Drawing time about 20-30 minutes! This was a very simple sketch while I waited for our Easter meal to finish cooking [Baked Ham, sweet potatoes, steamed brussel sprouts and warm oven rolls]. For dessert I made from scratch Irish Ginger Apple Cake topped with frozen vanilla yogurt [I didn't make the yogurt tho :-)]. As you can see, my sketching pencil is becoming close to a 'stub' in this preview sketch!! We had several things to do on Monday, including an appointment for Bud, so we decided to go to Hobby Lobby for my pencils [I also found an egg separator on sale for 66% off 'cause it's Easter theme]. Then, we stopped at grocery store and book store! Making it a day away from home.
ps...Jean @ Cheerful Monk: I can't get your blog to open on desktop, laptop, OR phone! :-(
...aren't so wet these days. [insert blog title before the "..."]
We have had a drier air mass move in, which brought the soaring temps to a screeching halt. At least for a couple of days. And I took advantage of the mornings in the low 70s to walk-about. This post is in and around the Wetlands Reserve [altho, no rain for weeks, so everything looks brown and dry!]
The Morning Sky shots:
The trails in this area are a conglomerate of flagstone, caliche [gravel so heavy in mineral deposits, weeds aren't even a nuisance], wood boardwalks, and areas where it's likely to wash out with heavy downpours....cement. But most is the caliche; blending in with the natural enviornment.
On this particular day, every turn I made on the winding, numerous, trails, cottontails were out and about:
I stopped at the newest addition to the park....the fountain/waterfall:
At the time, sparrows, cardinals, and hummingbirds were exploring for tasty treats of insects and nectar from the flowers:
[this is the only place in town I've found PINK Turk's Cap [last photo is the above series] ---it's almost always red. I'm sure it's a nursery grown hybrid!] - the Trumpet vine and white daisies were a great, attractive accent and hummingbird attraction to boot.
Trees and Grasses are becoming parched in the summer heat and going to seed:
At the halfway point, I made it to the Osprey Overlook, situated high above the basin [the bay was quite dry also] and only a lone nighthawk sung out its high-pitched cry as it flew overhead. It was time to turn around and cover the other half side of the trail system.
My morning walk this past weekend was to Oso Bay Wetlands. I admit, it's been quite a while since I've been to that area of town. Since Spring Migration, I usually head to the islands and the hotspots there for the warblers and birds that are hitting those for feed before heading further north. But, I didn't feel like driving the 30 miles, so I stayed near home...once there, I was surprised at all the "new' work that is being done. They're constructing a waterfall at one of the ponds, they've added purple martin condos, they're clearing an area for a new path, and have added flagstone on one of the farthest trails! I was impressed.
The first spot I stopped at was the refreshing 'new' last year, fountain:
I recorded a VERY short video to let you listen to the birdsong and the cascading water. It's a good place on a hot day!!! The breeze that trickles off the chaparral felt good as the hot sun beat down on me. And at 7 a.m., it was already pushing eighty degrees.
. . .
I mentioned birdsong....The cardinals were caroling, the mockingbirds were mocking, the thrashers were thrashing out a tune, and the many many painted buntings were poetry in notes!!!! The bunnies were everywhere also. Every nook and cranny it seemed. The first one I spotted was at the entry gate after I parked the car in the lot....like it was greeting me with a "Good Morning Anni". After the 4th or 5th one I stopped taking photos of them. LOL
...Here is some of what I saw:
Oso Bay and new bronze sculptures...
....notice the feather detailing!
By the time 9:30 rolled around it was getting too hot to go further I forgot my bottle of water and the sweat was pouring off me. Time to head back, dry off some and get to the store. On my return to the car I took a few more photos, which will be shared later.
One morning this week, I drove to Calallen Texas. I was given a free $80 value coupon for a synthetic oil change for the car [From the American Heart Association's 5k walk back in October of 2018]. The coupon was valid for a year, and since I had just had the oil changed in October, I thought I'd wait 6 months to take advantage of the savings. Besides, I drive to Calallen many times for walking and birding. Guess you could say I killed two birds with one stone! So to speak. Anyway, I called ahead of time to schedule the hour since I didn't want to be sitting around waiting my turn. I arrived, the oil was changed, and they did an entire "sweep". Oil, filter, all fluids topped off under the hood, tire check and brake check. And they even did a courtesy car wash and vacuuming!! All for free. And I was soon out the door, on my way to the park....
I walked along the river bank...
I got my step count done, the car has had a transfusion. We're set to go somewhere else in a day or two!! By the way, as my blog title post suggests: a long time ago, there was a published book FOLLOW THE RIVER. A great book!! I still have it somewhere on the book shelf here at home. It's a 5 star epic I have read numerous times. [Native American - young pregnant white woman kidnapped by the Shawnee...novel]
