Amber

I have a few paintings up at the Museum of the Earth for the next few months. They have an amber exhibit, which is supposed to be spectacular.

A few years ago I went into the scary-yet-fascinating basement archives at the Paleontological Research Institute (associated with the Museum), and did some oil paintings based on sketches I made in their collections. These two paintings will be behind the welcome desk at the museum for the duration of the exhibit. A detail from one of them is shown here. The gift shop will also be selling notecards of this image!

Friends who read my blog

I just spent a great weekend in Pennsyltucky with some of my awesome college friends. We got together to see my friend Karen's play...she's the one on the left...she directed a bunch of high school students in a pretty amazing rendition of Cinderella.

So that's me on the right, the short one. It was a gorgeous and we tramped around Valley Forge, meeting dogs and enjoying the sunshine. I love my friends.

I also learned that some of you read my blog without me knowing it...thanks! You know who you are.

Chicken gossip!

Enough about art, I know you just want to hear about the chickens.

Lots going on in the ol' hencoop lately! The flock is back up to 6 birds as of last wednesday. Here's a photo of the new residents, who are 4-month old adolescent chicks. Left to right, they are Edna (Barred Rock), Florence (Rhode Island Red), and the mysterious as-yet-unnamed Black Rock. I've been debating whether that one is a rooster because of the colorful feathers and larger size...but apparently Black Rocks are sex-linked and the males are a totally different color. So she must just be on her way to being a giant hen. They should start laying in January. It's fun having cute little younger birds, I've been picking them up a lot so they get used to being handled and will hopefully grow up to be friendly hens who hang out with me in the garden like the original flock. I have opened the coop door for them for the first time today, so we'll see if they go out.

As for the older birds, lots has been going on there too. The huge Australorpes (Ida Mae and Pauline) started venturing out and following Clara around, and they started laying again. Last week, however, before the new chicks arrived, one of the neighbor's dogs got loose and chased the girls around....one of the neighbor children handed poor traumatized Pauline to me after getting her away from the dog (she was fine, just scared), Clara came back by dark, and Ida Mae spent a night outside the coop.

Clara (the lone survivor of the original flock) is making up for her time as the low chick on the totem pole. She's definitely turning into the alpha hen. She's putting on some weight, pecking the new girls, and showing the Australorpes how things are done around here.

How to spend your weekend

Just lit the woodstove, and enjoying the thin November sunshine for a few moments before plunging back into work. As I might have mentioned in my last post (but I don't really remember), my business has become more busy-ness lately. 'Tis the season, etc etc.

Let me fill you in on two upcoming events:

First, the Holiday Spirit Store is opening on Friday night! That's tomorrow evening, from 5-7, during Gallery Night downtown. Everyone in the store is scrambling madly around getting their displays and products ready, and Alice and Werner have been complete creative angels is pulling together a cohesive story and look to the place. Alice has a cool photo on her blog. Please come out, it is not just a great place to support local artists and find unique gifts, but almost a theatre experience. You can find more information here, regarding hours and such.

Second, the capoeira group I am part of is hosting an event this weekend in Ithaca! Oh, I am so excited! Three days of capoeira, our group's mestre is coming to visit and play, and there are music and movement workshops all weekend. The exciting part for YOU is that we're having an open roda on Saturday evening, from 5-7 at the the Bethel Grove Community Center...which is free and open to the public. If you're curious what this whole Brazilian martial art / dance thing is that I'm always talking about, please stop in and watch up play, you'll be amazed. More info on our website. I screened some cool t-shirts for the event, which you can get there too.

So now that I've filled your day with lots of links and calendar events, I must be off to cut some more mats and pack up some more cards. I'm looking forward to winter when I can paint again!