Awash in Stitches and Finches

Look at the goodies that arrived in the mail!

A veritable sea of stitching. Rabbits, and bees, and Christmas, and snowmen, and owls and new DMC colors too. Fun stuff for the rest of the year.

I've been awash in finches. 

The House Finches have been congregating at the birdbath...

..and the fountain.  Sometimes the confabs turn quarrelsome.

The same goes with the Evening Grosbeaks. 

The tend to arrive in large groups.

There are six guys and five gals awaiting a turn at the feeders.

Here's a close-up of three ladies.

Now the Black-headed Grosbeak can have his turn at the fountain.

I've seen three guys in the area.

And a couple of Black-headed Grosbeak gals.

Looking

Design - "April Rabbit"

Chart - "A Prairie Year"

Designer - The Prairie Schooler

Fabric - 32 count Lambswool linen

Fibers - DMC - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 29 April 2014

Completed - 2 May 2014

While I haven't seen any bunny with pink bows, I certainly have seen lots of bunnies lately!

There are three of four deer each morning.

And a bunny.

We've been holding steady at 6 or 7 chipmunks.

Two gray squirrels - which always causes a ruckus!

Did I mention bunnies?

Tom-Cat is of the opinion that there are enough rabbits to warrant classification of an Old Testament-type Plague!  

See what he means?

And I did day gray squirrels, right?

A baby bunny - squee! 

Mr Studly California Quail.

I think he has been pumping iron!

Yep, a bunny...

You've just seen a catalog of the many reasons Tom-Cat must remain ever vigilant!

A Wedding Celebration

 

My youngest cousin, Rob, married on a perfect May afternoon.  

The flowers were lovely.

The Flower-girls were sweet.

The ceremony was moving.

The bride and groom united in their joy. 

I pulled out the stops and had a manicure...

...and a pedicure.

I even got a corsage!

I helped to serve the cake.

All ten cousins were in attendance.

The groom is the youngest, and I am the oldest.

It was a very special day.

The Swifts Return

Each spring and autumn thousands of Vaux Swifts return to Eugene, Oregon during their biannual migrations. While in the area the patrol the Willamette River eating thousands of insects, and then roost each night in this chimney on the University of Oregon campus. 

The Coopers Hawks have learned that it is an All You Can Eat Buffet while the swifts are in town. The hawks perch on the edge of the chimney and pick off a swift or two.   

The swifts gather in dark swirling clouds...

...then approach the chimney...

...and down they go!

They'll spend the night packed in tight perched on interior the chimney walls.

I was disappointed as I did not think there were many birds.

The colony has several thousand at peak times.

We were, however, treated to a lovely sunset.

Busy Days Ahead

Yes, another Prairie Schooler bunny!

I thought I might have this one finished up today, instead she looks like she tangled with my cats and lost! 

This is how most morning begin.

At the breakfast table...reading the morning paper...

We are a well-informed family!

On the bird front I now have a couple of male Black-headed Grosbeaks. 

This one was singing a bright and cheerful song in the late afternoon.

This one stopped by for a drink or two...

It's a communal fountain, so please no crowding!

In this hot weather it is important that everyone stay hydrated.

Here's a trio of Evening Grosbeak guys.

I think they look like they stopped by their local watering hole after work for a drink and some appetizers.

I'll leave you with a photo of a Chipping Sparrow.

I don't recall ever seeing one before.  It stopped by for a few minutes and then flew away.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to comment on my new Chicken themed blog header.  I'm pretty pleased with the way it turned out.  This is turning out to be a busy week.  We are blessed to have out of state family visiting. And there was a birthday yesterday, a dinner tonight, a wedding on Saturday, a brunch on Sunday, another birthday on Monday, and then I go off to house-sit / cat-sit for the newlyweds!  Whew!  

Don't Count Your Chickens!

Garden Grumbles Cross Stitch Fumbles & Birding Bumbles

May 2014 Blog Header

Counting My Chickens!

Here's the scoop on the new header. 

The rows listed below are vertical.

Row #1: The Stitching Shed, "Chicken Sampler"; The Cricket Collection, "Which Came First?"; Heart in Hand, "Wee Rooster"; Rico Designs, "Spring Trend" - "Polka Dot Egg Chicken".

Row #2: Neighbor Bev's Chickens; Meme's Quilts, "Rooster Strut"; , Bent Creek, "Rosie Life"; Meme's Quilts, "Roxie and Rooster" - "Rooster with a Quilted Tail".

Row #3: Twisted Threads, "Easter Trio" - "Bitty Chick Sampler"; Bent Creek, "Chick on an Egg"; The Goode Huswife, "Reuben Rooster"; The Workbasket, "Quaker Rooster".

Row #4: Heart in in Hand, "Wool Whimsy - Barnyard Quartet - Chicken"; Bent Creek", "March Blows"; The Prairie Schooler, "Bunnies & Chicks" - " Hen & Chicks"; Angel Stitchin', "Country Chicken".

Row #5: The Cricket Collection,"Spring Bunnies I" - "Hens at Work"; Lizzie Kate,"Peep"; Ewe & Eye & Friends, "Spring Two". 

Row #6: The Cricket Collection, "Soft Boiled" - "Tiny Chick"; The Stitching Shed, "Cluck Cluck"; Heart in Hand, "Wee Chicken".

Row #7: Lizzie Kate,"Chicks"; The Cricket Collection,"Spring Bunnies I" - "Hens at Work".

Talk about not counting your chickens! I sure didn't have any idea I'd stitch that many chickens until I created this collage!