That there is some pretty plain air - but it smells like chicken crap

As I said a few days back, I've taken up watercolor painting. In that, comes a flurry of purchases that I probably really didn't need, but wanted them anyway so I did it. :p  Something I'd been wanting to do, almost from day one, was plein air painting. 

Plein air means "in the open air".  I love watching videos of people finding awesome little spots and painting on the fly.  It's called "watercolor sketching".

So I assembled my purchases - a moleskin (actually, this isn't the official moleskin, I have one of those too!), my watercolors (totally random placement), a water bowl (which is the blue bunny ice cream container and the perfect size), a pencil and two brushes. That's what those gold things are.

See how pretty those brushes are?!
These are escoda kolinsky sable travel brushes.

Have I told you that brushes are ridiculously expensive?  Some of them each hair is laid in BY HAND.  No lie.

I saw a brush that was $1100.  *one brush*

I said "wow, a brush for $1100!"
Moving on.

Here is my cheap water bin from a single serve ice cream container.  I couldn't afford anything else after buying brushes. LOL. 

Please note the seashell I found in my yard.

How did a seashell get in my yard?

Anyway, after sitting outside for about 12 seconds, I realized it was pretty farkin' cold!  Don't let those sunny 47 degree days fool ya.  That's still cold.

Unwilling to just give up, I decided to just sit in my jeep and paint something I could see.  My waterbowl is in the console. 

I decided to paint the view of the big tree in the back yard, which isn't terribly exciting as it's still pretty brown out, but it was a good exercise in restraint.

As I put the painting on the dashboard to dry in the sun for a few minutes, I hear a "thump thump thump".

What was that?

"Thump thump thump" again.

What in the world?

that's when I see this:

A chicken, with her wee little brain with 7 tiny neurons flashing, decides it's a great idea to jump up on the bumper and peck all the bugs off the jeep.

Did I mention that the radiator is fairly exposed in a jeep.  yes, it's a really stupid design.

And I had a chicken pecking at it.

She fled as soon as I came around the corner.

And with that I say, every pain in the arse chicken I've had so far is one of those damn black barred rocks.

Something tells me I have chicken noodle soup in my future.

And a car repair bill.