Happy Easter!

Last night I reminisced about Easter when I was a kid and this morning Aunt B remembered an Easter when her children were small. NH had on an outfit that Aunt B made and LD wore a little sport jacket and a hat. That sparked a memory so I paged through an old photo album and I found a picture of them! This is in the front yard of Grandma and Grandpa Stephan's house more than 50 years ago. I can't believe that I found it. There are Easter pictures of me and my brothers too. Maybe I'll scan those in some year and post them too.

I glanced out and saw a Goldfinch on the finch feeder. He's definitely gotten more yellow in the last few days. I was just happy to see any bird on that feeder.

A couple of the hyacinths are starting to bloom. They don't have the big flowers on them like they're supposed to have but they're purple and they smell good. I'm not complaining.

This morning I pulled out my watercolor things and booted up a YouTube painting video about painting leaves. I tried painting leaves all over this paper. Stroke down, stroke up, one stroke, two strokes, and in just about every color. Some of them aren't bad. Some of them suck. I have to keep rewinding the video to see how to hold my brush because I can't seem to remember. I'm determined to get it. One of these days.

After lunch I sat down and put all of the audiobook corrections I've compiled this week into a Word document so that I can send it to CAS tomorrow. I had a lot of fun figuring out how to bold some things and underline others so she'll be able to understand what I mean. I'm such a nerd. I really enjoy doing stuff like that, nit-picky things.

 

I was invited to DS's in-laws for Easter dinner and had a lovely time. Even better, HZ sent me home with leftovers. Mm, ham, potatoes au gratin, carrots, a crescent roll, and cheesecake. Oh boy, lucky me.

It wasn't difficult to find things to be grateful for today. What was a challenge was choosing what few things to put on the page.

--Barbara

Today On The Pellets

Look who visited the suet pellets this morning. It's a Nuthatch and it's looking straight at the camera as if to say "what're you looking at?" I'm a big fan of Nuthatches. I don't know why. Maybe it's their streamlined shape that pleases me so much.

I called up the beginner Kristy Rice YouTube video this morning and tried my hand at the leaf picture again. Parts of it are better than my first attempt. As you can see I practiced painting leaves at the top of the paper and didn't do too badly.

Then in the afternoon I decided to paint again while the laundry sloshed and tumbled around. For some reason my flower petals are too skinny but I got most of the leaves right. Then I turned the paper around to paint some more leaves that turned out to look like tadpoles. I don't for the life of me know what I did right the first times and wrong the last times. Watercolor painting is so relaxing!

 

I can tell that winter isn't over yet because there was a Junco out on the lawn this afternoon. I found out that their nickname is "snowbirds" because they're a harbinger of winter. I like the sleek gray black of their feathers.

 

For the first time in I can't remember when I've got daffodils blooming at Easter. When I was a little girl my Grandma Angermeier in southern Indiana had rows of daffodils in her yard that the Easter Bunny hid eggs among. We'd be out there in our Easter finery with our baskets finding them. I even had white gloves on. Very proper.

 

Just before I came back here I pulled out my drawing things, got 20 Ways to Draw a Tree back out, and sat down to draw. I've realized that I like drawing out of those 20 Ways books with pen better than drawing with pencil out of other books.

 

And I remembered to draw a Gratitude Journal page for today after forgetting to make one the last two days.

 

I finished listening to the audiobook of Better Than Mom's and have a couple pages of notes of things that got skipped or need fixing. I'll get them typed up and sent off to the narrator so she can make the corrections then send it back to me for a re-listen. It's a pretty good story, if I do say so myself.

I braved the Saturday crowd at the chocolate store because I didn't buy any Easter candy when DD and I were there last weekend. I don't know why. The place was jammed but I managed to find most of what I was looking for and made up the difference with some cute Pez dispensers.

--Barbara

Forgetful

 I forgot to draw a Gratitude Journal page yesterday so I opened the book this morning to do it, and discovered that I forgot to draw one for the day before too. It's difficult to go back two days to remember what you're grateful for. Heck, I can barely remember what I did yesterday much less the day before. Good thing I have a Bullet Journal where I write down what I do and how I feel about things on a daily basis. I spent most of today either on Zoom with friends or listening to the Better Than Mom's audiobook and making notes on what needs to be fixed so today's journal page was a bit of a challenge.

This morning I got out my watercolors, etc. and started watching Kristy Rice's YouTube video for beginners again. This time I made the charts that she said to make and practiced the techniques on the video. Of course it was only after I finished the charts that my new paintbrushes and watercolor paper came from Amazon. I'll try out the brushes tomorrow, the paper too.

