Furry and Feathered Friends

Snowing Again

2012-01-21T10:05:00.007-05:00

This morning the snow brought this little red squirrel
to our bird feeder...

Some birds had to wait for their turn

except for the junco who gathered the fallen
sunflower seeds from the fluffy snow!

Winter Wonderland

2012-01-20T17:50:00.004-05:00

The chickadees were caught in a winter wonderland
this morning....click over here to see more of the
magical snow!

Winter Critters

2012-01-18T19:40:00.010-05:00

A dusting of snow lightly fell yesterday morning
adding to the feeling of winter that was slow to
reach us this winter.

The crabapples attracted many birds, among them
the cardinals

and

the goldfinches.

The squirrels were also part of the scene
and this one also found hanging
upsidedown helpful in reaching for the crabapples.

The real delicacy for the squirrels suddenly appeared
when D threw into the yard
a basket of apples we had stored from
the fall that had gone over the top for our consumption
but was just perfect for the squirrels.
The apples disappeared nearly as quickly as they had appeared
as the squirrels carried them away and tucked them way up in the
trees for safekeeping.

Oh, how I love observing wildlife.

Squash Seeds

2012-01-13T20:43:00.006-05:00

D cut opened a butternut squash
saved from our garden and set
the seeds from it outside in the snow.
How lovely to see this plump squirrel
enjoying it and to realize nothing is wasted!

A Snowy Day for the Birds

2012-01-12T22:13:00.007-05:00

To think this is just the 2nd snow fall since October...

As the wet snow fell,
the robins flocked to the bushes with berries...

Saw a brief and rare appearance of the red squirrel...
he is so fast, in a blink of an eye he was gone.

First Snow

2012-01-06T21:58:00.006-05:00

Woke up on my birthday to the first snow of the year,
not quite an inch but magical just the same...

outside my window a party was going on by my
furry friends...

so happy to discover these ducks were back...

Was a lovely quiet day!

New Year's Day

2012-01-01T23:19:00.019-05:00

Wishing everyone a Happy Healthy New Year!

Stop by over here to see how the first day of
the New Year was here in our little town in Maine.

Happy Holidays

2011-12-24T21:21:00.003-05:00

Happy Holidays from the owl and the
pussycat!

Also, wishing my Dad a very
Happy Birthday!
xo

Bliss

2011-12-11T08:31:00.003-05:00

Bliss for Brody is a bed piled high
with clean warm laundry right
from the dryer!

Flying South

2011-12-04T19:21:00.001-05:00

Am always thrilled to see a chevron of
Canada geese...they must be flying south
this time of year.

Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T19:59:00.002-05:00

Look who I saw enjoying this Thanksgiving day...

Hope it was a good one for you, too!

Cat Portraits

2011-11-20T11:17:00.005-05:00

I finished the cat portraits of Scout and Finn
with Ellie May's constant guidance.
She is so calming, such a dear!

While gathering my cat and dog prints for something special
I looked over at one of our beloved Polly (miss her so much)
and I noticed that the lace curtains had created a beautiful pattern on
the picture which blended in with the lace in the painting.

Who Is Visiting

2011-11-09T06:52:00.012-05:00

We had company on Monday...
some wonderful friends visited
and

we met their sweet and adorable Westie
named Winnie for the first time.

Well, we were a bit worried about
how Brody would react to meeting
Winnie so we left him
behind a screen door
so that we could introduce them
with a safety net between them.
He appeared very skeptical from
a distance.

When Brody puffed up like a big balloon
we decided that we had best not let Brody and
Winnie mingle in the same room.

We didn't know what
Brody would do for he probably weighs as much as Winnie
and though Brody is so gentle and sweet with us
we didn't want anything to trigger his aggressive side!

It was such a beautiful warm day...
we all enjoyed a walk on the beach in the afternoon.

So happy to reconnect with old friends
and I fell in love with Winnie!

Discoveries

2011-10-30T22:22:00.005-04:00

This afternoon I discovered that Brody
has rediscovered his cube under the chair...

and he really seems so content.

D discovered that what he thought was wood or
bark on the house foundation was actually a moth.
Very unusual!

