Our daily critters...

When describing to folks the various creatures that live in my yard,

the question invariably comes up, "You live in the city?" Yes, indeed.

This morning for example I came across our opossum friend, who we

usually see on the fence every night, but for some strange reason he, or she was out and about in the morning light, browsing among my orchids.

There are lots of Western Lizards living in the garden and I often find them in the aviary

looking for eggs. Don't worry.. I catch them and release them back into the garden.

One day I was hosing fallen debris off the blue spruce leaves and one clump of leaves just

wouldn't budge. It was then that I realized that it was not a clump of leaves but a lizard that had been

sunning himself up in the tree and he'd been hanging on for dear life while he was blasted with water. Sorry about that fella! 

Every night, especially in the summer, the Raccoon family comes to visit. They play in the pond looking for the frogger that lives there, and we've even seen them indulging themselves by

swimming in the spa. This youngster was having a grand time away from his parents and climbed up on the fence and was peeping in the living room!

California being a desert climate, you'll find Black Widow spiders in abundance.

I happened to spot this one not far (but outside) the sliding glass door. Boogery!

This is a young grasshopper. The last couple of years the grasshoppers have had a field day

in the garden and in particular, are enjoying my roses.... silly monkeys!

I'll close with the Trumpet Vine or Bower Vine.

This plant was a gift from my Grandma. It was merely a bare twig 4 inches high when it arrived in the mail 20yrs ago, and now it's a vibrant plant that climbs the pine tree and graces the garden with brilliant color every year as a beautiful reminder of her.

The Humming Birds in particular love this flower.

Hope you enjoyed the tour of our menagerie!

Happy 4th of July!

Just a fun little side note...

When I was about 8yrs old we held a little musical of sorts at

Westside Christian Church.

There was a wonderful man there named Art Williams who everyone just adored. He was from Cornwall, England and came to the USA in the 30's to work at the movie studios, predominantly MGM.

Oh, the stories he would tell! He was a ship builder and a special effects man and worked on such classics as Mutiny on the Bounty, National Velvet and The Wizard of Oz. He would tell us about developing the trap door for the Wicked Witch of the East to magically appear in Munchkin land, with the flames and smoke. Gosh we miss him.

Anyway, he use to coach all of us kids in staging and singing for little events, and for this particular show, he turned each of us into a popular celebrity of that time.... and here is the tie in to today's holiday, and the first song on my Playlist today.

He made me into the grand 1930's  singer Kate Smith.

Bare in mind I was a slightly built child so to help with the illusion, he fashioned a coconut bra of sorts, and I wore Smiths trademark Navy dress with broad padded

 shoulders and a white collar. I learned the proper stance, how to gesture,

 where to look and how to lip sync.

I walked out onto the stage and nervously belted out

God Bless America, as only Kate Smith could do.

Ahhh, those were the days. :-)

Queen Mary Rose

Rue blossoms

Snap Dragons

Wishing everyone a Happy Fourth of July 2011!

Ehag Emporium Tonight!

 He comes from the Misty Mountain,

unusual though it may be;

His croak and call bids Adieu to all,

 as he sits atop his pumpkin, neath a tree;

Ribbit, be tender, be you young, be you old;

Ribbit, come closer,

and I'll swallow you whole!

Muuuuuaaahhhhahahaaaaaa! Gulp!

Ribbit....

Mistic Frog  is a hand sculpted and painted piece, made of Paperclay

and he is my Ehag Emporium piece this month.

He's signed and numbered by me, and he's one of a kind.

6" (h)

... don't worry, he can't swallow anything bigger than an arm chair.

The Emporium opens it's doors tonight at 9:00pm!

Congratulations to Anne of the ChunkyMermaid for winning "Chuff", 

my owl pumpkin Ehag Giveaway!

Summer's First Light

Celebrate Life and it's Beauty,

Tis the Summer Solstice!

Uncle Sam Cow Folk Art Woodcarving

Today the new listings for the PFATT Marketplace

go up with more fun folk art to be had.

This month my piece is a handcarved vintage style folk art Uncle Sam Cow.

Complete with a red and white striped vest, a patriotic red hat with a blue hatband with white stars, and formal spats. He is hand carved out of hardwood, and is done in a vintage and distressed Folk Art style.

His tail and ears are made of leather and there is a bit of wood burning for added detail. He's hand painted and his carving tool marks were left as a sign of the carvers hand. He’s ready to add touch of Americana to your old shelf or hutch. Uncle Sam Cow measures a healthy 14” long; 4” wide (7” including his ears); and 9” high to the top of his hat.

 

"Uncle Sam Cow" is an original design and if you're interested, pop on over to the

PFATT Marketplace!

Thank you for looking! ;-)

PFATT Charity Auction for breast cancer awareness

This Sunday, June 12th, 2011 the PFATT group will begin a charity auction

on Ebay to benefit breast cancer research.

The PFATT artists will be donating hand made ornaments which will hang on a

cream colored goose feather tree

which will be auctioned in it's entirety.

Horses are so much a part of my life, and that's why I chose to sculpt a horse for my ornament. White horses tend to be associated with the Hero, strong, liberating, positive and protective energy.

