The Wisconsin Squirrel Report

That's what DS used to call Durwood's calls when DS and DIL1 were living in Montana because Durwood invariably complained about the squirrels' antics. I have two versions of the Wisconsin Squirrel Report to share tonight. First, this squirrel jumped up onto the trash can on the patio and proceeded to start ripping apart a Black Walnut. It doesn't look like it tastes good and it stains whatever it touches.

 

Another squirrel climbed up on the cob corn after I filled it this afternoon and hung there by its hind feet. It would curl up to take off a kernel and then stretch out again to nibble it. They're very good at eating upside down.

 

There was barely a single layer of suet nuggets when the Red-bellied Woodpecker landed there this morning. I took three shots and none of them were in focus. The autofocus must have chosen something closer or farther away to make sharp. Once the bird was gone, I filled up the feeder. Maybe it'll come back tomorrow, although it tends to land on the back side so it's very hard to see clearly and the camera is no help.

 

I decided in the morning to take one more stab at learning how to upload my eBooks onto Gumroad. I googled tutorials and got a string of YouTube videos that I'd looked at yesterday. All of the people spoke too fast and clicked around like I already knew what to do so they were no help. Then I went on Gumroad and asked them for a tutorial. They had one. It was three minutes long and was evidently magic because I understood it and was able to get all of my eBooks loaded up. The two spaces in the line of cover images are there because either the square image was a little too big or I don't have a square image to put on there. I contacted Getcovers to ask them to reduce one and create the other. But I did it! I'm pumped. And now I can take the time and upload my audiobooks to the site so I can sell them through BookFunnel promos too.

 

But before doing that I drew the gratitude journal page for yesterday. I realized that I always start out with a weather report, then segue into what I actually did for the day. My favorite thing was picking up the people I dropped at the airport on Monday and hearing about the fun they had in Maine.

 

Today's drawing is Herbs. In particular, Bay Leaf, Sage, and Thyme, from left to right. They all turned out okay, but I like the thyme the best, don't know why.

 

I got so caught up in uploading those eBooks to Gumroad that the clock struck noon and I realized that I was still in my PJs and hadn't taken a shower. After I took my shower and got dressed, I had lunch, then went to the grocery because I was out of milk, bananas, and grapes. Naturally I bought a bunch of other things, most of it was on my list. When I got home and had put everything away, I came back here and worked on the pesky interview section of Three Cheers for Murder. The way I initially wrote it the interviewee (the murderer) gives everything away. Can't have that. So I scaled back her answers to the questions and lowered the temperature of her remarks. Once I get what I have written gone through and edited a bit, then I have to go back and start adding red herrings and casting suspicion on other people in the neighborhood. I need to jazz up the sidekick's role too. Lots to do. I'm having fun.

--Barbara 

Upside Down

It can't be comfortable for a squirrel to hang by its hind feet and then try to eat suet nuggets through small holes in a metal cylinder. They must get enough out of it to keep coming back, though.

 

A Downy Woodpecker took a chance on the new seed feeder.  There wasn't a lot left in there but the bird gave it a try. I didn't think woodpeckers ate birdseed but evidently they like a little variety in their diet.

 

Once again I thought of five things to be grateful for yesterday. Two of them were Zoom calls, the first one with a bunch of women writer friends and the second one with women knitter friends. But the thing I'm most grateful for was that little email from Chirp telling me I was chosen for an audiobook Featured Deal in September. Woohoo!

 

Today's art is a watercolor of a flower I've never heard of--Banksia. Never heard of it, never seen it. It must be tropical or something because there's sure not a flower like it in Wisconsin. Therefore, I couldn't tell if I did a good job of painting it or not.