This Evening with Ellie May

2011-10-29T21:10:00.004-04:00

The snow is piling up on the trees tonight as
Ellie May is about to snuggle in for the evening.
We're hoping the snow covered trees don't knock
out the power.
This is a most unusual snow storm to occur in October
in Maine.
You can take a look over here.

Great Blue Heron and Friends

2011-10-26T22:08:00.006-04:00

What a surprise to come across
this Great Blue Heron on a cold
gray day...

Upon closer inspection we noticed
these two who nearly blended into
the background.

Always an inspiration to discover
birds wherever they may be.

Kingbird

2011-10-24T23:15:00.004-04:00

This beautiful little Kingbird made several
appearances in our yard...
Instant love...

Happy Dogs

2011-10-23T22:11:00.006-04:00

Couldn't help but smile when I saw
these dogs on the beach...
they seemed to be smiling!

Cormorants at Sunset

2011-10-21T08:03:00.003-04:00

As the sun set last night, cormorants made their
way home to Bumpkin Island for the night as
they flew against strong winds over the ocean.
To see more just click here.

There's something about cormorants I love so much!

A Mouthful!

2011-10-12T23:00:00.008-04:00

Looked who I bumped into near my studio...

At first I couldn't imagine what she was
carrying in her mouth...
now I realize it must be a leaf, perhaps
to line a winter nest.

Shortly thereafter, she slipped into my studio
via a hole at the top of the door and as quick
as a wink disappeared down another tiny
hole through the brick floor.

Even the scarecrow didn't deter her.

Just as the chipmunk is getting ready for winter,
so have I.
To see what I have been doing click here.

Wishing everyone a good autumn!

Monday, October 10th

2011-10-10T23:34:00.010-04:00

Monday, October 10th
turned out very beautiful
as nature played a part in
making our anniversary special.

In the morning by the sea a hawk soared overhead...

while below a cormorant was coming in for a landing.

Back at home, D discovered this cricket that has had
us puzzled for weeks for we thought the chirp it vocalized
was a baby bird.

In the evening as we waited for the full moon
to rise the sandpipers were busy along the shore.

A magical moment as a gull flew by
the moon.

To see more of this beautiful
day click here.

Once Upon a Pillow

2011-10-06T22:28:00.002-04:00

Brody certainly does love pillows!

Worried About Frost

2011-10-05T22:50:00.005-04:00

The first frost could come tonight
or tomorrow night...

We are concerned about our vegetables
in the garden and the house plants that
have been spending their summer and fall
outside.

The house is filling up with tomatoes!
Many house plants are moving to sheltered locations
but the garden may suffer.

Hoping it stays above freezing tonight!

Pipers In the Rain

2011-10-02T22:21:00.006-04:00

It rained all day Sunday...
the pipers were so busy at the beach...

constant movement...

avoiding waves...

how I love to watch them!

Look Who Loves Trader Joe's

2011-10-01T20:40:00.002-04:00

Why, it's Brody!

Where's Brody

2011-09-28T14:27:00.006-04:00

I'm always looking for Brody in the house...

I must have walked by him many times
before realizing he was nearby!

A favorite place has become the bottom cat cube
that is stored out back...

How he loves to sit in boxes but this one was just
too small but he seems to have claimed it anyways
and looks satisfied with just a paw upon it!

Time for Brody

2011-09-26T19:31:00.002-04:00

It was time for Brody to relax this afternoon
on an autumn day that felt more like summer!

They've Left the Nest

2011-09-20T23:47:00.005-04:00

The Mourning Dove babies have
left their nest in the arbor...

We hope they will stay safe!

They are so beautiful!

Eagle

2011-09-17T22:34:00.004-04:00

This morning while walking through our town
I happened to glance up at the sky and see
an eagle!
Was so excited!

It was being chased out of the area at first by seagulls
and then
by a crow!

Rescued

2011-09-14T07:40:00.007-04:00

I happened to step out into the garden yesterday
afternoon and spotted the hummingbird leaning into
the honeysuckle vine.
I haven't seen her in many days and
thought perhaps the hummingbirds flew south already.
Was so happy to see her!

While quietly observing her through my camera
lens, I heard a strange kind of tapping sound
nearby.
I investigated and paused near a platform holding
flower pots. Suddenly this appeared through the
drainage hole in an upsidedown very heavy terra cotta
flower pot.

