And Pretty Birdies

The goldfinches are definitely molting into their breeding colors.  The males have shifted from having a patch or two of bright yellow to being resplendent in their yellow and black plumage.  Yesterday morning I heard a woodpecker (don't tell Durwood, but since he's not sleeping with me while I'm sick I opened the window a crack) and then Durwood noticed one on the suet so I snapped a picture of them both.  The birdies are coming back!  I need to check the hummingbird watch site to see how close they are to us so we can get the feeders all clean and ready to hang out there.

The sunset was gorgeous and I almost missed it.  I went to shut the curtains for the night and caught sight of the vivid orange and yellow and pink peeking out between the horizon and the cloud cover.  I love that we live on a little hill so that I have a higher view out to the west.  I like our little neighborhood, it's not classy, it's firmly middle class, but it's quiet and very convenient to all sorts of things.  I think I'll stay put.

After supper I whipped up a batch of caramel mix to take to the Bay Lakes Knitting Guild meeting tomorrow night.  We had a whole lot less loose popcorn that I thought we did so I popped that up and then overpopped a bag of microwave popcorn so that the kitchen was smoky and it stunk to high heaven but I got the stuff made (I tossed in more pretzels to make up the lack) and spread out on wax paper to cool overnight.  Most of the mini M&Ms seem to have melted but I don't think anyone will complain about a bit of chocolate smeared in the mix, do you?  This morning I broke it apart and put the lion's share in a tupperware cake taker (don't worry, there's some for Durwood to munch on during the day) and hauled up the bottled water to take along too.  I wonder if I should grab a package of napkins to take... maybe I'll just tuck the open one from the closet in there just in case.  Yeah, that's what I'll do.

April 9--England, Double-Sided Ivory Liturgical Comb with Scenes of Henry II and Thomas Becket.

Inspiration has abandoned me,
flown with the aroma of burnt popcorn and
the achy shoulders from rocking Lucy.
Dogs are baying down the block,
rabbits must be on the move.
I need to fill in a few more lines
on this page so
I can turn out the light
with a clear conscience.
I'm a stern taskmaster--
or should that be taskmistress?
There.
That feels like enough.
~~~~~

Well, that's different.  I'm a bit less stuffy today so maybe (fingers crossed) this sinus pestilence is leaving me.  I'll be glad to get my senses of smell, taste, and hearing back.  Spring colds suck.  I don't think it's allergies but whatever it is I'm supremely tired of it.  Time to get a move on.  Later, dudes and dudettes.
--Barbara