Once again the Downy Woodpecker landed on the back side of the suet pellets feeder. I almost didn't take his picture but then I realized if I didn't I wouldn't have a bird picture to put on here tonight since I had an afternoon Zoom and wanted to listen to the audiobook more so I needed to grab the opportunity. So here's a picture of his head and tail. It's better than nothing.

Like I said, I mostly listened to the audiobook today. And painted. I thought about going to the grocery but then I realized that Sunday is Easter and figured that the place would be jammed with people buying food for their holiday meal. I can wait until Monday when my bananas run out and the store won't be as busy.

--Barbara

Yes, Ma'am

I've been procrastinating folding the sheets in the dryer for weeks. Weeks! And I confessed to it on here last night. This morning there was a comment from Aunt B telling me that I had to go downstairs and fold those sheets. So I did. That was the second thing I did today, the first after getting dressed to so I didn't freeze down there. There are no photos.

The first thing I did this morning right after breakfast was get out my watercolor things and boot up the YouTube video I found last night that's by the author of the watercolor book I've been trying to paint out of. Turned out that in the first video I watched she used a round brush, not the slant bristled dagger brush that I've been struggling with. So I checked out her other videos and found a flower one with a dagger brush. I tried painting it and didn't do too badly. I still couldn't figure out the motion of the brush to make the petals like she did but I got closer.

 

The Downy Woodpecker was back on the suet cakes this morning. I'm convinced that it's the same one because I have no idea how I would tell them apart.

I had a meet-and-greet Zoom this morning with the facilitator and writers in the next Novel Writing critique group that starts next Wednesday. We got acquainted a bit and then I spent an hour carving out the next chapter that I want them to critique, tidying it up a bit, writing a couple sentences about what came before, and sending it off. A couple of the others sent their submissions so I spent a little time reading and doing an initial critique. There are no photos of that either.

 

 

 

By then it was lunch time so I ate and then had an early afternoon haircut. I had her cut me some bangs. I think I like them.

When I got home I listened to a couple chapters of Better Than Mom's and then couldn't resist going back to watercolor. I'd found that she has an hour long instructional video for beginners so I watched that, then pulled out my stuff and dived in. At one point in the video she demonstrates the brush work that's giving me fits so I rewound it a few times and will do that again and again but I'm going to get it. Five of the small leaves on the right side of the paper are done almost right. I'll practice.

After supper I zoned out in front of the TV for an hour before coming back here to listen to a couple more chapters of BTM's. I'm over halfway through so I'll for sure get through it this weekend so I can get it back to Carol Anne early next week to keep the ball rolling.

I just realized that I neglected to do a Gratitude Journal page today. Maybe I'll do one in the morning.

--Barbara

LIsten To This

I got an email from my audiobook narrator that she had finished recording
Better Than Mom's and it was time for me to listen to it from start to finish and make note of anything that needs correcting. So that's what I did most of the day. I'm reading along in a paper copy and making notes. It'll take me a couple more days, maybe the weekend, to finish listening, then I'll send her the corrections, she'll fix things and then send it back for another listen, and when I approve it, it'll go to ACX to be vetted. Once that happens in about 2 weeks, it'll be available on Audible and Amazon.

This morning I went out and filled the bird feeders (man, that wind was cold!) and it didn't take the birdies long to show up. I got a picture of a Downy Woodpecker on the suet cakes. Lots of Sparrows and Mourning Doves and House Finches were around too. And a trio of rabbits were playing chase games across the patio all the time I was eating lunch. Crazy.

The next watercolor in the book was flowers. I still don't have the movement of the brush down. My petals are a whole lot thinner than hers. I tried to move the brush the way she described but I must be doing something wrong. I like the colors and the shapes, they're just not the way hers look and I want to figure that out. Okay, I just got smart and searched the author's name on YouTube and she has a tutorial that shows her painting a flower that I can watch over and over. That should help lower my frustration level.

Tonight I pulled out a small stack of drawing and painting books that I won't be using again to take over to the Book Stop used bookstore. When I was in there last week I asked if she had any drawing or painting books and she said she didn't have any so I said I could probably bring some. Anyway, I pulled out Drawing Cute and drew and colored fries and a burger. I'm keeping that book because I enjoy drawing those little figures. They're so cute!

