I Owe,I Owe, so Off to Blog I go!

In case you haven’t noticed, it has been a while since I have blogged. Well one of the protocols has caused me to develop neuropathy. They do not know if it will go away in 6 months or be permanent. It involves, numbness, tingling and pain all at the same time and has affected my hands and feet. Hubby and I have been stocking up on soft towels, and looking for some comfy socks.Most of the socks I have tried have a grain which irritates my feet. Also have started ANOTHER protocol which is oral tablets, two weeks on and two weeks off.  We go to get a blood draw tomorrow and see the oncologist a week from tomorrow. The main side effect of this protocol is abdominal pain. It is a lot milder than some of the other chemo treatments.

Even though I have had a lot of hand pain, I have tried to work through it and make some art. The first is a white charcoal on black paper. It is Ophelia from the Oasis, she is a black Lorikeet. The second one is a metal embossing of Sunny.

Ophelia

 

Sunny

Stay tuned!!!!

 

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New Year, New Art Project

So we will have a break from chemo, and hopefully the side effects will slowly start wearing off. I expected to have a lot of energy this week, but didn’t happen yet, so maybe next week. Since it is the second round, it may take just a little longer to get my mojo back, but it will come, so the next weeks are really something to look forward to. Whooo Hooo to being able to get the nasty taste out of my mouth, get rid of chemo burn and nose running constantly.

On the art front, I got one piece juried into the Glendale Arts Council Show.

Wolf Dream Catcher on Black Velvet paper, embellished with feathers, fur, leather and beads.

It is a Wolf Dreamcatcher, and will be there until Sunday, Jan 24th. The show is open daily from 10Am to 5 PM. It is at Sahuaro Ranch Park, 59 Ave & Mountain View, in the old packing building just North of the main building and rose garden.  If you live in the West Valley, you would really enjoy it, there are two rooms of great art. Speaking of Art, I have started a new project for the new year. Thinking of Christmas, I decided to make Hand Drawn Christmas Cards. If I do one a week , should have enough to send everyone on my Christmas list an original. They are 5″x7″ and will pop right into a frame, or can be matted and put into an 8″x10″ frame. SO here is a sneak preview of the first four cards.

On the pet therapy front, I got a couple of photos of Loki during our parrot therapy session. Thought you might enjoy! Oops, Loki is screaming, I mean Loki is calling me to do more parrot Therapy……Later!…..I am coming Loki……nuts, you want to be paid now…..I thought this was volunteer work……hmmmmm…

Day Interrupted…..

Bobcat

It was a normal Saturday….Ok, as normal as they get at this zoo, LOL! George was outside washing the car and taking care of the yard, the cats were all up to their usual catnaps and tricks, and the parrots….well…..were up their usual NOISY tricks when the phone rang. It was one of our Rescue and Transport volunteers, who was bringing an injured hawk here for triage and further transport to Liberty Wildlife. Our plans were all put on hold while we waited for the patient. The hawk arrived with a broken wing, apparently shot. Fluids were administered, a temporary wrap done, then another kind volunteer transported the beautiful Red Tailed Hawk on to Liberty Wildlife, where she is recouping nicely. It is wonderful that these folks will give up a part of their day off to transport an injured being over 100 miles to get medical attention… make that 200 round trip. A great big THANK YOU goes out to all of the R&T volunteers who drive so many miles to rescue wildlife!!!!

Here Kitty, Kitty…

Ripley , the African Grey has been visiting, so we have had a regular plethora of  parrot vocalizations…..luckily, I was not painting a bird while Ripley visited, so we did not have any strikes from the bird models or court cases involving wage negotiations. I think Ripley is negotiating with his Parront for more out of cage time……but there are no spoiled birds in this house, so you did not hear that from me!

SO as you can see, I got the Bobcat background in and now you are going to get a TWO FER!!! Yes, I finished the painting today and Candy is telling me to step away from the painting, LOL! So here it is, hope you enjoy…..just be glad you are not a mouse!

Half a Bubble Off

WIP#2

Today, I was lost in thought……. must be related to the forgetfulness thing, LOL! Anyway, just started thinking about the saying “he is a half a bubble off”, and suddenly realized…I are one. Yup, like when you are young, you feel young, and don’t get it when old people say they are a young person trapped in an old body…. Then one day, you wake up old, and get it…  you are one. Well, I woke up today and realized that I am a half a bubble off from the rest of the world and finally realized it…. but I have to say it is a good thing when you are here. The rest of the world just doesn’t quite get you, BUT….hey it is OK. It means you are creative, march to the tune of your own drummer, and pretty much don’t get a lot of what is going on in the world. And that can be a really good thing. It allows you to have a sense of humor about yourself and be OK with being different. But not too different…just a half a bubble off, LOL! It is nice when you find things that allow you to be like the rest of the world too! I finally found a Starbucks drink that I like since I don’t drink coffee…. now I can meet my friends at Starbucks, have a drink that doesn’t have a thousand calories. Of course that would not be possible without Starbucks cooperation in finally coming up with a drink which uses stevia to offset those high fructose sugar calories! SO there must be someone else out there who doesn’t like coffee and can’t drink a truckload of sugar, LOL! That is what keeps me from being a whole bubble off.

