Out With the Cold, In With the New SPRING is almost here. You can feel it even on the coldest days of the week. The frigid air isn't so menacing; a playful nip is the air has replaced winter's unshakable bite. The sunshine is longer, warmer. Another winter season has come to an end, welcoming in the fresh new days of spring. With spring comes new life, new growth, fresh starts. And that brings us to Frank, and his story. Frank was first mentioned in issue #1 of The Picketwire. He was one of Douglas Furr's finest creations - a whimsical, plump rabbit reincarnated from a handful of "trash". A sleeve, some twisty ties, a cardboard tube, and some plastic wrap were the main ingredients that made up Frank, with two coffee bean eyes added out of necessity and a little scarf just because who doesn't like flannel. Frank's build can be found in step-by-step detail here: www.blurb.com/books/11137284-the-picketwire-spring-2022 Select "Preview" and flip to page 20. Frank is featured again in Issue #5 of the Picketwire - again, for spring - which drops on Tuesday, March 21st... the first FULL day of spring. Frank finds a spot in the Possum Nook story corner, where a little more light is shed on his coming to life tale revolving around a visit to Richard's Corner. But that wasn't good enough for the stars of the story. Penelope, Hedgie, Weylan, and Douglas came careening into the editing room the day the magazine was to be sent to print, chattering on about a story for Frank and how a part was missing and Frank needed his own book. Wait... WHAT...? A part was missing indeed. I'd hopped over the bit about how exactly Frank came to life. But it wasn't crucial to the story... was it? Apparently it was. And apparently I needed to rectify this omission by creating a book for Frank, his own story, and featuring it on a page in The Picketwire. What a tall order! Never one to back down from a challenge, it was on. Much coffeemaking and doodling later, "A Flat White For Frank" was submitted for print right alongside the spring issue of The Picketwire. And sure enough, it also will be ready just in time to celebrate the first week of spring. Check back for more details... GOD SAVE THE QUEEN! Another featurette in The Picketwire is a little speech on beeing friendly. It does not go into great detail about specific bees and their habitats since there are so many and each reader may be living alongside different kinds of bees, but the Xerces Society is mentioned in the links to peruse. Let this bee a wise tip to check out their latest blog, "For Pollinators' Sakes, Don’t Spring Into Garden Cleanup Too Soon!" xerces.org/blog/dont-spring-into-garden-cleanup-too-soon It's a common mishap to succumb to the urge to get out in your garden at the first hint of warm weather and start tilling earth and gathering leaves and plant litter. While there is no greater joy than basking under the sun performing the first garden chores of the year, consider deviating your chores to less invasive measures.... the queen may still bee asleep! Did you know that queen bumblebees hibernate underground and emerge in the early spring, seeking out nesting sites that may very well bee in the same vicinity of your garden cleanups? This wonderful article from the Xerces Society gives all the details on queen bumblebees and their nesting habits: xerces.org/bumblebeenests Unlike honeybees, bumblebees do not overwinter as a colony, with only the queen surviving through hibernation (hopefully) to start a new colony in the spring. Your actions could save a lot of bees! April showers bring.... Plastic Flowers? We couldn't leave Douglas' newest artful recycling tip out of this springtime post, so keep your eyes peeled for the latest tutorial on bringing a little bloom into your gloom with some simple, smile-inducing flowers made out of trash! This one's a solid 3 out of 10 on the recycling skill meter and is customizable to your available trash supplies. Here's a sneak peak: Until we meet again, Winter!
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Tales of Douglas Furr (and his friends)narrated by Crissy Clossin Archives
February 2024
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