I love fruit-- almost all kinds of fruit. I love the sweet, natural, juiciness of it. I love how it can be used as a snack on the go or as part of a meal. I love that different kinds of fruit are evocative of the different seasons. What kind of July 4th would it be without watermelon? What would a springtime field trip be without the first cherries of the season? Peaches, one of my favorites, although sadly they often signify the end of my beloved summer. Crisp apples-- in all their wonderful varieties-- are delicious in so many ways and, while I eat them year round, they always seem particular apt during that first crisp, coolness of fall. The cloying sweet mushiness of bananas makes them impossible for me to eat on their own, but 1/2 of one cut up is the perfect addition to a bowl of cereal. Strawberries, ahh strawberies-- whether covered in chocolate, as part of a shortcake or dipped in champagne-- they are a truly decadent delight.
But there's something to be said for the pear. It's not a pretty fruit. Kind of lopsided and lumpy. If you want to really put a dagger through the heart of woman, tell her she's pear-shaped! They tend to be most popular in the cold months (not my favorite time of year). All in all, not all that appealing sounding. This week, we bought our first pears of the season. They were rock hard and I worried that they would end up sitting in the fruit bowl, ripening without our taking notice until, finally brown and mushy, we'd end up tossing them.
Yesterday, I took one out and brought it to my drawing area. I started sketching it and noticed it wasn't just green or just yellow. It was both, in different places and depending on how it caught the light. Along the bottom, there was a beautiful tinge of pinkish red. The brown stem and a few small brown imperfections gave it some character. Despite it lopsided wonkiness, it stood on its own. When placed on its side, its bumpiness and imperfect planes helped it to stay in place. After some very quick and rudimentary sketching, I pulled out my watercolors to try to capture some of its color. When all was said and done, I'm not sure that I captured that pear very well at all.
What I do know is that after drawing and painting for about ten minutes, I took a bite. The pear's sweet graininess was more delicious than I'd remembered. With each bite, it seemed to get juicier. It was a filling snack and provided me with the energy I needed to get through the rest of the afternoon. I'm not sure I'll draw the rest of those pears before eating them, but I am appreciative of how much I noticed about them when I really took the time to look at and taste them!
Linking up with Sophia's Sunday Sketches. If you have a few moments, take some time and look at what the other linkers have created this week. It will be worth your while!
Hope everyone has a great week!
