Magpie madness.

One of the harmless pastimes led by elderly folk is to feed the birds in their backyard. So it is with us, the Prof and I enjoy watching the family of four beady eyed carnivores squabble over the left over dog food on our back verandah while we enjoy our 'petit dejourner' . Occasionally things go awry when one of the bolder or more adventurous birds decides to explore our house in search of the mother lode of dog food.
I awoke this morning to a great ruckus, himself had left the back door open for the convenience of our remaining ambulatory dog (the other having been confined to his bed for the last four years where he is waited on hand and paw). The inevitable happened we were hosting a frightened magpie and you know what magpies do when they are frightened! I spent the next wee while scraping magpie poo off walls, floors and various surfaces around our family room and kitchen!
Thankfully he finally made his way out, lured by more dog food, without further damage to himself or the house.
Not having the time or presence of mind to take photos I am posting a detail from a painting I did many years ago of a magpie taking a drink in our drought ravaged garden when we lived out west and that will have to do.

Another detail to put it in context although this shows only part of the 6  by 4 feet painting.

Whoo hoo!

Whoo hoo, new etegami paper!
My lovely friend from Japan who stayed with me this week arrived with the requested paper and presented it to me as her omiyagi(?)
100 sheets, double whoo hoo!

I asked for paper with a high nijimi rating and that is what I got. On trying it, it makes me even more in awe of Debbie's Here skill in handling this kind of paper but 100 sheets should give me plenty to practice on.
I did two paintings of the magpies who regularly visit my back verandah and get into squabbles over the left over (and sometimes not so leftover , the dog is easily intimidated) dog food.

The darker one is on my regular postcard paper  and the lighter is on the "bleedin'" new stuff lol.
I have used a favourite poem, Magpies, by Judith Wright, a very well known Australian poet as my inspiration although the Prof. thinks the second one looks more like a penguin! I have to agree with him on that.
The visit by my Japanese friend and her American friend went off well. The Prof was out of town working so he was disappointed not to see Yumi but I hope they had a good time in our sleepy little city. The beach is only 5 mins by car from our house and that was a hit, the other day they were here they went sightseeing and antiquing. It was with some trepidation that I introduced them to some fairly basic food and entertainment at the local Returned Servicemen's League club where my friends and I go to a trivia night each week (we won by the way, gloat, gloat). At least they can say they have seen 'real' Australian life.
Sadly two of our trivia team have up sticks and retired to sunny Queensland, hope you have the life you want up there guys!
The weather is stinking hot here again today, so am off to retreat to the one room we have that is airconditioned, toodeloo.