"The Trapper" by Rachelle 3 1/4 X 2 1/4 inches

        I finished my miniature portrait of our artist friend John Phelps, “The Trapper”, this past week. I also enjoyed painting another pendant size painting titled “My Pink Peony” and wore it to the opening of the Blossom exhibition in Spartanburg a couple of weeks ago. Painting a piece to be worn as jewelry is a nice side benefit of being a miniature artist indeed. Wes is currently painting a miniature of an Arctic Fox and I’m going to start on something new.

"My Pink Peony" by Rachelle is 1 1/4 inches.

      The yard has been continuously filled with birds and critters enjoying the available edible goodies. The Squirrels, Robins and Cardinals are greatly enjoying the Mulberries. Since, unfortunately, most of the berries are far out of my reach, I am quite thankful that someone is getting to enjoy them! I have been picking up berries that have been knocked to the ground daily, and have been feeding them to Boxy, the Box Turtle. She seems to think they are like manna from heaven, falling from the Apple Tree, and refuses to move from that general vicinity. It’s so cute to watch her chomp down and devour a generous pile of berries in minutes!

Boxy the Box Turtle, chowing down on fresh Mulberries.

       It’s been a joy and a treat to daily feed Dovecakes, the sweet Dove, shelled sunflower seeds. I kneel or sit in the rocking chair on the back porch, and toss out a couple of seeds. She happily comes and eats them as well as the little piles I put down for her by my feet. It’s so amazing to view these gorgeous birds up close as they display the most beautiful iridescent pink colors on their necks. The other day while feeding Dovecakes, I was visited by Chippy the Chipmunk and Baby Bob (a baby squirrel with a bobbed tail).

Me feeding Dovecakes on the back porch.

           Peedeepeeps, the Carolina Wrens, are the proud parents of five very healthy and hungry little babies. While sitting in my rocking chair, I’m continually entertained and visited by the Wrens as they walk and hop underneath my chair and between my feet and look up at me as if to say “seen any good bugs around lately?” It’s most precious however, when they return with a bug in beak and sit close by and sing their melodious song as if to announce the fact of their return with this amazing find for the babies. This occurs many times over, throughout my duration on the porch. Occasionally, bug meals are substituted with the easily accessible peanut crunchies. They are most personable and precious! We’ve also been blessed to have a baby bunny the size of our fist, living in the yard.

Baby bunny visits Wes at the fornt door, while I enjoy a concert by Peedeepeeps as I pull weeds.

        Today Wes and I enjoyed a beautiful hike in the Smokies. We were blessed with incredibly gorgeous weather and many treats throughout the journey. I’ll share photos and stories form today next week.

Until next time ~ Rachelle