 

I've just spent an hour trying to figure out another website where I can offer my eBooks for sale aside from Amazon. They won't let me lower the price below $2.99 and that might not be low enough for a BookFunnel sales promo. It turns out I have an account on a site called Gumroad but for the life of me I can't figure out how to upload more products on there. I've got The Seaview eBook and audiobook on there, haven't ever sold any, but they're on there. And Open for Business is on there but listed as unpublished. Couldn't figure out what else needs to be done for that to be published. *sigh* So I emailed my assistant KM asking for help. Hopefully she can figure it out. 

And I spent a couple of hours working on Three Cheers for Murder. I'm trying to stretch out what I have already written and fix it so that it works for the genre. Then there's that scene where the murderer basically spills the beans. That has to change big time. So I started on that, saving what I could and ducking out when things got dicey. I'll tackle that another day. After all, tomorrow is another day. (You can call me Scarlet.) Sorry, I couldn't resist.

--Barbara 

 

Rainy Morning

I woke up to rain pecking at the window over my head. It rained for an hour or so before it tapered off and spent the rest of the day overcast but dry. I was just glad that the rain stopped before I had to go to my haircut across town because I drive south on Hwy. 41 and then east on Hwy. 172, both of which tend to be racecourses with crazy drivers going like bats out of hell. Better that I drive them on drier pavement than on slick rainy pavement. If it had been raining hard, I'd have taken the long way through town. (I sound like an old lady. Hmm.)

 

One squirrel has been trying to get to the seed in the new feeder. It leaps from the back of the nearest patio chair over to the feeder, setting it swinging like mad, and doing its best to get to the seed ports which close with the squirrel's weight. Sorry, you furry tree rat.

 

It amused me to see this Downy Woodpecker taking a Slinky ride this morning. It seemed to have fun on there and then flew over to the new feeder to check it out.

 

And the camera-shy Red-bellied Woodpecker visited the suet nuggets again today. I took this picture just before a Sparrow tried to share the feeder and got jabbed with the Woodpecker's beak for the effort. Feathers flew. 

 

Here's yesterday's gratitude journal page. Writing three scenes for the new manuscript wins the day. But getting a phone call inviting me to be in a craft show with my books came in a close second.

Friday Night Knitting was cut short when the California knitters left to go to bingo at Ikea, and the other Green Bay knitter was tired and conked out. But I was able to knit the crown decreases of the Dark Teal Chemo Hat so I can deliver it and the first one I knitted to KW to take along to Mayo on Sunday.

 

Just at dusk this bigger rabbit was snuffling around in the grass under the feeders checking things out. I'm surprised you can see it as well as you can because I had to turn off the flash to get the picture in the low light.

 

I didn't think I'd have time to draw today but I dashed this drawing off just before I came back here. It's a Carolina Wren and it turned out pretty darned well for as quickly as I drew it. The coloring's not bad either. Good job, me.

 

I got an email this afternoon that Horizon was accepted for a Chirp audiobook featured deal! Woohoo! I applied for it a few weeks ago and was just wondering if I'd been passed over but the email came today and I'm in. It'll be $1.99 from September 3 to October 5. Fingers crossed a lot of people want to read about Gail and her adventures with watercolor and Abel. I need to learn how to lower the ebook price when I do a BookBub sales promo so I get some traction there. I'll figure it out.

 --Barbara

Wrestlemania

Or something like that has been happening the last few days on my patio. Two juvenile squirrels chase and wrestle all over. Usually they're too fast and moving all over for me to take their picture but today they were wrestling on the patio chair seat so I snapped them.

 

The lawn mowers came today. It surprises me that they're here so frequently. I asked if they could come every 10 days or so and the owner said sure. But still they come every week. They do a good job and I don't want to discourage them because in the fall they hoover up all of the fallen leaves and I love that about them.

 

There was a Flicker hopping around on the lawn this morning. I keep hoping one will come closer so I can show you the black patch on its breast or the red on back of its head. Or if it flew away, the white patch at the base of its tail. But all I get is the gray brown speckled bird with the long beak that probes the grass looking for... bugs maybe? I don't know what they eat but they're diligent about looking for whatever it is.

