Harvesting Sunflowers... For the Chickens? or the Squirrels?

Sunflowers are the best.
I love them. I've painted a few.
I think row of sunflowers belongs in every good-sized garden.

My sister had a great row of sunflowers this year, so I thought I'd harvest them.  The chickens would be so pleased!  Right? 

Such a pretty row!

When they droop, it's time.

That should fill the three buckets I brought.

Rub the prickly fuzzy off.
Rip the petals off.

I wonder how many seeds are packed into each head.
(Google says about 1,200.)

These little ones get to keep their petals and get
to come live in a vase in my kitchen for a while.

The hens came running.
They took a peck... and said no thanks.
What!!! Ungrateful chickens!

But the squirrels had a fine time!

"I'll have 1,200 seeds, please. 
I'll leave 2,400 seed shell halves for you."

They'd eat all around the edges from the outside in.

"The purple ones are smaller. I might need two."

No need to share.  There was enough for everyone. 
And, they called their relatives.

The squirrels were also ungrateful.
No one cleaned up after themselves.
My whole backyard looks like this.
Sunflower middle surrounded by seed shells.

So funny!  They'd carry them around to a good spot.
Some were bigger than the squirrel eating them!

Red Barn in Springtime

What's right?  What's wrong?

Right... it's peaceful... the grass is green, the daffodils are blooming, the barn is red, the sky is blue...

Wrong... a real farmer's working barn would have old equipment all around... there would be cow poop surrounding the barn area... there would have been fences or else the animals would have trampled and eaten the daffodils...

So... I've lived the real-life one.  But, I love the idea of the beautiful (almost enchanted) one.  It would be a good place to set a story.  

Enjoy an Etsy treasury (collection of related art pieces) celebrating Pinks and Red or another celebrating Trees by clicking. Go to a horse-themed collection is titled Horseback Riding. Also enjoy My Springtime. Then have a look at other treasuries like Life in the Country..., Country Cozy or Country Sampler for a little bit of everything country.  Finally, stop by Spring Babies where each selection shares the same lovely spring green.

[SOLD]

Barn by the Pond

What gives an old barn such personality?


What a perfect setting! A charming old barn beside a little pond with mountains in the background... I can just imagine the days when there were calves in the barnyard, hay in the loft, ducks in the pond, and a mule or two in the stables.

On the way home from a spring hike through the Ozark Mountains near the Buffalo River, we stopped many times to take photos of great farm scenes. Maybe we'll return. I'd like to see this scene in summer and in the fall.

This painting was fortunate to be featured in a couple of Etsy treasuries (collection of art pieces and vintage items) called Spring in the Barnyard or  Home on the Range.  Click and enjoy a celebration of farm life.

[SOLD]

Original Oil Painting on 10"x 20" Wrapped Canvas

Grandpa's Smokehouse

Why don't we pay more attention when we have the opportunity?

I would love to tell a story about what adventures my cousins and I had in or behind this smokehouse.  I'm sure they'd be fascinating.  But, I have to admit that I never paid any attention to it.  It sat there between my grandparents' house and their garden and never seemed interesting.  I guess its time had passed.  By the time I came along, there were refrigerators for storing meat and super markets for selling it any day of the week.


I wonder what went on in there... I wonder how often it was used... I wonder if it was clean or nasty... I wonder what the process was for actually smoking the meat... I wonder if maybe it still sits near Meyer Creek near Crystal Springs outside of Hot Springs...


"Grandpa's Smokehouse" was one of the paintings chosen for an Etsy treasury (collection of art pieces and vintage items) called A Day in the Farm with  My Grandpa.  Also check out At the Farmhouse where each item in the collections make you long for the simplicity of  your grandpa's and grandma's house.  And, finally, visit Spring for reminders that winter will come to a close soon!

Original Oil Painting - 16"x 20" 
[SOLD]


Grandpa's Smokehouse" can be purchased in several forms.
Contact me if you'd like to purchase this image as a giclee, a print, or note cards.