Animal Wednesday - Rose-breasted Grosbeak & Luna

 Luna isn't near as impressed with the visit from the Rose-breasted Grosbeak to our feeders as we were.

This is a handsome male. I always know that spring migration is in high gear when these guys start coming through.

Happy Animal Wedensday to everyone. Don't forget to check out Mim's Blog for more Animal fun.

Wildflower Wednesday - May-Apple

My contribution to the Wildflower Week Fest the May-Apple or known as Polyphyllum peltatum by you Hortheads. These plants usually have one or two leaves but they colonize as you can see in this photo taken at the local park.

I have a small colony on the north/west side of the house. It is covering the down spout nicely.

You can see the pretty little bloom that you usually find at the base of the petioles. 

The apple part I am not sure when that comes in. 

It could be the bud before it blooms. It sort of looks apple-like.

If you want to see more wildflowers do go to Gail's Clay and Limestone blog. She is hosting a Wildflower Week. It is so important to preserve the wildflowers that we can. The bees and other wildlife will thank us for it.

Newspaper Blackout

I was reading a garden blog and Pam, the writer, mentioned the writer/artist Austin Kleon. Well, I went to check out what he was up to. I must say it is interesting and addicting. He is a very thoughtful writer. He also likes to write poems by blacking out words in newspapers. He blacks out all except the words creating the poem. You just have to go there and have a peek at what he does.

In the mean time I am having lots of fun doing something similar. I don't get a newspaper but I have lots of magazines that I can create with.  Here are my first ones. I have taken to putting them into my journal on the rough side of the watercolor paper that I don't especially like to paint on. FUN.

I hope when you click to make it larger you can read the print. I had to scan it to get a picture to post.

Nessus Moth on Bluebells

This Nessus Moth was such a great find in our garden. It is the first time I have ever seen one. It was just outside my studio window nectaring on some native Virginia Bluebells. HAW to everyone.

New Summer Purse

This is a sketch I did last night while watching tv. My new purse was sitting on the table so I was inspired. I hope you all have a fun weekend.

Best Bug

The best bug of the weekend was a Falcate Orangetip Butterfly.  I have only seen these 4 other times that I can remember. They are very active butterflies. My DB worked hard to get a picture of it.  I did this painting from that picture. 

Did any of you see an intersting bug this weekend?

Surf Scoter

The best bird of this weekend was a Surf Scoter that we saw in a pond we check in our normal birding area. This is not a normal bird to see around here. This is a sea duck. Not a duck you see inland normallly. What ever brought this adult male into our area is ok with me. It was great fun to see it. It is an all black duck except for these colorful bits I have shown. Have you ever seen one?