as the school year rapidly deflates, so goes my energy for extracurricular activities in my sketchbook. still, i did manage to do a bit of play and exploration this week.
with copics as in the oak branchlet above…
with gouache on the back of the oak leaf page – an attempt at hiding the bleed-through. it didn’t cover all of it and that’s fine. imperfection is the hallmark of the hand-drawn right?
in the garden, my friends, the oriole couple, have returned to swing like monkeys from the hummer feeder. back in 2013 i wrote about them HERE.
i’m convinced they’re the same couple who visits each year. according to my birds of los angeles guide you can tell them apart from the bullocks oriole by their slightly down-curved bill.
this is the male. the pair know when i’m in the kitchen. if the feeder is empty they are extremely vocal in letting me know! they go through the entire feeder in 2 days.
this is one of my after school helpers. she likes to put on my p.e. hat & glasses, kick back in my chair, eat apples, and preview the upcoming chapter in the read aloud. when i try and get my “helpers” to leave so i can get my real work done, they hide in the closet. the other day i threatened to move their pins down on the behavior chart if they didn’t leave.
you can’t!
oh yeah, why not?
we have our pins in our pockets!
touché.
I see you have trader joes walnuts in your sketchbook. Have you tried the cookie butter? It is right by the peanut butters. I am stuck on it. I take a tablespoon full of it for something sweet. I think it is oooh la la.
ha ha ha ha!!! jan – those were rules for our puberty discussions. that one is: -no slang to describe body parts – top one that’s not visible is: -no teasing or joking-
i gave them each a booklet and told them to take it home and get all of their joking and laughing OUT about it first, before we discuss.
one kid came in the next day and when i asked if they learned anything new he said,
yeah! …. VAGINAS!
I bet your students love you because of your rules … No Putdowns (check), No Making Fun of People who are different (check). But what inquiring minds really want to know is … what’s that about ‘describe body parts’ ? LOL …
My bird friends empty their seed feeder twice a week. I’m hoping the mama squirrel and her eight babies don’t discover it hanging in my patio. Battle of the birds and squirrels? The bunnies stay on the ground and nibble the grasses at the edge of the patio….very well behaved.
Everyone needs ‘helpers’ hiding in the closet! What a wonderful memory to have – and what a tribute to you!
Happy Mothers Day, Mary Ann! You so nicely mother your students, so much that they don’t want to leave you!
I absolutely love your drawing and color combos. I have to get more Copics … I’d love the whole set because they have such a comprehensive line of colors and shades. We’ll see …
Loving your sketches and bright and sweet spirit. Have an awesome and relaxing day Mary Ann. I think your helpers have the right idea. 😉
your helpers sound terrific! You are so loved by so many!!!!
Terrific! All of it, the drawing, the colors, the birds, the great helper & YOU for
sharing in your own unique, talented way. I am a fan.
Yes, you can expect the same birds to return to your yard year after year, usually as a couple. The other diagnostic that stands out in IDing Bullock’s Oriole from Hooded is the much larger white wing patch of the Bullock’s. The black mask, chin, and bib is larger on the Hooded. You’re so lucky they’ve chosen your yard. Their nests are long sock shaped things. We see them in winter in the deciduous trees in our area, mostly choose Cottonwoods for nest building.
A group of orioles are collective known as a “pitch” or “split” of orioles. Whoever comes up with these names? Like a “murder” of crows? Murder? Crows? I would never those two words together to describe a flock of birds.
Those “helpers” have got your number! They don’t want to leave because they like/love you as a teacher and want to spend as much time as possible in your company knowing they probably won’t be seeing you again.
Love your weekly report in pictures, MAM! And I’m glad to see the orioles are getting you trained.