A Drizzly Saturday

After five days of continuous and sometimes heavy rain, I thought we were in for a sunshine break today. Unfortunately that is not the case, since more clouds decided to hand around and just drizzle all day long. Better than a gully washer I guess since the ground is so over saturated. I played with the Murray this morning.  He is my daughters 3 year old part Border Collie, part Lab and part Australian Sheepdog, so he has more energy than four dogs his size! We are keeping Murray for her for awhile.  He could care less if it is drizzling, pouring or snowing, he just wants to run and play outside and chase anything I throw. He will retrieve a ball, a stick or a frisbee, my choice, he just loves to chase them and bring them back. My arm wears out before he does!

I have no pastels in the works at present, although I want to start a new one. I did complete one in class on Thursday and the subject for that one was a desert scene.  I am not really that much into desert, but it did give me the opportunity to use soft warm colors, and the clouds were also a multitude of different shades of colors. I may make a few changes before I am satisfied with that one. I just haven't decided what my next pastel subject matter will be. I have a preference for landscapes, trees, and water, they are always a great challenge.

While I mull over that thought, I do need to get a few things done around the house. I filled the bird feeders and so all of our feathered friends are back chirping and chattering in the trees, awaiting their turn to grab a sunflower seed, some thistle seed or kernals of corn. I give them many choices and always have flocks of birds in the garden of many different species. One of the side benefits to having so many birds around is they pay me back by eating a lot of bugs in my garden and flower beds.  I rarely have any insect infestations because my feathered friends do such a good job keeping them in check. That gives me a beautiful flowering garden without the pests. See I'm not a blooming idiot for spending all that money on seed!

I also have a variety of bird houses in various sites in the garden, and that does give us the opportunity to host a family of Western Bluebirds, wrens, or pine swallows through the season.  It is great to watch them gathering materials for their nests, and then later bringing food for their freshly hatched young. The side benefit is that it gives me lots of subjects to try and shoot with my other hobby, photography!  Like this Dark eyed Junco, that was waiting a turn to eat in the cold weather.

Well I had better get going and doing something productive, enjoy your Saturday, I intend to enjoy mine!