Poppies!

Okay, one poppy has bloomed on the side of the house but there are a bunch of buds ready to pop. I love finding the shed pieces of the bud cases. They look like giant's toenails, all green-y brown and fuzzy.

A Downy Woodpecker visited the suet for a second and then moved down to the tube feeder. I was surprised that she didn't stay on the suet pellets but popped over to the seeds. There must be plenty bugs for them to eat for protein.

One of the Stella d'Oro lilies is opening up flowers on one stalk. None of the others have joined in yet.

The next drawing in the 3-D book was Leering Lasagna. I get the feeling that the author/illustrator was in a slump when he got to the middle of the alphabet. I hope that the drawings in the rest of the book are a little more interesting. I have to keep reminding myself that this book is aimed at middle school age kids so it makes sense that I find some of the drawings extremely silly.

I couldn't resist trying my hand at painting the French Irises. And I used the artist's tape but made sure that the painting was dry before peeling it off. That worked. Maybe the past paintings weren't dry enough for the tape to come off cleanly. I need to press it down, make sure I overshoot the corners with the tape, and let the paint dry before peeling it off. I need to figure this out because I have 3 rolls of artist's tape to use up.

One of the squirrels rediscovered the suet pellets today. They've been leaving them alone lately but this one couldn't resist the lure of the suet and fake orange flavoring.

Today I took the Pack & Play and the highchair down to Once Upon A Child to sell to them. They gave me $35! I was impressed and grateful.

I planted the coleus this morning, swept the leaves and birdseed hulls off the patio, and cleaned the birdbath. I'm trying to spruce the place up for Lala's visit this coming weekend. I put fresh sheets on the guest bed too. I'm nice like that.

--Barbara

A Red Shoe Day

 I woke up to rain and decided that today was not going to be another blah day, not if I could help it. So when I got dressed I put on red shoes, a red cotton sweater (because I had to turn the furnace back on, it was only 53 today and chilly in here), and red glasses. Red attire always makes me feel more cheerful.

I got my drawing done in the morning, two chairs out of the You Can Draw In 30 Minutes ebook, and I think they turned out okay, not great, but okay.

The next figure in 10-Step: Everyday Things was a bed. It looked complicated to draw and color but I managed to fumble my way through the 10 steps and think it, too, turned out okay.

After lunch with my 8th grade grad friends I went to the garden center (it had stopped raining) to get flower plants and coleus for my pots. I was going to wait to plant them all tomorrow when the soil wasn't quite as wet but I couldn't wait and planted the flowers. I'll plant the coleus in the front pots tomorrow.

When I took the picture of the flat of plants I thought, hm, I can paint that, so I did. It turned out pretty well for a watercolor that I didn't practice in my workshop last month. Oh, and to my chagrin, blue painter's tape kept the paint from seeping under it and didn't rip off the top layer of the postcard. Guess I have to try to un-see the blue when I paint.

This Bluejay found a worm in the grass and worked very hard to subdue it and fly off with it. The worm didn't cooperate.

I haven't kept up with my intention to knit a couple rows a day on the Simple Alpaca Shawl but I managed to add two rows tonight while watching TV. I can't knit and watch Antiques Roadshow because I get too interested in what they're appraising but I can knit through reruns of Call the Midwife.

Once again I didn't toss anything today. I have my eye on a spring coat that I really don't wear and the Pack & Play and highchair that I should take down to Once Upon a Child to see if they'll buy them. Maybe I'll do that tomorrow or call them to save myself a trip if they won't.

--Barbara

Just Blah

I woke up feeling blah and couldn't shake the feeling all day. I spent most of the day reading an e-book on my Kindle and staring out the patio doors. I did manage to get dressed, make the bed, and brush my teeth and hair, though.

Goldfinches were the most frequent visitors to the feeders today, after the ever-present Sparrows, that is. The vivid male didn't stay in one place long enough for me to take his picture or at least one that wasn't blurry so all I have is this picture of a female looking quizzically at me.

I did go outside to take a picture of the French Irises that are blooming and thought that this partly open one was interesting looking. I should have stayed out there and weeded the top of the retaining wall but I just wasn't in the mood. And then it started to drizzle.

It was hard to muster up any enthusiasm for drawing today especially when I saw the next figure in the 15-Minute Artist book--an upholstered chair. The example had floral upholstery but there was no way I was going to draw that, I made stripes, they're easier.

Painting didn't inspire me either. I got some artist's tape today so I had to paint a postcard to see if it wouldn't rip off the top layer of paper. I painted the postcard and not only did it rip off the top layer of paper but it also let paint seep under the edge. Back to regular masking tape, I guess. Maybe my postcards are substandard.

Didn't toss anything today either. I have a serious case of the blahs.

--Barbara

A Good Day For Red

 I mowed the lawn this morning so my morning was filled with green. After that--and a shower--I hauled out my drawing things.  My favorite thing I drew today is these Cornflowers. They're out of 10-Step: Nature and are just as satisfying as the previous things from that book were.

I was less enamored by the next figure in the 3-D book. It's some kind of launcher, at least that's what he called it. I streamlined the picture a little but you get the idea.

When I was mowing along the retaining wall, I spotted the first yellow Stella d'Oro lily of the year.  Hooray!

Then I saw that the French Irises down on the other end of the retaining wall have started to bloom too. I thought about printing off this picture and using it for today's postcard watercolor but then I realized that I'd have to use purple and decided against it. Maybe tomorrow.

