Squirrel!

My challenge was to paint an "Amazing Autumn" picture. The intent was probably to paint a lovely yellow landscape, but I was having the hardest time getting inspired to do that. Then I saw this little squirrel just having a morning rest on a branch. I thought how amazing it is that they know to collect enough during the autumn months to get them through winter. So, I painted this little guy sitting on his hoard of acorns.

Original Oil Painting on 8"x 10" Wrapped Canvas.
Click Squirrel! if you'd like to purchase this little painting.

Garden Harvest (August 1-15)

1st - I went to North Carolina to visit two of my darling grandbabies (and their parents).  

Ron watered and picked those three days. Can you guess which of these photos he took?

2nd - As you scroll through, do you wonder why I don't have big tomatoes? 

Hmph!  I'm at war with the squirrels! And, they've been winning.  

I always say that we have a love/hate relationship with our beautiful wildlife.  

Right now it is not leaning in the love direction.

There's a huge hickory tree beside our back deck.  All these squirrels sit on the branches, look down at you as they eat the nuts, and throw down the sharp woody shells. You can hear the shells fall all around. You literally cannot walk across the deck without shoes.  You'd think they'd be satisfied with all those hickory nuts. 

Nope!  

They hang off the bird feeders and eat the birdseed.  You'd think that would  be enough.  Nope!  

They go right into the chicken coops and have a snack on chicken food.  Do they appreciate that?

Nope!

They climb up my tomato cages, sit there grinning and pick the biggest tomatoes for themselves.  Do they at least enjoy the whole thing? 

Nope!  They eat half then toss the rest on the ground for me to find. 

The hickory nuts - They're welcome to them.

The bird feeders - We're letting them hang empty.

The chicken coops - We're not leaving food available during the day.

The tomatoes - We've put Irish Spring chips on the ground, and we've sprayed Repels All on the plants.  So the garden now smells of a weird combination of soapy clean and some dead rotten meat. Yuck... And... Sigh... 

Spiky Yellow Sunflower

             

What's the symbol of summer?

There are many, but surely the sunflower is one of them!

This one grew tall and beautiful in my garden until the squirrels couldn't stand it any longer and climbed up the stalk for a feast on its seeds.

Enjoy an Etsy treasury (collection of related art pieces and vintage items) named for and in created to celebrate the 

Sunflowers.