Buff the Magic Kitten

Serendipity - 

• finding something wonderful when you're not even looking for it.
• the phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for
• an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident
• allowing for chance finds, and accepting that what is found is not necessarily what was being looked for

The forecast called for snow or sleet, and it was below freezing. The cat and dog were in their beds, the fire was dying, and were locking up for the night... but we heard a little meow... odd... There it was again... Ron opened the front door to a little buff colored shivering kitty.  He closed the door again... "Meow..." I texted a few neighbors... No one knew of a missing buff colored kitten... And, no one offered to come pick it up from our porch. "Meow..." Ron said, "Well, we can't just let it freeze." He opened the door and picked it up.  It purred, and massaged its little feet into his chest. He sighed and shook his head with a resigned grin, "Go fix it a bed and some food." Yay!!!  I put bedding in the little red wagon in the garage and filled some bowls with food and water.  He was a loud purr-er for such a little thing. 

The next morning, we put him out so he could go to wherever his home was.  As Ron drove off for work, he called that the little guy was just sitting under a tree.  I didn't see him most of the day, but....

♬ Buuuuuut... the cat came back.
He couldn't stay away,
Sittin' on the porch
The very next day. ♪

𝅘𝅥𝅯 Ooooooooh... the cat came back.
He didn't want to roam.
The very next day
He was home sweet home! ♫ 

We decided we'd let him sleep in his wagon bed in the garage one more night.

Today was warm.  
We put him out so that he could go home.  

He helped Ron fill the bird feeders
and feed the chickens.

He helped gather wood for the fire.

He helped him read the newspaper too.

He helped babysit.

I think he might be home.

Pounce perched on top of the freezer and
greeted him warmly... (Ummm... Give her time...)

He didn't seem too concerned... about anything...

Buff the magic kitten 

Lives here with with me

He frolicked in the wintry mist

At Serendipity....        ♩  ♪

     ♫     ♪

Pearl, the Pretty White Cow

On Christmas Day, we went on a cattle drive... Well, on a drive to look for some friendly cows that might like to pose for my camera.

We didn't have to drive long before the the paved roads became dirt roads. Things that you see on country roads are so interesting.  You just never know what will be around the next curve or over the next hill.

These girls were curious and friendly and came right over to the fence. They were just what I wanted, but I'm pretty sure I was was a big disappointment to them... standing there talking to them, taking their picture with out a bit of feed or hay to offer.  

This was the perfect little herd.  They weren't afraid to come close, and there were several different kinds and colors.  That tan one on the right...She may end up on a canvas some day, but she'll have to wait her turn. I loved this white one with the pink nose and pink ears. Let's call her Pearl.

Cows are really huge.  If you haven't hung around with any lately, you forget how really big they are.  I thought Pearl deserved to be on a great big canvas. 

I'm sure the mailman wondered what ridiculous thing I was up to... chickens running around my feet, wearing pajama pants and a heavy coat, holding up a big cow picture and smiling for the camera on the porch rail, running back and forth checking to see if I got the whole painting in the shot but not the pajama pants or chickens... and what's up with all that gray hair?? In my mind, it's brown with some gray sprinkled in.

Original Oil Painting on 20"x 20" Wrapped Canvas
Click  Pearl, the Pretty White Cow if you'd like to purchase this painting.

Hot Chocolate II

What's your winter drink?
Cider?  Coffee?  Tea?  Cocoa?

If there are comfort foods, I suppose there can be comfort drinks.
I choose hot chocolate... with marshmallows or whipped cream... Mmmmm...

During the 3+ decades that I was a teacher, I always had plenty of hot chocolate mix in the cupboard.  An elementary teacher can pretty much count on being gifted at least one or two special hot chocolate mixes with cute mugs around Christmas time. I used the last of mine recently.  I guess I'll just have to buy it for myself now.

If you follow or participate in Inspiration Collaboration (and if you don't, start now!! 😁), Here's a little teaser... You might see this pop up as one of the four Inspiration Images in February... I won't tell if you get an early start for your submission!

Original Oil Painting on 6"x 6" Wrapped Canvas
If you'd like to purchase this little painting, click Hot Chocolate II .

Be a Unicorn!

What do you get when you have some sprinkle-covered cupcakes, lots of pink balloons, and a unicorn?  

You have a party!!

Somebody turns one year old this week!   
  Happy!
        Happy!
               Happy!

My precious little one... Be the unicorn in a field of horses.

Original Acrylic Painting on 11x14 Wrapped Canvas
[GIFT]

Sentimental Stargazer Lilies

Stargazer Lilies will always remind me of my momma.  She had a long row of flowers that she loved... irises, day lilies, tiger lilies... One year I bought her a pot of blooming stargazer lilies for Mother's Day.  After they finished flowering inside, she replanted them into her row, and they bloomed again every year.  We dug those stargazer lilies up when they moved to Northwest Arkansas and replanted them beside the porch where she continued to enjoy their beautiful pink blooms each summer.  

This particular stargazer grew in my own flower bed.

