I love your new outside digs. Looks like a grand place to sit about and watch the world go by as you think of some more art to conjure forth. The ideas you come up with are so fun. And I FULLY subscribe to your building method. The old 'plan as you go' sort of thing. Makes it so unique. I made a huge wood-storage shed building out of 6x6 and 2x6 construction, with only a simple sketch. It has some funky things about it, that wouldn't even be used as examples of what not to do in the code book. But it's all mine. And sturdy as a flat rock in a stiff Noreaster (is there such a thing?) It surely won't fall down!!
Very nice of W.A. to give you the book. You are definitely a mother, in the furry feathered sense of the word. I'm pretty sure your children are well cared for too. When I saw that illustration, it did ring totally 'on' in what I think of you and your world. I just LOVE the old books too, all hand illustrated in ink or ink and watercolor. Nothing like it. I have an old wildlife book with line drawings, even has the Passenger pigeon in it. Sad to think of the reality of that one, but the drawings are way cool.