Thursday, April 23, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Just Ducky! (or, Foiled by Fowls)
Today my camera and I went for a walk up to the creek in hopes of finding some photogenic specimens. The creek's banks are relatively unsafe, so I positioned myself on the bridge. The bridge was the site of a shoulda coulda woulda moment a few years ago. It was duck stamp perfect - a male and female duck floating between snowy banks, with just enough grass sticking through to mark the coming of spring. Argh!
I was just about to move on when I saw a drake riding the swift current from the north, and then I realized his mate was just underneath the bridge.
This is the only shot of the female that I was able to get. Great camouflage, eh? She was so close and apparently too close for another male's liking. He shot out of nowhere and practically landed on her tail! She and her mate took to the sky and several times they tried to land in the same general area, but this male was not going to have any of that! It was absolutely thrilling as they flew over me :-) Maybe I'll have better luck next time. This is her mate below. I was able to get three pictures of him before the second male came back around. I didn't know ducks were that territorial.
I was just about to move on when I saw a drake riding the swift current from the north, and then I realized his mate was just underneath the bridge.
This is the only shot of the female that I was able to get. Great camouflage, eh? She was so close and apparently too close for another male's liking. He shot out of nowhere and practically landed on her tail! She and her mate took to the sky and several times they tried to land in the same general area, but this male was not going to have any of that! It was absolutely thrilling as they flew over me :-) Maybe I'll have better luck next time. This is her mate below. I was able to get three pictures of him before the second male came back around. I didn't know ducks were that territorial.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Happy Easter! Happy Spring!
I went walking this morning after Easter services and it seems spring is most definitely here. There's a little green in the irises, the birds are working double time it seems, and the last of the snow is gone. Winter, I banish thee!
I don't have any Easter art, which I should, but I'll share this whimsical entry for the ArtFire ACEO Guild's monthly contest - "April showers bring May flowers". I think I achieved the childish and whimsical look I wanted.
2.5x3.5" ::: Marker ::: April 12, 2009
I don't have any Easter art, which I should, but I'll share this whimsical entry for the ArtFire ACEO Guild's monthly contest - "April showers bring May flowers". I think I achieved the childish and whimsical look I wanted.
2.5x3.5" ::: Marker ::: April 12, 2009
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Birdie Going-Ons
Spring is trying so hard to appear. There are green shoots on the laws, a little bit of green to one of my irises...I'll have to check the buds on the lilac bush.
This sparrow had the right idea - just one of the better shots of some sparrows I took March 21st. I wish they hadn't been up so high! They were so busy building their nest before the big spring blizzard.
And speaking of shooting birds, I had one of those great shoulda woulda could moments last Saturday. The day before was beautiful and sunny and it occurred to me that this was the kind of day I should take my camera with me to work. But in the morning rush, it was left on the kitchen table. I was running late and I hoofed it down to the main drag as I had missed all the express buses through my neighbourhood. As fate would have it, the best opportunity I had ever had to take a photo of a robin was presented to me. He (or she) was sitting in a bare tree on the outside branches and really close to me! They sat there very still for a long time, just enough to get a few shots off. It was the kind of picture that wouldn't have had the house in the background either.
I went to the same spot the next morning, but it had been snowing softly and was pretty overcast. It was fact, treacherously slippery with the new snow and I fell backwards near the back alley. I couldn't hear any robins, just sparrow morse code and the honking of returning Canada geese. It was all for naught too, as I had forgotten to load the memory card!
This sparrow had the right idea - just one of the better shots of some sparrows I took March 21st. I wish they hadn't been up so high! They were so busy building their nest before the big spring blizzard.
And speaking of shooting birds, I had one of those great shoulda woulda could moments last Saturday. The day before was beautiful and sunny and it occurred to me that this was the kind of day I should take my camera with me to work. But in the morning rush, it was left on the kitchen table. I was running late and I hoofed it down to the main drag as I had missed all the express buses through my neighbourhood. As fate would have it, the best opportunity I had ever had to take a photo of a robin was presented to me. He (or she) was sitting in a bare tree on the outside branches and really close to me! They sat there very still for a long time, just enough to get a few shots off. It was the kind of picture that wouldn't have had the house in the background either.
I went to the same spot the next morning, but it had been snowing softly and was pretty overcast. It was fact, treacherously slippery with the new snow and I fell backwards near the back alley. I couldn't hear any robins, just sparrow morse code and the honking of returning Canada geese. It was all for naught too, as I had forgotten to load the memory card!
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Spring! Is it here at last?
Happy spring! Here's to crocuses, bunnies, lambs and things! We've had a hard winter here with few chinooks - the warm winds that blow through here - and surprise flurries like no tomorrow. I suppose weather is relative, really, because it was not as cold as some parts. Apparently today we're going to get a spring blizzard though.
Here's our new bird feeder, taken a couple of weeks ago during one of those extra snowy days. The old one was plastic and battered from several years of being in the wind. Our part of town is really windy, sometimes we'll get gusts of up to 90km/h or more. For you non-metric folks, that about 55mph or more. It finally cracked enough to be useless. This cedar one is pretty solid and loaded with two packs of suet. I haven't seen any birds at it yet...but then there haven't been many birds around. This happens every year - they seem to hunker down somewhere for winter, but when spring and summer comes, they empty the feeder daily!
In the past the feeder has attracted house finches, sparrows, pigeons, mice, wild rabbits and an orange tabby cat! Last month I saw magpies for the first time in our neighbourhood and I'm pretty sure I did hear a chickadee near the bus stop. All it takes is one bird to tell his birdie friends and we're in business!
Here's our new bird feeder, taken a couple of weeks ago during one of those extra snowy days. The old one was plastic and battered from several years of being in the wind. Our part of town is really windy, sometimes we'll get gusts of up to 90km/h or more. For you non-metric folks, that about 55mph or more. It finally cracked enough to be useless. This cedar one is pretty solid and loaded with two packs of suet. I haven't seen any birds at it yet...but then there haven't been many birds around. This happens every year - they seem to hunker down somewhere for winter, but when spring and summer comes, they empty the feeder daily!
In the past the feeder has attracted house finches, sparrows, pigeons, mice, wild rabbits and an orange tabby cat! Last month I saw magpies for the first time in our neighbourhood and I'm pretty sure I did hear a chickadee near the bus stop. All it takes is one bird to tell his birdie friends and we're in business!
Friday, March 20, 2009
Recent ATC Swap
I haven't done a swap in ages, so I was thrilled to do one this past week with my friend Sighthoundlady. I drew her character, Inga:
Inga the Prehistoric Horse ATC
And this should look familiar to my friends, it's a purple My Little Pony!
MLP ACEO Art card by =sighthoundlady
Inga the Prehistoric Horse ATC
And this should look familiar to my friends, it's a purple My Little Pony!
MLP ACEO Art card by =sighthoundlady
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
New Horse ACEOs
It's been ages since I did an Illustration Friday entry. Last week's word is "breezy" which makes me think of horses and blue! It's also another chance for me to do some papercutting. I want to do this horse in other colours, especially since I have some new X-acto blades. Nothing is worse than cutting with dull blades!
March 5, 2009 ::: Watercolour and paper ::: 2.5x3.5"
Here's one in brown and orange as well.
March 5, 2009 ::: Watercolour and paper ::: 2.5x3.5"
Here's one in brown and orange as well.
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