Buzzards, Dragonfly and Art

You must be wondering what the heck that title means. :-)
Well, that is what I am sharing with all of you this beautiful Saturday morning.

3 buzzards in the top of this tree

First off..the buzzards. Yesterday morning it rained and I had to take my mom to the doctors in Plymouth. On the way to the doctors we passed a swamp with lots of dead trees in North Carver, on route 58. This swamp seems to attract a big flock of buzzards on rainy days. I spotted the buzzards flying overhead, and then as I got further down the road in the swamp perched in the dead trees. I was running a little late, but made a quick stop to see if I could get a photo or two.  I was quite some distance from where the birds were, but I decided to try anyway. Unfortunately, I was facing into the light so the photos are dark. I only focused on one tree so there were only a few birds in that tree, but there had to be at least 50 buzzards sitting in the trees in that swamp. Some of the birds sit in the trees with their wings spread out as if to dry them.
 
Okay, enough about these ugly, big, birds.

This morning I was out in the garden barefoot, checking our tomato plants, when I spotted a different looking dragonfly. I ran into the house to grab my camera, and then the chase was on. If you can picture this..me running thru the garden around the tomato cages, barefoot and in my PJ's in pursuit of this dragonfly, as he kept flying away as I got close to it.                                              My husband uses leaves for mulch, and there were twigs and what not in those leaves..ouch, my poor feet, but I didn't give up. (LOL) Finally, I got close enough to snap 2 photos as it rested on one of the tomato cages. I think this dragonfly has beautiful wings. Click on the photos for a closer look at the wings. 
And, finally some art to share. The stamps and paper I used are from Stampin Up.

the flower is a silk flower that added extra petals and then I needle felted the center, using wool roving and iridescent strands of Angelina fibers.I did this card for a swap that we had to use a flower on the card.
Elaine

ATC and Holder

I created a polished stone background on glossy card stock.
Then rubber stamped an image from Stamper's Anonymous onto the ATC.
Next I cut out a pattern for a folder and traced it onto a piece of double sided card stock. The pattern was found in the book from Designs Originals, Trading Cards Techniques & ATC's

I sponged a few colors of Adirondack  inks onto the light side of the double sided scrapbook paper. I then rubber stamped an image on the front of the folder. I had some brown see thru ribbon with rosettes on it so I cut one of the rosettes out and glued it to the front. ( hard to see that the rosette is see thru in this photo) 

   
 

To finish, I then glued an old Lotto game piece to the center of the ribbon.

ATC inside folder

 

Earlier in the day I took a ride to Rockland to the scrapbook store The Crop Shop and on the way home I stopped to take photos of a Hexagon shaped old home in North Pembroke.  I absolutely love this 6 sided house.
front of home that you can see the three front sides
window on the front of house, front door is on the left side
front and right side of Hexagon house, and the addition to the home in back
In Plympton and on the Cape there are round houses that I would love to see what they look like inside. I've always wondered if round houses have corners in the rooms.
Elaine

Monday Sharing

The past several days we have had heavy rain and high wind at times.  Everything is green and in bloom, much of what is blooming is a month ahead of schedule. I wonder if our cranberry harvest will start in August instead of the end of September this year, because the cranberries also bloomed early. I haven't had time for art lately, but today I am sharing a little of this and that.
While out walking in the yard this morning I noticed my blue hydrangea were starting to flower. The nearby bird house that you can see in the first photo now has a wren family in the house. The parent birds are busy bringing food to the young inside. This bird house already had a brood of tufted titmice hatch that  fledged and then the wrens took up residence. I love sitting under the apple tree watching the industrious, little birds fly in and out, scolding me for being near their nest box.


The picture below was taken from my deck this morning.  I spotted a ruby throated hummingbird flitting around my bee balm that are in bloom. I was quite a distance away, but if you click on the photo you will see the hummingbird in front of the flowers. Zoom lens on digital cameras are a wonderful thing.

In the garden onions that survived the winter from last year are blooming, and the flowers are beautiful.

Over the weekend, I took a quick ride to Michael's in Wareham, and the store was having free Mod Podge make n takes. The products were all from Mod Podge, including the papers. I had a choice of an acrylic key, heart, scalloped flower, tag and I can't remember what else. I chose the tag shape. I cut out the papers I chose and applied Mod Podge to the paper and then attached the paper to the acrylic tag. For my background I used newsprint, and the bird on a fern. I cut out the b/w flower and crown, and the word discover, and the dotted strip at the top of the tag. I don't know what I will do with this tag at the moment, but I am sure at some point it will be added to a project.

I decided to make Portuguese Kale soup for tonight's supper because I haven't made any in ages, and I had kale in the refrigerator that needed to be used before it went bad. My dad loves kale soup so I  will be bringing some to my parents house. Kale soup has carrots, potatoes, chopped fresh kale, onion, chicken or beef stock, canned kidney beans, salt, pepper and linguica or chorizo(Portuguese sausage). http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-linguica.htm                                                                                                             
Do a web search, and you can find many variations for Kale soup. I always cut the rib from the center of the kale leaves and discard.

ready to eat with a nice slice of hearty bread
Elaine

Betty Boop

I signed up for a swap in the group that I belong to,  An Affair with Art. For a June swap theme we had to pick a female cartoon character to create a post card. Since I had an old (2004) Betty Boop desk calendar I picked Betty Boop to use on my post card.    I guess it pays to hang onto things, because you just never know when you may find a use for the item.

