Ravens and Unemployment

About a month ago, I quit my job.  They hired me for office work and after half a year or so began adding a lot of physical things.  If I were not struggling with a bad back issue, I may have continued to work there as I liked the office part but physically I couldn't and so I made the decision.   Immediately, of course I began to worry about finding another job, especially during these tough times.
Being tuned into nature and especially birds, I was pleased to read a scripture which says; " Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them." so I teased my daughter and told her I was going to live like a Raven.

She thought it was a very good idea and so while at the local market she spotted this beautiful fellow.


 He is made from wood, hangs from almost invisible fishing line and he's rigged like a marionette.   When the wind blows, his wings flap like he's flying.                                                                    So in honor of my unemployment and my need to have faith things will work out.  This raven joins my other one.                                                                             

 I found this fuzzy little fellow while visiting my sister-in-law during a much needed rest a few years ago.    I hadn't seen a Raven plush toy before, have never been a collector of anything but for some reason, I just had to have him.  He's been a mascot in my studio for a few years.  The expression on his face never fails to cheer me.

Incredible Sky

This has been an unusual year for weather.  In a normal spring/summer we don't see many extremes except maybe heat.  I used to be a sky/cloud watcher because where I lived the weather changed so frequently and the sky was always interesting.  Over the years of living here, I quit watching.

I was working on some pictures last night and for some reason decided to check out the sky, I was amazed at what I saw.  We've had very unstable weather so that's probably the reason but these colors were so incredible I just had to share them.

If I was a landscape painter, I'd just have to paint them but I don't think anyone would believe the colors.

Lazy Man Gardening

I have been trying to catch up on the gardening that I haven't had time to do yet this spring.  Normally, it's so dry here that weeding isn't such a big problem but this year we've had rain 4 out of 7 days so everything needs weeding.

I'm enjoying the rain and cooler weather as I come from a similar climate and this actually feels normal.   I find constantly thirsty plants stressful, it's like you can feel the tension or something.

It's hard to know where to start with an out of control yard but some of it has been good.  This California Poppy takes over whenever I let it and it's so beautiful that sometimes I just let it go.  Here it is trying to claim my driveway, even with nothing but gravel and no water this is the result

                                                                                                                                                                And it does look good with the lavender.                                              
Of course, anytime I go out to work all the birds stop feeding and fly up to the lines and bushes where they sit waiting and making me feel guilty so that's my other excuse for not getting the yard work done.  I don't want to stop them from eating in the morning when they're most hungry, or the evening when they need to fuel up before bed and then during the daytime when they are gone, it's too hot.

But the real reason I did this entry was to talk about lazy man gardening.   In trying to keep up with the overwhelming amount of stray weeds trying to claim the driveway and walkway we began using vinegar.

It's not as harmful to the birds and animals as the usual weed killer and it works very well as you hopefully can see from this photo of weeds which I sprayed with vinegar two days ago.

If you have any other methods, I'd love to hear about them.

Ode to Magpies

I know Magpies can have a reputation for being pests, but I've always found them so beautiful.  I still remember the awe I felt when I discovered their black coloring was really iridescent purple, green and blues.  Shortly after, I drew my first one, hoping others would see what a beautiful bird they really were.
When I put it up on Zazzle I wasn't sure if anyone would want an image of them and selling on Zazzle is not like selling anywhere else because usually you have some form of contact with your customers and it's always fun to hear about why something was purchased but on Zazzle,there's no feedback so you're left wondering why someone  likes a particular bird or animal or the design.
One of my first sales there was of this Magpie Mug.

Magpie Mug by countrymousestudio

It went to the United States. Several more went there and then a group of items to the United Kingdom.  Now finally a group five shirts and hoodies went to Edmonton, Canada.

Magpie Family Hoodie by countrymousestudio
t shirts

Who knew that Magpies would be my most popular bird?  Not me. 

So if you're one of the people who read this blog and you've purchased a Magpie item, or anything else, thanks, and I'd love to hear why.

These sales always come at a time when I begin to think that maybe I should find a better way to spend my time so I really appreciate it.  It's like a signpost saying, no, just keep at it.

I'd also like to say thanks to all of you wonderful bloggers for such interesting stories and incredible pictures.  I never suspected I could spend so much enjoyable time on the internet, in fact I don't even watch tv anymore.  I've learned so much about birds, nature and other parts of the world in the last few months because of you fellow bloggers.
If this sounds very disjointed, sorry, I've put it up 3 times and every time I finish it my internet service gets cut off (as they're doing repairs)and I lose what I've written.

Rufous Hummingbird

My daughter and her boyfriend put up a hummingbird feeder this spring.  Their first visitor was a real treat.  They didn't know which one it was but kept telling me about this bird with the incredible glowing chest.
They said that in the sunlight, it looked like he had a  light on his chest. 
 I couldn't wait to see him myself so one evening, I went over for a visit and stayed in the yard until he arrived.

It was a beautiful Rufous Hummingbird and his mate.  He alternated between the feeder and the huge Horse Chestnut tree that was in bloom in the back yard.


 This feisty little bird with a whole lot of attitude, chased off all other hummingbirds then left as he continued his migration up north. 

I did some reading on the Internet and took a few pictures but none of the pictures came close to showing the way his little chest glows in the light so I attempted to paint him but I think I'd have to put reflective, fluorescent paint to come close.

