Heron progess, a visit to the remains of a mill and a spring peeper

I have had a few false starts with the feather pattern on the wings, but I think I've got something that will work. I want the feathers to be visible but not too defined.
I mark the pattern with a knife (far left) then cut around the edges. I use the knife to gently carve the shape of each feather.

I then use a wax tool to round the edges of the feathers and burnish them, smoothing down rough edges from the knife and making subtle definitions between the feathers.

After I do the feathers on one wing I place the heron in front of a mirror. I can then use the mirror image to match the pattern of the feathers on the other side of the bird. The overhead light illuminates both sides of the heron so I can be sure that both wings have a similar feel in terms of light and shadow.

The feather pattern changes at the tail, I have sketched in the tail feathers and have begun to cut them in.

We have had somewhat mild weather this winter so I have progressed with my "mystery sculpture" This is something I am working on just for me. Pretty soon you will be able to tell what it is.

With the nice weather Don and I decided to go see a mill that is on property that belongs to his distant cousin.

The mill is made of stone but the colors blend in so well with the surroundings you can barely see it through the trees.

The mill was built about 1800 and was used for grinding corn. A spring is located on the hill above the mill and as the flow was not enough to power the mill, a large dam was constructed just below the spring and above the mill. When it filled with water a gate could be opened so that water could go down the race and power the mill. As corn could only be ground when there was sufficient water, the owner of the mill ground surplus corn during times when it was wet and there was plenty of water to run the mill so that during dry times,when people came to have their corn ground,he would have ground corn to sell to them in exchange for their whole corn.

Looking through the front window to the collapsed back wall. It's amazing that there is still wood in the window, that in all this time it hasn't rotten away.

The chimney is all that remains of the home of the last person to run the mill. He ground corn in order to make whiskey and ended up being shot by the Marshall. His tombstone is near the house site.

Spring peepers were loudly proclaiming the pleasant weather.

This is a clump of moss, I'm not sure what the bluish plant is in the center.