There I was, working away on Civil War veterans, thinking a little bit of sleet was all we’d get. That’s the trouble with having the windows covered with cellular shades and giant quilts in the winter. You are apt to fail to notice what Mama Nature is up to right outside the Writing Studio and Bait Shop. When I flipped on the deck light and opened the door to take the Duo for their bedtime constitutional . . . .
I would object, but what’s the point? Mama will do what she will do. I have decided to rise above it. I am fond of baskets, and have accumulated quite a few of them over the years. It seemed like a good day to make their portraits, as I can’t get the car out of the driveway yet. Here is a little spring collage. You can click if you really want a bigger view. You can hover if you just want to know what the heck a particular image is.
There is an explanation for the diverse subject matter. Karma posted a photo scavenger hunt. This is what I scavenged. Oh! I almost forgot. There is a bonus, said Karma. Make a clear, sharp, close-up of a Mr. Cardinal! (I’m specifically talking about the bird here, not the priest!) Here you go:
OK, I will admit he’s a little fuzzy. I probably won’t qualify for Karma’s bonus. On the other hand, Mama Nature is sending me a bonus of her own, so we have that going for us.
Art class is canceled for today, because Elk Rapids schools are having a snow day. I can adapt. Lindy lent me her Rivers and Tides DVDs, and we haven’t watched the bonus disk yet. The Cowboy in particular is quite looking forward to it. I used the found time to make a scrapbook page about the class and posted it on a tab at the top of the page. For the next few weeks I am going to keep adding to it. Katherine has some things there, too. Then it will disappear, like an Andy Goldsworthy installation. In the meantime, it will be wonderful if you have a quirky turn of mind, which I more than half suspect you do.
Torch Lake Views 
thedailyclick
April 20, 2011
LOL that’s funny! I say the cardinal DOES count… Karen didn’t say it had to be a REAL bird 😉
Gerry
April 20, 2011
Yay – one vote for the fuzzy cardinal! She can’t disqualify him for being a finger puppet, but as to the “clear, sharp” part . . . ah well.
Scott Thomas Photography
April 20, 2011
I got a cardinal just like that on my book shelf. I used to work for a company with cardinal in it’s name and I got a beanie baby (remember those? Is this one?) Cardinal as a gift for joining them.
Gerry
April 20, 2011
Remember beanie babies? You mean they’re another thing that’s drifted off into the Ancient Past while my back was turned? Man it’s hard to keep up.
My cardinal is a finger puppet rather than a beanie baby. I have quite a little collection of such toys. I think they are about to be de-accessioned from the permanent collection at the Writing Studio and Bait Shop. I have too much Stuff.
P.j. grath
April 20, 2011
You WordPress people with your fabulous banners bring the green to my eyes. (I’m jealous. My eyes are only grey-blue.) Love your flamingos. Love your baskets, too. Am thinking you have been more productive with your snow day than I have been, but I’ll wait until tomorrow to judge my today’s work.
Gerry
April 20, 2011
Ah well. I envy you the fabulous backgrounds and the nice rolling RSS feeds. The eyes are always greener on the other side of the Great Divide. I am glad you like the flamingos. I’ve grown quite fond of them myself. There’s a story there somewhere, but I have no idea what it is. I love my baskets, too, and they, unlike the stuffed toys, are staying. Maybe I will arrange to be buried in them a long, long time from now. (I put that last part in because the Cowboy begins to weep whenever the subject of my eventual shuffling off comes up.)
I think it’s good to wait a day or so to reflect on accomplishments. That way you can sleep peacefully rather than getting up at dark-thirty to do one last thing you forgot. And then doing it again half an hour later. I was over there earlier today and it seemed to me you were right on top of things.
harpersfarm
April 20, 2011
The scavenger hunt is an excellent idea! What fun! I must agree that cardinal should count. Great pictures!
Gerry
April 20, 2011
Well, you can still participate in the scavenger hunt yourself–the deadline is Sunday. Follow the link to Karma’s post.
Fee
April 21, 2011
And another vote for the cardinal. I don’t think we have any fuzzy birds in our (massive) soft toy collection – they’re mainly dogs (with a particular emphasis on Andrex puppies – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEaqq3Eq4NE). Your snowy pictures put that into my head…
That weather’s a bit of a bummer. Finally feeling like spring here – and we’re ten degrees further north on the globe – how’s that happening?
Gerry
April 21, 2011
Mama always liked you best. We’re going into therapy as soon as we can get the car out of the garage.
Dawn
April 21, 2011
Sounds like a fun thing to do…except for the snow thing of course.
Gerry
April 21, 2011
Exactly.
Karma
April 21, 2011
I love your cardinal! You totally get credit for that. Your collage is pretty awesome too. What kind of buds are those? (I’ve been secretly wondering if anyone was actually going to go the Budweiser route).
I hope your snow melts soon!
Gerry
April 21, 2011
The cardinal is gratified. I have been secretly wondering what kind of buds those are. They had fallen onto the woodchip path at Barnes Park from one of the trees . . . but which one? I do not know, and my books are no help at all, sticking to bark and leaves and nuts in the picture department. Getting a look at the buds while they’re still on the tree is well beyond the reach of my short self. This is why so much of life remains a mystery.
Beth Toner
April 21, 2011
Gerry, I don’t know — I’m not sure about this “moving to Michigan” thing. Seriously? I was wearing shorts and planting tomatoes yesterday!!!!!!!! I’m guessing easily that was 10 inches of snow?????? Crazy.
Gerry
April 21, 2011
Nah, nothing like 10 inches. Margie Guyot measured and she says it was six inches. And it’s mostly melted already.
Um, you will find that tomatoes are generally not set out until Memorial Day up here . . . But that’s why we have hoop houses! You can give things a surprising amount of head start in a hoop house.
Lauren
April 21, 2011
You had me googling hoop house… ahhhh. So that’s how it works. I am so excited to read about the Elk Rapids Environmental Art program…Fabulous! I love Andy Goldsworthy….His work makes me tear up.
Gerry
April 21, 2011
Well Lauren you would probably enjoy coming over here to see what the kids get up to. We got a wee bit behind when Mama Nature shut school yesterday, but I expect we’ll make up for it with ingenuity and determination.
Nye
April 21, 2011
I see not very Spring like in Michigan. Your Cardinal is one of a kind, great closeup shot. 🙂
Gerry
April 21, 2011
Thank you, Ginger. The Cardinal has some pals: A moose, a duck, a bear. Why? I ask myself.
Robin
April 22, 2011
Fantastic cardinal! Much better than anything I’ve captured with the camera. Love your collection of baskets.
I’ve had days like that. My computer faces away from the window and I’ve been surprised (not always pleasantly) by what seemed like quick changes in the weather scenery when I turn around and look out.
Gerry
April 23, 2011
Don’t you hate it when Mama Nature sneaks up on you? I like a little warning about these things. Of course it is April. She’s very, very busy in April.
Kathy
April 24, 2011
Karma sent me over to look at your spring scavenger hunt and your cardinal, especially. What a gret bonus! To think that you actually have a stuffed cardinal. You win the prize, hands down.
Gerry
April 24, 2011
There’s a prize? Cool.
FS Photography
April 28, 2011
Real nice collection Gerry, and who wouldn’t love that cardinal… lol…
Gerry
April 28, 2011
Thank you. I suspect that there are cardinal purists out there who would disdain his fuzzy advances, but it’s always something, isn’t it?