Blue Hydrangea, oil on canvas, 11 x 14 in.
Lots of new work coming out of the studio this month. Actually, much of it will be staying in the studio for the time being, as I prepare for a show at the Audubon Society in Pomfret, scheduled for next spring. With flowers bursting forth so early this spring, (or is it summer already?) there is a lot of inspiration for nature subjects in my very own yard and garden. Since my work tends to concentrate on the domestic animals--I need to beef up my inventory of nature and wildlife subjects.
It's a good thing I have been so productive lately, as the glorious weather wants to pull me outside. A new layer of mulch is still intact on the perennial beds--the hens have not scattered it and dug holes in it just yet.
We have a new resident muskrat on the pond--he can be spotted swimming around, or climbing out on the rocks surrounding the pond. He isn't very big, probably just a youngster, and he seems to co-exist quite happily with the ducks.
The latest farm residents are four new baby chicks--just arrived yesterday. Two Silver-Laced Wyandottes, and two Golden-Laced Wyandottes. The babies are so fluffy and adorable, and they will grow into beautiful hens. We have not told the other four hens yet that they will soon have to make room on the roosts for four new roommates. We need to figure out a way to break the news gently. We hope that when the new chicks are full grown and equal to the old girls in size that there will be a minimum of squabbling.
This morning I set up a photo shoot of the new chicks, and this little gal was busy checking out a chick of a different sort.
