No Longer a Swamp

I cleaned the birdbath today. It was disgusting, green and smelly, and I figured that no self-respecting bird would want to drink or bathe in it so I cleaned it. We'll see how long it lasts. I suspect that the dirty, rotten Starlings are the main grunge bringers. I have a bias against Starlings. They throw seed out of the feeders and chase off less aggressive birds. I just don't like them. It's probably wrong of me to say that, to think that but I'm just being honest. (Doesn't that little phrase do its best to excuse a multitude of sins?)

My not-so-small-anymore assistant and I made a few more cards this morning and used all the offcuts to make bookmarks for her to gift to her book reading pals. I had a hard time convincing her to take more than one bookmark and one card but I managed. We'll make more because we both had a blast doing it.

Both Orioles visited the grape jelly once I tipped out the liquified jelly from the dish and put the more solid stuff in. I realized that neither the males nor the females will sip the rain melted jelly so I try to pay attention and refill the dish. I only managed this rather blurry shot of the female Oriole. The male flew away just as I lifted the camera to my eye. Darn it.

I went over to Michaels and found a picture frame for my painting of birches and got it framed when I got home. Now I have to find some picture wire and then find a place to hang it. I think I'm going to take my cleaning lady's suggestion and take down the coral reef photo across from the kitchen table and hang a gallery of my watercolors. I can frame the smaller ones fairly cheaply, I think, and maybe I have some frames downstairs that will do. I'll have to go down and check this week.

Many more of the French irises are blooming. I went up on the hill by the retaining wall (and let me tell you, that's getting to be quite a climb for these old legs) to take some close up photos of them. They're very pretty but they sure don't last long.

The ferns in the bed next to the patio are filling in nicely. I don't know why the ones nearest the house went away but the ones in front of the bed seem to spread their fronds and take up the space. I love their bright green color.

While I was walking carefully back from taking pictures of the French irises I noticed that the Stella d'Oro lilies have shot up stalks with buds on them. They're nowhere near ready to bloom but I like seeing them starting.

I spent a couple hours this afternoon doing the critiques of the submissions I have for the Novel group. We're meeting a week early because one member has a conflict on the date of our last scheduled meeting. It's not ideal because we won't have as much time to devote to the critiques but I'm just as happy we'll be finished. And it isn't that I didn't enjoy the groups, I did, but I'm just ready to move on. The Seaview: Open for Business is moving closer and closer to being done and to be frank I'm getting a little tired of it. I think that's a sign that it's time to finish it and move on. This week I need to contact GetCovers and order a cover for the thing. Get that process started. I'm amazed that they're able to still do business. They're located in western Ukraine and I can't imagine doing business when your country's at war.

When I opened the garage door before going on errands I heard a tiny voice say, "Miss Baba's coming!" My neighbors were out in front with their 2-year-old and she was very glad to see me. She wants desperately to go into my house to "pay" with the toys that I have but she doesn't get to too often. Just often enough to whet her enthusiasm for it, I guess.

--Barbara