Photo of the Week - Early

Posting this a little early, in case I forget to do it when I get busy tomorrow doing dreaded household chores, etc.
The deer did not find the hosta alongside the house so they had a chance to bloom and I've added one blossom to the bud stem I drew before. I'll include this little sketch in the journal I've begun to save mementos of "Grandma's House" for my children and grands. Hopefully it will remind them of the happy times we've spent here.

An apology

The little adolescent bluebird deserves a second photo on this blog and an abject apology from me. Contrary to my initial opinion of her, she, and it seems obvious now that it's a female, was not "annoying mama" as I thought, but learning what the birthing process was all about so she could help with the nestlings when they hatched. And that is what she is doing with great enthusiasm now. I watched her search diligently in the yard this morning for a worm and she came up with one, or a part of one, about 2" long. She chewed and chewed on it for several minutes (she IS still a youngster) until she got it down to less than half, then popped into the house and fed it to the babies. I was sooooo proud of her! Mama and Papa are feeding these three little ones now, too, and if those babies are eating everything that's brought to them, they'll be ready to fly in no time!
I did read in my bird book that a pair of bluebirds would sometimes allow a fledgling from one brood to tag along and help with the second one....and in looking up my records from 1994 I see that during our first nesting of these birds in our yard, that pair did the same thing. I just didn't know at the time that it was a young one from an earlier hatching.

Photo of the week

I'm taking an online watercolor pencil workshop with Cathy Johnson and this is a drawing of a hosta bud from my side yard for that class. I've left room for a flower from the plant when it opens....if the deer don't eat them all. I noticed yesterday that those critters had eaten almost ALL the buds off the hostas that line my front walk and left their footprints in evidence. I hope they don't find these in the side yard.

This is my trumpet flower I just realized had begun to bloom. They're pretty and grow wild here along the roadsides, but Roy planted some next to a trellis out back to attract the hummingbirds.

Finally, here's that little bluebird adolescent rascal that has joined my nesting pair in the backyard. Apparently this one is from their first nesting of the season and I think you can see the spotting on his/her shoulders and breast. He/she comes almost everyday and has taken to annoying Mama while she's sitting on her eggs, and gets summarily chased away by an angry Mama!

Award from Michelle

I've just received this lovely award from Michelle, thank you, dear girl! My list of seven things I can't live without....or that I wouldn't like to live without... are as follows:
1. My husband of many years
2. My children and grandchildren
3. My friends
4. Good health
5. A peaceful home life
6. Living in the US
7. And finally, a creative spirit
I should describe these as things I am completely and honestly grateful for.

I'll work on the list of people to forward this award to.....more later.
Thanks again, Michelle