Bird Report

I saw the male and female goldfinches on the feeder this morning.  They'd been on the closer feeder but as soon as I picked up the camera they flew back to the finch feeder.  Of course.  You can see by the beret-shaped spot on his head that this is the same male that's been hanging around all spring, with one of his consorts.  I'm not sure if goldfinches are monogamous but the mrs. doesn't hold still long enough for me to study her markings and she's almost invisible in this picture.


We had an overcast day but I did manage to sneak in a short walk, then I dug out the shovel, an empty big yogurt container, and an ice cream bucket.  I promised ACJ some chives and a rhubarb plant so instead of baking and eating a pan of brownies (which is what I felt like doing), I went out to dig.  I'd forgotten how invasive mint is because it made digging up some chives a real adventure but I managed.  The mint has spread all around the chives so it's a job to cut through the underground runners of mint to get to the chives.  Then I sorted through the rhubarb leaves to find the rosette of a baby rhubarb plant.  That was much easier to dig out (no mint) even though it was starting to rain.  I delivered the plants and we had a little social distance visit while it poured rain.

When I got home I went downstairs and sewed up a mask with elastics instead of ties.  It fits pretty well.  I want to make a few more to have on hand since it seems like they're going to be a part of my wardrobe for a while.



Tonight I knitted on the Slip Stitch Hat and got to the crown decreases.  Now I have to dig out the pattern so I know what to do next.

01 June--Barbara Malcolm, Tropical Obsession.

           Pigeon-toed and armor-plated, the iguana stamped down the middle of the road, a line of cars and trucks trailing behind it like a retinue. The first car would have passed, could have passed the tiny dinosaur when it came up behind him (it could only be a "him" with the line of spikes down the spine) but as the lady driver put on her turn signal and prepared to zip around him at the next wide spot in the one-lane road, he turned and fixed her with such a glare that her foot came off the accelerator and she remained in her proper place. The driver, a lady trying very hard to stay in touch with her island roots in the face of cultural homogenization via the internet, took on the task of keeping anyone else from passing just as a proper courtier protects other, more human, royalty. Three cars back, Bunny sat back in a ganja haze enjoying the slow pace of the ride. At the other end of the island Manning checked his watch for the tenth time and cursed the day he acquired such a laid-back helper.

I had some of the Hoisin-glazed Chicken I made last night for supper tonight.  Oh, man, it was good.  I'll need to make that again and again--after I buy more hoisin sauce, that is.  My prompt writing this afternoon was easier; it still isn't very good, but it was easier to figure out something to write.  It was so chilly in here today that I wore a fleece and tomorrow they're saying it'll be 90 and humid.  I don't... I just... there are no words.
--Barbara