Hanging Baskets and Caution Tape

Our numerous hanging baskets are really looking fine these days.

I know from experience that the deer will soon think so too.

A couple of days ago , I caught several juveniles, probably yearlings, eyeing them up from the driveway. We worked too hard and spent too much money for them to become deer food in the night.

I've been putting up various barriers (brooms, chairs, trash cans) at night to discourage investigation, but I knew it was time to take more aggressive measures!

Jerry had some caution tape, so we made our barrier more formidable last night. I will take it down during the day and change the way I hang it a little each night, so they don't get too used to it. I think that's the key with deer. Change things often, because it usually takes them a day or two to relax around something new. Of course, they are pretty comfortable just about everywhere here in SandyLand. They are just not welcome to eat my flowers, thank you very much!

Jerry's got another giant tomato plant growing this year. I think it's even bigger than last year's. It has taken over the deck table so that our woodchuck can't get to it.

Three males showing off for each other this morning.

Rembrandt is begging for watermelon.

And Princess just takes it all in from her throne.

Portrait Of A Princess

"A dog, I have always said, is prose; a cat is a poem." ~ Jean Burden

On Sketching Everyday I post a photo each week as a sketching challenge. This past week it was to draw my cat, Princess. This morning, I decided to do a watercolor portrait of her from my drawings. I used to do a lot of pet portraits and I really enjoyed doing this one. Go to my summer drawing blog to see the photo and sketches of her. Also see several other artist's interpretations of my little Princess here.


"As every cat owner knows, nobody owns a cat."  ~ Ellen Perry Berkeley


"I had been told that the training procedure with cats was difficult.  It's not.  Mine had me trained in two days."  ~ Bill Dana

More Paintings From Hummerland!

Ok, I repainted this hummingbird for the third time! Although I'm STILL not 100% satisfied, I guess it's close enough to what I wanted that I can move on now though. In addition, I decided that doing it over four times was getting just a wee bit too obsessive. :-D

This little resting hummingbird painting is from another one of the sketches I posted this summer on SketchingEveryday.com. You can see another perched hummer painting posted there today with the sketch I did it from.

I now have ten feeders out and we are going through more than a gallon of nectar everyday. I have never had this many birds this early in the season before. I think it's going to be a banner year!  Be sure to check out my 5 Steps To Happy Hummingbirds for in-depth information and tips on attracting your own birds.

Princess And The Herd

Princess wanted to go on walk-about real bad this morning. It's basically our girl time, where we walk around the property and interact with each other. It just has to be me! She won't go with Jerry. I was busy doing a favor for a friend, so she just had to wait. She kept crying to go out when I got home. Once she was out, she was crying to come in. I tried food, I tried water, I tried treats and brushing. Nothing worked. So finally I said; "Ok, I know what you want, lets go." She sprang to her feet and ran all the way out to the pasture. 

A few members of the herd were out there grazing. It was obvious that she wanted me to be aware of their presence. She kept turning around to make sure I was coming. I recognized Little Guy and Fuzzy Tail, life time regulars here.

She had a plan.

She was going to show off for me and strut her stuff. I guess she's sorta got a big head from the recent turkey incident.

She headed right towards Little Guy in a definite stalking mode.

When Fuzzy Tail came to investigate, I guess Princess sent out her meanest predator vibes because both deer took off in a fast trot. I really didn't see her do any distinct posturing or anything from the back. It looks almost like mind control. She is an unusual little cat with a really big ego and a huge presence when she sets her mind to it. It's fun for me to witness the relationships and the coexistence that our various critters have here with each other. It's not unusual to see our two feral cats playing tag with Chuckie the groundhog. And it's commonplace to see a few deer, turkeys and a raccoon eating sunflower seeds together under the bird feeders. It's just another day in my life here in SandyLand.

Hummingbird Painting - Persistence

"Have you ever observed a hummingbird moving about in an aerial dance among the flowers - a living prismatic gem.... it is a creature of such fairy-like loveliness as to mock all description."  ~ W.H. Hudson,Green Mansions

License this image here.

I'm still not 100% satisfied with this watercolor, but I am getting closer to what I want with this one. See more today about Drawing and Painting hummingbird wings in flight on SketchingEveryday .


"It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer." ~ Albert Einstein


"If we are facing in the right direction, all we have to do is keep on walking."  ~ Buddhist Saying

SandyLand Is Now HummerLand!!

Another day of hummingbird happiness here in HummerLand! We had a discussion on facebook yesterday about the name and one friend suggested I could call it HummerLand in the summer and SandyLand the rest of the year. I like that. Welcome to Sandy's world. Here the critters rule!!

