In April several years ago I took a series of photos of this particular female Grey Squirrel.  She would pose again and again with an offering of peanuts.  I've painted her in numerous poses since.


The flowers in my back yard are often solid in mass after a significant amount of rain.   As the season begins to fade,  the Silver Dollar Plant produces amazing dried disk shapes that look as if they were elegantly made of rice paper.   I've seen them in Dried Flower Shops for sale.  I should consider a painting including them.  They are indeed as beautiful as the flowers that precede them.


Today I'm finalizing another painting from this series of photos which will be posted on the my sister blog featuring art.  (reference the links on the right side of the blog to view)  So with that statement........  I'm off for now to the studio.  Starting the day with flowers puts a smile on my face.  I should paint more of them.


 :- )

Red Shouldered Hawk

The locals.    A friend and I went out for the day exploring locally to see who was out hunting one day.  This was such a lucky shot because this Red Shoulder was only there briefly.  Annoyed by our presence, he left right away.   


It was so well camouflaged that it really was lucky shot indeed.


We have so many types of Raptors on the Mountain.  The Red Tailed Hawk is the easiest to capture.  They hang out on the main road in trees that were burned in the last big fire here.  Not much camouflage.     I've been lucky enough to get some rather close up shots of them cruising the updrafts close to the road.


I'd very much like to paint this particular shot.   I very much like the colors.