I bought a unused Betty Boop calendar several years back at a yard sale for 50 cents, and the calendar has been sitting in a draw ever since. The  pages in the calendar have many Betty Boop pictures that look like pages from a coloring book. I colored the image I selected with colored pencils, cut out Betty, and added her to a water color beach scene that I painted.

Just Another day in Paradise

Did you know that Betty Boop started from a cartoon French Poodle and was then changed into a flirtatious flapper? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_Boop

I received a post card from Jeri, and she used Little Lulu on her post card. Do you remember the comic book Little Lulu or am I dating myself here? :-)

the post card Jeri sent to me..Just Because

The past two days have been in the 90's. Triple H...hot, humid and hazy. Thank goodness for air conditioning.

Elaine

My Laugh for the Day

I came home this afternoon and as I drove closer to my driveway, I thought..what the heck is on my lawn??????
As I pulled into the yard there was a big sign and 5 pink plastic flamingo's under our Mountain Ash tree. I was cracking up laughing as I walked over to read the sign.
If you click on the photo's you can read the sign. To get the flock removed from the yard you must make a donation to support a Relay for Life team, and the bigger the donation you make you can get a flock of flamingos put on some one else's front lawn. Now, to figure out who had this flock put on my front lawn and who I am going to pass along the flamingo flock to. (LOL) Beware, you maybe next. :-)

 

       
I thought this flock was pretty funny. What would you think coming home to find the big pink birds on your front lawn?
Elaine

June 2012..getting away...Cape Cod

 

Friday, June 15th., I left to spend 4 days visiting with my cousins, on Cape Cod and I returned late this afternoon, June 18. As always we drove to several of the Cape's beaches. I just LOVE the BEACH!!!

Friday..Gray's Beach..osprey and chick on nest in the salt marsh

Saturday we stopped at several yard sales. I found several items that just had to come home with me and didn't spend much money at all. I bought a bird feeder for the window that can be filled from indoors, and we can watch the birds without them seeing us for $5.00.  Now Tom has to attach it to the window. This feeder will probably drive the cats crazy.

 

Several nice cookbooks...50 cents each.   A nice Kensington metal square cake plate..50 cents. One of my aunt's had given everyone in the family one of these cake plates many years ago.  I picked up a book for my brother for 50 cents..Restoring Model A Fords. Paul has a convertible Model A, and so I thought he would enjoy the book. The book had lots of photos, diagrams, and info. Also, I found 2 new 9 inch glass pie plates, a big copper canning tub minus the cover. My mother has pictures of my older brother brother and I when we were real little cooling off in one of these copper tubs on a hot summers day.  I'm not sure what I will do with this yet, but I wanted it.                                                                                                                                                                                                          I also bought 2 board games for 50 cents each..Scrabble, which I always pick up when I see one. I use the letters in my art projects. The second game was a Wizard of Oz board game that I bought because I liked the game pieces  and cards that were in the game.    

box cover of game

game board

  stand up pieces

We took rides everyday..twice we went to see the seals at the Chatham Fish Pier. I love watching the seals and thankfully there were no great white sharks in the area. There were lots of seals both days, but most were too far out to get a good photo. When the fishing boats are in, unloading their catch there are plenty of seals around the boats near the pier.

surfacing for air and a look around

 

Wind surfing taken at Chatham Beach near the lighthouse.

         

   in the shoals lots of seals could be seen bobbing in the water in the distance as it was low tide. I couldn't believe people were swimming as it was windy and cool that day.

In Dennis, on Route 6A,  I took a picture of a male bluebird that landed on the telephone wire. The bird kept flitting from one side of the road to the other in the same area. There must be a nest nearby.

Bluebirds are so beautiful. Wish there were more of them around. I also saw lots of other birds in the Mulberry tree in my cousins back yard. The birds love eating the  berries from that tree.

On Sunday, we spent hours walking along Main Street, Hyannis looking at all the vintage cars. Model A ...one of many vintage cars on display along the Main Street.

Sunday afternoon while we were riding along Rte. 6A we stopped at Kate's and got some clam fritters. Kate's clam fritters are  so very good.

While at my cousins I dug up some money plants in the back backyard to plant in  my flower garden.

 

The plant will change from green to papery brown when ripe, and the pod will peel and the seeds between the layers will drop out to reseed themselves.

Roses were in bloom everywhere..so very pretty.

      

Green Holly berries already on the holly trees.

Hydrangea were blooming..a month earlier than they usually bloom.

         

raft of geese swimming in the ocean

In the mornings and early evenings we saw baby bunnies everywhere we went. The photo looks like a full grown rabbit, but I used my zoom lens to get the photo of the baby bunny.

Today before coming home we went to Heartbeat Quilts, Hyannis and then to Orleans to Murray's Fabric's . I bought some fabric and took a picture of this Betty Boop in Heartbeats.  I took this picture of her, because I signed up for a swap and I am using Betty Boop. I will post a picture of my post card soon.

I took a lot more photos, but I am having issues with the computer right now, and having difficulty uploading photos. Hope you enjoyed what I did manage to share.

    Elaine