flowers — Page 59

Storms, Ring Lights, Flowers, Humidity

July 8, 2021 at 8:52 am by Claudia

We are having insane thunder storms. After midnight, we woke up to a huge storm which seemed to last forever. All of the mullein plants I showed you yesterday are flat on the ground. They’re just too tall and spindly to withstand lashing wind and rain. My hollyhock was also bent over this morning. I’ve temporarily braced it, but I need to tie it to the trellis that’s in the pot. Forget the hydrangeas. They’ve been pummeled.

It’s depressing and there are more storms coming today and tomorrow.

It’s humid and sticky and thundery and we are over it.

I started a new painting – just the basic outline of the piece of pottery, which I now realize I’ll have to tweak after viewing it from afar.

Meanwhile, my big concern during all of these heat warnings and storms and wind is mama robin, but so far, she seems to be handling it. She was sitting on the eggs when I got up this morning.

We’re in the process of buying a ring light and a background screen for audition videos – most of which are self-taped these days. We live in a small house with very little available wall space and the wall space that is available is often in a too dark part of the house. So we’re buying these things as an investment. Today we drive to the dreaded Walmart to pick up the ring light. Points, however, to Walmart; they made this transaction very simple and easy. Tomorrow a screen will be delivered and we’ll tape Don’s audition.

Oy.

That’s it my friends – I have to grab some breakfast and then we’re off to Walmart – just over the mountain ridge from our cottage.

Stay safe.

Happy Thursday.

Mid-Week Minutia

July 7, 2021 at 9:15 am by Claudia

I’m using my vintage Vernor’s crate to hold my painting supplies. It’s portable, should I need to move to another part of the cottage. Plus, I really love this crate, having grown up in Michigan where Vernor’s Ginger Ale (the best, in my opinion) was manufactured. When I lived in downtown Detroit, I used to drive by the main plant on my way home.

We seem to be in a humid/thunderstorm weather pattern here, with more on the docket today. I keep a close watch on our mama robin and the nest, though in reality, there’s nothing I can do. So far, I’ve learned that the female robin builds the nest, lays the eggs (of course) and keeps them warm. Ahem. Where’s dad? I have to give it to the Carolina wrens: he build the nest, she approved it, did the egg laying, and they both fed the babies. I know that papa robin will step in once the babies are born but so far…he’s an absentee father.

I have a book arriving today that I’ve long wanted to read. It’s by David Sibley, an authority on birds. Title: What it’s Like to be a Bird: From Flying to Nesting, Eating to Singing–What Birds are Doing and Why. I can’t wait to start reading it.

One of Don’s birthday presents from me was the new biography of famed director, Mike Nichols. (Sort of a present for me, too, as I can’t wait to read it.) He is devouring it. It’s written by Mark Harris, who I follow on Twitter. He is married to Tony Kushner, who wrote the prize winning play, Angels in America. There’s a lot of talent in that family.

It’s a gorgeous, albeit humid, morning. The light is beautiful, everything is blooming, mama is sitting on her eggs right outside our kitchen window.

And the mullein, or verbascum, that grows wild here is all over the back forty. I think we have more plants than we’ve ever had before. It sometimes grows to over 6 feet tall and has an almost ‘forest primeval’ look to it. These are the flowers. There are splashes of yellow everywhere. Mullein is often used as an herb.

I’m starting a new Roseville painting today.

And that’s it for today!

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

Mama Robin

July 6, 2021 at 9:11 am by Claudia

This mama is sitting on a nest right outside our kitchen window. We noticed that she had officially taken up residence yesterday morning. And then…later in the day…we saw her lay an egg! It was extraordinary.

She’s there again this morning. I read that robins lay one egg a day, so I suspect there’s more coming. But, having said that, we have very strong thunderstorms coming today and tomorrow and this particular nest location isn’t at all protected. It’s in the crook of a branch on a black walnut tree with nothing overhead. I wonder how well she will weather the storm and/or if she might abandon the nest.

Fingers crossed that all goes well for mama and the eggs.

We mowed yesterday. It’s the first time I’ve mowed in a while as I’ve been dealing with shoulder and neck pain for over a month. I finally reached the point where I felt I could join in again, though Don mowed a bit more than me. It felt so good to be back at it. I also pulled a lot of weeds because the gardens had become messy during my ‘resting phase.’

We were tuckered out.

Coneflowers are everywhere. They’ve sprung up in new places. That’s what I love about them. They’re strong, beautiful, and they self-seed. What’s not to love?

And down by the street:

These beauties.

We’re off Lowes this morning to get a few things. Don wants to get going early because of the incoming storms, so after I post this, I’ll throw on some clothes and we’ll head out.

I finished the Elly Griffiths and now I’ll tuck into the next one in the series. I preordered the next Louise Penny, which comes out next month. Can’t wait.

Stay safe.

Happy Tuesday.

Storms, Ring Lights, Flowers, Humidity

Mid-Week Minutia

Mama Robin

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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