Huck, Shakey & Ray at Duck Pond

It sometimes pays to be small. The larger birds fell through the thin ice that formed on the surface of the pond. But the small Hakusekirei owned the "entire  rink" then and played to their hearts' content.

Perhaps we shouldn't bewail some of our seeming shortcomings. In God's wisdom, they may be reason for "entire rinks" of joy being ours.

I wonder if the Wagtail--that's the English name for this bird--doesn't look around and wonder why the other birds don't join him; it seems they just don't know what they're missing out on.

SATISFIED？

When I got to Deeper Pond, Peter the Kawasemi had been diving into the water after fish, waiting for me. I think he just wanted to know if his picture was finished.

"Sorry it took so long Peter, but here it is," I said, showing him the drawing. I hope he wasn't too disappointed. In it, he's drawn smaller than in the last few sketches I've made of him, because I drew more park featuring mallards too.

Hm; I wonder if my satisfaction in life has to do with how important I'm made to feel or if others are highlighted and I get less credit?

to be continued tomorrow

I had to go to the park while it was still warm. After all, when I went to the park last week, Peter the Kawasemi had come out to pose for me. I thought living things would be gone by December and had resigned myself to drawing the garden lamp.

But onto a branch near the lamp, a bright blue bird had come--Peter the Kawasemi! And a few minutes later, several mallards splashed down into the pond.

"Us living things--gone? Ha!" They must've been honking and singing as I hurriedly (and happily) scrawled away a rough outline to do a real drawing later. But it got dark much too fast, so there was time to do only a very general sketch...this.

YOU SHOULD FLY, LIKE US

Friday, I had to go to the clinic again. Because my medicine requires me to stay out of summer heat, the decision was made to go by cab instead of walking for over 25 mins.

My dragonfly friends seemed to agree with me. They didn't think I should walk to the doctor's office either.

As soon as I got home, I lay down, grateful for air conditioning. Because today was not as hot as the rest of the week, I had only a low-grade fever.

And because I'd been able to ride a cab, not walked, after only a few hours' rest, my temperature came down, and I felt fine. Well enough, in fact, to draw these post illustrations.

Oh--this latter reference photo was NOT taken today. I did NOT go to the park today. You can be sure that was taken on an earlier date, when it was much cooler!