Chippy could only get so far up
and slipped back down.
Just didn't have the leverage to
pull himself up through the hole
and I don't think he could squeeze
through going out... must have been
easier to go in!

I slid the very hard to move pot over to the edge
of the table so there was an opening at the
bottom and zoom...the chipmunk was out of
there in a flash!

So glad I happened to be outside to hear the
trapped chipmunk!

A Connoissieur of Vegetables

2011-09-12T16:09:00.008-04:00

This morning Brody was captivated
by Johnny's Selected Seeds Catalog.

He may be able to help with the ordering
for next years seeds.

Pipers

2011-09-10T22:04:00.006-04:00

The sunset streaked the shore with pale pink and blue
as the wonderful little sandpipers danced along the
edge of the ocean.

Time for Work

2011-09-10T10:09:00.001-04:00

My loyal assistant, Ellie May, is
ready for work.
We have some commissions to
finish and some to begin!

Brody

2011-09-10T08:17:00.008-04:00

I just can't help it,
I seem to find myself
photographing Brody
whenever I see him!

You've heard of the "muffin man"
well, here's the "onion man"!

(caution:
onions are toxic to cats and dogs
so never allow them to eat any form of onions...
fortunately Brody ignores them!)

Good Evening

2011-09-08T20:27:00.000-04:00

Good evening from Brody!

What a Face

2011-09-08T07:02:00.002-04:00

Good morning from Brody!

Hummingbird

2011-09-02T08:50:00.002-04:00

Every time I see the hummingbird in our yard
I can feel a sense of magic in the air...

Chipmunk

2011-08-27T21:58:00.004-04:00

The little maple tree on the corner of the
house was rustling, ah ha, there's Chippy
filling up on the whirligigs!

Sophie

2011-08-25T20:38:00.003-04:00

While leaving the Post Office today I saw the
cutest dog in the car beside ours...
had to take her photo,
this is Sophie.

Surprise!

2011-08-22T14:51:00.003-04:00

Last Friday, I was taken by surprise when I
suddenly noticed one of the empty flower pots
had something in it!

Those little chipmunks are into everything!

17 Years

2011-08-10T22:06:00.005-04:00

I am mostly at a loss for words for
seventeen years of joy, grace and beauty in our home
has been touched by great sadness...
we lost our beloved cat Polly on August 10th...
she will always be in our hearts
and we miss her sweet countenance and presence every day.

Missing

2011-08-01T23:09:00.005-04:00

As I stood still in the garden thinking of my
beloved Mom
(I miss her so dearly)
the beautiful hummingbird appeared.

A special gift from one of my sisters...
a solar hummingbird...
it sat in the sun all day and charged
so tonight it shone with revolving colors,
shades of red, green and blue.

Hot Summer Days

2011-07-21T06:59:00.009-04:00

Trying to keep everyone comfortable in our cat family
on these hot summer days.
Ellie May is here napping in my studio.

Meanwhile, her sweet daughter, Polly, (17 years old)
who lives in the house
is having some medical problems which have been going on
for at least a month. She's on antibiotics
with just a little improvement. Such a worry....

Brody who also lives in the house but in separate quarters
from Polly is finding the comfy spots to lounge.

Swallows

2011-07-17T19:10:00.003-04:00

Love watching swallows...

Baby Skunks

2011-06-27T19:10:00.005-04:00

We were about to turn onto a street on our way
home this evening when we noticed a car had stopped
in an unusual place.
As we pulled around, we discovered the reason...
2 baby skunks were trying to cross the road.

D jumped out and directed them across and the sight of
him looking at something in the road slowed down the other traffic.
I guess when skunks are that young they do not spray, but I think
the Mama was nearby in the bushes and perhaps that might
have been a problem but luckily it wasn't!

Hope they stay safe and don't try to cross back
from where they came from.

Father's Day

2011-06-19T21:52:00.001-04:00

Hope it was a good day for all kinds of fathers!

The Baby Eiders

2011-06-16T18:32:00.005-04:00

Very sunny and warm today...
and to our surprise we saw the baby eiders for
the first time this year.
There were 5 babies surrounded by 23 female
eiders...probably one Mom and many aunts to
help look after and protect them!

The Lovely Shore Birds of the Past Week

2011-06-06T10:23:00.011-04:00

Here are some of the delightful birds we met near
the shore by chance this past week.

