ISKCON News: Dolphins Granted Personhood by Government of India

ISKCON News: Dolphins Granted Personhood by Government of India

Serenaded By a Robin

Robins form Posse, "We're Gonna Lynch That Groundhog"

We have a whole flock of ROBINS in our yard! This is Illinois where there’s almost 2 feet of snow on the ground and the temperatures are in the teens! I don’t think I ever remember robins coming back this early (in February), especially with it still being so cold.

Hmmmm. Maybe they know something we don’t!

The interesting thing too is, when they do come in the spring, usually there’s a few of them. I don’t remember ever seeing so many at once like this; there were about 30 or 40 of them out there.

My Bonanza Booth:
http://www.bonanza.com/booths/CALsBookInn

Editors Note:  Maybe the Groundhog fooled the Robins too? 

Is anyone else seeing signs of an Early Spring??? Or is the Groundhog wrong again?
Post YOUR signs of Spring, WE'D sure like to see some!   

GroundHog Day

Today's February 2nd. GroundHog Day, and you've probably all heard about that prima donna out in the western part of the state, with everybody going all ga-ga over "Did he see his shadow?" Yeah, I'm sure you have...

Well, here in this part of Pennsyltucky we have our own groundhog, and he ain't NOTHIN' like the pampered pet out west. Let me introduce you to Punks, the scrawny fool!

And you ask, "So what's he say?" Boy...plenty!

"Are you people DAFT or something? There's ice out there!"

"Really hate to disappoint youn'se, but you've got 6 weeks of winter, no matter WHAT you know who sez! Don't expect me to lie just to make you feel good! Mother Nature doesn't speed up just to bring Spring early. So you can kiss my furry tail!

"And none of this "I'm disappointed" stuff either! Expecting a big fat groundhog. I haven't had a bite to eat in weeks! And I don't smell none too good either. You try hibernatin' sometime! "So quit trying to get me to look for no darn shadow. If anything, I'll be looking for some GRUB. So now, if you don't mind..."

And he dives back into his burrow, leaving us cold and feeling silly up there on Lebkickler Hill.

"Bunch of yay-hoos..."

The Duck Lover

Are you a Duck lover? Had any Duck encounters? I'd love to hear about it! Post here...

 

I know of few people who don't like to see a mother duck and her brood. There's something sweet about the protective mother chaperoning her chicks through a field, in a stream, even in a city. I had the opportunity to watch this little family happily swimming about.

 

I created this watercolor painting of a Duck in flight. 

The Crow: Ole Sneaky Beak

Today's Photograph of the Day...Ode to the Crow. Why the Crow? BeCAWs... Crows are the only Birds that I know of who actually know how to make Tools and use tools. They know how to solve complex problems. They have a broad vocabulary. And they are oh so sneaky... 

I was in a car once waiting for someone when I saw a murder (an appropriate name!) of crows in a tree watching something. After a while, I saw a squirrel on the ground, looking about furtively... but never UP, the direction he should have been looking. After a while, feeling safe, it dug a hole and hid a little morsel of food in it, carefully burying it before running off with visions of savory treats in its head. Not a chance!

For here comes old Black-Eyed Pete as sneaky as one gets, with his posse of black-hearts (and feathers) keeping lookout for him. He lands a few yards away, looking around to see if that buffoon's going to come back. Nope, coast is clear! He saunters nonchalantly over to the squirrel's treasure and unceremoniously flings dirt all over the landscape as he retrieves lunch, then flies off with it towards his cohorts to a fiendishly fresh feast. 

You could hear them cawing delightedly, mocking that poor squirrel. Imagine his surprise later. "You know, I could SWEAR I buried it right here!"

As a well-fed sparkling black eye looks on.

Photograph of the Day, Toad

See if you can find the Toad in his abode on the Forest Floor.

Photograph of the Day, Snowy Owl

Birdwatching. Birdwatchers. Birding. This Beautiful Snowy Owl is perched high on top of a utility pole over seeing its territory. The rodent population in the Arctic, Alaska, and Canada is decreasing. This forces Owls like the Snowy Owl, Grey Owls, and others to travel farther South in the lower 48 states to try to find food.

