When life gives you lemons, draw them, 11 x 14 inches dry pastels, graphite on paper

"When life gives you lemons, draw them." (Nikki)

"Color! What a deep and mysterious language." (Paul Gauguin)

animals

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Pet portrait

Friday, June 27th, 2008


Cloe, 16 x 20 inches acrylics on canvas

Cloe, 16 x 20 inches acrylics on canvas

I don’t know if I’ll be able to finish ‘The Fourth of July’ as planned in time for the American holiday. Leaving for Canada on Monday, and will be away for two weeks. I’ve been painting and drawing a few gifts for relatives, one of them this pet portrait. The fur is defined by scratches using my fingernail under a wet cloth.

The Art of Caring

Wednesday, June 11th, 2008


 

Boys will be boys!

Haydon is squinting from the bright sun, not the toad on his head; it was entirely his idea to do that.  The Art of Caring - the two boys who saved a rat from drowning in our neighborhood pool.  The Art of Caring - a rat that was saved from drowning by two boys in our neighborhood pool.

Who would save a drowning rat? These two little boys, Haydon and Noel would.
When I arrived at the neighborhood pool this morning they had just scooped a helpless rat out of the water with a little pail. It was still alive but barely, and the oldest boy who was six years old, explained to me about the circle of life – he used this term, not me. He explained that if rats died then snakes could not live, and so that’s why he saved it. I was impressed, but their other new pool playmate, a toad also discovered in the water… not so much!

New Roots Garden Sculpture

Thursday, June 5th, 2008


 
Giraffe - Thyme roots

…a new addition to the Roots Garden Sculptures, from a dead thyme plant.

Yard work: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008


 
Toad-in-a-hole and flowering Sun Star.

Toad in the hole of a doughnut-shaped clay container. Toad in the hole of a doughnut-shaped clay container.

The Good: all the little unexpected surprises, like this toad that I never would have seen if it had not popped out of the hole at the exact moment I happened to be looking there. The clay container with a hole in the center is designed to coil and contain garden hose, but being used as a plant pot. Good: The beautiful orange flowering plant is called a Sun Star.
The Bad: having no choice about mowing the lawn on a 98*F day, and keeping edges formally trimmed because the neighbors have it that way. Also Bad: Fire ants that bite before you know you’re standing on a nest with bare feet…but Good: Fire ants keep the tough Texas soil aerated. The Ugly: me with ant-bite blisters, mowing and edging the lawn on a 98*F day.

Office help

Tuesday, May 20th, 2008


 
Anole sitting on the stapler on my computer desk.

Today my little friend helped with the paperwork.

Armadillo

Sunday, May 4th, 2008


 

Armadillo near Fort Worth, Texas A closer look at the interesting design of an Armadillo, Spring-time near Fort Worth, Texas

…a close look at the skin and overall design of an Armadillo who met misfortune near the Texas Motor Speedway.

Little green feet

Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008


 
Green Anoles mating

I see more little green feet in our future…

Single eggs, .25 inches small, are laid every two weeks between March through October and abandoned, hatching after 5-7 weeks.
Green Anoles mating

Every day is Earth Day

Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008


 

Green Anole - digitized sphere, photography

Caring. It’s that simple.

For facts about Green Anoles and other reptile care and conservation: http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/ReptilesAmphibians/Facts/FactSheets/Anole.cfm

In the garden

Saturday, April 19th, 2008


 

Male Green Anole, mating season

It is Green Anole mating season. A male sits on the warm barbecue and sports his attractive dewlap. My hopes are that the Anoles will expand their family here, and that they eat fire ants!

Portulaca

Portulaca: low-maintenance, sun-thriving, cheerful colors.

Garden sculpture of a heron, made of vines and grasses. A sparrow borrows some material for its nest.

Homemade garden sculpture of a heron, which I replenish regularly throughout the year with branches, vines and grasses. This morning a sparrow borrowed some material for its nest.

The changing state of the oceans

Tuesday, April 15th, 2008


 

Bull Shark, Dallas World Aquarium

Bull Sharks swim overhead in a 40 foot long tunnel in the main floor Mundo Maya exhibit at the Dallas World Aquarium.

Environmental issues are emotional issues. Groups like Greenpeace work aggressively to protect the future of our planet. It’s one way to get the point across, but if we’re talking about changing the habits of the masses, I believe a more gentle approach is more effective. As one who was most assertively involved promoting care for the planet about 20 years ago when developing and selling Original Earthbags, first-hand public reactions and feedback demonstrated that negativity toward the human species does not inspire or motivate some of us to take action; in fact it can even be detrimental to the cause.
There are small things each of us can contribute at any level, habit and practices which, by now most of us are aware of.  Zoos, major city aquariums, botanical gardens and similar public spaces  naturally affect an awareness of ourselves in relation to Earth and her creatures in a way that permanently affects our perception of life in general. We start incorporating more mindful habits because we want to, not because we are being told we should.

For information about the changing state of the oceans, here is a link to a petition gathering support to increase marine reserves.

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