Love the cormorants drying their wings!

A treat to see the Black Crowned Night Heron
sitting on a rock in the ocean...

Been enjoying following the devoted
Canada Geese couple and their offspring...

Summer In the Air

2011-06-06T08:43:00.005-04:00

Sunday afternoon was so clear as
the catbird sang in the beach rose hedge along the coast.

This little sparrow found a good perch...

Frog

2011-05-30T09:55:00.002-04:00

Hidden in the tulip leaves, this green frog
was very still...hardly noticeable.

Shadow

2011-05-30T08:40:00.004-04:00

Yesterday the sun finally appeared out of the gray foggy
weather we've been experiencing casting the shadow
of this lovely butterfly.

The Night Heron

2011-05-24T08:20:00.006-04:00

Yesterday afternoon we spotted the Night Heron
just before it decided to fly to another spot...

Can you see it as it flies past the trees?
(It's the small white shape in the center)

Here is a better look.

Such a magical bird...

Birds and Blossoms

2011-05-22T07:55:00.006-04:00

On Saturday the sun actually appeared out of the
fog and grayness of the past week.
With it opened the apple blossoms and brought
the beautiful birds to our yard.

a yellow warbler...

the tiny hummingbird

the vibrant Redstart...

We're back to clouds and mist today
but I will go out and look for them again!

The Wonders of Nature

2011-05-21T08:00:00.006-04:00

An unusual place for a nest...a mama mallard
sits on her nest in a busy tourist destination.

I have never seen this little bird in our yard
before...so beautiful...a black and white warbler.

On the way home from the beach on a foggy evening
we noticed the Canada Geese...
and upon closer inspection we could see that
their little ones were under their watchful eye.

A leap of faith from this chipmunk!

Hummingbird

2011-05-21T07:39:00.004-04:00

The Hummingbird has been back for several weeks.
Haven't seen much of her as the weather is on the
chilly side and many of her favorite flowers are
slow to open.
Whenever I am able to catch a glimpse
of her I am so thrilled!

Sharing a Moment

2011-05-11T22:10:00.001-04:00

The Great Egret and the muskrat share a time
and place together...

as does the little red squirrel
and the large gray squirrel.

The Upsidedown Cat

2011-05-11T22:10:00.000-04:00

Had a nice visit with our neighbor friend Daka...
he definitely makes us smile!

Heart Rock

2011-05-10T09:26:00.003-04:00

I found this beautifully shaped heart rock
last night when I stepped onto the beach
for a little walk before sunset.

I was so very pleasantly surprised by the sky...
it was amazing and you can see it over here!

The First Week of May

2011-05-09T12:58:00.019-04:00

The first week of May brought so many birds
to our yard and some unusual sitings in the
area.

Here are some of our visitors...

the white-crowned sparrow

the goldfinch...

the rose-breasted grosbeak...

The oranges we attached to the trees not only attracted
the orioles

but also the catbirds
and of course the chipmunks
that you can see over here
along with a finch!

A bird we have never seen before was this
Little Blue Heron who was fishing in a nearby pond.

While down by the beach I loved watching
an Oldsquaw ...

On Sunday something caught my husband's eye
as we were driving along the road in Scarborough, Maine.
I quickly turned on my camera and
this is what came into view.

At first we had no idea what it could be...
don't know why the name Ibis came to mind
and a look up in the bird book verified
that's what it was.

It sure is a busy time of year for discovering birds of
all shapes and sizes!

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T07:56:00.004-04:00

Our delightful neighbor friends,
Jiggy and Daka
really
knows how to relax
and I hope you enjoy
a relaxing stress free day, too!

May Day Discoveries

2011-05-01T22:16:00.006-04:00

In my previous post I was assuming the chipmunk
had been visiting the orange we set out for the Oriole
but
to my surprise I came upon this finch
drinking from the orange...

though my hunch was right about the chipmunk...

Noticed the Mourning dove in the trellis nest
was sitting quite high in the nest and next
time I looked she or he was feeding two babies.
A beautiful sight!

A Sunday ride to Pine Point led to the sighting
of the first mockingbird this year.
So beautiful!

Some Spring Characters

2011-04-30T22:03:00.010-04:00

We set out a few grapes the other day to see
who might discover and enjoy them.

