§ Over the Rainbow...

On the day I photographed the "new" ship, I also took other pictures as I walked in some of the areas where I stopped. Wild flowers, fisherman, the beautiful stormy cumulus cloud formations and reflections on the lake at Leonabelle Birding Center. The lake was very clear near the observation tower where I could look down from the platform and see fish below the surface...clear as a bell. As I left, I noticed the wild poinsettias in "bloom" and the magnolia tree had the formation of the seed pods after blossoming. I was also hoping for some dolphin activity along the channel, but that was a 'nada'. And, as I thought, no special birds seen except for the usual ones that reside here year 'round, like the brown pelican in front of the ship's bow wake. But there were still beautiful spots to enjoy the morning including a very faint, barely seen full rainbow above the channel.... 

...and to continue showcasing my Trolls...

↓ My 24th and 25th Troll Share ↓

TROLL DOLL COLLECTION Holiday Themed Halloween Frankenstein *2 circa: 70s & 80s

§ A Sepia Rainbow...

'Tis early morning, and I type this out to share with you. It's a bit eclectic; something I choose to do oftentimes when I need to get things off my thought-wave and onto paper so to speak. I'll start with a bit of humor. Some of you may have seen this before but it's worth repeating...

....something I should consider doing!!
[image not mine; unknown source]

Sunday morning, on my drive home after my walk in the park, I pulled over, off the road, and walked into the field to get photos. Looks to me, with all the crops around town and outside the limits, that it's gonna be a bumper crop this year [both the cotton and sorghum]!!! Now, question is, will the economy of our country do the farmers any good with selling this to the right bidder? Anyway, the cotton fields are lush, thick, and green. The blossoms so far are heavy and ripe...

The other day when I posted my share of pencil sketches, most of you mentioned in the comments that the one of Clint by the mirror, brushing his hair, was your favorite [as is mine]. Well, skimming through my photo folders, I came upon the copy of the original that Irene sent me so I could sketch it at the time. Here is the color photo [an aged, very faded copy]. I thought y'all might like seeing what I used to achieve the sketch.  When I take time to stop and view either the photo or my drawing, I feel the bittersweet tears of memories of those scary days when we nearly lost him...

...and then, today I leave you with the thought that has been running thru my mind these past weeks of global turmoil.  First, the statues being torn down and demolished....they are our heritage and history, people, you can't erase history!  Second, the Churchill statue in London, being defaced with graffiti...the word "Racist".  I'm sad because of this, the unrest...if only the younger generation would realize if it weren't for Winston Churchill, England would be a fascist country today, if not for his strength and determination to beat Hitler!  Lost lives, true, but for freedom...the price tho heavy, was necessary.  Oh, and all the websites removing anything relating to Gone With the Wind...it's fiction dear friends!!  I can't help but ask myself  "What is wrong with people?"  One online friend, as we discussed this about Churchill, Phil [England] reminded me that "Anni, the difference is, you and I have lived through the University of Life, but the young ones have yet a lot to learn".  Indeed.  Now, my vision of a rainbow and racial colors of the todays and those of the tomorrows...

Take a Rainbow
by
Anni
© June 2020


[image courtesy of Google Images made sepia by my software program]

Take a rainbow
Make it sepia tone...
The colors blend
None standing alone!
The browns, whites, yellows and other hues
meld into a simple beauty of mix...
The rainbow still lives on, arching to the sky.
You can see the glory of it all if you so choose.  
It reaches across the land for people passing by.
Colors we cannot change, nor want to fix.
Take the rainbow and...
And see the sepia tone...
Colors that blend
Together, none standing alone!!!

original poem by me
do not copy or steal

§ No Pot of Gold...But I've Seen Rainbows Galore

First and foremost, I want to relay my deepest and heart felt thank you to all who have stopped by and left such endearing condolences for the loss in our family. Your thoughts and prayers lifted my spirits. I really, really found comfort with your kind words.

Now...I get back to regular blogging.

To recap, I began painting a couple of weeks ago; my most recent project.  This is my created rainbow of colors..

