This week’s challenge topic: weathered!
(And another hat tip to my friend, Pierr, whose comment made me laugh out loud when I really needed it this week. Be thankful creativity finally struck, and you aren’t looking at a pictures of my toes. 🙂 )
Knowie, feelng less than impressed with her modeling experience
(I’ve decided to post the purpose and parameters of my Project 365 Somethings when I’ve reached week 6. That way, I can refine the details and confirm my commitment to myself before announcing it here. However, if curiosity is killing you, I can say that my fellow blogger, Ihanna, suggested the challenge, and you can head over to Sweden and read what she proposed here.)
This week, I set a couple of goals for myself to have opportunities to infuse creativity into my day wherever I am.
1. Rachel Reinert’s Color Workshop: When working on this project, I discovered that I like to focus with good light and few distractions. Therefore, working at home in my office makes the most sense. Unfortunately, two-thirds of my homeschooling sons returned to their normal schedule this week, so I had far less time at home. That said, I still accomplished a little. I worked on Rachel’s burnishing project:
Rachel Reinert’s Color Workshop Burnishing Project in progress
At first, my internal critic immediately piped up that I hadn’t accomplished enough for this week . However, some of this challenge for me is about enjoyment, and, although I’d like to finish everything, I enjoyed what I did and I’m going to make the choice to focus on that.
2. Ashley Knit Cowl: If the Color Workshop is best accomplished at home, this little cowl project is perfect for portable creativity. It fits neatly into my backpack and the pattern is simple enough to accomplish in a noisy, distracting environment like my sons’ alternative school. Best of all, I get a lovely sense of achievement and the tactile and visual joy as the yarn runs through my fingers.
Ashley Cowl in progress
3. Not Your Mother’s Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken with Potatoes and Mushrooms: I decided an easy and useful way to add a bit more creativity to my week could be as simple as dusting off one of my numerous cookbooks and trying a new recipe. This week I chose Lemon Chicken with Potatoes and Mushrooms, which was fairly quick and easy. I intended to take a picture of it when it finished in the slow cooker, but, with two male teens and one male preteen in my house, I was too late. Then again, I think that might say enough in itself. I did manage to get a photo before the adults took their portion, so I suppose that is something.
Not Your Mother’s Slow Cooker
Not Your Mother’s Slow Cooker: Lemon Chicken with Potatoes and Mushrooms
Whenever I make a new recipe, I follow it exactly the first time. After that, however, I can’t help but start making it my own. In this case, I would switch from a whole chicken to chicken breasts to lower the fat and add broccoli florets and diced bell peppers in various colors to increase the variety of vegetables and add some color.
4. WordPress Weekly Photo Challenges: I decided to join the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenges because it nudges me to play with my Nikon D5000 and a handful of lenses. The topic of the challenge this week was growth, and I was pleased with how my entry turned out.
Overall, I’m generally happy with my progress this week, and I think happier for the 365 project overall.
Today, I made the executive decision to play hooky with my sons and mom. Because we actually had some sun, we headed to Skagit to view to the fields of tulips. We were a little early for the fields of really dramatic color, but I did get a couple of nice shots..
Skagit with Snow Geese
Bunch of Daffodils
Tulip
Recently observed in the front yard:
Eastern Ground Squirrel
Robin on Wheelbarrow
A Walk in the Country
Daffodil
Lilac Bud
Anemone
Cherry Tomato
Lemon Cucumber Blossom
After discovering far more patience than I normally exhibit, I finally had the opportunity to get a clear picture of my chickadee. I’m pretty certain he’s a Black-Capped Chickadee.
Black-Capped Chickadee
In the process of obtaining this photo, I’ve actually become quite fond of this little fellow. He’s pretty darn interesting. He does not eat at the feeder like the goldfinches. Instead, he sneaks up and snatches a sunflower seed before darting back into the safety of the shrubbery. Although it made taking his photograph more complicated, I admire his cleverness.
The boys found this little fellow on the property. According to my (increasingly beloved) field guides, he or she is a Northern Alligator Lizard. I think this is the first lizard we’ve spotted here.
Northern Alligator Lizard
“Nobody sees a flower really; it is so small. We haven’t time, and to see takes time – like to have a friend takes time.”
– Georgia O’Keeffe
Red Clover
Red Clover
I finally moved quickly enough to capture pictures of hummingbirds at both front and back feeders!
Hummingbird at back feeder.
This little lady appeared at our back feeder. I believe this is an adult female Anna’s or Rufous hummingbird because of what I think is a small patch of red under the neck. That said, I reserve the right to change my mind if I get better photos.
Meanwhile in the front, I took two nice shots of this little visitor.
Close up of hummingbird at the front feeder.
Hummingbird at the front feeder.
I believe this is also a female because her tail feathers are clearly white tipped in another photo, but again I’m not sure whether she’s an Anna’s or Rufous.
Now, I wondering if in fact she is the same bird in all three photos?
In any case, gotcha!