rosieposie

spring babies

This morning my little black Cochin hen, Inky, presented me with these downy surprise cuties.  Thirty-five days ago she decided she wanted to hatch some eggs... so I gave her a few of the duckies' eggs to set just so she had something to sit on.  I never really expected them to hatch!  But here they are at less than twenty-four hours old!  They will probably weigh at least 12 pounds when they grow up.  Their hatching momma, Inky, weighs about twenty-two ounces!

I wish I could get a better photo!  I haven't been able to get my camera to cooperate for weeks now and I can't figure out why.

ocean-garden salt

Una loved her island.  When she grew hungry she went to the sea, sighed, and dipped her delicate fingers in the water.  The ocean answered,  "Take these shells.  I have washed them clean and filled them with my ocean-garden salt."  Una ate the salt, white and shining.  Days passed and she grew flowers in her hair.

from Una, a Love Story

bumblings?

Just look at what flew out of my linen cupboard today! 

I'm not certain what she is or where she came from but now that she's escaped from the cabinet she's flitting all about the house!  Things keep appearing in the strangest places - not at all where I left them.  And there are a few chocolates missing too!  I'm a little worried about where she will sleep tonight so I'll leave the linen closet open for her.

I can't identify her with any of the usual reference books.... do you think I should I call an entymologist or a psychologist?

Oh... there she goes again.... it's too dark to see her very well but it looks like she has a little friend with her!  My goodness!  I wonder what else is hiding in the cupboards...

Maybe tomorrow I will be able to get a better photo of these two .  It's been raining all day  so the light is a bit gloomy for capturing funny little bumblings on film.  I had to try though so you could see them too!

If anyone knows what they are please  let me know!

          ~~~~~~~~

a bluebird told me

Some darling little bluebirds flew into my yard today to tell me of Mrs. Staggs' birthday!  They joined me in the kitchen where we baked some  yummy birthday cupcakes that we hoped to leave on Mrs. Staggs' porch as a little surprise.

What do you suppose happened while we were having tea?  A birthday fairy and her fuzzy friends flew through the window and ate all the cupcakes!!!!  I guess she thought they must be for her.  Doesn't she look happy with a tummy full of sweets?  The bluebirds and I captured this picture just before they darted away.

I'm sorry we didn't have a single cupcake left to bring to Mrs. Staggs but I'm certain that this little fairy flew right over to the birthday girl's house and brought her all sorts of goodies, hugs, and birthday wishes.

Happy Birthday, dear friend!

sketches

This is a sketch from a project that I set aside almost four years ago.   There are almost thirty illustrations sketched out but only three ever reached the final art stage. 

Now that I'm feeling a bit renewed I'm going to attempt to finish the project as I originally envisioned it.  And just for the pure joy of painting!  I hope you don't mind if I share the story and pictures along the way.  I actually feel a little excited about this!

It's a beautiful sunny, warm day today and I've done so much lawn work that a nice afternoon nap is needed... before I can move on to the fun work!

And please accept my apologies for not being a very attentive neighbor and friend the last few days!  My two young nieces (9 and 14 yrs. old) spent last week with me [they just went home yesterday] so there wasn't a spare moment for anything accept being an auntie!  We had a great time but it was certainly exhausting!

safe to come out?

Things here today look very much like this...  I went out to run a few errands and a young girl backed into my car!  Nothing too terrible but I had just picked up the car at the mechanics.  Now I feel like crawling under the sofa and hiding from the bad luck elf!
Hope this makes you smile!

Happy Easter, Everyone!

a-gardening, a-gardening

So much cleaning up to be done after a long winter... and not just the lawn and gardens! 

All winter I struggled with the clutter in my mind, not knowing what to do with any of it.  And then just as the sun started to warm the earth again I found all of you dear friends and thoughts and ideas began to organize themselves once again.  It's certainly no coincidence.  Your kindnesses and acceptance are the reasons I am feeling good about my work again.  There is no way I will ever be able to thank you enough and words certainly fall short of the enormous gratitude I feel. 

Some of you have been wishing for some prints... I'm getting started on that for you and will let you know as soon as they become available.  And I've been thinking about posting some of my unpublished book projects here - a page or two a week - so that you can read the stories along with the images. They are all projects that had been sent around to a few publishers but never found a home.  Many of the images that you have already seen here belong to these stories.   Does that sound like something you might like?

Last week while I was taking a little blog vacation I received well wishes which moved me to tears and left me speechless.  If I haven't returned anyone's email yet it's because of just that... I haven't forgotten you... I'm just still a bit overcome with emotion and I know that whatever I write will fall far short of how I feel.  But I will be in touch soon!

If only I could express how joyful it makes me when you tell me that my art makes you feel happy.  For me that is the ultimate success.  I think tmy garden will bloom wonderfully this year!  And it is all because of you.

 

underwater

Dear friends, 

I hope you didn't think I had forgotten about you - such wonderful spirits are never really far away.

Life has just been a little too hectic lately and my thoughts very unorganized.  I hope you will forgive me my long unexplained absence.  I just needed to recenter.  At least I hope that will do it!

Bless you all for your sweet thoughts!

happy monday!

Rosie Posie and I are jumping for joy to see all of you on this first Monday of April!  I can't believe Spring is really here, well, almost...

The plan was to have some really cute fuzzy things to show you today but the weekend didn't turn out quite as I had hoped.  Have you ever had one of those days when you work and work at something but it just never comes together?  And  you know you should just start over but you keep going until the next thing you know three days have past?  And you still have to start over?  Why do we do that to ourselves?  Why, oh, why?

So, while Rosie Posie finishes dancing for you I will start my project anew!  See you soon!