Summer Affairs

 

Oil on Panel - 4 x 4 inches.

I have determined that this bird, the male Bobolink, is my father-in-law's favorite bird. Why? He is a man, his name is Bob, and he is a passionate golfer.

Sometimes in life, a little humor and a break from the norm can be a welcome reprieve. Happy Friday, everyone! Or Saturday, depending on where you are in the world ;)



Location: Duluth, MN 55811, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Miniature Exhibition Opens Saturday!

Image
 Three 4 x 4 inch miniature oil paintings on exhibit. 91st Annual Exhibition of Fine Art in Miniature.  The Miniature Painters, Sculptors & Gravers Society of Washington, D.C. (MPSGS). The Mansion at Strathmore ,  10701 Rockville Pike,  North Bethesda, MD 20852. Exhibition – Nov. 23, 2024 thru Jan. 11, 2025.  Public Opening Nov 23, 1-3 pm.  * Mansion will be closed between Christmas and New Year's Day *  To purchase artworks by phone, call the Mansion gift shop at 301-581-5175.  MPSGS takes 40% commission on all sales.
Read more

Volechef

Image
Oil on Panel - 4 x 4 inches. Just before the arrival of spring in 2018, American Crows were creating a ruckus outside of my window while I was eating breakfast. Never one to miss an opportunity to explore the reason why crows are in a tizzy, the commotion led me to observe this Great Gray Owl perched in a tree just feet away from my house. It stayed low in the branches and slowly moved southbound from tree to tree. By the time I got dressed for the outdoors, the owl was perched across the road in a dense thicket, well hidden. The crows had moved on by then. The silence of the winter’s morning, except for a passerby or two, left me alone with this beautiful owl, and I was able to snap some decent photographs.  My yard has its share of voles, one of this bird’s favorite food. Vole tunnels abound and are especially visible after the first snowfall of the season, as long as it’s a light snowfall. One or two inches of snow will oftentimes display dozens of criss-crossing, irregular pat...
Read more

Boreal Mischief

Image
Oil on Panel - 4 x 4 inches.      This is an oil painting of a Canada Jay as seen in Sax-Zim Bog, MN, during a visit in January, 2022. These birds have several defining characteristics. I was struck by the number of nicknames this bird has. Whiskey Jack may be its most common nickname, a word derived from the Indigenous North American Cree word ‘Wisakedjak’ meaning “an adventurous and humorous trickster afforded prestige as a teacher to humankind. Wisakedjak is also rebellious.” (Robinson, 2018) Other nicknames include camp robber, moose bird, meat hawk, venison bird, and gorby. Gray Jay was its official name for a while, and I’ve heard that name used often.       Canada Jays live in cold climates and can be found in every Canadian province, and in higher elevations in the western United States, as well as Minnesota, Wisconsin, Upper Michigan, Maine, and New Hampshire. They are non-migratory, but occasionally irrupt southward. They will eat just about...
Read more