I started with a sketch as seen here and then blending some colors for the background complexion to appear a bit 'swampy' on a  hot summer's day. While I let the first step of painting dry overnight, I studied over and over the size, shape and feather colors of the wood duck, so I could have the 'model' etched on my brain to begin painting in the details. By the way, this duck, I have only seen once in my lifetime...and that was decades ago when I lived in Colorado. Now, I am on a quest to find one in Texas. So far, no wood ducks have been photographed...but I keep hoping. Some day, I will spot one hidden in the reed grasses and sneak up on it before it flies off and get a photo to add to my bird photo collection. Some day!!!  Working a bit on it here and there, while allowing certain areas of paint to dry before continuing to add more elements, the colors and shape of the duck began to form, revealing the duck I would like to see again in real time. I know they are in south Texas; I've had emails from other birders telling me they have spotted them. In the meantime, I will have only this to remind me of my quest. When the painting was near complete, I added the minute details of feathers and markings and framed it. It's now part of my dining room wall of my other bird paintings of the Indigo Bunting, Cardinal, Tri-colored Heron, Brown Pelican, Ruby Throated Hummingbird, and Great Blue Heron.

"Silent Wings"

- - -

I'm always raring to go walking for the exercise and fresh air!! And check for...you know....those feathered beasties that sometimes elude my camera lens...
There are days when we're out with our binoculars but only a few birds, if any, are seen. That's when I begin looking at my surroundings. One day it may be the wonders of the sky...

Seen high above...a flock of Sandhill Cranes!

The sun rays warmed my soul!

...other times I see sun drenched tidal pools with the sea breeze creating ripples that dazzle the eyes like diamonds...

...the colors of the rainbow are everywhere:




...other times, the unique or 'one of a kind'. Some things you just don't see everyday! Like...
A PINK 'CAT'---



---or, nature's hearts!




...even, at times, city ordinances show a rainbow of color!




SO NEXT TIME SOMEONE TELLS YOU TO Take a Hike! - Take in the colors and shapes around you.

§ The Best Laid Plans of Wife and Man...

Well, I took a week off last week from blogging in hopes of getting our yard [at least the back yard] under control and looking like someone actually lived here. The lawn....shhhhh...don't tell anyone, hadn't been mowed since July!! Seriously. It was just way too hot, day or night. And the warnings went from sun-up to sun-down. It's not the heat but more the heavy, thick, humidity down here that'll fry your brain. Well, the lawn finally got mowed. And the ever-growing [even in drought] pyracantha got trimmed down. Also, the out-of-control bird of paradise plant was all chopped down to nubbins. We still have to thin that one out to get rid of some of the tubers, otherwise, it will not bloom. And that is the whole purpose of working on that one. The week-long planned jobs of work didn't get accomplished before the heavy rains came. No complaints here! I welcomed the storms. A couple of days into the week, still rain around the area, we drove beyond Portland, Texas to a county road just past the exit to Aransas Pass [not to be confused with the island village of Port Aransas]. The Corpus Christi Audubon Society has a birding sanctuary near this area. It's described as quite a beautiful place. We've never been there. Now, I've had some experience with the CCAS [audubon society] around our town. Really nothing to write home about comparing it to other neighboring counties' societies. We've been to three other sanctuaries, and only one is just half way decent. Packery Channel on North Padre Island. Still, it isn't that well maintained. Sadly. Okay, so what to expect with this new one? I had high hopes.

Driving about 6-8 miles off highway #35 we arrived at the gate. It looked deserted and unkempt. Not surprising. Not at all. As we were making up our mind to even venture through the access gate, the mosquitoes nearly picked the car up and flew away with us still in it. They were swarming around the windows knocking heavily with their peckers for us to let them in to dine on our blood.

"I don't know about you, but if we go out in this, I'm getting the OFF in the trunk" I whispered to Bud so the skeeters couldn't hear me.

We got out, the distant thunder could be heard and as I was making my clothes glossy with OFF. Bud said as he was heading to the entrance: "We'd better just go a short way or we'll get soaked me thinks!" Let me just say it was quite a disappointment......again. Grass knee high on me...trails not marked [if we were on trails that is...couldn't tell]. The Observation decks described in their website was to be pristine and pretty. HA!! Remarkable we found it hidden by the extreme overgrowth! We left. Only seeing one cardinal, a few mockingbirds, and a couple of grackles. Oh ya, and when we got back to the car, one extremely hungry vulture on the power pole. I think it was hoping we'd be killed by the mosquitoes. As we were heading out of the country scene the rains came. Heavy and left us unable to see much out of the windshield on a one car lane. Luckily by the time we came back to the county road to head toward the highway to Portland and back home, the rains died down and a nice quiet ride through the farmlands. Stopping the car to get a photo of this old barn, I liked that it had glass in the upper window!!

...and just before entering the busy highway a field of Snowy Egrets and Common Egrets was seen...

Not all was a loss tho. Pretty egrets, good dose of much needed moisture falling...and a beautiful.......

Linking to: Rubbish Tuesday - Nature Notes - Our World Tuesday