Fuzzy cows and petite paintings

It was another cold morning. The thought of getting up and out of my warm nest of a bed to milk a cow is not that appealing. Yet, something happens once I've entered the  milking shed with Sally Belle. Her eager and hilarious cow sized appetite, the big brown eyes pleading for me to be quicker with her food. Her size is intimidating and she calms me by relaxing herself. She allows me to snuggle up, bury my face into her warm flank to keep my ears from freezing. And as I settle into a milking rhythm, my cares wash away. It's become my morning meditation time and I can't imagine a better way to spend a cold morning.

So please let me introduce you to Sally Belle. Normally she's a sleek, sexy, supermodel of a bovine. The cold has prompted her winter fur tho, and she has more of a "fozzy bear" then supermodel thang going for her.

Crummy pics, I know. Cows don't get out of bed to have their picture taken for less then 10,000 a day. Ruminants, what can you do???

Back inside I find a warm corner and play with some painting ideas. I found some beautiful chandelier  crystals at the flea market. They're heavy, domed with a flat side, perfect for a small painting. I lucked out and found some silver fittings at Micheal's. The painting under the chandelier charm is a woodpecker dressed as Mary Queen of Scots. I didn't realize till I was done, how much it reminds me of a Ricahard Scarry Illustration. I adore his style. I grew up with books of driving dogs and dapper farm and woodland creatures

The chickadee painting mounted under a fisheye paperweight was one of those "hey, I did good" moments. So, pleased with myself and the chickadee, I decides to paint another. 

At 4x5 it the smallest canvas I've ever painted. Speaking of the canvas, I've had it for years. It was old when I bought it at a garage sale. It's remained blank all those years, I was too scared to paint on that blank perfectness...just waiting for a chickadee I guess.