I painted this as part of  January's Inspiration Collaboration.  As soon as I saw Sara's Inspiration Image and read about how this Christmas cactus was a reminder of her mother, I knew exactly what my response painting would be.

Anyone is welcome to join in this creative community... painters, quilters, photographers, potters, poets... Click HERE and have a look. Maybe you'll be inspired to collaborate with us! And click HERE to see the reveal page. Maybe you can add something you've been inspired to create!  I hope you do!

Pounce always "helps" when I
 photograph my paintings.

Original Oil Painting on 6"x 12" Wrapped Canvas
[SOLD]

Inspiration Collaboration - January 2020

Happy New Year!

from Helen, an oil painter in Arkansas,

and Sara, a photographer in Nova Scotia!

We invite you to join us in a monthly project of creativity.

Here's how the project came about:  

We realized we both needed a boost in our creative processes. Sara wanted to add more color to her photographs. Helen wanted new and different subjects to paint. We decided to collaborate and look to each other's work for inspiration. As our plan began to take shape, we realized that our creative friends might like to join us.

If you'd like to join in, it's simple. Here's how:

1. At the beginning of each month, we'll supply inspiration images or thoughts.

2. Choose one (or more) to use for inspiration in any creative way that you want (painting, collage, poetry, story, drawing, photography...).

3. At any time during the month, send a digital copy of your creative work to us, and we'll "reveal" all the creations.

4. We'll need your name, your image or document, and its title. You may also send your social media info if you’d like to have your image linked. If it’s not obvious, let us know which image you used for inspiration.

Enjoy the process!

Helen & Sara

Click Inpsiration Collaboration  to read the stories behind the images of the month, to download the one that inspires you to create, and to view the work of others who participate.

You can also be a part of this creative community by following us on Instagram @inspirationcollaboration 

Here are the four Inspiration Images for January.

(You can click on each one to read the story behind it.)

Which one will you choose?

Sentimental Journey
Photo by Sara Harley

Scattered Crayons
Painting by Helen Eaton

Barely There
Photo by Sara Harley

Snow Cardinal
Painting by Helen Eaton

From the Front Porch

From the front porch... 
      she could see the tree that he'd planted just for her.
      she could watch the little ones run and play.
      she could laugh at the chickens.
      she could feel the breeze.
From the front porch...
       she could call out that supper was ready.
       she could take in the colors of the sunset.
       she could hear the whippoorwill's evening song. 
       she could sit on the rocking chair beside him...  
             and see the tree that he'd planted just for her.
      
I finished this little painting with the big sky, grassy field, farm house, and barn in the back.  I liked it, but it didn't tell me a story... until... I added the tree.

I keep thinking of Pa planting the 5 cottonwood trees for Ma and the girls.  Near the end of By the Shores of Silver Lake  Pa says, "You're going to have your trees growing, Caroline, quick as I can get them set in the ground."  He took his spade out of the wagon and said, "The first one's your tree, Caroline. Pick it out and tell me where you want it."

He planted those trees around 1880, and they're still growing in De Smet, South Dakota. I'd love to see them one day.


My blog/Insatgram friend, Sara shared this photo.  
It broke all kinds of art rules (looking uphill... tree right smack dab in the center... huge sky of nearly nothing) but I couldn't quit going back to it.
It made me wonder...  

                                 Photo by @saraharley.photos

Who built the house? Why did they pick that spot? What kind of farm did they have? Did they plant that tree? Does any one still live there? How big was their farm? Did they love their front porch?

I do love an image that makes my mind wander... and wonder...

Original Oil Painting on 10"x 10" Wrapped Canvas
Click From the Front Porch  to purchase this little painting.

Orange Tiger Lily II

I love orange lilies.  
I love having them in my flower bed and on my painting easel.

 

 

 

I knew that flowers have certain meanings, so I decided to look it up. Google would know what the orange lily symbolizes, right?

According to FTD, the orange lily symbolizes confidence, pride, and wealth. 
According to 10 Flowers You Should Never Give Anyone, the orange lily symbolizes hatred, pride, and disdain.
According to Flower Auora, the orange lily symbolizes respect and honor. 
According to the Flower Expert, the orange lily symbolizes passion.
According to Fresh Flowers, the orange lily symbolizes energy and warmth.
According to Teleflora, the orange lily symbolizes a 30th anniversary.

I quit looking.
I'm pretty sure you can just assign any meaning you want.
So...
According to Helen Eaton, the orange lily symbolizes home, joy, and peaceful times.

Thanks to these two cuties who volunteered to be my practice students.

Original Oil Painting on 8"x 8" Wrapped Canvas
[SOLD]

How Many Chickens in my Backyard?

He says they're my chickens... but... 

We got 3 chickens which was just the right amount.. 

... until we had 5 chickens which was just the right amount... 

... until we had 8 chickens which was just the right amount...

... until we had 11 chickens which was just the right amount...

... until we had 13 chickens which is absolutely the right amount!

They work hard in the woods every morning. 

They always hang out with each other, but it's rare that I can get a photo with all 13 in it.  One will be sitting on the nest or two will be under the deck or some will be behind a trees.  They simply will not line up and smile for the camera!

