Happy Valentine's Day!

It's nearing mid February, time for us to think about things near and dear to our hearts.....soul mates, gardens, moving chickens, mating peacocks, painting and landscaping projects!  This year I am planning to build 4 Keyhole Gardens...will keep you posted on progress there.  They are originally from Africa, lately from West Texas and are supposed to be self fertilizing, drought resistant and highly productive waist high raised gardens.  I can hardly wait to test these out!   Deb Tolman's Keyhole Gardens 
My male peacock has new feathers and is showing signs of interest in the females of the flock.  See his latest photograph below.
I am determined to move my seven 8 year old hens from my old hen house into a new dwelling just as soon as I can manage to design and build a worthy abode for my little darlings.  I was concerned they were too old to move, but recently read a short article in Backyard Poultry describing the loving antics of a 12 year old hen, so I have decided my hens are still Spring Chickens and must move down the country lane and live closer to me.  I am still traveling a quarter of a mile to tend to their needs.  They are laying again after a short  unproductive winter.
I posted my latest painting today, Morning Swan Song.  Many say it is my best so far.  I keep telling them they are all supposed to only keep improving! 
Paul and I have many home beautification projects planned this year.  We intend to move a few things around and build a couple of outdoor living areas along with our four new gardens.  It should be a very busy year if we finish even half of our planned projects! 

Christmas is upon us!

Christmas is coming faster than a snowball rolling downhill!  I started preparations the first of November and felt like I would have plenty of time.  Then I got the viral bronchitis that was making it's rounds and that put me down for three weeks, so it was back to the old first of December rush for me!  Thankfully, Paul came to my rescue, as always.  He nursed me back to health and had me call MaidPro and Fish Window Cleaners so I don't have any cleaning to do.  I have my shopping done and cards sent out but still have lots of presents to wrap and two packages that should have been sent off last week or maybe the week before?  One thing I know for sure, whether I am ready or not, Christmas WILL come! 

Painting: Prospecting on the Turquoise River

This latest painting is near and dear to my heart.  I painted a turquoise river in Colorado and put my brother panning for gold...look closely and you will see he just found three gold nuggets!  This painting was fun and easier for me than most, because I love the rivers in Colorado.  My husband and I rafted the best part of our adult life away on the Green and the Yampa Rivers in Colorado and Utah.  When I painted the sun sparkling on the water it transported me back in time.  I could see the water and the way the sun hit it in my mind.  I could see the dark deep pools and the green trout below the surface.  Painting rivers and mountains may be my niche!  This painting was like a time machine for me and while I am painting rivers, I am young and on the river again!

Bees and Bikers!

I finished two new paintings recently!  My first was a huge oil painting, a modern/impressionistic attempt.  I've had all sorts of interpretations from family members...a man playing a lute on stage, a man on a bicycle escaping a fire, a biker on the highway to hell riding in the lake of fire, a boy on a bike at dusk in the autumn.  What do you see? 
The second painting was so much fun!  It's is a 16x20" mixed media painting of bees!

New Improved Pea Pen!

Four days ago Trevor told me he had a great idea.  We should decorate the peacock pen.  I was thinking maybe holiday decorations would be on his mind, wondering what comes up next I asked, "What exactly is on your mind, son?"  He said, "Oh, how about a jungle, with grass and trees and flowers, and maybe a waterfall and rocks.  Then we should move the doves in with the peacocks so they will all be friends and won't be so lonely."  I said, "That is a great idea, but no waterfall."  I could just see how messy a waterfall would be to clean up after peacocks, full of feathers and what I will politely call 'pea dirt' here.

Mortalities and strange disappearances....

The peacock population is dwindling.  We sold one male peacock, partially because someone REALLY wanted it badly and partially because the two males were at war and pulling each others beautiful tail feathers out.  The next day the man called me and asked, "Do peacocks fly?"  I answered yes, why?  He said they had kept it in the coop overnight and released it the next morning.  It flew away.

New Eggs, New Painting!

I finished a new painting last night.  My husband says I am getting better and soon he will stay home and live off my earnings!  I think he is over optimistic as I have never even had one of my paintings for sale yet.  His goal in his old age is to be a kept man, my Boy Toy.  I have sad news for him... there is a slight chance I may never get rich and he is no longer a boy and paint is my new toy.  Oh well!  He is a very sweet old boy, and if I do ever get rich I will keep him supplied in Lowe's gift certificates, hot breakfast every morning and flatiron steaks hot off the grill at night.  He will  be such a happy camper!  What a retirement plan!