One of my favorite birds and common here in Northern Illinois, the northern flicker. A woodpecker that loves wooded areas. I recently made a commissioned flicker which inspired me to paint this one also.
The lilacs have already come and gone. But I still have a few photos of them on my phone. I used this one as inspiration for the painting of the flicker.
Last week I went to Graue Mill near my home in Elmhurst, IL and took a tour. Ended up with a 5lb. bag of stone-ground cornmeal. If you've never tried stone ground cornmeal, you are in for a treat. At the advice of the man who was grinding the corn, I removed from the burlap bag and put in a ziplock bag in the freezer. He said it will last a couple years there where moisture can't penetrate it. In the basement are the gear wheels from the waterwheel. Here is a checkerboard using corncob game pieces. I used my sourdough started to make some New England Anadama Bread. I got the recipe from my King Arthur Flour...
Yesterday after running errands I took a walk in Wilder Park by the Elmhurst Art Museum and Library.
The weather was beautiful. The grass was a little wet. But I tried to stay on the trails.
I stopped in the conservatory, which was full of pink geraniums.
There's the library. And below Wilder Mansion. (I remember when it served as the library.)
I posted a video yesterday of my time at Fullersburg Woods in Oak Brook, IL.
I got a treat when I saw the rare ruby-crowned kinglet. The male kinglet himself is not rare here this time of year. But showing his ruby "crown" is more rare.
I also saw sparrows, warblers, thrush, northern flickers, American robins, doves, and mallard ducks.
The creek was swollen with water and it was cool and calm outside.
In the house this week. Getting ready for spring with daffodils, lilies, and new watercolor paintings that have springs flowers in them.
Working on redbud blossoms and cerulean warblers.
