Long-eared Owl

This curious fellow is another from my "Endangered Species" series.

Long-eared owls are more nocturnal than any other North American owl species. When disturbed, he will raise his ear tufts, compress his feathers tightly against his body and freeze, mimicking tree bark or a broken limb. Should he decide to fly the coop, he will take off with his ear tufts flattened against his head. But of course I will never see this, as I will be fast asleep.

Oil on canvas, 40" x 30"

It's Always Darkest Before

.....spring! I do think it's coming! I smelled it in the air when I opened the back door, and somewhere a bird sang a few notes. I know I shouldn't even declare such news, I'm sure to put a jinx on the whole affair. It's only mid-Janury after all. I'm off to the studio. Eventually I'll post some artwork, but for now my eyes are glued to the sky.

Reflections of a New Day

The theater of sunrise continues in my little backyard. Early this morning I opened the back door to let Suzi out, and I loved seeing the neighbor's house reflecting the sky, and the glowing green of the fence posts. What a great way to start my day!

Frosty Sunrise

The holidays are over. Hallelujah! Let the New Year begin! I'm so ready for it. I'm not so ready for this dreadful cold winter, though. This morning's sunrise was a brief treat and a good way to start another cold morning. The temperature? Minus eleven, but with the windchill factor it feels like minus twenty-five degrees. That's a good 57 degrees below the freezing mark. Welcome to Minnesota. Come for the culture, stay and your car won't start.