Instead I pulled out one of KA's notecards and painted some red tulips. I like the background with its multiple greens and other colors mashed together. This is what I wanted to learn in class, freedom. You can see that the masking tape I used to secure the postcard to the board ripped away the top layer of paper across the top of the card. I expressed frustration at that last night at knitting and KW said to try drafting tape. Well, I went on Amazon and there's such a thing as drafting artist's tape so I ordered some. It supposed to be less sticky so maybe it'll keep the paper from ripping when I remove the tape.

In bird news, the Sparrows have discovered that the suet pellets are tasty so they've been clinging to the mesh feeder and having a feast. It isn't just one of them either, seems like they all take a turn.

Today's toss was a handful of small flags on sticks. I don't know where they came from and I won't use them. Buh-bye.

There's a concert over in the Titletown District a mile away and I can hear the music and some singing. I can't imagine how loud it is in person if it's audible so far away. Glad I'm not there. It's not my kind of music anyway.

--Barbara

Like A Gorilla In A Birdcage

That's what I think when I see that one of the Mourning Doves has managed to wedge itself into the platform feeder. It's just too much bird for that little space. I don't know how it gets in there. I'd think it would bonk its head and wings on entry but evidently not. Either that or it's sitting there with a headache.

I only drew one picture today. It's out of You Can Draw In 30 Minutes a Day and it's a mouth. Not just any mouth, but a lush mouth. In this book he has you use hacks and blueprints to sketch the figure and then refine it. The Bonus Challenge was cones with contour lines on them. I skipped drawing them.

The watercolor postcard today is hollyhocks with delphiniums alongside. It's one of the pictures that I did at class. I figure if I keep painting those things that I have directions for I can't help but learn how to paint better.

At Friday Night Knitting I finished the Seagull dishcloth with 15 minutes to spare so I had time to knit one row of the Simple Alpaca Shawl. I need to buckle down and knit one row a day, maybe two rows, so that I'll get the darned thing done sometime this century. It came to me tonight that knitting a shawl in worsted weight yarn takes a lot longer than knitting it with the called-for bulky yarn.

Today I took the tosses to Goodwill on my way home from the grocery.

DS and OJ stopped over this afternoon to use the tools to shape and sand their Pinewood Derby car. They had to get it done today, the race is tomorrow. They cut the block of wood into a wedge shape and will decorate it with a cheese sticker so it looks like a wedge of Cheddar rolling down the track. I can't wait to see it when it's finished.

Thanks for calling this afternoon, Aunt B, it was great to hear your voice.

--Barbara

No Purple Tomorrow

It was only after I painted today's postcard that I realized that I've used purple, well, some Latin named violet for the last three days. This is supposed to be the lilac fields on Washington Island, a redo of one of last week's class painting. Tomorrow I'll paint something without using purple paint. I'll used red or yellow or green, maybe orange, but not purple.

 

I was surprised to see a Red-winged Blackbird pecking around under the feeder and then it flew up to get a drink at the birdbath. Red-winged Blackbirds aren't usually feeder birds so I figure that this one was either lost or confused. It didn't stay long but I'm glad that I saw it.

 

The next figure in The 15-Minute Artist was a house key. I thought it was a silly thing to draw but it turned out to be enjoyable and a success. Who knew that a key could be so interesting?

 

Then I got out the 10-Step: Nature book and turned to see the next drawing was a bumblebee. It took some concentration to get the legs and wings untangled but I managed.

 

I got to the middle of the Seagull dishcloth so tomorrow night I'll be knitting the decreases and might just finish it. I can't figure out why the yarn color is called Seagull but for some reason it really pleases me.

 

I forgot to find something to toss today. I had an eye doctor appointment where I thought I'd find out about my cataracts but he just said that my eyelids were less inflamed from using the two eyedrops and I should keep it up. I'm tired of my eyes being blurry so I asked to talk about fixing my cataracts but have to see a different doc for that. Next month. Unsatisfying.

I took a walk this morning and saw my neighbors for the first time in a long time so got to catch up on their news. Slowed me down some but that's all right.

--Barbara

I Got the Bluejay

I was going to write "I Got the Blues" but didn't want you to think that I'm sad. I'm not, I was just happy to catch a photo or three of a Bluejay on the crook looking around for what it could eat. Bluejays don't come around very often so I'm always glad to see one and even gladder to get a photo.

Today's drawing out of the 3-D book was a disappointment. It's supposed to be a labyrinth and I couldn't draw it right. I drew and erased, drew and erased, and finally made all of the walls straight and just shaded it and called it done. Blech. Not anywhere close to my finest hour.

Then I took another run at the third face in 10-Step: People. It's better. I had better luck with the hair this time.

I'm much happier with today's postcard watercolor of an iris. I took my time, drew out a flower, and tried out the paint colors before putting them on the paper. Now if I could only figure out how to keep the masking tape from tearing off the surface of the postcard I'd be even happier. I almost typed that I think I'm getting better at this but, watch, tomorrow's painting will look like the dog's dinner, so I won't be bragging on myself tonight.

Today's toss was a few boxes of toddler-level flash cards. No toddlers left around here, only big kids.

The a/c tuneup tech came today. His original arrival window was 11-1. I was happy with that but when they called to confirm the appointment she said 10-12. Okay. So I busied around and got stuff done so that I would be ready. He called at 12:45 apologizing for being late but I let him off the hook since that was my original time. He didn't find any problems with either my a/c or the rental one. Whew. I didn't really expect problems but you can never be sure. He's a nice guy, I wouldn't mind if he keeps coming back. Now I have to dig up an appliance service guy because the rental washer isn't working so well and I proposed we have a service call before replacing the thing. That's bound to be cheaper, right?

--Barbara