More Orange Lovers

I suspected that the Orioles aren't the only birds that like fruit and today I got photographic proof that House Finches like oranges too. This male spent quite a bit of time pecking away at the new orange half that I put out and then this juvenile came over to join him and spent some time "feed me" flapping which the adult ignored.

Then I came in from watering the coleus out front (which something keeps digging in, grr) and was happy to see an Oriole having a grape jelly snack. This is the first time that I've managed to snap a photo of one on the jelly. I've seen it before but never got a picture until now.

My few peonies have started to bloom. They're kind of tucked behind some ferns so they don't get much light and they're not easy to take pictures of but I managed to get a picture of this bud that's about to open. Love the color.

Out of 10-Step Drawing: Flowers I drew Foxglove. I didn't find the pinks that I wanted but I think it turned out okay.

Then I drew more figures out of Things With Wings: a goose, a modern airplane, a penguin, and a pheasant. I like the penguin the best but the airplane is okay too.

Yesterday the red-orange day lily bloomed so today I tried my hand at painting it. Meh. Not my best effort. I was glad that I figured out how to make the center of the flower and the center of the petals stay yellow. The leaves are okay too.

The baby bunny spent the day racing back and forth across the patio. I managed to snap a photo as it sat next to the birdseed cans. Flash is a good name for it because it's so fast. It's very cute but I think that it or one of its relatives has eaten the Asiatic lily down to the ground.

It barely got up to 55 today and I've been chilled all day. I'm even wearing socks, shoes, and a hoodie and still I can't get warm. I was tempted to turn up the heat just to knock the chill off the house but it's June and I just can't turn on the furnace. It's supposed to warm back up to 71 tomorrow. That should help.

--Barbara