Project Description

This year’s card was a bit of a challenge compared to previous years. Well, they all have had their challenges, but this one had the extra burden of what setting to use. In more recent years, I’ve been using photos from things we have done and places we’ve been to compose the cards, but we didn’t exactly do much over the previous year because of, you know, a global pandemic. We did take quite a few family walks and isolated local hikes, though. On one of our routes, there’s a giant pile of boulders (assembled by heavy equipment in a logging area) that my wife and youngest started referring to as “The Troll Cairn” (the youngest has loved cairns since he was significantly smaller than the tree he is sprouting into). We happened to go to that spot on one of our walks, and all the boys (and myself and the dog) climbed up on top to sit for a bit. My wife snapped a few pictures, and the lighting was really nice, so it’s what I ended up using for the 2021 card. I think this was the far better choice than the other idea I was mulling over: everyone in masks.

The dragon kids are getting older (as are their human dopplegangers) and a bit lankier/taller. This year in particular it was hard NOT to notice how much taller the younger two have become, which has put me in a nostalgic mood fairly often, wondering where the years have gone, and contemplating what the years ahead will bring. It also raised a question about these cards: do I keep doing them once they start moving out? What will I use for references then? If and when they start having kids, will I include them? Thoughts I never had when I drew the first one 18 years ago.