I have to agree with the "Shapeshifters."

My sister and stepmother love Twilight.

And I'm just over here with my Anita Blake and Charlaine Harris and Anne Rice novels going "...welll..." lol

ROFL!

My son fell asleep in my bed, and if I even THINK of moving, he grabs my arm and hangs on for dear life, lol

I managed to slide to the end of the bed, now I'm working on going to the bathroom.

Yes. He "fell asleep." In other words, he's holding you hostage in your own bed

If I shift my legs, he starts making angry squeaky noises, lol

He cute!!!

My sister hasn't picked my nephew up yet. He stole the couch(which is usually MY throne.)

I tried to get up, but he woke up and threw a complete tantrum.

That's bad how long did it last?


I fell asleep for an hour. If I fall asleep, my body can at least lets me STAY asleep

Speaking of which, time for me to hit the sack

Goodnight

I have a while left in my day, lol

Hey, that's unfair to sacks!...

Only another 19 and a half hours before I go back to bed...

Urgh...

My life is wonderful...Well...Mostly...-Ish...*Sigh*...

I hit it gently, mind you

"Yes I hit it, but it was just a tap..."

Well, I´m up now and the sack and I are again friends

So it was bad enough when a pair of mourning doves built a nest in a cedar tree that MIGHT be all of 5 feet tall just off our back patio- in a place where Mrs. Treydog could see it- and obsess over it.

For the last 2 weeks I have been bombarded with information about dove nesting habits and the things that can disturb doves and concerns about the wind and the snow and the rain. Then there has been the wondering if Mrs. Dove ever gets to leave the nest (we actually saw shift change yesterday- at precisely 5:04 p.m.--- there's a log book).

But then- last week- we heard a woodpecker calling from one of the dead willows in the same area. It was a red-bellied woodpecker (yes- I know- but REALLY, that's the species). He had started a nest cavity. Before long, a pair of black-capped chickadees decided they really liked the location, and they have been expanding the floorplan- bringing in new furniture, and etc.

Meanwhile, the woodpecker comes back occassionally to look in and to call. So far- we have NOT seen a female.

I think I am in for a very long weekend....

*tries hard not to laugh*

*fails*

Sounds awesome, Treydog! A log book filled with notes of the habits of birds, what´s not to like?

Best of luck to the sweet dove couple! Our garden pair seems to think that two crossed sticks equals a nest. So we pretty much never see more than those two, lol.

We have red-shouldered hawks nesting in the woods behind us, very close in hawk terms to the red-tailed hawks nesting across the street (and down a ways). Plus there is a great-horned owl close enough that we hear him calling at night, and a big group of crows comes through our yard daily. So it's going to be a battle zone when everything fledges!

Also in bird news, I have forgotten to buy eggs. The chocolate ones are secured of course, it's the ones to color that I forgot. (The ones in the fridge are already brown.)

To the store!!

That actually sounds lovely.

In previous years we've had some mourning doves make a nest in a bush at about eye level to me. I think they finally realized they made a pretty bad nest and abandoned it not long after. Running the lawn mower helped them make that decision.

"Treydog: The Birdening, Chapter 2"

Yes, from Mrs. Treydog's EXTENSIVE reading, doves are apparently lousy nest builders, just sort of piling some twigs up and calling it good. They also lay eggs 4 or 5 times a season- perhaps to make up for the ones that fall through the floor...

So- when the high wind warnings came out last week, I was sent out with rope to brace the "Dove Tree" to a fence post. The doves showed neither gratitude nor concern.

The "Whose House is it Anyway" contest continues, as the woodpecker makes more chips (which he wants for nesting material) and the chickadees carefully carry all the wood chips away.

Speaking of nesting material, I was sent out (in the rain) yesterday to hang dryer lint in the trees.

Then I was sent BACK out (in the rain) this morning to take it back. (I blame the Internet).

In place of the lint, I have put out pet fur (DON'T ASK) and some bits of cotton twine.

Meh. Birds. Small birds are...tolerable. large birds? NO.

I'm raising baby pigeons

Where I grew up (on Little River) we had the usual assortment of small and medium birds.

Plus ospreys, hawks, and Great Blue Herons.

Reminds me of the "outdoorsman's" classification of birds in Patrick McManus writing:

"Ya got yer itty bitty birds, yer medium-size birds, and iggles."

I usually just toss pet fur outside when I'm done brushing the animals anyways. Or better yet, I take the critter outside and brush it there and just leave the mess.

Anything larger than, say, a parakeet, is a no-no. I had a parakeet and he was great.

I had a giant parrot that could whistle the looney toons theme

I just got my butt handed to me by Kobby´s parrot?

Wow.

What type? I raised homing pigeons for years, they're beautiful and they make a soothing cooing noise.

Dove of peace or something like that. Someone left them on my front porch in an animal carrier this morning, so I took em in. They're cute!

They're also stronger than they look so if you take them out of the cage be careful.

Primarily practicing with Manuscript-Brand ink cartridge Calligraphy pens. Been doing my runs in Textura Quadrata.

First time I've seen anyone do a spit take in real life....

That is Awesome, Blackie!

That looks amazing! It would be a waste for me to try however. I still write like a 3rd grader.

Happy Easter All !!!

Happy Easter

As did I until a couple of months ago....behold! An ancient Journal entry!!






Something a bit more recent:






And an entry from my last journal when I was calligrapitti-ing everything that I wrote, a little more showboating, but meh....




Moral of the Story: I improved my handwriting through Calligraphy, which is the main reason I took it up to begin with. I guess writing takes place from the more logical centers of the brain rather than the more artistic.

Calligraphy uses both, improving handwriting and retention alike apparently...o_O

That is excellently cool. The last time I wrote a letter to someone- just to demonstrate WHY trying to read my script was... not a feat to be undertaken lightly- I wrote in cursive first and then transcribed it in print.

I NEVER write anything in cursive anymore except my signature- because even I cannot read it.

I blame years of college note-taking. Or maybe I just have lousy handwriting....

But I am envious of your skill.

I just enjoyed the hell out of reading someone's private diary, but truthfully - your writing even before this was good to very good, now it is Awesome.

Like Treydog, I print everything except my signature, and that is illegible.

My hand writing is pretty bad too


Hey black hand, is it hard learning calligraphy

Black Hand, that is beautiful! I have never tried a dip pen. What a neat connection with Sethyas.

I like the focus that comes when I slow down and try to write legibly. (In cursive, my printing is generally a hasty scrawl on an envelope or something.) Yet I still rarely put forth the effort these days.

Back Before Children I used to love writing letters. Now with texting and email it almost seems silly to wait for communication on purpose, but there’s a connection when you hold a page that a distant loved one has also touched that just doesn’t make it through a screen.

I wonder if I still have my fountain pen.

Mmmm. I'll go out on a limb and say no. I am self-taught and all I did was buy an eight dollar set from an art store near me.

Pictured Here.

Just look up "Calligraphy Hands" on Google and there are several that have step-by-step instructions. I would say the hardest part is holding the pen, and learning the angles, much like holding a paint brush.

Also, be patient. When you first start you'll spend an hour writing something it would take you five minutes. Once you have the muscle memory down, you'll be amazed at how easy it becomes.

Calligraphy is SO MUCH FUN.

That is very cool!

*Applauds Black Hand*...

Well, if he smudges it, it will be as his name suggests... ...

And again with the peoples and their ability to actually write so much...

Dear Gods I'm a wreck... ...

Happy Easter!!

Enjoy it! It´s a whole year till next time

Happy Easter everybody!