About Annie

Welcome to the Curious Mind Garden. My name is Annie, and this is my little patch of cyberspace. I post about things that interest me, and I find a lot of things interesting. :)

Afternoon Walk

My husband and I drove to the coast for a walk. I had a particular spot in mind, but, while trying to find that spot, we came upon this wonderful little park where someone had apparently planted a wildflower mix. A lovely surprise.

It’s The Little Things: Travel Palette

Homemade Travel Palette

I dabble in watercolor and aspire to being one of those people who hikes out to some gorgeous spot and memorializes the moment in a few quick strokes. Well, I can dream.

To this end, I have tried to find a travel palette that I liked but to no avail. I finally decided to make what I wanted. I affixed magnetic stripes to empty half pans and repurposed a metal Acme pen case. The beauty is that I can dedicate each half pan to a specific color, swap out colors as I see fit, and still have plenty of room for a couple of brushes and a pencil and pen. And the entire case fits in a coat pocket.

It’s funny how much satisfaction a little project like this can provide.

Wildlife: Birds

All identifications made with Merlin Bird ID.

Female or Immature Male Anna’s Hummingbird
Female or Immature Male Black-Headed Grosbeak
Male Hairy Woodpecker

Female or Immature Male Black-Headed Grosbeak
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Male Hairy Woodpecker
Black-Headed Grosbeak
Barred Owl
Adult Male House Finch
Anna’s Hummingbird
Spotted Towhee
Female Purple Finch
Breeding Male American Goldfinch
Adult Female Red-Breasted Nuthatch