Tag Archives: nature

Wild Wednesday … Mystery Butterfly!

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I’ve been sitting in the middle of I5 for nearly 3 hours. They’re clearing an overturned big rig with a load of steel I-beams. I’m trying to think of something soothing. How about a butterfly. This one showed up on the porch this morning. Good thing the kitten wasn’t around.  Does anyone know it’s name?Normally, I’d have my sketch pad, but not today. I have a project to finish too. Instead I’ll have to settle for a butterfly. 

Wild Wednesday … Goose Goose!

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geese, Canada geese, pen and ink, drawing

A pair of Canada Geese in pen and ink.

This was drawn from a pair of geese on the mill pond.  Canada geese are great subjects for pen and ink. They’re already black and white.

Canada Geese, honkers, photography, nature, birds, birding

Canada geese can be found on the mill site constantly.

This gaggle spotted Sailor and Bliss over on shore. They decided to come over and cause trouble for my goldens, who were minding their own business.  Typical rabble rousing degenerate geese!

Canada Geese, honkers, photography, nature, birds, birding

You had to know this would happen.

Sailor couldn’t take it anymore and swam out to say hello.  What’s a boy to do.

Canada Geese, honkers, photography, nature, birds, birding

Well this isn’t going well.

What we have here is a failure to communicate.

Wild Wednesday … Bear Skull

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drawing, bear skull, black bear, pen and ink, pen drawing, wildlife

Bear Skull in pen and ink.

This skull intrigued me with its bleached bone and hard shadows. I wondered what happened to cause it to be here. It was wild and dirty, and crying out to be drawn. So draw it I did!

bear skull, black bear, pen and ink, pen drawing, wildlife

The bear skull sitting on the running board of an older D6 Cat.

On our way into camp we often stop in a particular landing to give everyone a break from the ride. A D6 Cat tractor was parked there for several months. A local logger had been using it for road repair and erosion control work. During one stop at the landing we found a bear skull. It wasn’t a large skull, probably from a young bear or a sow.

bear skull, black bear, pen and ink, pen drawing, wildlife, D6 Cat

The Cat was parked in the landing for a few months. The skull is sitting on the floor in the entrance. Can you see it?

I couldn’t resist placing the skull in the tractor for the loggers to find. It sat there for weeks undisturbed. Until one day, while we were coming through, it had disappeared. Somebody or something must have taken a fancy to it and packed it off. When I first saw the skull I wondered what it’s story was, but it seems that it’s story may not be done. I wonder where it is now.

California Black Bear, Ursus americanus

One of the locals. A relative perhaps?

 

Castle Crags 

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Castle Crags, granite, rock climbing, nature photography

Castle Crags, taken last week. I used to rock climb here with my brother and friends when I was younger, much younger.

It’s situated next to the Upper Sacramento River north of Northern California (Jefferson).

“The Fellers”

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Here it is folks, the final! It took me a bit longer to post because we were crazy busy, but it’s ready to go.

watercolor, pen and ink, mixed media, drawing, painting, logging, fellers, fallers, timber

The Fellers

Tomorrow night it will be auctioned to raise money for the Sierra-Cascade Environmental and Resource Fund. This non-profit educates the public, students, and teachers about the wise management of our forests.They provide scholarships for local students interested in careers in the industry. Many of the programs supported are aimed at educating the urban regions of California, about practices that assure the health of our forests.

My painting will be auctioned in competition with Mary’s Painting. She also created a painting and you can see it here, Off-Highway Hauler. During the auction folks will be bidding on both paintings at once. The high bidder gets to pick the painting they want. The other is offered to the second place bidder who can take it or pass on it. Then it goes back to bidding. I beat her last year and now she’s back looking to take me down!