He's hand sculpted of Paperclay, with just a touch of pink on his banner reading, "strength". (I'm not one for pink), and glitter for the spark of life.

The auction will go from Sunday to Sunday. June 12- 19

6:30pm (pst)

9:30pm (est)

So please join in if you're able.

Thank You!

http://www.pfatt.blogspot.com/

June Bloom...

"Perfectly Picasso" Petunias enjoying our cool June weather.

Love their chartreuse edges!

These orchids had been divided and weren't supposed to bloom till next season,

so I guess they're happy and like their new shade house!

I'm finally getting a chance to get back into the studio so

more art is on the way soon! :-)

Remembering Uncle Kenny...

Kenneth E. Behen
1922 - 2011

This Memorial Day had an even more personal meaning this year as last week

our family lost our dear Uncle Kenny.

Kenny was at Pearl Harbor on that fateful day in 1941, and to hear him tell the stories of seeing the Zero pilots faces as they flew low,

brought history back to the forefront.

He was also in the Korean War conflict as a Naval Seabee and devoted 27 years to the Long Beach Naval Ship yard.

 Kenny was a master wood worker and a visit to his shop was like visiting The New Yankee Workshop, but with a slightly rustic flair,with every tool imaginable hanging from the walls, rafters, and tucked in drawers. The smell of freshly cut aromatic wood was sweet perfume, with undertones of lacquers and stains.

A quiet, unassuming family man, with bear paw hands, a heart of gold and a mile wide smile.

He's greatly missed.

In loving Memory.

Day is done.
Gone the sun.
From the lakes
From the hills.
From the sky.
All is well.
Safely rest.
God is nigh.

Fading light.
Dims the sight.
And a star.
Gems the sky.
Gleaming bright.
From afar.
Drawing nigh.
Falls the night.

Thanks and praise.
For our days.
Neath the sun
Neath the stars.
Neath the sky

As we go.
This we know.
God is nigh

Hawaiian Plumaria

WIP and.... is it May or Oct?

The month seems to be dashing by at lightning speed. Just thought I would share one of my works in progress. This frog fellow is right at home perched atop his little pumpkin.

Speaking of little pumpkins....

I've always had fun with seeing how long a pumpkin from the previous season will last.

So far this one is doing pretty well, although I noticed there's a hint of mold dust on the backside.

He was bought in Sept of 2010 and I think he looks pretty good in the May garden!

I'm now in the monthly PFATT Marketplace, which updates tomorrow!

I've been a member of the group "Primitive Folk Art Talk & Tea" or PFATT for short,

for several months now, but I hadn't yet signed on to their monthly PFATT Marketplace... but...

I'm all signed up and will be offering my first piece tomorrow.

PFATT Marketplace updates with new pieces from it's artists

the 10th of every month, at 10am Pacific Standard Time.

Lots of wonderful hand made, by the artists, Folk Art to be had.

This month I'm offering ..

"Uncle Sam Chicken"

He's hand carved out of Basswood and he's a genuine Yankee Doodle Doo!

Just check out that red and white striped vest and star spangled hat band!

He's also quite the dapper fellow with his spats and bow tie.

So please do have a peep tomorrow if you're interested.

PFATT Marketplace

and Thank You for looking! :-)

Happy Mother's Day!

Wishing Mom's everywhere the Happiest of Mother's Day!

Tour Spring's Abundance

I'd mentioned that I went to the Mary Lou Heard Memorial Garden Tour

this last weekend, and I thought that I would share some of the lovely sights of the day

throughout a few postings.

 For years it was thought that many wonderful flowers that you might only

see growing on the east coast, would not do well here in the California desert like weather. But an amazing lady named Mary Lou Heard, was instrumental in cultivating and selling old fashioned cottage perennials, that not only survived but indeed thrived. Mary Lou was a wonderful lady who owned a small but mighty garden shop in Westminster, California.

You never knew what amazing new things you'd see from visit to visit. 

Flowers such as "Love in a Mist", "Queen Anne's lace", or "Picasso's Petunia".

Today's post is from the garden of  my friend Peggy.

It was her first time to exhibit and despite some previous gusty wind, the

weather was perfect, and everything just came together for an ideal day.

Flowers have spoken to me more than I can tell in written words. They are the hieroglyphics of angels, loved by all men for the beauty of their character, though few can decipher even fragments of their meaning.

~Lydia M. Child

Poppy Hill

Potion Mistress....

I'm off to a garden tour for the day so I'm listing my Ehag Emporium piece a tad early.

This is the Potion Mistress, mounted atop a sign that reads

Black Hat Potions.

She is hand sculpted out of Papermache and her stragly white hair is sheeps wool.

I've cut the sign in the shape of a witch's hat, faintly seen behind the witch.

There are bat wings made of wire behind the witch's head as well.

The sign is distressed, with copper tacks and acrylic paint.

The Potion Mistress sees all and she awaits the ideal doorway to adorn!

Check out the Ehag Emprium to view this and wonderful Halloween art

from the the artists of Ehag.

To purchase, please my Etsy shop and thank you for looking!