American coots coast on a pond behind some reeds. Coots are some of the first migratory birds to arrive in my area in spring.
In the northern hemisphere, spring has sprung. Avian migration has commenced. The buzz of insect wings grows louder. Spring peepers sing. Patient flowers that have waited out the snow are finally creeping up from the ground in their own time and beginning the rounds of blooming splendor.
American coots have been swimming in one pond that I frequent. The compact black rails dive underwater and resurface with stringy green plant material in their white beaks. They try to keep their bounty away from other coots in an attempt to eat it in peace. The coots find themselves in the company of buffleheads and tree swallows. Dark-eyed juncos are also here, but they are making a move of their own, heading back up north.
The season has wormed its way into my art. I mean that in a kinder way than the phrase’s connotation suggests; I like worms. My current colored pencil drawing is floral. The subject matter should bloom in real life later this spring. (I will refrain from sharing what the flower is and also progress pictures as I tend to not like sharing unfinished work, but I welcome guesses.) The drawing initiated the acquisition of new art supplies, so my colored pencil inventory has been replenished. For artists, acquiring new art supplies can easily be the highlight of the week, and it was certainly a highlight of mine.
Acquiring new art supplies, such as these colored pencils, was certainly one of the highlights of the week.
When I am not working on art, I am usually reading. A Season on the Wind: Inside the World of Spring Migration by Kenn Kaufman is a timely read with spring migration currently underway. It has been further priming my excitement for birding adventures. I have been rotating it with Fox & I: An Uncommon Friendship by Catherine Raven and Pests: How Humans Create Animal Villains by Bethany Brookshire. Each book is proving to be enjoyable, insightful, and even humorous at times, something I appreciate.
Filling my days with art, books, and the exploration of my corner of the world is something I am very happy to do. These acts indulge my creative and inquisitive nature. I will miss winter, but I have also been embracing spring. The season has only started, and I am looking forward to its further unfolding.