More Doodle-igraphy

I have these cool watercolor pencils that I bought this past winter...

...and a watercolor pan set that I have no idea when I bought it or how many hundreds of years I have had it. 

I have fun playing with them occasionally.  But like many of the art/craft supplies I have bought over the years, I don't have a real talent or knowledge of how to use them.  They're just toys for me.  

This week, I was playing around, making some more doodle-igraphy.  This time, I tried making a playful version of Times New Roman font on the back of an envelope.  It came out kinda cool and was fun to do.  This was my first attempt, so please ignore the goof I made on the sarif of the R.

Then I got to thinking, what if I doodled it on watercolor paper, using a Sharpie to outline the letters and watercolors to fill the letters and wash the background?

And, violà!

I'm pretty pleased with it.  It is so playful and fun.

I have an idea to take this method a step further to make a gift.  I can't guarantee it will ever materialize, but if it does, you can bet I'll be bragging about it here.
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And now, for a Wren Report!

I don't think we have seen the wrens under the gazebo since January, but I know they're nesting nearby.  They are so vocal, it is hard to miss them.  I figured we wouldn't see them again under the gazebo until after nesting season was over.

Last night, when I was out with the dogs for their final potty break of the evening, I noticed one of the wrens in a teacup.  It was cool last night—about 60° Fahrenheit—and he (or she) was snuggled in pretty tight and his (her) feathers were fluffed up.

This morning, when the dogs were out for the first potty break of the day (5:20 am), the wren was still there.  The rest of the birds in the neighborhood were already up and chirping their heads off, but our wren was still fast asleep.  Five minutes later, he (she) was gone.

Blueberry Hand Pies and Blizzards

I have been dying to try making hand pies -- single-serving pies that can be eaten by hand.  Since it is just Eric and I at home, hand pies would give me the opportunity to make a tasty treat, without all the excess baggage that comes with a full-sized pie (several days worth of fat, calories and guilt; or throwing the extra servings away and suffering a different kind of guilt).  With hand pies, I could make a batch and freeze them in two-serving packets.  

Yesterday, I made these blueberry hand pies to take to a pot luck party.

Are they not the cutest?

Unfortunately, the party was canceled due to blizzard conditions. Now, instead of being stuck with an entire pie that we must eat or put to waste, I can easily freeze the extras.  I had one last night, Eric had one today, and the rest went into the freezer for later.  Yum. 

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Blizzard photos from my front window...

And my back window...

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Wren Report - January Update

It has been months since we have seen the wrens.  While I was watching the snow from the latest Alberta Clipper fall outside my kitchen window this morning, guess who showed up under the gazebo.  Yep, our friend the wren.  He flew up into the rafters and hopped around for a while.  It looked as if he was searching for a cozy place to roost during the next storm.  He examined several roosting spots and even checked out the evergreen garland we have hanging in the front of the gazebo. But he didn't stick around for long.  I last saw him fly into the cozy looking arborvitae in the middle of our yard.

Summer's Last Gasp

A bearded Iris of unknown lineage is blooming in my yard, right now.  It has no idea that tonight, the temperature is going to dip into the low 30's and it is going to get zapped. 

Maybe I'll cut it and bring it inside.  There are at least 2 other buds on the stem, but I'm sure they will not bloom in a vase. 

This beauty came from my Mother.  She lives in a retirement condo.  The condo residents do a small amount of gardening outside the buildings.  Mom knew that I had been looking for a clear yellow bearded iris.  She found one in the gardens outside her building and asked permission to take a cutting for me. 

When she found out there was also a reblooming one (this one, above) , she asked permission to take a cutting of that for me too. 

It doesn't rebloom every fall, but when it does, it is a sweet treat!

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And now for today's Wren Report...

Yes, the wrens are still hanging out in my teacups.  Two days last week they did not show up.  I was convinced that they had flown south for the winter, but the third day they were back again! 

Wrens, Titmice, Chickadees, and a Cardinal

No pictures today.  Bad Blogger, I know!  (insert lame excuse here)  But I do have a Wren Report for today...

This afternoon, Eric and I were sitting in the kitchen when we heard a bird commotion on the patio.  I peeped out the window to see what was going on. 

There were a pair of Tufted Titmice flying from chair to chair, to railing, to chair.  There were also a pair of Black-capped Chickadees acting nervous and hopping around in the bushes beside the patio.  I'm not sure what their role was, but the Chickadees were clearly involved.

My little friends, the wrens were there too.  They were the most active -- flying from the teacups to the chairs, into the potted geranium, to the railing, to the light strands, up into the rafters of the gazebo, and back again. 

Everyone was making noise, but the wrens were squawking the loudest.  I think the wrens were trying to convince everyone else that the patio and gazebo were the sole property of them, the wrens.  Or maybe they were showing off their cool new country home to their friends from the city.

And the Cardinal?  I think he just showed up for a drink at the bird bath and decided to stay for the freak show.  He perched in the little red maple to the side of the patio and watched for a while. I think he eventually gave up and went away. 

Autumn Shadows

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Wren Report -- Day 4

Today, one of the wrens showed up in the afternoon sometime.  He/she flew to a potted geranium and poked around in there for a few seconds.  He then flew up to one of the teacups and hung out there for an afternoon nap.  Not sure how long the wren stayed, but by the time I got up from my nap, he was gone.

An Evening Downpour and Wren Report -- Day 3

On the way to dinner tonight...

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And now for the Wren Report -- Day 3...

Last night (the evening of Day 2), both wrens showed up again.  The one I frightened had moved to another teacup (there are 8 to choose from). 

This evening (Day 3) they're both back again in the same teacups as last night. 

Playing @ Bookbinding

First, a word about yesterday's wren.  There were two wrens last night, in teacups. I frightened one away by taking its picture.  The other one stayed all night in his teacup.  This morning, around 7:00 am, we looked out and the wren was still there.  Within minutes, it had flown away.  I stepped outside and was promptly greeted by "teakettle, teakettle, teakettle" from a tree at the edge of our property.  I think the wren was saying "Thank you!"

 

Fingers crossed that the one I frightened away didn't get eaten by an owl.

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 And now, bookbinding...

 

I'm in the process of making a guitar practice journal for Eric.  The binding method is called "Coptic with Concertina." 

 

This is my second attempt at bookbinding.  My first attempt consisted of a simple sewn booklet.

 

A Wren in My Teacup

A Carolina Wren to be more precise!

 

 

Unfortunately, he/she flew off after I took the second picture.