Ode to Mockingbirds

I just love mockingbirds so much. Our local specimen lives across the street in the neighbor's bottlebrush tree and he starts chirping at about 4:30 each morning. It's like having 8 different birds all rolled into one - he can mimic a cardinal, robin, red-winged blackbird, starling and other bird sounds I don't recognize. How talented!

In other bird news, sadly the Sand Hill Cranes have lost one of their babies to some predator, I guess, although an I'm-Old-Therefore-I-Know-EVERYTHING gentleman told me the bird-parents sometimes kill the weaker fledgling themselves. I don't believe him. We have to remove the feeder when these guys are in the area because they clean it right out in one sitting, or standing I mean. --cds

Zinnias, Real and Imagined

My favorite flower, zinnias. And not easy to find around here in my little area of Florida. I've yet to find a good local nursery apart from the big box stores. I really really miss Vermont's garden centers. Zinnias inspire me to play with hot colors. These are my hand-dyed pinks/oranges fused onto that turquoise background. I tried using colored chalk to add shading and may do a little outline quilting and hang this up - I've got a bare wall that could use some hot zinnia action. --cds

Apron Making

I've been sewing aprons for a couple of cupcakes I know. Very fun to make. I learned to machine-sew by making an apron (thanks, Aunti Ann!) on my grandmother's old machine. As I recall, there was no pattern, just a length of purple-flowered fabric, some gathering, sashes and a hem (and I don't actually remember finishing it - that would have been typical of me). I really believe there should be a "Day" when we officially thank the person who taught us to sew, knit, embroider, quilt etc. So, thanks again, Aunt Ann, for all those lessons and for never laughing at my early failures - like the knitted bolero with all the holes from dropped stitches. Or that polka-dot bathing suit with the plastic bosom-stuffers. --cds