It's A Boy!

We've determined that dear Phoenix is actually a rooster. He crows at 6:30 am quite reliably and again around 7:30 am and often fires off around 2 pm. We are going to find him a new home in a rooster rescue facility out in Dublin. I'm sure the neighbors will appreciate it! We'll be sad to lose him but we can't have a million little chickies running around.

Here is Vesper, she is a hen:

New Stuff Posted!

At long last, I have posted some new pieces in my Etsy shop! Let's hope some fellow chicken lovers are shopping around for some new art. I am busily at work on a new series of prints featuring strips cut from old books and adverts. Also, I am going to burn a few screens using the photos snapped during the Gilman tracks crawl a few weeks back. Should be great!

"Prinsty"

A fellow Etsyian, Amie Roman, has created a blog specifically for Etsy's print making artist community. She was nice enough to invite me to join and I am just thrilled. My interview will be posted in April. Her Blogroll is a great resource for both inspiration and great prints.
Check it out:
http://printsy.blogspot.com/

Hell's Bells, it's 2010!

I'm back with a renewed pledge to post with more frequency! The holidays are past and it's back to reality and...ART (let's hope). I entangled myself in a conversation about New Year's resolutions at a party a few weeks back and ever since I've been pondering my lack of resolve. Past resolutions have included: Have Better Posture, Be Nice and Keep Clutter at Bay. None of these little promises have really taken hold (though I'm mostly nice). This year, I think I'll keep it simple with "Make More Art."


Here are the chickens feasting on cottage cheese and oats:
Phoenix is still in charge and has begun asserting her status as head of the pecking order with 6 am "crowing". Being a hen, she is not truly crowing but I suspect the neighbors might not like her noise making.

I couldn't sleep so I got up at 5 am, made a pot of coffee and here I am creating a monster TO DO list. I am working backward from Xmas Day and jotting down everything that is flying around in my head --just a day by day, blow by blow list of what needs to happen when. I feel like things are going to fall through the cracks if I don't get it written down NOW. I'm fine with all the planning and party-having but the shopping just kills me. iTunes gift cards for everyone!

Snow in the Berkeley Hills

Yesterday morning we woke up to snow! OK, not a lot of the stuff but enough to ball up and throw. It was a gorgeous, chilly morning. 3 of the chickens stayed in the nesting house for the night and 3 stayed on the roost out in the run. Crazy birds! They seemed happy as could be to have their feathers fluffed up by a little snow.

The sun is out today but it is still cold and crisp. The newspaper mentioned that it snowed at this elevation back in February of 1976. My family moved to the East Bay in May of '76 so I missed that snow fall. Wouldn't it be spectacular to have snow for the holidays?














Here are some photos from last week's picture-snapping jaunt down by the train tracks near Gilman Street. I am so pleased with how the pics came out. I love the rough and tumbleness of the images. I am planning to use some of the backgrounds and graffiti for some screen prints. Stay tuned!

Prepping for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is the best of all holidays. Food, Scrabble, fine wine and pie. Leftover stuffing is my raison d'etre. I don't eat turkey but with my love of all starches, it promises to be a delicious day. I have a lot to be grateful for--let's hope I can focus on that in my carb-induced stupor!