A Tight Squeeze

I saw a Mourning Dove do something I've never seen one do before. It landed on top of the square green feeder and I thought it was confused. But it figured out how to flap down and land its big self on the skinny little perch at the bottom of the feeder then bend over to peck at the seeds. It had a heck of a time keeping its balance there, spreading its wing to help keep it in place.

 

This Robin had a lovely bath but I didn't catch sight of it until it was just about to fly away. You can see how wet its breast is. It probably splashed out half of the water!

 

We had intermittent rain today. Just when I thought the sun was here to stay, a dark cloud came over and dropped some rain on us.

 

A Bluejay flew over and landed on top of the crook a couple times. I'm not a fan of blue but I do love seeing a Bluejay. 

 

A House Finch stopped at the grape jelly again today. I still haven't seen another Oriole or Hummingbird but the level of the nectar has dropped and there's a lot less grape jelly but the House Finches and squirrels have been in that so that might explain it.

 

In the afternoon I finished listening to the audiobook files and making my list of revisions. It looks like a lot but I don't think it'll take SW long to fix them and get it back to me. She's good at that. Then I'll get it all up and running on all of the sites. 

 

The drawing of the day is Berries. It was more fun to draw than I thought it'd be and I like the way it's colored. I can't take credit for that because I just copied what the book said to do.

Tonight was LC's spring band concert. The middle school choir sang, the 6th grade band played, the orchestra played, then the 7th & 8th grade band played. They all did an amazing job and the director handed out all of the Solo & Ensemble awards of which there were a lot. LC got a first for her trombone solo. Afterwards we went to Culver's for custard with LC's friend and her parents. Turns out it's a popular spot after the concert. There were a lot of kids there, all hyped up on performance energy. It was fun.

--Barbara 

 

The Biggest Bird

So pretty much the biggest bird in the area stalked through my backyard this afternoon. It isn't a big as the African Marabou Stork that was flying around the area last week but it was pretty darned big. It's a hen turkey, maybe the same one that nested in the lilies last spring. She was checking out the area on top of the retaining wall then jumped/flew down onto the lawn and walked off.

 

The other amazing thing I saw was the Christmas cactus has sprouted three buds. Christmas is seven months away (thank heavens) but the plant doesn't seem to care. I noticed that shortly after I drench the plant and let it drink as much water as it wants, it throws out buds. Could this be connected? I don't know but I'm not arguing.

 

The lawn mowers came today. He zipped around like a crazy man, even encroaching into the renters' side far enough that she texted asking if they had to pay for it. So I went out and talked to the guy with the string trimmer to make sure they didn't mow the other side, just mine. I don't mean to be selfish but I provide the renters with a nice mower, so they can do their own. I'm not their mother. Just the landlord. Also you can see the baby leaves have popped out on my little maple tree. Yay! Leaves!

 

This Robin has become a regular visitor, standing under the suet nuggets feeder, watching the crumbs fall and then pecking away at them. I saw a Bluejay on the ground under the cob corn but it didn't fly to anywhere I could try taking a picture, darn it.

 

 Today's drawing is of a Bat. I didn't color the wings realistically. Instead I used a bunch of purples to color them in. I like it.

 

Tonight I finished the ribbing of Scrap Hat #4 and started the six even rounds before the crown decreases. I'm almost out of the blue chunky yarn but I have another full skein of it so I think I'll dig it out even though the hat is supposed to be made of leftover yarns. I'm the boss of this hat. I can change the rules. (We don't need no stinkin' rules!)

 

This morning I had a 2-hour Zoom with cda critiquing each others' writing trying to get her 20-year-old historical fiction novel to a point where it can be published. We keep finding places where she needs to add info which must be frustrating. Then after lunch and shopping for bananas and grapes (can't run out of fruit!), I listened to four more audiobook chapters. Only five more to go! Which is good because sitting here listening and reading along I'm hunching over enough that I have a crick in my back. It hurts. I'll be glad to be done. I try to sit up straight, like I am now, but it doesn't seem to work when I'm reading a book.

