Monarch,Acorn, and, It's Raining Pine Cones

Well, I just finished this monarch painting. I had to put the acorn in it. I have been picking them up out of the yard for days. They are so cute. I do see I need more white dots on the bottom left hand side of the butterfly. All the other white dots were painted around but I guess I went over the missing ones with my black paint mixture. I'll add them tomorrow.( yes with white paint-- only in emergencies do I use this! :) The monarch takes me the longest because of so many dots. I draw them, then paint around them. I don't like misket. I've used it before and the paper turns orange/yellow.. or pulls off terribly. Anyway it's more difficult not to use it!

We've had a strange thing going on in our backyard. For days it's been raining pine cone pieces. Green ones. We have 2 30-40foot pines in the middle of the yard and squirrels are up there eating these pine cones. What they are doing is peeling them like an artichoke. Once in awhile a clump of pine needles falls. The trees are lob lollies. I know they are eating seeds.. but if you know more please fill me in. Thanks! talk to you soon, Diana