Birds and Golden Days

Sept 20, 2016 

Hi lovely people!

As you know, I am very fond of birds. These days the migrating birds are flocking and making plans to fly off to warmer climes. The hummingbirds have already left. (My friend, Lois, knows when they arrive and when they leave to the day.)  They are so small, yet so clever and resourceful, obviously the denigrating term bird brain does not apply. The hummers are off to Mexico and Central America. Such bravado!

I love moments like the one above.  I can never get enough of  the cheerful Chickadees. They are so trusting and they don't mind visiting a giant hand. My son said this wee birdie didn't even take a seed. At the moment, it's Eden out there. No need to rush or grab seeds, so this lady flew down for  a long visit. I like to think the Chickadees remember us from our treks to the woods on cold, snowy blustery days with pocketfuls of seeds. I sometimes wonder how they make it through the long, cold winters.

You may remember my Staying Alive Series (threatened or endangered species); this one's #3. Eastern Meadowlark and Dogwood. I put a background in ( not shown) at night.  It looks a little too bright. (An OttLite, please Santa.)

A few older paintings and a new one to the right.

Since my other lily didn't make it until I was ready to paint it, I nipped over to the florist for another one.  It's so nice to be able to buy one stock now and then for a reasonable price. 

A wee one.

I planted this orchid at the end of May. I was about to cross it off my list of bulbs to plant and then the other day it began to bloom.

The annual pick up has begun. I still have a ton of leaves from last fall, but I can't resist. I'll check Pinterest for ideas on what to do with these beauties. I'd like to paint the Maple leaf.

And finally, a glimpse of gold. It's a wonder out there just now. It reminds me of the following stanza from Dylan Thomas' Fern Hill.

Now as I was young and easy under the apple boughs
About the lilting house and happy as the grass was green,
The night above the dingle starry,
Time let me hail and climb
Golden in the heydays of his eyes,
And honoured among wagons I was prince of the apple towns
And once below a time I lordly had the trees and leaves
Trail with daisies and barley
Down the rivers of the windfall light.

Enjoy...