--Barbara 

A Split Second

Just as I answered the phone when DD called tonight, I looked out and saw a male Oriole land on the crook but it only stayed for a split second. I laid my hand on the camera and it was gone. So I dug into the archives for an Oriole picture because I'm so excited that one came and I saw it.

 

Other wildlife has discovered the Oriole feeder. This pair of House Finches enjoyed pecking on the orange half. They also visited the grape jelly but I didn't get a picture.

 

A squirrel was on the suet nuggets (which I filled today) and then noticed the Oriole feeder. So it had to investigate and have a little sweet treat. I opened the patio door and chased it away. I had to do it again later on too.

 

I hope your Mother's Day was happy. Mine was. DS and his family invited the grandparents over for supper. DS grilled marinated chicken thighs and zucchini,  they roasted potatoes, and DIL1 made a Caesar salad. There were lemon bars for dessert. It all was delicious. As we left after exchanging a few gifts, each grandmother received a bouquet of flowers. Mine are carnations, my favorite flower. Aren't they pretty? And they smell good too. I also received a tiny tube of sunscreen and a little tube of hand cream, plus some nice cards. I gave cards to DIL1 and HJZ which they exclaimed over. They said they thought I should make a 4-pack of them and sell them at vendor shows for $10. I don't know. I'll think about it.

 

When I went out to fill the suet nuggets and cob corn, I saw a little dark pink over on the side of the patio. The first little bleeding hearts flowers are starting to bloom.

 

And in the corner of the bed next to the patio, the ferns are starting to send up fronds. I love the way they look like little green knuckles before they unfurl.

 

Today's drawing is Crafting. It's a collection of sewing and knitting items that were pretty fun to draw.

 

I goofed away a lot of the morning before getting into the shower and getting dressed. Hey, I didn't have to be anywhere until 4:30 so what was the rush? I went through LL's comments on Sailing the Seas, the 4th Seaview Series book and then after my shower and lunch, I listened to five chapters of Anneke's Legacy. Only eight more chapters to go, then I send the revisions to the narrator, she sends them back and I re-listen to those spots to make sure it's right, then approve it. After that comes the final invoice (gulp), I pay it, and then it's mine to do with as I will. I'll upload it to INaudio so that it'll be on other sites beside Audible, Amazon, and iTunes for wider distribution.

Happy Mother's Day one more time!

--Barbara

Bird & Squirrel

Not together and not at the same time. But this morning I got a picture of a Hummingbird that shows the ruby throat of it. I'm pleased. I love that his wings are fluttering so fast that they don't really show up on the picture.

 

Then this squirrel was hanging by its hind feet from the suet nuggets feeder and nibbling away. I saw crumbs of suet fall to the ground and then later on a Robin was doing cleanup under the feeder. Didn't see an Oriole today though. I'll keep watching.

 

The pink tulips are just about open. It seems like there's more of them this year than in previous years. I'm eager to see them open because I remember one or two of them has a purplish cast to it which redeems the pink in my opinion.

 

And right in front of the tulips is one of the last remaining daffodils that isn't turning brown and shriveled yet. It has its face turned shyly away from the front of the flower bed and I can only see it from the front porch.

 

I got to have an OJ day today because we hadn't had one in a long time. We went to lunch at Home Town Cafe, made a batch of honey/lemon-lime lip balm, and went to the Brick Spot to check out the pricey Lego sets. Evidently DS mentioned to him that I made lip balm and he was very interested. He asked if that was true and I said, "Do you want to make some?" When he said yes, we went downstairs and got busy. Some of the ingredients are a little old so I checked online to see about replacing them with fresh only to find that my old supplier is out of business. *sniff* But I think I've found another one. *whew* OJ also started writing and illustrating a book about Tedd Bear. I think it's an adventure story.

