Beautiful Dragonfly

When I see these gorgeous creatures flying around in the backyard I swear I hear them yelling for me to go grab my camera.

They are always such picture taking goofs and ready with a smile. Isn't he beautiful!

Tada!

Just look at that little grin.

It's like he's saying, "Now if you look over here..." Hehe.

I especially love this shot with the blue sky and that fuzzy palm tree in the background.
Such a gorgeous wing span.

And just look at those leaves you can see through his wings!

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Got the call!

You know the one. It's been blah blah years since we graduated from high school and we are having our blah blah year re-union. (hehe, clever how I skipped over that so crucial bit of info).

I just sent in my bio and I swear I tried to take it serious but couldn't help a total tongue, not so firmly planted, in cheek approach to it.

I guess I'm actually considering it. It's quite a drive. All the way up into Wyoming. Haven't been there in blah blah years, hehe.

It may very well be time for a little road trip...yay!

Another Baby Bird! Congrats, It's a Mockingbird!

I guess after having all that trouble with my own mockingbirds that it only stands to reason that a baby in need would come my way.
I'm still amazed at how wide this kids mouth is.

Hey! What's a guy gotta do for some food around here?!

Ahhh, that's much better.

Yes, a nap is definitely in order now.

I really didn't think these pictures would turn out at all so color me surprised. I was holding the camera with one hand and the syringe with the other with the bird under my little desk lamp with horrible lighting and an almost dead battery in the camera.

Yes, this sad little bird came from my friend at the golf course. Really unclear as to what actually happened but after determining that "her" right leg is broken and one of her nest mates had been run over on the cart path it is believed that they fell from the nest somehow and landed in a very bad spot.

Another trip over to the wonderful people, Raoul especially, at Gilcrease Bird Sanctuary and I think things might be okay. We even got to ask about the little quail baby that we took over to them. Yes, good news all around!

Trying To Move On Without My Little Man

I apologize for basically ignoring you and this blog for so long and I want to thank everyone for their very kind words about Ralphie. I think he would be proud to know he touched someone enough to care.

I'm working on a tribute piece for Ralphie which I will surely post here but rest assured Ralphie will live on. It makes me feel even closer to him in these little pieces i make with him and he inspires me still.

Thank you!

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July 4th is very fast approaching and I wanted to do something for it.

I love the way this star looks like he's wearing pants.

I've had this idea, or a semblance of this idea, in my head for quite awhile. It turned out almost exactly the wayI wanted it to.

And while I was at it I did another one ever so slightly different. Just because I can, hehe.

A Tribute to Ralphie

Ralphie was born in an old sheep shed on my Mom's property about 13 years ago to a wild barn cat. He faced a rough short life there, winters were cold and there was a busy road nearby even for a farming neighborhood. Boys like Ralphie didn't have long lives in the wilds of Idaho.

Knowing these things and looking into the face of that little orange fluff ball made me decide to bring him home to live with me. His eyes were still blue and he was still nursing a bit but we had become quite proficient with bottle feeding baby kittens having taken in both Thelma and Louise the year before and needing to bottle feed them both.

Ralphie quickly established himself as a character and quite opinionated too. Never one to shy away from making himself heard when the food bowl ran low he would race ahead to trip you so you were sure to know what he wanted.

Later in life he developed that strange snaggle tooth that I found sooo incredibly endearing.

He always knew when you were having a bowl of cereal and insisted on finishing what was left of the milk in the bottom of the bowl...always.

The dogs feared Ralphie and he knew it. He liked to stand in the path that he knew they wanted to go in because he knew they wouldn't dare go if he would just sit there...calmly, whistling while they danced from paw to paw in anticipation.

My grumpy boy.

Forever in my heart.

6-22-2009

Big Eyed Birds Are Gathering Again

The party birds arrived first.With their wonderful striped Zetti hats on.Then the royalty arrived. And she without her entourage.

Sir Robin Red Breast.

And the magnificent dapper Crow.

My studio is a mess...

Ralphie Not Feeling Well

My big boy Ralph (the Real One) hasn't been feeling well lately and got to have a visit with the vet. I had noticed that he wasn't eating much lately and had in fact lost some weight. Now mind you Ralph has always been a thin cat so it wasn't all that noticeable at first. When we finally did get him to the vet he actually weighed a paltry 7 pounds...yikes!

He was a VERY good boy in the visit but he did feel well enough to growl at DR. Jason...a lot!

Turns out he has an infected tooth.

What was really amazing was that he got an antibiotic shot that would administer meds to his system twice a day for ten days just from the one shot. No holding down grumpy cats and attempting to risk life and limb to administer them to him.

Four days in and he is feeling so so much better. He has another appointment in four more days to get the tooth looked at in more detail to see what's going on with it. They just wanted to get the infection cleared up first.

He wasn't getting babied enough before, he'll be impossible after this. I may even attempt a picture later. I think I may be able to sneak one in on him...

Voting Poll on Etsy for Wedding Cake Toppers!

My big eyed bird cake topper duo has been selected for a voting poll on etsy. Come pick out your favorite wedding cake topper from all the fabulous entries!

And if you have decided that you like my entry enough to vote for it may the big eyed bluebird of happiness fly over your house, hehe.