A little bit of this and that

Wednesday? Well a day early, because I made a scheduling error, oops.

Today I have a an assortment of pictures, some from the park and some from gardens in my neighborhood.

First here is a Great Blue Heron fishing. I watched it for a while and I think it caught a couple of small fish, I was not quick enough to "capture" that with my camera. They are amazing to watch, still for so long and then a blur of movement, so quick if you look away for a moment you will miss it.

 

"Blue skies smile at me, nothing but blue skies do I see."

Irving Berlin

 

It is so green and lush in the woods, I think some of the pathways may vanish under the vegetation. 

 

 

 

But there are also lots of berries, these early salmonberries, and lots of flowers on the blackberries promise a good crop of berries mid summer.

 

The Strawberries are ready early this year too, a favorite around our house.

 

This little fella was "just hopping down the bunny trail" and stopped briefly to see if I had a treat for him.

 

 

Another bunny, and there are lots of baby rabbits too.

 

 

 

 

These Redwing Blackbirds seemed to appreciate the handouts.

 

 

Reminds me of this tune: "Feed the Birds"

 

 

The park is full of wild roses and daisies.

 

Anyone remember making daisy chains as a kid?

 

This beautiful Dogwood, Dogwood is the Floral Emblem of British Columbia.

 

 

I haven't seen many white Foxglove flowers, I share this one with you.

 

 

Honeysuckle, also early to bloom this year.

 

 

 

This is a picture of one of my Honeysuckle plants, a favorite of the hummingbirds.

 

 

-------------------------------------

 

I have an Art Show at Image West, and have been busy framing, labelling and hanging pictures.

 

Follow this link to see the images and location

 

 

I have started a few things this week but only finished one, and it is another food painting titled "Squashed":

 

 

Here is how it looks framed:

 

 

 

 It is the latest of my Food cards, which include a recipe card using the pictured ingredient. What is the recipe for this card, take a look:

 

View at:http://www.pswhimsy.com/food-cards-series-22.html

 

or all the food cards at: http://www.pswhimsy.com/food.html

 

Here are some other cards I have recently added to the site:

 

To see all recent additions and names and details follow this link:

 

 

http://www.pswhimsy.com/new-additions.html

 

---------------------------------

 

Until next time...

Thank you for all your kind comments on my last post.

 

Thanks for stopping by,

 

happy Whimsy Wednesday

 

 

 



Mostly Colourful Birds

On a beautiful day I am enjoying the local birds.

These RED-winged Blackbirds, male first and then female.

 

 

A Great BLUE Heron,



 

I don't think that house is big enough, besides the swallows have already signed the rental agreement for the season.

 

GOLDEN Crowned Sparrows are quite well camouflaged, in the shade and amongst the sticks,

but much easier to spot in the grass and in a ray of sunshine. 

 

 

 

"The reason birds can fly and we can't is simply because they have perfect faith, for to have faith is to have wings.”

― J M Barrie, The Little White Bird

 

 

I get an intense stare from this BLACK Crow.

 

 

I loved this picture of a single Seagull chasing an Eagle, obviously the Eagle has done something to really annoy the Gull.

 

 

 

 

A couple pictures of just the Eagle, a magnificent bird.

 

 

 

“That the birds of worry and care fly over you head, this you cannot change, but that they build nests in your hair, this you can prevent."

 

- Chinese Proverb

 

 

 

A one legged Canada Goose, or maybe the other leg is just neatly tucked away.

 



 

“The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.”
― Willie Nelson
 

 

No birds in this picture but I love these little stepping stones.

 

 

 

One painting this week, and another food painting, for my food card series.

It is called "Fig Heart" and shows the wonderful colour of a ripe "Dessert King" Fig:

 

 

 It is the latest of my Food cards, which include a recipe card using the pictured ingredient. What is the recipe for this card, take a look:

 

View at: http://www.pswhimsy.com/food-cards-series-2.html

 

or all the food cards at: http://www.pswhimsy.com/food.html

 

 





Until next time...

Thank you for all your kind comments on my last post.

 

Thanks for stopping by,

 

happy Whimsy Wednesday,

 

 

Gillian

 

Sometimes I wonder!

Today I was on my way back from visiting my mother, a one hour trip in rush hour, when I saw something unbelievable. I was on the highway travelling north west after just coming over the Alex Fraser Bridge and was heading into Richmond; I only give the details in case anyone else witnessed the same event. At that point there are 4 lanes of traffic in each direction (highway speed), I noticed people swerving ahead, and to my amazement there is a mother duck and at least 6 ducklings half way across the four lanes of traffic. There is a small median and then four more lanes going the other direction. You just know this can't end well. They were not yet in my lane but I hope I would not have endangered other motorists lives had they been.

I have heard of the Darwin Awards for behavior of people not conducive to the continuation of human lineage, but I thought animals had more sense!

From the Darwin Awards site: "Named in honor of Charles Darwin, the father of evolution, the Darwin Awards commemorate those who improve our gene pool by removing themselves from it."

Here is a 2014 Darwin Awards story about traffic.

Anyway I got home in one piece, thank goodness, and I don't want to know what happened.

Here are a few pictures I took a couple of weeks ago, first a few more Great Blue Herons taken at the heronry in Stanley Park.

 

Herons are magnificent in flight.

 

Then pictures from a walk around the Stanley Park seawall to Siwash Rock, beautiful skies but there was a cold wind.

 

A view out over English bay with the ever present freighters.

 

 

Love the whimsy of this:

 

 

I thought it was just a bit cold for this, but each to his own. On a cool day with the water even colder a good sense of balance is essential for this kind of activity.

 

 

Siwash Rock seen from the south first and then after passing it looking west. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Canada Geese here seem to have found some exclusive waterfront property!

 

 

A Mallard and ... 

 

 

 

Wood Ducks enjoying the afternoon sunshine.

 

I end with these beautiful Magnolia buds.

 

 

I guess I must be dreaming of warmer weather because this was what I painted this week.

It is a watercolour and I called it "Ready for Action":

 

 

Until next time...

Thank you for all your kind comments on my last post.

 

Thanks for stopping by,

 

happy Whimsy Wednesday,

 

 

Gillian.