What Did You Paint Today, Barbara?

A stick. I painted a stick. The book calls it a branch but it's really just a stick. I kind of enjoyed it. Making it look like a real branch/stick was a good challenge and then keeping the paint in the narrow lines that I drew was another challenge. The only goof was dropping my brush in the middle, making a few splotches that I couldn't get rid of. Oh well, I'm sure I'll paint another stick before this book is finished.

The Cardinal showed up this morning on the platform feeder. He took his time pecking around in the safflower seeds and evidently found some because he stayed a bit.

I've been watching the iris buds up on the retaining wall and the first one started blooming today. It's not fully open yet but it's coming and you can see all of the buds below it on the stalk. There'll be a lot of irises up there in no time.

It was pretty easy to find things to put on today's Gratitude Journal. It was really foggy when I woke up and I was planning to mow in the morning but no dice, not with wet grass. But the sun came out around 10 o'clock so mowing was saved. Then just before lunch the appliance fixit guy came, looked at my ice maker and declared that I needed a new one. It wasn't cheap but it was a heck of a lot cheaper than a whole new fridge and a lot less annoying than having to go buy or find ice cube trays.

After lunch I changed into different clothes and went out to mow. The arrival time for the fixit guy was between 10 and 12 so I couldn't be out mowing when he came. That would be rude. Plus I wanted the sun to have time to dry the grass. I got the backyard mowed and even had time to shower before my afternoon writing Zoom with my women friends so I wasn't disgustingly sweaty and with hat hair.

Then I spent a couple hours reading through my manuscript, making small changes, and sent off my next submission to the Novel critique group. I also dug out my packing list for The Clearing so tomorrow I won't have to wonder what to pack. I got all my art supplies packed this afternoon. Tomorrow morning I'm going up to the last indoor Farmer's Market hoping to talk to the organizer to find out when applications for booths are accepted. I want to be back there next winter. That was a good little money maker.

I've had a big red splotch on my upper arm where I got one of the vaccinations last Monday (I think it was probably the COVID one). It's hot and it hurt like the dickens for a couple days but today it's started being itchy. I think that's a good sign.

Today is DS and DIL1's 16th anniversary. I can't believe that it's been that long they've been married.

--Barbara