Sketching at my desk this morning, from a photo I took while looking for mussels in a nearby tributary to the Big Sioux River.

As always, the sketching helps me see more clearly, and it raises questions for me.

I’ve been looking for populations of live mussels and, lamentably, haven’t been finding any. I know they’re in there, but the population is sparse and spread out. Hoping to find some thriving populations soon.

A detailed illustration of a mussel shell is accompanied by handwritten notes pondering its growth, condition, and surroundings.