Today I sketched a hummingbird in flight (with feet). I've been noticing their feet a lot lately. (So tiny and yet powerful! :-D) Here's a little watercolor I did from my sketch of the day. 

Greetings From Hummerland!

The Mountain Laurel is just about done here in the pines. The local hummers love the stuff, so we don't get an accurate idea of their numbers until the flowers are done blooming. Here's a picture I took this week on one of my morning rides. This is my new bike next to one of the bushes so you can see the scale. The forest is just loaded with this North American kalmia. Many bushes are even bigger.

The past few days we have had a population explosion in our yard! I went from four small feeders to eight. The four I just added are the large 16oz.capacity. Even still, two of the feeders needed filling twice today! I'll tell you, this is exhilarating and just wonderful craziness.  I took this snapshot yesterday with my pocket camera next to the Butterfly Bushes where the birds love to play hide and seek, king of the bush and tag. We are all very eagerly waiting for the buds to open up! Many of the little sweeties can be seen constantly checking on the bud's progress. I spotted six hummers hiding in this little section of the plant, however there may be more. The yard and bushes have just been loaded with them! Anyone wanting to see them for yourself, give me a holler! Come spend the day with me here in HUMMERLAND!

Devon Horse Show 25 Year Reunion

 I have not attended the yearly Devon Horse Show and Country Fair in over twenty years. I stopped going when I switched from Hunters to Dressage. After that, I attended Dressage At Devon every year for over a decade. I had to stop going when I started doing a lot of art shows which always fell at the same time in the fall. Yesterday was a beautiful day and I decided to venture out to the fair. I left at the wrong time of the day and an hour and fifteen minute trip took me nearly two and a half. When I got there, the first thing I spotted as I neared the grounds was the ferriswheel.

 They were on dinner break, so I walked around the fairgrounds and watched some of the riders warm up for the $20,000 Gambler's Choice Jumper Class.

This lovely grey warmblood really caught my eye. I was fascinated by this unusual dee-ring snaffle bit and hackamore combination.

The setting at Devon is one of traditional elegance.

Here this gorgeous horse shows perfect form over the jump. I got so caught up in things I forgot to get a program, so I am clueless as to the identity of this pair. If anyone out there knows, please give me a shout. I did recognize some names from the past like Chapot and Ward, but this time it was the kids of these famous equestrians that were in the spotlight.

In the Gambler's Choice Class, each jump has different points and the rider picks the course. Anything goes and the horse with the most points and fastest time wins the cash. I had a perfect view of the Devon jump, but but only one rider jumped it because it was only 30 points. I only stayed for two classes, after which I was Devoned-out. I've got more photos to share next time. See more shots of Devon 2011 on Jennifer MacNeill-Traylor's blog.

Making Art Is Good For The Soul

And a lot of other things too - like hand-eye coordination, sense of accomplishment, growth, really seeing things and going into "the zone".  Woo, I am psyched! I've got some new and exciting ideas for this year's summer sketching series which started today. I hope a few of you will join me on my 3 month journey. Step up, speak out and share your input with me and our readers. Remember that in every aspect of our lives, what we get back, is in direct proportion to what we give out. This quick little watercolor painting was done today using the "2011 Horse Portrait Demo" as a starting point.

My Baby Turns Twenty Today! :-(

It was twenty years ago today. . . 

While visiting my friend in VA, I witnessed the birth of Oldenburg Stallion, San Diego's first foal on Memorial Day 1991. It was an incredible experience! The filly was born in the indoor arena and I got her first steps on video. She was so beautiful! I was in love and definitely in horse-heaven. Little did I know at the time that she would be my Santa Margarita. Since I have no human children, she's the closest I'll ever get to having a baby of my own. It was apparent right from the start that the foal had a very high opinion of herself and a strong willed "mind of her own". After an hour of getting her land legs, she wasn't finished checking out the indoor arena, the footing, cavaletti, ground poles or cats and dog. She had to be pushed by three of us to follow her screaming mother back to the stall. She resisted by rearing and bucking. . . at less than an hour old.

She loved to be brushed, hand fed and fussed over.

Here's a picture of me and Santa Margarita when she was about two months old. My friend used this photo in her stallion advertising campaign. She said people often commented about the cute photo of the foal and the "little girl". : -)

(Shhh, A little secret - I was 37 at the time.)

She was a firey filly and very tall and strong.

