The sun is shining today! The thick veil of dirty cotton in the sky has finally parted, opening the stage for a brilliant blue sky spilling forth abundant sunshine! And I am totally loving every minute of it, as a matter of fact, I have situated my green metal lounge chair in the one sunny spot on our front deck, angling it towards the sun and here I lie, blissfully engulfed in natural warmth! You see the sun has been absent once again for the past several days, so when it’s allowed to show itself once again, one must take full advantage of this delightful opportunity.
The birds are enjoying it as well, and they’ve arranged themselves like feathered ornaments in a bare tree nearby, while they sit and hammer away on sunflower seeds carefully held between their tiny feet. Even our resident screech owl Shivers pokes her face out toward the sun like a fluffy red sunflower, eyes closed, obviously feeling as indulgent as I am by this gift of warmth and brightness. You see, it seems like here in the Smokies this year, a winter day offering a clear blue sky and abundant sunshine is quite rare, so each one is truly a gift!
My Carolina Wren Peedeepeeps fusses nearby trying to convince me he needs more mealworms placed in his bowl, but I must admit I have melted and in my state of sun-absorbing bliss, can’t seem to ply myself from my sunny spot to go and get him some. So for now, he’ll have to be patient and wait a little while longer. The other birds knowing that a sunny day such as this is not one to be taken for granted or wasted, have obviously greatly enjoyed bathing in their favorite birdbath as it’s nearly empty, with the surrounding deck floor looking like a watery Jackson Pollock. I even saw a honeybee visiting the cheery bright faces of my pansies growing in a pot on the front deck.
This time of year here, the sun is angled low enough that it makes one wonder when mid-day is ever going to come and then before you know it the day has passed and the sun is setting again, seeming that noontime never came. It’s the strangest thing to me, but alas winter solstice is coming very soon and then every day thereafter, my beloved sun will start inching its way back up into the sky to where it will once again be shining abundantly on our front deck, a day which I greatly anticipate!
It snowed one night this past week and we awoke to trees blanketed in white, it was a most beautiful scene, especially when the sun came out pairing the trees outlined in white against the brilliant blue sky. By afternoon most of it in our yard had melted except for on the back deck, where the snow turned to ice and stubbornly remained for several days filling me with great trepidation each time I went out to feed the birds and squirrels, being sure I didn’t go on an unplanned trip!
~ In The Studio ~
In the studio, it’s toasty and warm, where I’m currently painting on a piece I’ll be sharing with you later. Wes finished his last painting in a collection of miniature songbirds that is comprised of 6 paintings. The set will debut at the 38th Southeastern Wildlife Exposition this coming February.
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~ See Our Miniatures In Person This Week ~
86th Annual International Exhibition of Fine Art in Miniature
Until January 5, 2020: The Mansion at Strathmore, Bethesda, MD
In the Tradition of Audubon Exhibition
Until January 5, 2020: Cincinnati Museum Center, Cincinnati, OH
Society of Animal Artists’ 59th Annual Art & The Animal Exhibition
Until January 5, 2020: The Briscoe Western Art Museum, San Antonio, TX
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Until Next Time . . .
~ Rachelle
Under the Magnifying Glass 