Coffee Art: Multiple Choice

 

I don't know, I'm getting a) Pinocchio; b) Woody the Woodpecker; or c) a seahorse. Thoughts?

Feathers, Ruffled

 

Mini Lizardo

The teeniest-tiniest lizardo EVER! It was about 2 inches long, hanging out in the bottom of a bucket. 

I mean... look how adorable it is! (I really wanted to pick it up, but that would have been wrong!)

Whites and Creams and Parchments, Oh My!

 

So many shades of  "white" and "cream." Sigh...

And we chose three of these and painted swatches and they do NOT look like these little pieces of paper. Too many choices in the world...

Bird of Many Colors

 

I think this little jewel is a Rufous hummingbird; we have mostly had Anna's hummingbirds around our property over the years, but they are generally much more green. It's amazing how different one bird can look depending upon the angle at which you are viewing it. 

We have at least three hummingbirds who squabble over the feeder and the trees, but I have not been able to identify what species the other birds might be. Endlessly fascinating!

Bumper Crop

 

The first of the pomegranate crop for 2022...seems like they are ripening a bit early this year.

Plenty more where those came from (!). And the ladder is not there so that we can pick the fruit--it is there to prop up the overladen branches. 

Rummage, Fun

A vintage Pendleton shirt of $1? Yes, please! 

This was the first rummage sale since 2019 because of, well, you know...

New Neighbor

 This is Tilly. She is new to our neighborhood and decided to go for a little walkabout. We found her in the street and took her to get her chip scanned. She is now happily reunited with her people. (She is sweet as can be!)

SKWERL!!! A Play in Three Acts

 

 

Hoppy Thursday

 

(These are hop plants, by the way...)

Sweet Beauty

 

Lovely little cabbage white butterfly enjoying some nectar from a lavender flower. You can see the proboscis in the first photo (and from afar it looks as if the butterfly has eyes with long lashes).

I Had to...

 

I mean, how could you possibly NOT buy a googly-eye, top hat-wearing ladybug pincushion at an estate sale?! 

After and Before

 

Amazing that this collection of ruffled feathers belongs is the distinguished gentleman in the back: 

January in August

 

Because there has been so much moisture in the air over the past week, the sunsets have been spectacular, just like the ones we generally get in December and January. At least something good comes from the wretched humidity...

Bird Gifts

 

Two feathers in as many days, left in the yard by a hawk and a dove--poetic, somehow...

Pretty

 

Behold the swallowtail butterfly caterpillar: those colors! The blue is amazing... There have been three of them munching my parsley plants down to a nub (it's OK, I'll share...). 

I'm sure some will beg to differ about the attractiveness of a caterpillar, but I think these are really quite pretty. 

Drama

 

The moon at sunset...

Sharing

 

Two bees on a dahlia. The end.

Hidden Nuts

 

What's hiding in this lovely pot of coleus?

Hmmm...

It's another peanut plant! Apparently the squirrels around here are a bit absent-minded and can't remember where they have stashed their nuts! 

(Remember this stray peanut plant?)

Before, During, After

 

Here is my bulletin board with several years' worth of accumulation--it seriously was two or three layers thick in some points. Anything I found interesting/cute went up there. It had reached a point, however, where I really couldn't fit anything else on without damaging the things already there.

Clean slate...

New start! This leaves LOTS of room for expansion. (And yes, that is Elizabeth Taylor on the left...so gorgeous.)

Fun with Stencils

 

Another utility box with a funny stencil...

It is right next to the one with Bill Murray's face stencilled on it. Wacky!

Sitting in a Tree...

 

Periodically over the past few weeks, I have heard a raptor calling insistently. One day I looked out front--and across the street and 50 feet up--and saw these two hawks (I'm not sure which species, alas; red-tailed hawks are most common there, but the smaller bird does not have a red tail). 

The smaller one on the lower branch was looking up at the other bird and screeching. Then it took off while the other stayed put. I do think it was a parent and juvenile...the juvenile was begging to be fed and then finally decided it needed to go off and find something for itself. Fascinating!