I love Hummingbirds Baby Creepre by countrymousestudio
using zazzle.com

Rufous Hummingbird Mug by countrymousestudio
View more

Dusky Flycatcher

This spring for about 3 weeks a plain little bird took up residence on one of the phone wires just above the office.  This determined little fellow called all day, perhaps he was looking for a mate.

I am a great fan of birds but this guy had one song and he never took a break.  With him so close to the office, I got to hear him sing it all day.  I tried to take pictures but he would fly away the moment I took out a camera so  I wondered how I would ever identify him.

Today I spotted a gray bird with a yellow chest sitting on a wire above a nut tree.  I've learned to take my camera everywhere so I snapped a few photos.  I don't have a telephoto lens so I couldn't get a very good pic but while I was looking him up on the Internet, I found a site with bird songs.    I figured he was a flycatcher of some sort so I started going through the whole list.

While looking through the bird pictures and listening to the songs, I stopped to listen to one called a Say's Phoebe and there was my annoying little song bird from work.  If you click on the link and then on the arrow that says LISTEN   http://www.seattleaudubon.org/birdweb/bird_details.aspx?id=291 you can hear what I had to listen to some days for the whole shift.

These are the pictures I was able to capture, the closest I was able to come was a Dusky Flycatcher as it had quite a yellow body.  If any of you know for sure I'd love to hear from you as I've never seen one before.

For Mothers

I haven't had time for art, haven't gone anywhere close to nature or birds for inspiration since I'm painting the ceilings in my house but I have been enjoying reading all of the entries you fellow bloggers have been making.

It's wonderful to see incredible pictures and read about what's happening in all the different parts of the world.  What a great invention is the internet and blogging is.

I recently received an email with a story for mothers that I shared with Judy Adamson, a wonderful artist I met on Zazzle and someone I consider a friend http://judyadamsonartanddesign.blogspot.com/ and she recommended I share it with all of you so here it is, I hope you enjoy it:

Not Just Another Mother
========================

A few months ago when I was picking up the children at school,
another mother I knew well rushed up to me.  Emily was fuming
with indignation.

"Do you know what you and I are?" she demanded.

Before I could answer, and I didn't really have one handy, she
blurted out the reason for her question.

It seemed she had just returned from renewing her driver's
license at the County Clerk's office.  Asked by the woman
recorder to state her occupation, Emily had hesitated, uncertain
how to classify herself.

"What I mean is," explained the recorder, "Do you have a job, or
are you just a .....?"

"Of course I have a job," snapped Emily.

"I'm a mother."

"We don't list 'mother' as an occupation...
'housewife' covers it," said the recorder emphatically.

I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the
same situation, this time at our own Town Hall.

The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, efficient, and
possessed of a high-sounding title like official Interrogator or
Town Registrar.

"And what is your occupation?" she probed.

What made me say it, I don't know.  The words simply popped out.

"I'm a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and
Human Relations."

The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in midair, and looked up
as though she had not heard right.

I repeated the title slowly, emphasizing the most significant
words.  Then I stared with wonder as my pompous pronouncement
was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.

"Might I ask," said the clerk with new interest, "just what you
do in your field?"

Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself
reply, "I have a continuing program of research (what mother
doesn't) in the laboratory and in the field (normally I would
have said indoors and out).

I'm working for my Masters (the whole darned family) and already
have four credits (all daughters)."

"Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the
humanities (any mother care to disagree?) and I often work 14
hours a day (24 is more like it).  But the job is more
challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers and the rewards
are in satisfaction rather than just money."

There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as
she completed the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to
the door.

As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new
career, I was greeted by my lab assistants - ages 13, 7, and 3.

Upstairs, I could hear our new experimental model (6 months) in
the child-development program testing out a new vocal pattern.

I felt triumphant!

I had scored a beat on bureaucracy!  I had gone on the official
records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to
mankind than "just another mother."

Motherhood...what a glorious career.

Especially when there's a title on the door.

Need Help

On my way to my evening job, my husband spotted a bird in the parking lot.  He was unable to fly and was flopping around.  I picked him up, then thought better of it and set him in a nearby garden and went into work, telling myself that if he was still there when I came out, I'd take him home.

I was hoping he just got stunned by a car or something and would have flown away but no such luck, there he was, still looking no better. 
I'm don't know much about bird anatomy but I don't think his wing is supposed to bend in that direction and he seems to be having a hard time standing.
I've never been able to walk away from an injured bird and have so far rescued two seagulls, a sparrow, a duckling and now this one.  These things often don't end well, but I thought I'd rather take him home where he could have either a chance to recover or die peacefully.
I've tried to identify him on the internet in case he survives so I'd know how to care for him but the closest I've been able to find is maybe a juvenile blackbird?

I know that some of you are better informed about birds and so I'm hoping this picture might be enough for a guess.

Does he look like a juvenile blackbird?

Surprise Visitors

Today, on the way home from work, my family and I came across these two young deer. 

They were tasting all the flowers the neighbors recently planted.

Fortunately, we had our camera with us and we were able to catch a few shots before someone yelled and scared them into the next yard.

We've seen a number of deer in the neighborhood but  this is the first time we've seen them during daylight.

They both appear quite young and maybe mom has new ones to look after so they're on their own.   This is a safe area with no hunters and many people who love nature live here so I'm sure, they'll find their way back to the wild.  In fact, many of the neighbors were out visiting and watching just across the street from them.

It was certainly a nice surprise.