 

Today's drawing is a Primrose. I added the bee. I like the way they both turned out for once.

 

I got a voicemail when we were at lunch. When I listened to it when we got home I was directed to the front porch where I found a Mother's Day bouquet from DD. It's beautiful! And there was a very sweet card attached.

 

While OJ watched a documentary about dinosaurs, I went out and cut some rhubarb and then made a pan of sauce. I can't wait to have it on my yogurt in the morning.

 

Even with my unplanned guest today I got all but two things on my to-do list accomplished. I didn't listen to any of Anneke's Legacy audiobook files and I didn't fold the basket of laundry. Ah well, there's always tomorrow. 

Oh, I almost forgot. I glanced over my shoulder at breakfast and just caught sight of a Hawk perched on the birdbath taking off. It flew across the yard and I didn't have a chance to figure out what kind of Hawk it was but I was excited to see it and sorry I hadn't looked sooner to take its picture. 

--Barbara 

Another Cool Bird

This morning when I was eating breakfast I looked out and saw a Rose-breasted Grosbeak just sitting on a crook looking around. It stayed for quite a while before flying away. It didn't eat at any of the feeders. Maybe it didn't like my offerings.

 

Then I saw a Hummingbird. I used my phone to take a picture and it focused on the dirt on the glass instead of the bird so I went out with the Windex and a paper towel to clean it off. Luckily the bird or another bird came back so I was able to snap this picture. My phone camera lens needed a little cleaning too but this is better than no picture at all.

 

I spent most of the day at New Perspectives, a senior living place in a suburb where a knitting friend of mine lives. The day went well. I sold 6 novels, 1 novella, and traded 1 novel for some crafts from another vendor. The only negative was that it was HOT in there. It never occurred to me that they'd have the heat turned up for all of the old people so I roasted in my long-sleeved t-shirt and cotton cardi. But I had fun and sold books. What's not to love?

 

Today's drawing is a case of practice doesn't make perfect. I honestly think today's heron is worse than yesterday's.

 

When I got home this afternoon I was so hot that I opened the patio door and pulled the screen closed so that cooler air flowed in. I was sitting there counting my money when I heard a Crow making a lot of noise. I looked out and saw a Hawk sitting high in the tree in the lot behind me and the Crow was objecting to it being there. It was too far away for me to see what kind of Hawk it was but that's okay. I was glad to see it. If there'd been leaves on the tree, I'd never have seen it.

 

The vendor at the next table commented that she had an Oriole at her feeder this morning so when I got home I carried the parts upstairs and put up my Oriole feeder. I didn't have a navel orange so I just cut off the top of a mandarin orange, plopped it in the feeder, and filled the dish with grape jelly. No Orioles seen yet but it's early.

 

Tonight at Friday Night Knitting I worked on the ribbing of the Melt the Ice Toque. I need to add one more inch of 2x2 ribbing before starting the body of the hat which tapers to a point at the top. KE said on Wednesday night that she's looking for a red hat like that. I told her that I have one finished and this one on the needles and she's welcome to the finished one. I'll take it along to the next knit night for her.

 

Late in the afternoon I listened to a few Anneke's Legacy audiobook files. I'm working my way slowly through the 37 chapters. Not hurrying and listening to every word. I'm not marking the places where what she said doesn't change the story but I am pointing out pronunciation booboos. In between books, I forget how tedious this is.

--Barbara 

Look! Look! Look!

Just after I got home from my haircut this afternoon I glanced out the patio door and look at what I saw. It's a male Ruby-throated Hummingbird visiting my nectar feeder. I was so excited. I fumbled up the camera and, as soon as I lifted it to focus, the Hummingbird flew away. *sigh* But I was lucky enough to see it when it came back and stayed long enough for me to take two pictures, one blurry and one in focus. Ah. It's really a male. I could see his red throat even though it didn't show up on the photo. Thanks, GBB, for motivating me to hang the feeder again.