Didn't take long for this busy little chipmunk to
stumble upon it!

Caught a glimpse of an Oriole yesterday and hoping
to lure it back to our yard
we placed an orange sliced in half on top of a post.

Haven't seen the oriole return for the orange but
noticed someone else had found it
and left behind the shells of sunflower seeds.

Hmmm, I think it might have been the one who likes grapes
for the little chipmunk is also very fond of sunflower seeds!

The goldfinch has discovered the thistle seed bird feeder
and hopefully will be a frequent visitor!

Love the cast of characters that the Spring season brings.

Spotting New Birds

2011-04-26T23:33:00.005-04:00

This morning I heard a bird call that I thought
might be the kingfisher down by the brook.

I stood very still and watched and listened for
the sound...
eventually I spotted a bird shape on top of a dead tree,
it wasn't the kingfisher
but a
flicker!

Fog moved in along the coast and
as we rode by I thought I saw the shape
of a heron sitting out on a rock...
we turned around to see
the Black-crowned Night Heron.

Happy they are back!

Early Morning Meeting

2011-04-20T09:57:00.003-04:00

I did a double take this morning when I glanced
through my studio window!

Joys of Spring

2011-04-16T08:50:00.004-04:00

Some of the joys of spring on Friday...

the daffodils are out...

the sun sparkles like stars...

finding chipmunks in unexpected places!

A Birthday

2011-04-11T09:26:00.010-04:00

Today is the birthday of one of
our beloved cats!

It's not Brody's birthday...

Nor is it Ellie May's birthday though
she had something to do with it!

Today is Polly's 17th Birthday
and we are happy to celebrate
her birthday with her and to
thank her Mom cat, Ellie May.
They have been an important part
of our lives all these years and we
treasure every day with them.
(I made the birthday hat for her on
her 1st birthday!)
To see their story click here!

Chipmunk Surprise

2011-04-10T13:37:00.005-04:00

It's Sunday afternoon and I was just outside
enjoying the antics of the chipmunk comedy team.

I lost sight of one of them and did a survey of
my immediate surroundings when I spied the
Chippy!

Luckily I had my camera with me to capture
this unusal resting place!

This and That on Friday

2011-04-08T22:35:00.007-04:00

The mourning doves have made a nest in the
old rickety trellis again this year.
Mama dove now sits in the
nest which is very well camouflaged.

Three young chipmunks have been scurrying
around everywhere and they especially love
the bird feeders.

There's nothing like a good nap as Brody is
very good at demonstrating!

Early Spring Moments

2011-04-04T13:22:00.008-04:00

It is early spring and though we had snow several days ago
the dove couple is already thinking of starting a family!
Hope it's not too early for them!

It was nice to see the red-winged blackbird at
the bird feeder...

and the chipmunk was filling up
on suet!

Bliss

2011-03-26T13:55:00.003-04:00

After a long winter, Polly has rediscovered her
sunny basket in a window D's workroom!
Comfort and bliss!

Empty?

2011-03-20T09:21:00.007-04:00

Sun was streaming through the
windows this morning.
As I glanced
out at the bird feeders they appeared
totally empty as the sun backlit them.

But wait, something seemed
to move in the bottom of one...
thought a bird was stuck on the
inside.

Upon closer inspection, I realized
it was a chipmunk!

In the blink of an eye, it made it to the
top

and then scurried away as my husband
refilled the bird feeders!

The Owl and The Pussycat

2011-03-07T23:19:00.004-05:00

One of my grand nephews has quite a hat
collection and seeing him in this particular hat
has inspired this painting with the help of my
assistant.

Splash

2011-03-06T17:41:00.006-05:00

Loved watching the mallards frolicking in the cove
on this gray damp Sunday surprisingly mild in the 50's...

Brody's Tent

2011-03-03T23:35:00.004-05:00

You've heard of a pup tent, well,
Brody has a cat tent!

Cooperation

2011-03-02T22:06:00.004-05:00

An unlikely pair appeared at the
bird feeders and seem to be able
to work in harmony!

New Friends

2011-02-28T23:02:00.004-05:00

On Sunday we had the pleasure of meeting and
spending time with Daka and Jiggy!
They live down the street
from us and are very adorable, sweet and friendly!

