Lots of Birds

The word must have gone out that I filled the birdfeeders yesterday afternoon because there were lots of birds in my yard today. The Sparrows were here in great numbers, maybe a couple dozen but they were hard to count because they move around so much. The Starlings were all over the grass on the slope below the retaining wall and one of them spent some time on the suet nuggets. The first bird I got a decent picture of was the Cardinal defending its place on the platform feeder. It had just run off an invasion of House Finches when I managed to snap this picture.

The bird I saw the most times was this Red-bellied Woodpecker. It kept coming to the round feeder because it learned that there are peanuts mixed in the "no-waste" seed mix so it contorts itself on the perch to be able to prospect for a nut. Then it hold it in its beak for a few seconds before flying away to wherever it lives or eats. It also spent a little time on the suet nuggets but I didn't get a picture.

In the afternoon I spied this male Downy Woodpecker on the last of the suet cakes. The Sparrows have done a good job pecking away at the suet cakes and the woodpecker took advantage of what was left. Also in the afternoon a couple Bluejays spent some time pecking at the cob corn but they're so fast and so far away that I've stopped trying to take their picture.

I wasn't much motivated to do anything today but I found this trio of tulip-ish flowers in Draw 500 Fabulous Flowers, liked them and decided to draw them. I do like the way they look in just ink.

And then there's today's watercolor of Foxglove. I was a little reluctant to paint it because it looks complicated but I thought I might as well give it a go. It's not as pink as it's supposed to be but it's not too bad. I can't decide if I'm improving or if I've hit my peak. I'm going to keep wasting paper and paint.

Tomorrow is the Market on Military indoor farmers market. It's from 9am to 1pm so if you're in the neighborhood, stop in and say hi. We're in the left hand store next to Skechers in the Green Bay Plaza at the corner of Military Ave. and Mason St.

I got to do the school run this afternoon and took my dishcloth knitting along with me. This little bag of simple knitting used to live in the pocket of my driver's door but I took it out when lockdown came and never put it back. I put it back today. Now I'll always have knitting handy when I have to wait for something.

After supper I squeezed in a few minutes to draw a gratitude journal page while I listened to an audiobook chapter. Actually I drew two of them--one for today and one for yesterday. I was impressed that I remembered what I did yesterday.

 

I emailed the latest manuscript version to my Kindle today. Putting it on there lets me read it like it's a book so I find all kinds of edits and places that need a little something. I find it easier than reading it on the laptop screen. I can't make corrections on the Kindle but I can make notes on a little pad and transfer them to the big manuscript. Works for me.

--Barbara