Painting a Day, ACEO Squirrel

Welcome to my Artist Blog! I'm a Pennsylvania Artist who has decided to challenge myself to A Painting A Day 100 Day Challenge. Yes that's right, I'm challenging myself to create one painting everyday for the next 100 days. I will be documenting my journey in this blog. My Paintings will vary in size, style, genre, and medium. I hope to improve my skills and share what I have learned. My Travels will be documented, as well as, weather phenomenon, my living environment, my Pets, the Wildlife that I encounter, and whatever else inspires me. Eventually the originals will all be posted for sale...check back for updates. I will also be posting reproduction products of the images on my various web sites.

Day Twelve:

Just like sports fans collect baseball cards of their favorite players, art fans collect art cards of their favorite artists or artwork. An art card is a small pocket-sized piece of art. They are commonly know as ACEO (Art Cards, Editions & Originals). They can be original artwork or prints/reproductions of original artwork. These cards are bought, sold and traded all over the world. The official standard size of an art card is 2.5" x 3.5" (64 x 89 mm).
This is my ACEO which I created in 20 minutes. I read somewhere that a group of Artists are challenging themselves to create a painting in 20 minutes. So I thought I would give it a whirl. By practicing speed painting I'm hoping to improve my Plein Air skills. Plein Air Painting is wonderful...I love the results...but this time of year its nearly impossible to spend much time outside creating a painting. I'm hoping that by practicing to increase my painting brush stroke speed, I will be able to accomplish more Plein Air Paintings during the Winter months.
My inspiration for this ACEO is a Family of Squirrels from my yard that I watch daily. They had 3 Baby Squirrels last Spring.
My Shops:   http://www.zazzle.com/SublimeHues
http://www.imagekind.com/SublimeHues
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/SublimeHues

Photograph of the Day, Deer

 

div> This Photograph of the Day is of a Deer Deer couple; a Buck and his Doe sharing Supper.

Bird Shots by cardartfromtheheart

Now I'm not talking about that pellet ammo that drops a bird from the sky, of course.  I hunt birds with my camera. 
While I am limited in my mobility, the birds I seek are not.  They are wild and free.  I do however have something they desire: a food supply.  I can't tell you how many times a handsome feathered friend has landed on (my) various bird houses and bird feeders.  Often, I have captured his likeness on film, but... Gosh, I really don't like the looks of that bird feeder for a professional photo.
So yesterday, I went shopping for a new birdfeeder/birdhouse pole (and cedar feeders.)  I plan to sink it in the ground just outside my office window--right beside my computer (and desk) so I will be sure to capture a lot more shots. 
That's part one of the plan.  Part two is where I will hopefully find the greatest satisfaction.  I plan to cut Fir boughs and weave them for a blind of sorts.  Not to blind me from the animal in this case, but rather blind the cedar feeders from my camera lens.  This should allow me to capture some outstanding close-up shots of my winter birds 'in the wild.' 

If you decide to try this yourself, please leave a comment and let us know what you did and how well it all worked out, okay?  Thanks!

Click on the Title to this Post to visit my Greeting Card Shop.

Plight of the Butterfly part 1

Here's something to think about while planning your vegetable or herb garden. Don't forget to invite the Butterflies! So many Butterfly species are endangered or in trouble, due to chemical flower/lawn/garden/crops sprays, as well as loss of habitat. Something you can do to help out the (Blue, Yellow, Black) Swallowtail Butterflies is to plant Carrots, Parsley and Dill. The females lay their eggs on these plants and their caterpillars feed on them, ex. they feed on the carrot tops. Don't worry...they don't eat much :)

These plants help you too in more ways than one! They're a great source of nutrition. You can cook them or eat them raw in salad. Plant them along your garden border to help keep the grass out. So you see its a win win proposition :)

Sorry I don't have a photograph of these Beautiful Butterflies.

Bird Chronicles part 1

Are you a Duck lover? Had any Duck encounters? I'd love to hear about it! Post here...

I know of few people who don't like to see a mother duck and her brood. There's something sweet about the protective mother chaperoning her chicks through a field, in a stream, even in a city. I had the opportunity to watch this little family happily swimming about.