A WIP Times Two

Forester Artist, watercolor, lillies

My wounded paw.

That’s my hand with the bandage.  If you are thinking that some emotionally motivated gesticulating by the digit wrapped in gauze was the cause for the bandage, then I’m going to disappoint you.  No, Mary did not do me bodily harm, nor was it the result of some road rage incident.  I had a cyst and bone spur removed.  I know, considering which finger it was, I could have come up with a whopper of a story.  You are welcome to speculate wildly if you don’t believe me.  Now I have two WIP.  One is the watercolor in the photo and the other is my hand.  It looks pretty swollen in the picture.  Fortunately, I am right-handed so progress continues.

Raindrops

Those aren’t my tears from the procedure.  I’m a big boy and only cry during tragic dog movies.  I took these pictures during the rain storm last week.  It helped bring an end to the fires that were burning here.

Manzanita, rain, photography, nature

Manzanita flowers in the rain.

That night after my surgery, when we went to bed it started raining again.  It was hot in the house so I opened the window to let the cool air in.  My hand ached and it kept me awake.  The lightning flashed in the distance and the thunder rumbled through the sky.  The sound of the rain falling outside was so peaceful that I finally drifted off.

Battle Creek Meadows

Battle Creek Meadows

This rain has been a relief and has delayed our oncoming drought.  Soon it will be dry again.

In the clouds.

In the clouds.

Just the girls and I.

golden retriever

Tim, Teka and Blitz.

Maybe Baby Osprey

Osprey, pen and ink, drawing, wildlife, nature, ink

Osprey

I haven’t posted an update on the osprey for a while so here is a pen and ink for fun.  I think we have chicks in the nest, however we can’t see anything yet.

Osprey, nest, nesting, chicks, photography, nature, wildlife

I think this parent is taking caring of a little bundle of joy.

Osprey, nest, nesting, chicks, photography, nature, wildlife

The other parent waits patiently by the nest.

For about the last month a least one osprey has been hunkered down on the nest incubating the eggs.  Late last week this pattern changed and now there is a lot of fussing about going on.  I think they are feeding chicks or at least one chick.  The chicks will hatch about a week apart.

Osprey, nest, nesting, chicks, photography, nature, wildlife

Fussing around in the nest.

Osprey, nest, nesting, chicks, photography, nature, wildlife

Time for some personal grooming.

Osprey parenting.

Osprey parenting.

Osprey, nest, nesting, chicks, photography, nature, wildlife

A view of the nest from the lumber yard.

The weather has been clear warm and windy here.  In fact it hit 100 degrees last weekend.  That is on the warm side this early in the year.  I think it is going to get really hot up on that tower.

Another sunny day and a view out over the back forty.

Another sunny day and a view out over the back forty.

CAUTION!

Caution, Rain, target, humor, photography

CAUTION Proceed At Own Risk Road Not Maintained During Winter

I don’t think Winter is the problem around here.  Maybe we should delete “Road Not Maintained During Winter”, and replace it with something else.  Any suggestions?  I would love to hear them.

On a side note, it rained here today!  No new fires, yay!  (Wait, is that a Haiku?)

Sun, Smoke and Oak

Sun, Sunset, fire, wildfire, smoke, photography

The sun through the smoke.  Yes, that is the sun and not the moon.

The first big wildfires of the season broke out here yesterday.  The Panther and Cedar fires were burn a ways to the South and just a few miles apart.  With a strong dry North wind they made a good run.  A huge column of smoke stretched over the valley and the sun was obscurred last night when I took these pictures.  Hopefully the firefighters made good progress last night when the winds died down.

Sun, Sunset, fire, wildfire, smoke, photography

Sun through the smoke and oaks.

May first and we are already seeing forest fires.  Dry down is well underway here.  This doesn’t bode well for this Summer’s fire season.  Here we go again.

The Return of the Sandhill Cranes

pen and ink, colored pencil, sandhill crane, crane, wildlife, nature, photography, Poison Lake, Ash Creek Wildlife Refuge

Sandhill Crane

The Sandhill Cranes returned to Northeastern California late this Winter.  I have been fortunate enough to see them on several occasions.

crane, Sandhill Crane, Nature, wildlife, photography, California

A lone crane feeding at Poison Lake.

crane, Sandhill Crane, Nature, wildlife, photography, California

Sandhill Cranes

crane, Sandhill Crane, Nature, wildlife, photography, California

Poison Lake

crane, Sandhill Crane, Nature, wildlife, photography, California

Cranes with friends.

crane, Sandhill Crane, Nature, wildlife, photography, California

Which way do we go?

crane, Sandhill Crane, Nature, wildlife, photography, California

Solitude

crane, Sandhill Crane, Nature, wildlife, photography, California

Ruffled feathers

crane, Sandhill Crane, Nature, wildlife, photography, California

I think Big Bird must have been a crane.

crane, Sandhill Crane, Nature, wildlife, photography, California

Poison Lake

crane, Sandhill Crane, Nature, wildlife, photography, California

Sandhill Cranes of Ash Creek Wildlife Area.

crane, Sandhill Crane, Nature, wildlife, photography, California

Buddy The Wayward Wolverine

Meet Buddy, The Wayward Wolverine

Buddy The Wayward Wolverine, wolverine, gulo, gulo gulo, childrens book, watercolor

Buddy The Wayward Wolverine is based on the real life lone wolverine living in California.  Nobody knows how he got here.  He is related to the wolverines of the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho.  This is the fantastical tale of Buddy’s journey.  Written by Maryᴀ Livingston, The Backdoor Artist, and Amanda Shufelberger, the main Buddy biologist.  Illustrated by yours truly the Forester Artist.

We will be at a book signing at the Whole Earth and Watershed Festival, in Redding, California at City Hall on Saturday, April 27th from 10am to 4pm.  Come down to the Red Tail Publishing booth if you are in the area.

Buddy The Wayward Wolverine is also available at REDTAIL.COM.

The Walk

Reblogged from Slurry Art:

Click to visit the original post

The whole time I was painting this one, my thoughts were with The Forester Artist  and those who love Nellie.

An artist's thoughts are often very personal in the creation of art. When another artist had me and my family in their thoughts, I wondered what will this piece of art speak to me. This painting speaks of a memory. A memory of time spent together with one I loved.