Real Estate Hunting by House Finch Couple

House Finch
 Pencil and watercolor on Handbook watercolor journal 8 in x 8 in

 This is a long post. Four years ago, we hung a wreath in our front door. A couple of Robin built a nest on it. After the Robin and babies were gone, I cleaned and stored the wreath to hang it next year, I thought the nest built by real birds was a beautiful addition to the wreath and I couldn’t throw it away. Well, I didn’t hung the wreath until this year in our backyard. I knew most birds don’t use other nest so it was intended to be purely ornamental. 

The loud sound of a bird’s song caught our attention a couple of weeks ago. It was definitely very close. We happened to spot a House Finch male which has came to inspect the nest multiple times. Without failing a day, it comes around 1:00 pm to step on it and sing very loud. I have watched him with my binoculars, not that the nest is very far, it’s just few yards away but I don’t want to scare the bird away. When it sings, it barely moves the bill, most of the movement happens under the bill, which is the the equivalent of the human throat. 

After a week or so, a female joined the male, she came less often to the nest. The inspections she did just lasted few seconds. Today I finally saw the female what seems to be putting light materials in the nest. Is she decorating it? The couple is not settled in the nest yet. It seems like it is a vacation home for them. They visit but they are not settled there. 

I’d like to think they will use the nest, although it is big, remember it was built by Robin which is a bigger bird; after all, House Finch is one the few birds which are known to reuse other bird’s nests. I have my fingers crossed for this wreath to offer a home to birds for second time. That’s my wish on this first day of Spring.

UPDATE:  Five weeks has passed since I published this post. The couple has settled and is raising four chicks out of five eggs. Romina y Jacinto have been working hard. We had two nights with temperatures below freezing and Romina successfully protected the chicks. Now they’re under the rush to feed these fast growing chicks. Romina feeds the chicks and for that sometimes she spread her legs in awkward positions to reach all the chicks, like a gymnast. Jacinto has provided most of the food and distributes it equally among the chicks, even Romina opens her beak to get food from him but Jacinto feeds her only occasionally, it’s not enough for her so Romina leaves the nest to get food for herself and the chicks. Then something I have never seen happened. Right after Jacinto fed the chicks, two of them raised their rear ends aiming to the edge of the nest and pooped. 

They instinctively poop outside of their for now home. Jacinto happed to be there, he picked up one of the excrement and flew away from the nest carrying it in its beak. What a clean family.

It’s getting tight there, Romina wants to cover her chicks with her body but the chicks are so restless, they stretch their neck away from Romina, they want a taste of the world.

Easter chocolate eggs

  

Postcard No 1.
Fineliner pen, watercolor and color pencil on CP Bee Paper watercolor 6 in x 4 ½ in

The colorful Easter wrapping paper of chocolate eggs and wafer eggs were so fun to sketch. I used Kingart fineliner pens. I didn’t know this brand so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the archival ink made me get them. I have checked the ink didn’t bleed and it is waterproof. I’m happy I got this great fineliner pens! I made two postcards simultaneously, it’s quite convenient to paint one while the other one dries.

They came out lovely, now they are ready send by mail.

Postcard No. 2

East Joliet House

Postcard 6 in x 4 ½ in
Pencil and watercolor on Bee Paper CP

The East side of Joliet has many cute old houses. I like the ones with two floors and a porch. They are easy to find wherever you go. Although there’s a bare tree next to it, the tree adds life to the house’s sketch. 

Kiki

Postcard 6 in x 4 ½ in
Dip pen, watercolor and color pencil on Bee Paper watercolor CP

This is Kiki, a stuffed wool little toy. Since roosters are morning animals it seems perfectly appropriate to be our morning companion during breakfast. Having a real rooster would be so neat! I just image one by our table ruffling the feathers and singing out loud Kikiriki. Mmmmh... Kiki is fine.

Bench in the porch.

Postcard 6 in x 4 ½ in
Pencil and watercolor on CP 🐝 Paper.

The weather is teasing us with beautiful, sunny and warm days like today. It’s the promise of the arrival of spring. Days like this invite us to go out and sit on a bench, to take the sun, have a chat and be aware of the sounds around us. Many houses have benches in their porch here, either you have one or not, and if the weather allows it, get out, disconnect from digital media and enjoy the moment.

Red rice

 

Postcard 6 in x 4 ½ in.
Pencil and watercolor on CP watercolor Bee 🐝 Paper. 

We had a celebration, just the two of us. We didn’t finish the bottle of red wine. Next day I would cook red rice with the wine. I’ve seen white wine added to risotto, I figured I could try red. We had a nice meal, sirloin beautifully paired with asparagus over red rice. Not that I eat this nice everyday, really, sometimes we have popcorn for dinner, ha! The complementary colors looked so beautiful next to each other I thought it was so sketch-able and I had to put it on paper. Well, I’m also showing off the meal a little....guilty.

Postcards

Postcard 6 in x 4 ½ in. Pencil and watercolor on CP Bee Paper.

I should have done this before, sending postcards as a fun way to stay in touch with family and friends. I bought a very affordable 140 lb cold press watercolor paper 100% cotton a while ago, Bee Paper. I have not heard of it before but its paper is European and it’s packed in Malasia. I think it’s perfect for postcards. I make them myself. 

I just received a book in the mail today that I think will inspire me to paint food for my post cards: Top Tapas Barcelona Guide by Santi Sallés. Although his style has evolved, this book published in 2014 is so inspirational! And that’s how it all began today.

I’ve been baking often and I recently bought a small round cake mold, it’s only 6 inches (15 cm), just enough for two people. I made a flourless cheese cake that came out divine, because it’s not overly sweet, just right. If you want to see the recipe look for the recipe tab at the bottom of the header of this blog. This post card was sent to Mexico as a birthday card to celebrate someone’s birthday. I won’t be there but I hope this postcard made with love reaches this destination well, with a little piece of me.

How fun!

Snack

 

Pencil, watercolor and color pencil on notebook 10 in x 7 in

This is one of my favorites snacks I’ve eaten lately. Hard boiled egg and avocado on a toast. 

First thing in the morning.

Pencil and watercolor on notebook  7 in x 10 in

Coffee is the first thing in the morning. My Mexican jarritos or Talavera cups make it specially warm and enjoyable.