As I Soldier on with the Bridge ...

I've put in some of the girders, and the frame-work under the road-way.

Here's a close-up of the road-way, with the mountains and city in the background. I like how the skyline came out. I painted it all, water's edge to mountain top, w/w, and then lifted the buildings.

I've intensified the mountains, and got in most of the reflections. I decided to do the reflections first with lighter washes, instead of incorporating them into the water. Working on both at the same time in such a large format would have been a wet disaster. Next, I will paint the water, and re-assess what needs tweaking. I have a feeling "tweaking" is going to take a long time.


As always, your comments are most welcome. 

Definitely a Tangential Meander ... Slug Love

Here are two Limax Maximus, aka leopard slugs.

They have created a long mucus rope, and are suspended from it.

They are entwined, and ready to exchange sperm. They are hermaphroditic. 

The conjoined sperm sac was really quite beautiful.

Bug came out to see why I was outside in the dark, taking photos.

This is probably more than you would ever want to know about slugs, but ... As I came back from the barn last night, something caught my eye at the door. It was two slugs mating. The leopard slug is the only one that mates while suspended from a "rope". It's really quite fascinating watching them, all in S  L  O  W  motion, turning and twisting in mid-air. I could go into great and gory detail, but I will contain myself. There is a good video clip on youtube of the ritual, narrated by David Attenborough.