may come down if we have a heavy wet snowfall.

And out walking, now that heavy rain has washed away the snow, I was able finally to pick up some fallen cherry twigs, below left, for future whittling and carving. Once they've dried out, that is.

The fungi on them are so lovely, I think I'll work around them, not remove any bark except for the bits I carve out. 

On the right is a group of catkin branches which I hope will burst out in the house. The buds are in place.  They're in the vase from my birthday flower bouquet, so it's got a new life now.  The branches may root in the water, and if so I'll decide what to do next.  Immediately, I want to set up my knitted budgies in them, a kind of marriage of nature and artifice.