How Many Crows in a "Murder"?

That was my thought when I drove up to the house yesterday afternoon to see these three big black birds perched in the neighbors' tree.  I wished they were grouped a bit more closely but I liked the way they looked against the bright blue sky.  (you know that a group of crows is called a "murder," right?  a group of owls is called a "parliament," I like that one too)


Sticking with the bird theme, this morning was woodpecker time at the feeders.  First, this male Downy Woodpecker came to hang around for a snack.  Then this Red-bellied Woodpecker stopped but was so fast that by the time I got the camera up and running it was at the far end of the fence (look for the red patch in the center), pecking at things and, as soon as I snapped this, flew away.  I saw a hawk when I was out filling feeders just now but it soared right on by.


 



I finished the Mitten Mole last night.  Isn't it cute?  Next comes the fox.  In rereading the pattern I discovered that the designer has arranged the patterns from easiest to most difficult so I'm following her lead and taking it step by step.  After the fox will be the badger and that'll be it for this set of patterns but I searched around on Ravelry and found a perfect bear (a bear bear, not a teddy or panda), an ideal mouse, and a rabbit that'll do.  Strangely enough the hedgehog presents a problem.  They're either way too big or way too complex or just plain ugly.  The one that looks the right-est looks teeny tiny but maybe I can upsize it a bit.  I'll have to see.

Once again no writing last night.  I'm just buried by this cold.  By the time I get into bed and do my rehab ankle exercises I've got nothing left.  I console myself that this, this paltry bit of creative non-fiction actually is writing and it counts.  *pats self on back, half encouragingly, half consolingly*
--Barbara