It's Raining Hickory Nuts

All around us are Hickory Trees....primarily towards the back of our house.  There are at least three different varieties possibly four.  (I thought there were only two when I worked the first page in my journal; however, Terry came across others.)

One is a Shag bark Hickory, Pignut, Red, and possibly a King Nut.   The squirrels scarf up the Shag Bark Hickory.and we think it's because they have a thinner shell and sweeter meat.  They are the easiest for us to crack open too without the insides obliterating into crumbs.  The Pignut are bitter and the others are in between.

This time of year you don't dare stand outside for any length of time out of fear of getting hit in the head by a falling nut.  Our dogs have had near misses the last few days and I'd hate to think what one might do to the smallest if hit in the head.  Throughout the day and evening, we hear them hitting the roof and awning.  Sometimes they hit so hard that it sounds like a small caliber gun shot.  Some hit so hard and loud that it startles us and our dogs.

While out picking up Hickory nuts, Terry also found we have at least one Walnut tree.  Probably a black Walnut.  He's going to scout around some more to see if others are around the property.  I'm sure the squirrels are scarfing them up too as we are not finding many on the ground.

These were done in the Zeta Journal.  Although I touched here and there with a Pilot Prera pen, I wouldn't really call these pen and ink.  A #8 Round was used painting wet in wet.

Daniel Smith watercolors:  Appetite Green, Sap Green, Green Gold, Bt Umber, Raw Umber and Paynes Gray and Lunar Black.   A little Fr Ultra plus Bt Umber for the shadows.

Note:  A few segment lines were made using brush tip and watercolor but then went to bruising with a small brush handle.