Loud

There is a company in the neighborhood updating the AT&T wires underground and they have moved onto my block. They have a big truck with a hydro-drill on it that they're using to make holes in the frozen ground to get to where they need to be. All afternoon the thing was roaring away. It was annoying to me; I can't imagine how my works-from-home neighbor tolerated it.

Look what came! Ten days ago I sat here and designed a bookmark that I ordered and they came today. I'm beyond excited about them. I can tuck one into each book and hand them out at the Saturday market this week. They were surprisingly reasonable.

Well, I was right when I said that I wouldn't be as pleased with today's Daily Practice painting of the same rocky outcrop that we sketch/painted yesterday. It's alright but it doesn't please me as much as yesterday's effort did. That's okay. I painted it twice, once in my sketchbook and once on a postcard, both of them are adequate, just not exceptional.

Then I braved the next lesson in Intermediate Watercolor. She painted a rose and then painted one again while talking us through doing it ourselves. I was nervous about it but it turned out okay. Twice.

I didn't see any birds or squirrels today but it did get warm enough to melt the birdbath ice and a lot of the ice on the patio. Then it started raining. It's supposed to rain off and on all night--and then turn to ice and snow tomorrow. I'm glad that the only thing I have to do outside tomorrow is drag in the trash and recycle bins.

The next bird in Draw Like an Artist was a Bluejay and I think, for once, that what I drew looks like what it's supposed to be. 

I timed the Investment Cooking just right. I had two of the last bout's suppers left today so that meant that it was time to carry up one of each of the new meals to let them thaw in the fridge until I need one on Thursday evening. I suspect that the Moroccan Chickpea-Stuffed Acorn Squash won't be the first thing to thaw so I'll have to postpone eating it for a couple days. It's been four years since I made the recipe and I'm really looking forward to eating it again.

--Barbara