SO what do bubbles and Red Vented Cockatoos have in common? I don’t know, but needed something to get back to the subject of the “Work in Progress”.  Am loving working on the negative painting. Also love finding the color in a white bird. The joy and challenge of painting.

Here is the latest! Enjoy!

There’s No Place Like Home….

As much as I love going on vacation, I love coming home! It is great to get out, hike, kayak, and photograph birds, but even better to come home to my flock! They are so welcoming, even though it is a little noisy…..OK a LOT noisy….but hey, it is a happy noise. Then everyone has to be petted and reassured that we are going to stay home for a while. Then they have to have their treats and some extra scratching…….even the cats are happy we are home. The cat hair and feathers have risen to a new level, as we shovel our way through to get the laundry done and get everything back in order. Our grown up kids have done a great job of feeding and caring everyone, but the birds and cats have assured us that they are starving for treats and affection. Hubby is worn out from travel and has fallen asleep, surrounded by kitties. Yawn, think I will be joining them soon. The Wilson’s Warbler is almost done!

The Kickstarter Project has closed and was fully funded, so I will be getting prints, cards and framing done over the next few weeks. Once again, a great big “Thank You” goes out to all of my project backers!

Two – fer

Since this has been a crazy week, you get a two-fer, that is two updates in one post! The “Courting Jays” have reached the stage where Candy is saying, “Step Away From the Painting!”, so guess it is time to call it finished! It was too crazy in medical services this week to get any “cute” baby bird photos from Liberty Wildlife, so you will just get painting update photos this week! Ripley, the African grey Parrot is visiting this week, so the gourmet meal service to the parrots is in high gear. The search for the subject of the next “Blue Birds Of Happiness Series” is going on now, as I search my massive store of photos for the one that looks JUST Right to paint! In the meantime check out the finished painting while I go clean a few parrot cages and vacuum the floor……again! Hey you guys…..stop throwing that gourmet fruit salad all over…….who just spilled the water?????……No it is not time for a nut……you want a grape!?!?!??!?!??!

Ok, Dear, it is your turn to babysit!

The kids are driving me crazy! Your turn! Not even one worm?????? This painting needs a cute name, and even though I have been cogitating, nothing is coming through! Ideas are being accepted – If you have a cute name for this painting, PLEASE feel free to suggest one! The 112 degree heat has fried my brain, LOL. Weeeeeellllll….Candy is telling me to step away from the painting, so for now the Woody’s are done.

It is that time of the year again……….I will be doing a kickstarter project in the next few weeks to help pay for prints and cards of the upcoming “Blue Birds of Happiness” series, so stay tuned! Details to follow. In the meantime – stay cool!

Eye, Eye, Sir!

Or is that Aye, aye, Sir. At any rate, it is time to step away from the painting and see if there are some areas that need more work.  So aye will leave this piece sitting on the easel for a couple of days and if everything still looks good, will sign it. Wishing all of you and your flocks a very HAPPY New Year filled with lots of fun stuff!

Meep Meep! About Done!

The roadrunner is about done and so am I! Had to have a colonoscopy this week, and all that prep work has exhausted me. Glad it is over!! It is rough getting older – even though I am still only 49 again, LOL. As soon as this blog is done it is DEFINITELY nap time! Whew! How do you people over 50 do it! All those tests and Dr visits just to stay healthy. Well, as they say….it IS better than the alternative. Candy is catching up with me on her “Wooly Bear” painting, so I have to hurry and get this posted, wouldn’t have anything to tease her about if she finishes first, LOL! Hubby was extra nice and fed the velociraptors their breakfast this AM, so I could get some extra rest before being put to sleep for the procedure. They hear me typing, so think I will not see them making their way to my drawing table to start the chewing festival with my brushes and pencils. AHA! Caught you! OK, back to the play stands! What do you mean Dad did not give you enough nuts? Hey George, how many nuts did you give Loki? That many?!?!?! Hmmmmmmm………better get the scales out……someone may need to go on a little diet and exercise program. OK…parrots, line it up! let’s start with jumping jacks……hup…two….three……four. What do you mean you can’t do jumping jacks? Ok push ups……..hup…… two……jog around the room fifty times….no – JOG!…….Ok fly…….Camp Beenie in session…….out!

Meep! Meep! Almost done!!

The roadrunner is done, the masking has just been taken off of the prickly pear thorns, so still have to spend some time finishing up the stickers! Going cuckoo this week with projects to get finished, LOL! News flash from Liberty Wildlife, the juvenile Condor who has been recovering is doing well and has gone back to the Vermillion Cliffs to be released later in September! It is always awesome to see a bird be released back into the wild! School is starting back up, the traffic is getting heavier and the orphan birds are almost grown, bringing another Arizona summer to an end. Now if the temperatures would just follow along and drop a little, we would appreciate a little relief from the heat! Hey, but that is why we live in ARIZONA!