"The Birders"

Back in the 80s when I was living in Cumberland County I joined a birding club.
We'd go to various natural settings and look for our feathered friends. I was just getting into photography at the time and got a quick grab shot of our little group.
I then went home and used the photo as the inspiration for this painting. The club also made me a life-long birder from that point on. I think it had something to do with seeing a male scarlet tanager up close for the first time...

Sharing the Hearth

Our friend Fiona came to visit Z and I for the weekend. We made roasted veggie pizza at Z's place and hiked on the lake Brandt trails. At the cabin we sat around the firebowl and gazed at the stars. Buddy dropped by and later inside we gathered around the hearth.

Fox Sparrow

Note the rufous tail, mottled breast and gray head. These are characteristic of the Fox sparrow.

Carolina Red Boots

As in red clay, after the snow melted it got mushy.

Moqueur roux

That is French meaning "red mocker".

White-throated Sparrow Portrait

This little guy showed up in my Christmas tree just outside my window...that's why I keep my tree for awhile after the holidays...

Let it Snow

Like something out of Dr. Zhivago, I looked out the front porch of the cabin and it was a white blanket of bliss...so I recorded this unexpected nocturnal event with the camera, tripod and an umbrella.

Saturday Night

This started out as something else and then morphed into an abstract.

Buddy the Spaniel

He's a gypsy dog with insatiable energy, keen athleticism and a true love of life.
We went down to the fishin' pond beyond the back 40, past the cornfields where Buddy paused briefly for this portrait...

Log Cabins Abound in 2008

That's right, I've seen them on the surrounding rural roads that criss-cross past fields and woods. I live in one and it has made me even more intrigued by all the different variations on a theme. So I made a montage of log cabins...