Thursday, August 6, 2015

Stitching and Birding

Design - "Noah's Ark Square" (Pincushion or Door Knob Hanger)
Chart - Noah's Ark Band Sampler
Designer - Homespun Elegance
Fabric - 32 count mystery dyed linen
Fibers - DMC - 2 strands over 2 threads
Started - 3 August 2015
Completed - 5 August 2015

I took a design for a pincushion or door knob hanger and messed with it a bit - remodeled it as it were.  Originally the design had lions on all four corners, and a camel on top and a giraffe at the bottom. I added two squirrels and two house cats. I nixed the giraffe for two camels. I think it turned out reasonably well for an experiment in redesigning the pattern. I do think the lions look like pekingese dogs rather than lions.

We had some marine air come in and though we had no rain, we did have cooler temperatures and gray skies.  

Mornings like this the Turkey Vultures wait in the trees for the skies to clear and the temperatures to rise.

Then off they go on their patrols.

My sister had Robins nesting in the thicket at the edge of her Dahlia Garden. 

The babies have fledged - perhaps they came up to the house for a visit.

I do not often get a good look at my Red-breasted Nuthatches.

This fellow waited patiently as I filled the Big Bird Feeder.

I always set out some seed atop the woodpile and almost instantly Song Sparrows appear...

..as do Towhees.

Closer to the house a Scrub Jay waited for me to fill the backyard feeders. 

We now have a second California Quail family. 

This lucky family has both a Mom and a Dad.

They keep watch over eleven chicks.

It's a good thing they keep close watch as I had a Sharp-shinned Hawk trying to capture a meal Wednesday afternoon.

5 comments:

Vickie said...

hahaha! See now, I would have added two poodles. ;) And I do NOT think the lions look like Pekingese at all. I had a Pekingese as a little girl. His name was Pooh. He came with that name. We got him in Kentucky. A rescue dog. :)

Barb said...

Your redesign worked out very nicely. Great to see all those wonderful birds. I hope they have found water this summer. We keep our bird bath very fresh!

Anna van Schurman said...

I like your changes. But of course they look like Pekingese--the dogs were bred to look like lions! :)

Carol said...

Your changes to this piece are so nice, Beth--you definitely needed to add the cats to make it "yours!" Very cute finish for your next Noah's Ark header :)

Maggee said...

I'm with Carol--you HAD to add cats to the ark!! Saw my White-Breasted Nuthatch the other day, but could not reach my camera in time! However, it came back a few minutes later, and I got a good snap! Hugs!