One of the chores I put on my Bullet Journal page yesterday and today was "fold sheets." I've had sheets in the dryer for a couple weeks and haven't managed to get down there to fold them. I don't have to do the laundry yet so it's not imperative that I get them out of there. Can you tell that folding king size sheets isn't my favorite? Oh, I should have asked DD to come downstairs to help me when she was here last weekend. Well, dang, I'm smart too late.

--Barbara

Another Pass Completed

I spent a lot of the late afternoon and early evening finishing the latest pass through the manuscript of The Seaview: Open for Business adding a few phrases here and there and I'm happy with what I've got so far. The next rereading I will be looking for places to add sensory detail--smells, tastes, sounds--that will put the reader even deeper into the scenes. With all the cooking I have in there it should be easy to find places to add that stuff.

I just happened to look out at the right moment and saw a Red-bellied Woodpecker on the suet pellets feeder. It stayed long enough for me to snap a few shots and this one was the best. One of these days the bird will cling to the front of the feeder and I'll be able to get a picture of its back and head instead of a side view and a slightly blurry one at that.

Instead of taking a shower and getting dressed this morning I went downstairs and made a couple batches of lotion. I've had it in mind to buy lotion because I'm not thrilled with the lotion and cream that I have right now but then it occurred to me that I can make lotion, that I have the ingredients on hand, and I have the containers for it so why buy when I can make. Right? I discovered that I have a bag of 16 oz. bottles so I can put almost all of a double batch of lotion in one bottle. One batch I made smell like grapefruit and the other one smells like clementine. Mm, citrus fragrances are my favorite. I combined the little leftovers of the two batches into one 8 oz. bottle which will smell like grapefruit and clementine mixed.

Once the lotion was cooked and cooling I sat down and pulled out Draw 500 Fabulous Flowers and drew this pitcher plant. I think it turned out pretty well. I used my newest colored pencils which are softer and therefore make darker, more vivid colors. I like 'em.

Then it was time to paint. I turned to the next exercise in Free-Spirited Watercolor and did my best to replicate the leaves in the examples in the book. I still don't have much control over the way the dagger brush makes marks on the paper but I think I'm getting better at it. I'll keep trying.

It wasn't until after lunch that I finally got around to showering and while I was in the shower it was raining so hard that I heard it over the sounds of the shower. That loud rain made an easy entry into my Gratitude Journal page along with the lotion making, painting, and my shower. I thought about drawing myself in the shower but decided that was something that no one needs to see. Besides I'm not very good at drawing people.

Man, it's windy. It's been windy all day, but it did get up to 57. I didn't go out, though, there were too many fun things to do in the house and I didn't need to go anywhere. And I had to finish listening to my audiobook. I got caught up in the story and had to finish it. I did not expect the ending.

--Barbara

Wet

That's right. Today it rained and it got warmer as the day progressed. It started out in the mid-20s and right now it's 47 degrees. And raining. Which means that in the last 36 hours we've had sunshine, snow, and rain. In that order. It felt weird to be out in rain today. I mean, yesterday it snowed which felt normal. Not rain. Rain is not normal for March in Green Bay, WI. Not even close.

I have fallen out of love with my Garmin Vivofit watch/step counter. So I dug out my watches and couldn't decide which one I wanted to wear so I took all three of them to the jewelry store and got new batteries put in them all. Now I can match my watch to my mood. They're all dive watches. Not a fashion watch to be seen. That's okay, I'm not a very fashionable person.

Today's Daily Art prompt said to fill the quarter page with orange and yellow dots. *sigh* So I got out the yellow and orange colored pencils from the cup on the table and the orange and yellow markers from the basket under the chair and got to work. It didn't take long for me to start making the dots a lot bigger than the examples (in the upper left) but then the meditative quality of some of these prompts escapes me. I just don't have the patience for a prolonged dotting.

I took another run at yesterday's Ikat watercolor but don't think that this one is nearly as good as yesterday's effort. Maybe I was too confident or too impatient.

The Gratitude Journal page for today was another easy one. I especially like the way the clouds and rain turned out.

I spent a lot of the afternoon working my way through the manuscript. I added another scene where Rose confronts one of the islanders who has snubbed her. I don't think it's very conflict-y but maybe I can beef it up. I'll read it again tomorrow and see what I can do.

I also spent some time chatting with my writer friend, cda, and we decided that we should meet in Kenosha for a couple days of writing and talking. A lot of talking, with a little shopping. Maybe. We wish we lived closer together but neither one of us is moving anytime soon.

