I cleaned out all of the feeders this morning, as they go bad after a hard rain. If I dump them out on the ground, the Turtle Dove eat the leavings, so there is little waste, and the song birds love the fresh!

Sherry stopped on her way home from Hospital and purchased some Hummingbird food. Once home she fill both of the feeders. We have several of the Ruby Throated. A really beautiful bird.






Absolutely a beautiful day on the river this morning. The High today is going to be 88F. The Low tonight will be 67F. The skies are clear and bright. The Virginia shoreline is green and bright across the river this morning. There is a 0% chance of rain today, and the Relative Humidity is 60% and the Dew Point is 57F. The Barometric Pressure is 29.96 and rising. It was so hot blazing hot yesterday the Osprey and Eagles just looked at one another and went about their business. No aerial batles to be fought in this heat. The Blue Grosbeak is still in residence. I have yet to see his mate, which is a concern, as no male of any species is going to stay any place, for any amount of time, if he lacks a mate. She was here in May. I shot up all of the Bronze-headed Cow Birds so the Blue Grosbeaks could successfully brood a clutch. I had hoped to see her and her brood at the feeders by now. The Indigo Bunting never materialized either. It this case, a Female was present for a day or two, and than vanished. I felt certain that the males would make an appearance. Alas, it was not to be. When you stop to consider what these birds go through to make their long trip from The Caribbean and Central America to my feeding station in Maryland it is amazing they are able to make it at all.

Well, I better get started. Sherry is on her way to visit Capt.Bill in Hospital. I am to follow for a little visit this morning. Sherry wants to be on hand for when the Doctors make their rounds. This way we can get the good information on prognosis. Sherry is the official discriminator of information. I fell confident all is well and this is just a mild episode. Surely this too will pass. We all Pray for his rapid recovery.

Sherry has left for Hospital. She took along all of the bevels necessary to complete another Elegant Egret, as both sold this week out of her Studio. She is quite the worker. She does so much for so many and asks for nothing in return. Yesterday she spent the day at her fathers' bedside, ran over to Jess & Johns to install a beautiful beveled glass Palm Tree insert into Jess's freshly paint hutch (as well as tend to the chickens and assorted other chores), did her shopping, stopped and filled my list of needs, came home and went straight to work in her studio! An amazing person indeed! I am so very fortunate to have her in my life. We all are so fortunate to have her in our lives. I love her deeply, and appreciate all that she does.

I have finished up the staining process for the next turtle. I am doing things a little different this time around. I first painted (using tracer black) the details in the head and legs and fired at 1250F.. I than stained the raised lines on the krinkle glass, and fired them up at 1005F. Now I have taken the glass out, applied Intense Yellow to the edges of the turtle, and Amber to the field (being careful to not get too very much bleed into the yellow first applied) and have set them in the kiln at 1025F. Now we will see what the result. If it turns out as planned, I will have far greater detail, and color in the turtle. If not, oh well. Back to the drawing board.

Time to head out to take a quick visit with Capt.Bill. the weather is cool, and the eagles and Osprey are at each other already. Maybe today I can get a good show or two.

The silvered stained turtle came out of the kiln, got washed up and looks great. I silverstained the accent border with a stipple brush. Some of the bevels have come out and been washed and cleaned up. The rest are ready to go in for the first firing. I painted up the Pecan Point Heron. Sherry programed the kiln for me. I loaded in the glass, and will fire it up tonight before bed. It should be completed by tomorrow morning. I now have the painted components ready for two panels.

Now, I intend to go out to the river and sit the dolphin watch.