It Was One-Of-Those-Days...and a Card

There is a card posted at the end of this long post. If you don’t want a good laugh, just ignore the story and pop down to the end.

Well yesterday was just “one of those days”! Joe slipped a bit getting out of the shower and wrenched his back the night before. He was a bit stiff and sore but we attempted to go birding late in the morning anyway – it started to rain about 25 minutes after we arrived – but it was close to lunch time so we headed to the visitor’s centre for lunch…..too late….the tables were filled with birders who most likely started out a few hours before us (a lot of birders camp at the park) so they were hungrier earlier and ate up all the good soup. There was some vegetable soup left and I had some a few days ago when it was on the menu and it was good but it is not very filling so we opted for a bagel and cream cheese for me and a large chocolate muffin (okay, more like a giant cupcake) for Joe. The rain stopped and we headed back out – not many birds but we did see the elusive and rare-in-Ontario Prothonotary Warbler – this guy - 



 The Prothonotary Warblers do come to Ontario each year but not many of them. There are at least two pair at Rondeau and two at Point Pelee and a few others scattered throughout. It is the most sought after bird and the photographers with the huge commercial lenses will sit for 8 hours or more in one spot to get a photo of it. We give a half and hour and if he does show up we leave. We got lucky yesterday!

and even the hyper Yellow Warbler sat still for a photo – this guy –

 

We wandered around for another hour and saw next to nothing and headed for home. So far it’s been a very disappointing bird watching season.

On the way home he decided to stop and pick up our bicycles that were in the shop for the annual check up. Why, we don’t bike until after birding is over and it was almost 5:00 and we were hungry? Who knows why….it’s a guy thing! Got the bikes and bought a brand new bike carrier that holds the bikes more securely so the bikes don’t flop around. Got home and couldn’t seem to release the bars that held the bikes on…drove back to the shop……it was a “can’t believe we missed that and are we ever dumb” problem. Then we realized that we don’t have the right tool at home to remove the bolt that holds the carrier on. Stopped on the way home at the hardware store to get a socket wrench to remove the carrier. Got home and destroyed the package getting it out….those packages are horrible to cut through….there was no extension on the tool and it hit the frame of the carrier….ooops, back to the hardware store for a refund and get something else…..apologized about the destroyed package…..she said it was okay but her body language said…grrrrrr…..anyway, got home and finally got the bikes off the car and the carrier removed…..and he decided to cut the back grass. Are you kidding me? You’re on your own buddy, I’m eating! Then I remembered that I was supposed to go check and water my sister’s plants as she is away for a few days. By the time I got back; made a quick sandwich; and he was done cutting the grass; showered and ate; and dishes got done; and I got showered I was too exhausted to do anything but flop down and read! What a day!

Another thunderstorm was predicted for this afternoon but so far (6:32 pm) no sign of it. Joe got the front lawn cut this morning and I made great headway getting my son-in-law’s quilt quilted. Tomorrow we may try birding again….may try… but right now it depends on his back and the weather.

And now for the third proposed anniversary card.

 
I decided to try something very different. I’m not how well received it will be but hopefully someone will like it. First the flowers and sentiment were stamped and embossed with white embossing powder. Then various pink and red inks were sponged over it. I started out with Distress Inks, Spun Sugar and then Warm Lipstick and finished off with Stampin’ Up Raspberry Ripple…..going back and forth between the three blending them together until I liked the end result. The embossed areas do resist the ink but I still rub a soft cloth (a piece of one of my old T-shirts) over the top to remove any ink sitting on top. Then I added tiny pearls to the centre of the flowers and then some soft pink sequins. Then it was glued to a standard white card base.

And that’s the end of this very long post on Thursday, May 12, 2016.

Cheers

Violet