Long Weekend Ahead

Happy Friday everyone. It's just about the long Memorial Day weekend here in the US and although this weekend usually includes some going out activities, I think mine will most likely be gardening, art and NOT  doing online school. Only 2 more weeks of that to go! 

 I did visit a local garden center greenhouse yesterday late afternoon to beat any weekend rush (but I think people have been buying their plants early this year-they were pretty picked over. The woman I know who works there said it's been crazy ever since they first opened.) I got some flowers for my deck pots and also veggies for my garden, so this weekend might be a good time to do some planting. And my daughter and her beau are coming tonight for a short visit, so we're talking about maybe doing a fire pit outside. 

I don't think the boat will ready for the water, and boating is allowed as there is a lot of social distancing, as long as you're OK with people who are on the boat with you. That's OK with me as I think the docks will be too crowded this weekend with the holiday weekend. 

But what the weekend brings will be seen as the days get here.

And here's a page for Mia's flower challenge at Art Journal Journey. My garden fairy or maybe garden queen page. She doesn't look like me but that's what I have been filling my free time this past week doing. 

My page began with Dina Wakely's spray gloss paints and a stencil. I really like these paints. They give a bolder finish (I think) than the spray inks and as they are paint, they dry and stay in place when you put things on top of them like matte medium or water. I used the leftover piece from some flowers I die cut to stencil the flowers, which I then painted white and detailed. I used 2 shades of green watercolor crayon to make the stems and leaves.

The face is from a Studio Light/Art by Marlene pop out booklet. I created the wings and then used another Studio Light sticker quote book for the quote. I also added a few small gemstone raindrops.

And my bird feeders have been Grand Central Station lately. I have been having to fill them every day.

Here's some of my visitors. 

 The titmouse and below, the first pair of cardinals nesting in my yard. I've seen them in  other people's yards, but now I have them in mine.

 The  hummingbirds returned ast weekend which was very exciting.

 And Mama Baltimore Oriole. She and her mate returned last weekend also.

 Here's Dad.

 These titmice are so cute.

And these red bellied woodpeckers (why are they called red bellied when there isn't much red on their belly?) are really amusing. First of all they are very loud when they call, and then they have these really well defined and jerky movements.

And of course I have tons of chipmunks and red as well as grey squirrels. 

And lastly for birds, I had a hawk around with a nest for awhile. I'm not sure if it is still there as I haven't seen it for a bit. And I never could get close enough for a good view of what it kind it is.  It might even be a falcon from what I can see.

 Before the leaves came out I could see it through the trees sitting in a nest.

If anyone can help me out with an ID I'd appreciate it. 

Of course now we have leaves so the nest has vanished into the woods.

OK, not only dd this post take me a long time to write, but it is long enough.

I need to get ready for class.

I'll be by to visit blogs soon.

Happy start to your weekend.