Sleepy

2011-02-27T10:46:00.005-05:00

Here's Brody, so content and finding it hard
to stay awake...

Just can't keep his eyes opened!

Friday Snowing

2011-02-25T14:44:00.002-05:00

Some visitors on a snowy Friday!

My Helper

2011-02-20T22:18:00.002-05:00

Ellie May is my dear little helper as I paint.
I think the subject interests her!

A Party

2011-02-18T08:15:00.004-05:00

Word must have gotten out
among the squirrel community
for yesterday morning when I looked out
there appeared to be a party going on
at our bird feeders!
At one point
we had 5 squirrels partaking of the sunflower seeds!

A Very Fluffy Chickadee

2011-02-16T22:28:00.003-05:00

This little chickadee has been visiting us daily
and we've never seen such a fluffy chickadee before.
We can definitely distinguish this chickadee
from all of the others.

I wonder why this little chickadee is so round and
puffy!

Merganser

2011-02-14T22:44:00.003-05:00

I just loved the pattern of the ocean with the
merganser...it was a beautiful day on the warm side!

Amazing

2011-02-14T22:36:00.004-05:00

Who knew the lid had fallen off
the top of the bird feeder.

This clever squirrel knew!

I was astonished when the
squirrel slid down the inside
of the bird feeder to reach the
sunflower seeds at the bottom!

The squirrel managed to get out without
a problem and did it again and again!

Upsidedown

2011-02-13T21:44:00.006-05:00

How to eat upsidedown!

The Cutest Red Squirrel

2011-02-08T21:51:00.005-05:00

...a very adorable red squirrel
balanced on top of the Indian corn that D grew
enjoying the colorful kernels!

Another Snowy Day

2011-02-02T22:10:00.013-05:00

A good day to stay inside and draw squirrels
with Ellie May...

and to watch birds with Brody...

through the snowy window...

the chickadee...

tufted titmouse...

and white throated sparrow...

On A Snowy Day

2011-02-01T22:47:00.007-05:00

On snowy days we watch the birds
and...

listen to the Lyre bird.

Sheep in the Snow

2011-01-27T22:25:00.005-05:00

looks as though they might be waiting for dinner....

Who Are You?

2011-01-25T10:58:00.002-05:00

Funny we should meet this way...

Sweetness

2011-01-23T22:20:00.006-05:00

the chickadee and Ellie May

a fluffy white throated sparrow

Polly collecting sunlight on a winter's day...

such sweethearts...

Visitors on a Snowy Day

2011-01-21T22:21:00.006-05:00

A snowy day...
here are some of the
beautiful feathered and furry friends
who stopped by today.

I loved seeing them all!

Drawing My Little Chickadees

2011-01-15T22:48:00.004-05:00

Ellie May has been helping me with my drawings
of the dear little chickadees...

While sitting upon a pillow on my lap,
she has an up close and personal connection
to my art and the subject matter!

Dainty

2011-01-15T22:46:00.001-05:00

...so sweet and dainty!

Today's Birds

2011-01-14T23:28:00.004-05:00

Among the birds who visited our yard on Friday
were the tufted titmouse and the robin.

It is awfully early for robins to be here!

Clothes

2011-01-14T23:10:00.004-05:00

Brody just can't resist sitting upon a pile of
clothes!

Ellie May and Polly

2011-01-14T09:00:00.004-05:00

Yesterday it almost looked to me that both
Ellie May and Polly were smiling!

A Cozy Corner on a Cold Night

2011-01-10T22:31:00.003-05:00

Polly's snuggled in warm and cozy for the night!

Sharing the Bird Feeder

2011-01-10T22:30:00.003-05:00

Loved watching the nuthatch and chickadees
sharing the bird feeder today!

Morning Tea

2011-01-09T10:10:00.004-05:00

A sunny Sunday winter morning...
have a cup of tea with Polly!

The Nuthatch and Brown Creeper

2011-01-08T23:10:00.006-05:00

The nuthatch has been visiting...

and then

I saw another bird in the tree
that resembled a nuthatch from a
distance but had a different pattern.

The bird book helped me to identify
this bird and I think it is a
Brown Creeper.
Anyone know for sure?

The nuthatch seems to look for
bugs going down the tree
while the Brown Creeper seems
to look for them as it moves up
the tree!