 

Here's yesterday's gratitude journal page. I was impressed with myself for thinking of five things instead of my usual four or even three. I like the little clothesline I drew for doing the laundry the best.

 

Today's flower is a Dandelion. It was fun to draw. I didn't add as many of the fluffy things as it showed in the book but I really like the way it turned out.

 

I spent most of the afternoon writing three small scenes to slot into Three Cheers for Murder. In them my sleuth is moving around the downtown neighborhood visiting other stores, which is introducing people I can make suspects in the murder. I have to give each person or couple a reason to want the victim dead. I'm working on it. It's kind of fun. In a creepy kind of way.

I met with a few other local writers tonight on Zoom to brainstorm marketing ideas. We each talked about what we're trying, what's working, and what isn't. Unfortunately, the "isn't"s are leading. But we're not giving up.

--Barbara 

Birds Big & Small

I'll start with the biggest, the Turkey. I was eating breakfast and this huge dark shape stalked into view. It's so big, it's no wonder they can barely fly. Although once on the highway I saw one fly out of the weeds on the side of the road and fly smack dab into the side of a semi trailer. It did not end well for the bird.

 

Next smallest was the camera-shy Red-bellied Woodpecker. I waited and waited hoping it would shift positions so I could see more than the top of its head but it stubbornly stayed on the back side of the suet nuggets feeder.

 

Then there was a juvenile Cardinal that hopped across the patio and just when I thought I'd missed it, it flew up to land on the edge of the patio table so I got this blurry shot of it. I haven't seen a Cardinal in along time.

 

A Downy Woodpecker flew to land on the birdbath for a nice drink. I was afraid that the Sparrow on there would scare it away but it stood its ground and stayed.

 

Twice today I saw a Hummingbird, and twice today it flew away long before I had the camera up and ready, so this is a picture from the  archives representing the birds that I saw.

 

Here's yesterday's gratitude journal page. I was mostly grateful that the rain held off until almost bedtime because it would have been a real difficult job for N and F to install the new air conditioner next door in the rain. Also I was grateful that my cleaning lady came.

 

In the afternoon, I worked on formatting Sailing the Seas on Atticus for uploading to Kindle Create. I also formatted it on  Kindle Create to see which one I like better. I think Atticus wins. It's more user-friendly and it doesn't scare me by pausing with the message "not responding" every once in a while.

 

The drawing today is Juniper. When I turned the page I thought it was blueberries but they don't have needle-like leaves, and then it said juniper on top of the page. Usually I don't like fussy things to draw like those needles but this evening I liked drawing them. Go figure. The camera didn't flash so the picture is dull and yellowish. In person it's bright white paper and colorful berries and leaves.

 

I added two rounds to Scrap Hat #8 tonight. Two more even rounds and then it's on to the crown decreases. I was happy to see a bit of orange show up to liven up the neutrals I've got going on.

 

I broke down and did laundry today. Three loads--darks, lights, and the bleach load of towels, undies, and socks. Lots of undies and socks. I even carried up the basket of clean laundry. It'll sit around for a while waiting to get folded. Don't want to rush into anything. 

--Barbara 

Spending Your Inheritance, Kids

My morning did not start well. My alarm didn't go off because my phone had a dead battery. Somebody forgot to plug in the charger last night. I woke up only 15 minutes after it was supposed to go off, so that was pretty much okay. At 8:00am sharp, the air conditioner installers arrived and got to work. They finished in about 5 1/2 hours and then I handed over a nice, fat check. Fortunately I had the money in savings so I didn't have to finance the thing and end up paying more. Made it sting a little less. But now I don't have to worry about the a/c failing and having to have an emergency installation when the new baby next door is here. Her due date was a week ago so the baby is taking its time.

 

One of the juvenile squirrel delinquents spent quite a bit of time on the suet nuggets today. It hung there, head down, for the longest time in the morning nibbling away and then it was back later in the day, head up, but I didn't take its picture then. I can't swear that it was the same squirrel both times but I wouldn't be surprised if it was.

