This caption does not answer my questions:
1. Why the raccoon?
2. Where did they get the raccoon?
3. Did people really hang raccoons on the wall in that fashion, way-back-when? I mean, it doesn’t look like they are drying the hide, it looks like they tacked him up as a decoration, at a nice jaunty angle.
Yesterday I was out in the yard playing ball with the dogs when I noticed two flecks of brilliant red in the grass beneath the clothesline. There was movement, and the dogs seemed to be oblivious, so I decided to put them inside the house for a few minutes before they wised-up. Then I went outside again to observe the Crimson Rosellas pecking away at the ground for food. I actually got pretty close before they flew up to a nearby branch to perch. (Teefy, I thought you would especially be interested in these brightly colored “chickens”!) Pretty amazing!:
It’s a great time of year..warmer, but not too hot. Enough rain to keep the ground damp. Not many flies or mosquitos, and the trees are looking gorgeous in their colorful finery.
It’s also officially “wet pup” season. The other night Goldie rolled in “You (don’t want to) know what” and consequently had his first Spring bath -other than his usual jumping into the outside baths used for horse troughs. Today he was just wet and muddy, so the bed was off-limits for dogs. Sometimes this kind of thing can be frustrating, but this house is wet-pup friendly with its brick & stone floors, so we’re generally tolerant of (and often even amused by) the warm-weather antics.
Gus remains the cleaner of the two, while Goldie reminds me of Harry the Dirty Dog!
I’ve been soaking up inspiration inside and out, which I’ll tell more about soon…
In the meantime, here is another sketch of blooms from one of our trees, in a nice big vase on the sill in the bathroom:
If you’re hoping that the Spring weather will bring a little bit more life to this journal, you’re in luck because I’ve been getting dirt under my fingernails out in the garden… and that always makes me feel more alive. Here’s a lovely burst of color on our kitchen windowsill from early this morning:
Pulling up old weeds, trimming back the overgrown vines, taking cuttings from the first blooming flowers, and making fresh beds for new plants are great metaphors for starting a-fresh in one’s life. And you don’t have to wait for a certain day, month or year to start…begin where you are. I used to think it was better if I waited to make changes till the first of the month or a new week…or New Year’s Day. But I’ve learned that wanting to have a clean slate and an unbroken string of “good days” is just asking for trouble. That makes it too easy to say “Oh. I’ve failed. Better start again…next week!” And sometimes next week gets forgotten along the way.
Now my attitude is “So I’ve missed a few days…Begin again NOW.”
I’ve starting drawing in my sketchbook again and I’m loving it. I have several starts, which I’m going to develop further, and I’m also planning some bigger blog-related projects for myself. Things are getting busier these days. I’ve got an appointment on Monday to get set up with a volunteer job. Not sure what kind of work it will be, but I’m looking forward to it. I keep meaning to call my family..even have the phone card, guys!..I’ll try tomorrow!
The day is overcast, a little rainy, and then the sun comes out again. Think I’ll put on my overalls and my jacket and do a bit o’ gardening soon… rain or shine!
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