One of my greatest joys lately, especially because of the ability to work from home over the past 18+ months, has been watching the shenanigans going on in my backyard, from squirrel zoomies to observing the bird migrations over the seasons to chippy caching nuts for the upcoming winter season.
I hope you’ve been able to spend time to get outside, take a deep breath and watch nature during these crazy times!
We have two bird baths set up in our backyard that the birds, squirrel, chippy and even the raccoons love to hang out at.
Working from home allows me to practice my photography skills throughout the day which has been really wonderful!
The month of May where I live is one of my favorite times of year. Spring is in full swing, my yard is coming back to life with a vengeance, lots of birds are busy at the bird feeders and bird bath and I can open the windows when the weather teases of summer.
The birds have been loving the new birdbath.
I’ve never seen so many goldfinches in my backyard which has been a wonderful treat.
Sometimes the birds are on the move and I have to take a quick photo through a dirty window, like this bluejay right outside the kitchen.
Other times I get lucky and notice a cardinal hanging out in the tree above me while I’m standing in the backyard on a break from working from home.
So many wonderful reasons to be out in nature, watching the wildlife in my backyard and soaking up the wonder and magic of Spring!
It’s been sooo cold around here lately that I haven’t been able to get out for some wintery walks in the neighborhood or on the trails. It’s minus 5 degrees with a wind chill making it feel like minus 25!
I have been noticing bright spots out my windows lately.
Still a joy to be able to continue working from home these days so I can soak these quiet little moments in my own backyard.
We got another big snow storm this week with almost 9 inches of new snow.
In the midst of that snow storm, I noticed Mr. Cardinal hiding out in a tree outside my kitchen window.
Mrs. Cardinal is hiding in that tree this afternoon, taking a nap, but my camera couldn’t focus on her through the window and branches.
Such a joy to work from home these days and notice these little storybook moments in my own backyard!
The bluejays have returned to my area lately. I love that they are easy to spot with their beautiful bright blue colors. And I love their loud squawking, which makes the squirrels nervous. Which makes me smile.
I’m always hoping one of them will be kind enough to drop one of their bright blue feathers in my yard for a keepsake. 
Happy hump day to you. Here’s to hoping you find time to get outside, breath in a big gulp of fresh air and slowly let it out with a sense of peace.
More squirrel shenanigans to share with you today!
I read an article in the paper about putting a pumpkin out for the squirrels to munch on. I cut a hole in it and let them dig it out. It’s funny to watch them try to climb inside to get more seeds. 
I was hoping this would keep them away from the bird feeder but they still try to devour that too. They are a bit frantic this time of year, trying to fatten up for winter and store food.
In order to continue my mission to draw all the time and fill up more sketchbooks in 2016, I’ve been busy working on a new theme of drawings each week. At the end of the week, it’s nice to have lots of new drawings and a full page illustration. And I’m learning how to draw so many new things this year, which is really exciting!
I finished a fun series of illustrations in September for my animal art series with the theme backyard wildlife.
Can’t wait to turn these sketchbook page into fun new digital art! Happy drawing!
Terri
Click here to see my Weeks 1-16 illustrations, ranging from bears to owls to whales to saltwater fish
Click here to see Weeks 17-20: Backyard Birds, Flamingos, Peacock and Macaws
Click here to see Weeks 21-25: Bugs: Neon Insects, Monarch Butterflies, Butterflies, Neon Spiders, and Moths
Click here to see Week 26: Nature is new every morning.
Click here to see Weeks 27-30: Wildflowers + Pollinators
Click here to see Weeks 31-34: Freshwater Fish
In order to continue my mission to draw all the time and fill up more sketchbooks in 2016, I’ve been busy working on a new theme of drawings each week. At the end of the week, it’s nice to have lots of new drawings and a full page illustration. And I’m learning how to draw so many new things this year, which is really exciting!
My theme for September is backyard wildlife, so week 37 in my animal art series features the fox. They have a reputation for being wily; have a bushy tail; weigh up to 15 pounds; feed on insects rodents, rabbits, and fruits; and are usually active at night.
After doing a quick pencil sketch of my concept, I started out with a watercolor wash for the background colors of each fox and other nature elements. Then I love to dive in with my tiny paintbrushes to add details and give them personality.
Can’t wait to turn this sketchbook page into fun new digital art! Drawing and illustrating always makes me happy!
Terri
Click here to see my Weeks 1-16 illustrations, ranging from bears to owls to whales to saltwater fish
Click here to see Weeks 17-20: Backyard Birds, Flamingos, Peacock and Macaws
Click here to see Weeks 21-25: Bugs: Neon Insects, Monarch Butterflies, Butterflies, Neon Spiders, and Moths
Click here to see Week 26: Nature is new every morning.
Click here to see Weeks 27-30: Wildflowers + Pollinators
Click here to see Weeks 31-34: Freshwater Fish
Click here to see Week 35: Squirrel Shenanigans
Click here to see Week 36: Raccoons
Terri's Notebook 