Back To Normal

Or what passes for normal around here. I filled the birdfeeders today and attracted a flock of young Starlings. They've been hanging around lately and today I noticed how awkward they are when they're at the suet pellets. I tried to get a picture of one flapping and pecking but didn't manage it. I did get a picture of this one. I think it looks like it's jeering at the other birds, calling out insults.

Then I caught sight of a Downy Woodpecker at the suet pellets being much more sedate and professional at it.

For the first time ever I got so frustrated while drawing that I scribbled it out and turned the page. I just couldn't make the rows of little boxes look right so I gave up and moved on. The next page showed the five ways of drawing an "N" so that's what I did instead.

One of the things I did today was set out d-Con in the shed and in the garage hoping to keep all of the garden mice from moving into other places in my yard and house. Doing that meant I had mice on my mind so I turned back in 10-Step: Nature to find the Harvest Mouse and redrew that. I like it, it was satisfying to draw after my earlier frustration.

The red day lilies are really blooming

and so are Dad's roses. There are so many flowers on this one cane that it can hardly stay upright from the weight of all that beauty.

Today's watercolor is a lipstick lily flower that I found lurking in the leaves of the orange day lilies. I planted them ages ago and thought they had died out but one has migrated to the other side of the lot line fence and this one is crouched in the leaves. I'm glad that I found them again.

 

This morning I whipped up a pan of brownies to take along tomorrow when I'm invited to friends' house for lunch. Can't arrive empty handed but it sure made the house smell temptingly of chocolate all day. That might have been a tactical error.

Today's toss was a baggie full of old silverware that was in the picnic bag that I tossed yesterday.

--Barbara