All 13 in one photo!

Every afternoon my little flock moves to the side yard.  Here they can keep an eye on their coops  and the back door.  If I come out shaking their canister of treats, they come running (except for Fancy who only walks) to greet me then run to their coops... where they may (or may not... sometimes one or two will decide to play ring-around-the-rosy first.) go straight to bed for the night. 

The three coops:
The Sister House, The Cousin House, The Friends House

We had one pretty little coop... until we had two... until we had three which is the just right amount!  They're happy being one big group all day, but they know which coop they belong to... (except for Fancy who sometimes chooses to sleep over with the Sisters or the Friends).

The Sister House:
          Dolly, Torchie, Dot, Sprinkles, Thumbelina
The Cousin House
          Sylvia, Fancy, Red Red, Other Red
The Friends House
          Dominique, Danielle, Eleanor, Marigold

The babies... We grabbed these out of the bin at the farm store
when they were all one day old in August and slipped them
under Dolly that night. The next morning they were a family. 
This is how they look now!
I LOVE how different these sisters are!

Pretty!

That's Just Ducky!

Don't you just want to listen in on their conversation!!

• Bottom Right just asked a simple question.
• Middle can't believe she'd even ask such a thing!
• Front Left agrees with everything Middle says.
• Top Right does not want to get involved this time!
• Back Left is late to the meeting... again!

The image of these ducks deep in conversation has made me chuckle since I first saw it. 

I "met" these particular ducks inside a blog called Chickens in the Road. They lived on a farm in West Virginia along with lots of chickens, some goats, a few sheep, dogs, cats, a couple of donkeys, a milk cow, and a farmer named Suzanne.

In the days after I broke the two lower bones in my right arm, I had a lot... really a lot... of time that I couldn't do much of anything but click and scroll with my left hand and read on the computer.  That may sound dreadful, but during those days I got to thoroughly enjoy every bit of Chickens in the Road from the early posts of 2005 to the recent ones of 2019. 


I suppose I don't know any ducks personally, but oh, how I have always loved Jack, Kack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Ouack, Pack, Quack, and of course, Mr. & Mrs. Mallard!

Make Way for Ducklings was written over 75 years ago, but I have a feeling that my grandchildren will love it as much as my kids did and as much as I did... still do!

A few years ago, we'd been on a trip and were to fly home from the Boston airport. We had allowed ourselves one extra day there, but I'm such a not-city person. I'm sure there are dozens of museums, historical monuments, and not-to-be-missed sights to see.  But, there was only one place that I wanted to go... Boston Public Garden.  

I might have cried a little when I saw Mrs. Mallard and her 8 ducklings.

Even the Swan Boat was there!

I might have cried again to see a real Mrs. Mallard with her ducklings.

Ducks just make me smile... well, and cry... but mostly smile. 😊

Thank you to Suzanne McMinn of  Chickens in the Road for letting me use her photo as a reference for this painting.

Original Oil Painting on 11"x 14" Wrapped Canvas
[SOLD]

Little Gray Donkey (a.k.a. Lee Roy)

My parents moved to Northwest Arkansas when they were in their 80s.  Although they no longer had 160 acres of land, my dad managed turn their new 5 acres into a complete little farm.  It had almost everything a farm could need.

• There was a big workshop for tools and equipment.
• We all enjoyed their huge garden with tomatoes, corn, and row of sunflowers.
• He planted an entire orchard of fruit trees and pecan trees.
• He started with a four-wheeler but traded that in for a golf cart that he and Mom used to take rides around the place every day.

Even with all that, something was still missing... until Lee Roy showed up.  Lee Roy was the funniest little donkey who brayed and hee-hawed and insisted on being heard.  He didn't really have a farm purpose, but Dad loved scratching him and feeding him.  He was well trained to run to the fence whenever anyone came outside because he knew he'd get a treat or at least a scratch on the head.  

Eventually, Dad got him a friend, Margarite.  She was never quite as much of a pet as Lee Roy. But, on the morning of my mom's 85th birthday, she walked outside to find a wide-eyed surprise baby donkey standing in the field beside Margarite. 

I've painted Lee Roy a few times. As a matter of fact, the only one of my paintings that my dad kept to hang on the wall in his apartment was a painting of Ole' Lee Roy.  

I wish I'd taken more photos of him, but as soon as I'd walk anywhere near the fence with a camera, he'd be right there begging for a treat and refusing to pose for a picture.

A friend asked me if I'd paint a donkey to donate for a fundraiser.  I did; however, when I finished, I liked it so much that I decided to paint another one to enjoy on my own wall for a while. Maybe one should be Lee Roy and the other one Margarite.

Original Oil Paintings on 6"x 12" Wrapped Canvas

[SOLD] & [SOLD]

My Funny Chicken, Torchie

Meet Torchie!
She has been hilarious since she was a tiny little thing.
That wild red flame hair has been on her head since she was a chick.
Does anybody know what kind she is with that crazy hair-do?
Her legs have kind of a greenish tint; I've heard from chicken friends that means her eggs will be green. Oh, I hope that is true!  We'll see in a few more weeks!