Here we are when she was four months old. Look how fast she was growing! What a handful. I felt sorry for her mom. I'm putting a slideshow together to commemorate this day and the past twenty years with my big girl. I'll post it here soon.

And here we are today.

Still Together After All These Years!

Happy 20th Birthday Today To My Lovely Rita!

On Memorial Day, Let Us All Remember

"How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!" ~ Maya Angelou

I'll Soon Be Drawing Everyday!

Only ten days until my "Sketching Everyday" project starts up again! This will be my sixth year posting a drawing every single day from June through August. A little nervous and excited, like a Thoroughbred in the starting gate, I'm chomping at the bit in anticipation. If any of you artists out there are serious about improving your drawing skills, I hope you'll take me up on my weekly sketching challenge.

"Realize that a drawing is not a copy. It is a construction in very different materials. A drawing is an invention." ~ Robert Henri

"Every good painting must be based on a good drawing. Drawing is like the bones to the human body." ~ Diana Kan

"You can eliminate color and still have a painting that works, but you must have drawing, value and design." ~ Matt Smith

My last sketch of the summer ~ August 31, 2008.
Now license this image through iStock.

Princess And The Ten Toms

Princess, my studio cat, was restless and very vocal this morning. I couldn't figure out what it was she could want.

With me being laid up with a strained back over the last week and a half and rain off and on the past couple of days, she hasn't gotten to go on her usual frequent "walk-about" the property. So I got my jacket on  and we headed out. Once out, she acted hesitant, like it wasn't what she wanted after all. Sometimes, like all of us I guess, she doesn't know what she wants.

I noticed a group of male turkeys were out in the field. We have a flock of 25-30 off and on around here. The young bachelors are sticking together now as the hens are off nesting.

Princess followed me out and the turkeys quickly took note of her.

It didn't take long before the dominant males were over to check her out.

She was really enjoying all the attention.

She kept watching me, perhaps in case she needed protection. Or was she looking for approval?  Showing me how brave she is, here deliberately posing for this group shot.

Her body language was that of superiority, confidence and being in control.

The encounter really perked her up.  I watched as she played mind games with them. Varying her posture and eye contact, she was checking out what kind of a response she'd get.

After ten to fifteen minutes of turkeys, she got restless and bored. By diverting her (intense) gaze and shifting her posture, the ten toms started to move on.

The leaders came back a few times to make sure it was over, and it was. By this time, something else really had gotten her attention. She was done with them.

Are Raccoons Rabid If Out In Daylight?

Snowflake has been around The Sandarosa for about eight years now. She's been visiting our bird feeders earlier and earlier in the day lately.  I'm sure she has a nest of hungry babies to feed. Mother raccoons and foxes regurgitate food for their offfspring, so they get fairly brazen and are commonly out during daylight hours at this time of the year. As the nest gets tighter, the youngsters get more demanding. Any raccoon or fox you see in the daytime is NOT rabid. If the animal is acting fairly normal, there is most likely nothing to worry about. If you see an animal approaching people in an aggressive way, acting drunk or savage,  it's time to call the authorities. 

Here's a fuzzy photo of the old momma girl through the kitchen window with my trusty pocket camera. We are leaving a bowl of bird seed on the ground, or she climbs up the pole and reeks havic with all the bird feeders.

I also saw the Rose-breasted Grosbeaks' mate today. Very plain, but I think she's beautiful in her own way, don't you?

Hungry Hummingbirds

Today here's a quick tip for all you hummingbird caretakers out there.

We love white Ocean Spray Cranberry juice. It is delicious and comes in just the right size jug to make and store nectar in. If you are lucky, you may be able to enlist a helper or two. Here Inspector Tommy keeps a watchful eye and makes sure that I am doing things correctly.

Wash the container thoroughly after you finish the juice and take the label off. (So you don't go in there and pour yourself a huge glass of sugar water, thinking it's juice.)

Each jug holds exactly 7 1/2 cups of liquid. So, at a four parts water to one part sugar, just add 1 1/2 cups of sugar to the bottle (I use a 1/2 c. scoop and a funnel). Get your tap water as hot as you can and fill the jug almost to the top and shake, shake shake.  No heating necessary!! Honest! (Let it cool before filling feeders.)

The nectar will keep for up to two weeks in the fridge. Because the Ocean Spray bottles are square, they fit nicely.

The hummingbirds love cold nectar in the hot weather and mixing it up ahead of time also makes your job much easier. Right now I've only got one bottle made up, but later in the season, as the activity picks up, I will make gallons at a time. Here's what my refrigerator looked like last summer.