 

Here's yesterday's gratitude journal. I was most grateful for the homegrown tomatoes. I had another bacon and tomato on toast with mayo for supper tonight and it was just as delicious as last night's. There are three more tomatoes in the kitchen. I have a feeling that none of them will disappoint.

 

Today's drawing is a Dragonfly. I was kind of intimidated when I turned the page and saw what was next in the book, but I mustered up my guts and got to work. This is the last drawing in the sketchbook. Tomorrow I'll start a new one. I've got a couple piles of filled sketchbooks in the guestroom closet. One of these days I'll page through them to see how my drawing has changed and maybe improved over the years.

 

When I came back here just now it was thundering and then it rained for about twenty minutes. There was a little lightning and pretty good rain but not nearly long enough. It's been pretty dry around here for the last few weeks. I'm sure the gardeners and farmers are praying for rain. 

My cleaner, MB, came today and now my house smells nice and there are vacuum cleaner marks in the living room carpeting. Everything is clean and I have a month to dirty it up again before her next visit.

Almost as soon as she left, I got on Zoom with cda to go over two weeks' worth of chapters. She sent some first draft pages of her second novel and a query letter that I really couldn't help her with. I've never sent a query letter to an agent or a publisher so I'm no help in that department. What I send her for next Monday's critique session will be the last three chapters of Sailing the Seas. After that, it'll be pages of Three Cheers for Murder which is very much less polished. I contacted GetCovers last week to order the cover design for Sailing the Seas. I found some sailboat pictures I liked and told them I want to have a corner of the building that's on the previous Seaview Series books to tie them together. Now I wait until they send me the first draft. Then I ask for changes and we go back and forth until I'm happy with it. In the meantime I can get the manuscript uploaded to Kindle Create and get the front and back matter all arranged and set up so when I get the cover, I'll be ready to publish. Ooh, I can't wait. I have to assign ISBN numbers too. Can't forget that. I'll do that tomorrow.

--Barbara

No Lettuce

I stopped by my friend GBB's this afternoon. She had extra homegrown tomatoes that needed a home. I obliged. On my way home I stopped at Aldi for a loaf of their L'oven Keto Friendly wheat bread and went to Meijer for regular shopping and picked up a package of turkey bacon. Two slices of bread is one WW point. Two slices of bacon are one point too, as is a tablespoon of light mayo. The tomato is free. It was a fantastic supper. I have enough tomatoes to have the same thing four more times before I need to resupply. Yum.

 

Today's drawing is Blackberries. They were very putzy to draw. All those tiny circles (that are called druplets, btw) took forever to draw and then outline with ink. I'm not crazy about the green I chose to color the leaves but they're acceptable.

 

I drew yesterday's gratitude journal page this morning again. I was most grateful for taking a walk and spending quality time on the manuscript.

 

For the last few nights I've been adding a couple rounds to Scrap Hat #8. The ribbing is finished and I'm into the even rounds of hat body. Six more rounds and then I start the crown decreases. The red ran out so I've added in a charcoal gray. It's a little plain looking right now--black, white, and gray with a tiny thread of purple--but I'll introduce more color when the next one runs out.

 

This morning I worked on a critique for tomorrow afternoon, then I got to take some people to the airport for a little vacation, did some grocery shopping, and met with the air conditioner salesman in the afternoon. They had a cancellation so they can come tomorrow to replace the a/c on the renter's side. The old one's about 20 years old and on its last legs. I want to replace it before it fails altogether. And the salesman gave me a nice discount because I'm such a good customer. And I know the owner. Gotta love a small city.  The salesman remembered me, asked about Durwood because he said he was a nice, friendly guy. I had to agree.

I saw a squirrel leap from a patio chair to the new feeder but it only swung away. The squirrel then hoovered up the seed it made drop from the feeder to the ground. Jerk.

--Barbara