Cat-tails in the Swamp - Day 8..9? Can't Be!

I started this piece August 17. That means I've been working on this either in my head or in practice, off and on for ......3 weeks.
Not done yet.

I think the slow pace is partly due to I'm not working to a final picture. Maybe more importantly I trying to let the cloth tell me what goes where.

I layered in even more Cat-tails and grasses. I've roughed in some lily pads but they may be too small to be practical. And I started thread painting the foliage of the 3 major cat-tails at the front. I HAVE to decide how to finish the lower left corner.

Then............THEN.. my live-in devil's advocate suggested a blue heron.........................

Stay tuned. Sigh. Can't get that out of my head now............................ ^^&*^$#563!