 

Speaking of my haircut, my stylist was running late so I had to sit and chat with her and her client. I happened to mention that I write books and the client's eyes lit up and she asked what genre. When I told her about them she asked if I had any with me. Well, of course I have them all in my car so I went out to get one of each. I brought them in and told her about each story. She held them as if I'd given her gold bars and said, "I'll take them." "All of them?" "Yes, how much? I have cash." She was so excited to get them, excited that they were signed, and she started reading The Seaview while she waited for her color to set. And my stylist asked me to bring in another set to put on the shelf by her chair and write the price in the front of each book in pencil so she can show them off to her other clients. Wow! There are no pictures of that exciting and amazing occurrence. 

 

Today's drawing is a Blue Heron. It's okay. Not my best effort but I'll draw it again and it'll be better. I missed erasing a line on the edge of the wing so the body doesn't look right but I'll fix that on the next one. I didn't notice the extra line until after I inked the lines and couldn't erase it. Like I said, the next one will be better.

 

The other night I cast on Scrap Hat #4 and added a few rounds tonight so there's enough to make a decent picture. I've been using small scraps for two of the five yarns I'm carrying and I like the way the colors change around the blue chunky and white worsted yarns. I'm having fun making these hats. They're way too heavy for summer chemo hats. Maybe I'll do a cottony one next with only a couple strands of yarn.

 

The baby bunny was around again today. It blended right into the edge of the patio but then hopped onto the grass to eat a weed. It stood out then so I took its picture.

 

I can't forget to load my car before I go to bed tonight because I've got a show tomorrow from 10-2 at a senior living apartment building's Spring Craft Show. I was invited to participate. A friend lives there so it'll be fun to see her in person because I mostly just see her on Zoom on Friday nights. Maybe the crew of older people like to read and will buy books. Fingers crossed.

--Barbara

Here, Birdie, Birdie, Birdie

I got a text this afternoon from GBB that there was a Hummingbird at their feeder. I wasn't sure I was going to put the feeder out this year but seeing one at a friend's feeder motivated me to mix up some nectar and hang mine out and see what happens. The white, dome shaped thing hanging above it is filled with water and keeps ants from climbing up the crook and getting to the nectar.

 

Guess which bird I drew today. A Hummingbird, of course. I know I've drawn one before but putting out the feeder made me want to draw it again. 

 

DS texted this morning that he was brewing and did I want to visit. Of course, I did. He was making their summer sour which doesn't sound all that enticing but he's excited about it. He's adding 10 lbs. of dried hibiscus flowers, a pound and a half of ground coriander seeds, and some lime zest. He searched all the Hispanic groceries in town to buy all of the hibiscus he could find. In this picture he's using a little spice grinder to pulverize the coriander seeds a little. It smelled really good in there.

 

I went over to the lilac bush to take a picture of the flower buds and one was starting to open. There's hardly any leaves yet, but there are a lot of buds. Can't wait until they all open.

 

And there are two or three flowers on the forsythia too. This may be a sparse year for forsythia blooms but I'm glad to see a few. I'll keep an eye on it. Maybe more will show up.

 

Last Friday on May 1 a BookFunnel promo I'm a part of started. If you follow this link, you can download a FREE copy of my novel, Horizon, just for signing up for my newsletter. There are nine other free books on offer too. Get all ten for no money! All you have to do it sign up for newsletters. The promo runs until May 30 so get over there and check it out.

This afternoon I got a text from one of my knitting friends. She sent a picture of the four books of mine that she owns and asked for one each of the ones she didn't have. !!!! We met to eat and (not) knit tonight so I took them along and she brought money. AND she's ordering one of each title to send to a friend in Utah. Holy crap! That's very cool. 

It's late and I need to finish this and hit the sack. I'm tired. I spent a lot of today listening to audiobook files and reading along in a book to make sure the recording is correct. It's tiring. 

--Barbara