--Barbara

Yesterday It Melted

Today it was cold and windy. The birdbath was icy and the birds stayed home. I don't blame them. I went out to check what's getting ready to grow and I got very cold in just a few minutes. Ooh, that wind was sharp.

And in the afternoon it started snowing and laid an inch of the white stuff over the just revealed grass and pavements. But it won't stay long because it's supposed to get up to 48 tomorrow and 52 on Tuesday. At least that's what they're saying now. Naturally that could change. Or they could be wrong. Or both.

Today's Daily Art prompt said to draw a scene along the river painted on the page. I saw some drawings by an illustrator I've taken an online course from and liked the way they looked so I tried my best to replicate them or at least the style of them. Sometimes I think this looks like mountains. Other times I think this looks like pyramids. I wish I'd have thought of the pyramids when I was drawing them so I could have made a palm tree instead of the leafy tree that I did. Ah well, maybe another time.

I pulled out Free-Spirited Watercolor to paint the next exercise. She called it Ikat which I thought was a type of rug or fabric but maybe not. Anyway this was an interesting exercise in color blending. I chose three colors that I like and blended them together--red, gold, and yellow--in the pattern she described. I like it. I like the way the colors blend and I like the shadows on the left side of the diamonds. I may try this one again with more contrasting colors.

The most enthusiastic flower I found outside today was this daffodil that's tucked itself behind a planter, drawn a leaf over its head, and is opening ahead of all of the others. A couple others are showing a little bright yellow but nothing like this trend setter.

I got brave this evening and tried drawing DD for my Gratitude Journal page and it worked out. This actually looks a little like her. A cartoon version of her but still it's better than I'd hoped. I am also grateful for my portable dishwasher. I love that I can hide a week's worth of dirty dishes in it and when I run it all of the dishes are clean and I didn't have to wash them by hand. Ain't technology grand?

I was even happier to find that there was enough leftover cheese soup for me to finish it for supper tonight. Ah, there's nothing like a bowl of soup on a dreary, snowy day, especially when it reminds you of your DD.

I worked through part of the manuscript again today. I'm getting better about putting in little hints of the bigger problems that Rose is having. Right now I'm looking for a place to tuck in a confrontation with the neighboring restaurant owner who has taken to snubbing Rose when she calls a greeting. I went back to an earlier chapter and started working my way through again. I got back to the meeting with Henry at the hardware store before my eyesight gave out and hunger drove me to the kitchen for my supper. I'll work on it more again tomorrow.

--Barbara

Melting

It was a bright sunny day, not too warm, but the sun shone fiercely and melted all of the snow it touched. First thing this morning I snapped a picture of this Mourning Dove pecking away at the seed that fell when I filled the feeders.

A few hours later this Goldfinch landed on the crook, didn't fly over to the finch feeder, but I was glad to see that it's feathers are turning yellow a little bit. Even a little bit is good news.

For drawing practice this afternoon I decided to crack open Dr. Seuss's Book of Animals and drew this zebra-like equine creature. It almost looks like the picture in the book. Almost.

Then I found these flowers in Draw 500 Fabulous Flowers. I liked them because they were different and the one on the right had a lot of black so it really stood out.

In between drawing I sat and finished the Sockeye Salmon Hermione Sock. All I had to do was knit the toe decreases and then Kitchener the last eight stitches to make a seamless join. Nobody wants a seam on the toe of their sock. Nobody.

I don't know if you can see it or not but there's a huge icicle all down the wind chimes from the roof to the bottom of the pipes. I tried to get an angle on it to make it stand out but the best angle was from inside through the kitchen sink window and that was a terrible picture, all blurry and stuff. So you get this.

The Gratitude Journal page for today was another easy one. I had more things that I wanted to put on the page but couldn't draw them. I can't draw people to save my soul and I wanted to be thankful for DD being here among others.

We went to Red Robin for lunch. They have terrific burgers and pretty good sweet potato fries although they were a little too salty for my taste. We got seated immediately even though it was noon when we got there but before we even saw a waitress a hostess came and offered us a free appetizer or dessert if we'd agree to move because she had a big group come in. Our little table was one of a long line of two-top tables that could accommodate a group of 12. Of course we agreed so in addition to eating a gigantic hamburger and fries we split a piece of lemon cake drizzled with strawberry sauce. Then we went to the chocolate store where DD bought fudge eggs for her family. I just bought a couple candy bars and a box of cinnamon bears. None of which I needed, of course.

--Barbara