Wren House Wednesday

Wren House Cove, Drozda 2010 

Many years ago I began to ask the Muses for my home "in nature, on water, where I could do my work." As mentioned recently, I am now in my 14th year at beautiful Wren House.

Osprey Roost, Drozda 2010

I have a love affair going on with raptors. It lifts my spirit each time I see the swoop, soar or sit of a hawk, eagle, owl or Turkey Vulture. I know that we as humans can solve any problem because in the 70's, thanks to Rachel Carson, and her 1962 classic Silent Spring we learned that DDT was the cause of the near extinction of many of these large hunters. Ingesting fish contaminated with the poison caused the eggshells to crush under the weight of the nesting parents. Now I give thanks every day for those who 'think different' and visualize what's possible. And I am so deeply grateful that I live with these beauties floating high above the house calling to one another, training their young to fish and sitting here in the tallest pine at water's edge.

Great Blue, Drozda 2010

Here in the same pine tree, a few boughs lower roosts a Great Blue Heron. There are actually three of them in this tree at the time this shot was taken...they don't usually hang out together so I'm guessing it was a family unit.

Canada Geese and Guard, Drozda 2010

And here closer to the ground we have this years brood of Canada Geese goslings. There are many more of them too. At any given time, during this time of year, I can look to the garden and the side yards to see the newbies being brought up to graze the lawns and forage under the feeders. You might be wondering about the large White Goose. She's a guard goose that lives with the resident Canadas. She is always near by. Year after year every spring when the eggs hatch the babies imprint on her just as they do their parents and she protects them vigorously from all threats, including:

Reynard, Drozda, 2010

Dear Reynard...who just wants to be about the business of feeding her brood.

So there you have a little stroll about 'The Wren' on a Wednesday afternoon.

~May you sing the day

Thank You: Mother Earth day

Rynard Drozda 2009

18x36 inches

upcycled materials

This piece is inspired by last year's mystical and fleeting encounters with Red Fox.

I like this little poem from Jamie Sams Medicine Cards to go with todays Earth Day theme:

Fox...where are you? Under the ferns? Becoming the forest, So I can learn?
Are you watching, invisible to me? Trying to teach me, to become a tree?

                                                                                         My Favorite Tree

In honor of Mother Earth Day I thought to share with you a great program for artists to take part in at no cost and with wonderful inspiration provided  as a result. The National Wildlife Federation Backyard Wildlife Habitat program. It can be accessed to register land at home, school, campus or business.

National Wildlife Federation certificate of participation

Once you download the National Wildlife Backyard Habitat application form and fill it out it's as easy as that. If accepted the land recieves a number designating its place in the national registry. The certificate pictured above is what you receive. For a small fee...you can also have a lovely metal sign to display in your yard. We installed ours on the post in the front yard and added the bird sculpture, nice touch don'tcha think? It's always quite wonderful to see how many people walking or riding their bikes past the house stop to read the sign.

 Wren House/Studio

We're fortunate to caretake an acre of forested land along the edge of a beautiful lake with eighbors who also appreciate and encourage conditions for good stewardship of the land.

We've had Red Fox living near us for many years. Catching a glimpse of their etheric beauty moving through in the low light of dusk or dawn is always a thrill. However this spring the gang has arrived and we are literally sharing the day with them as you can see from the pictures I took this morning.

 

Two of Four Drozda April 21, 2010

Wildlife Crossing Drozda April 21, 2010

Temporary Den Drozda April 21, 2010 

Mom Drozda April 21, 2010

 
Perhaps you will take a look around your homestead to see if you have habitat, food, and water available to support songbirds or larger critters. That can mean a small yard with feeders and a birdbath or something more.

Everyone needs a safe place of refuge and there is so much that we can each do, in our own unique artistic way, to help all sentient beings.

Happy Mother Earth Day all over the world.

~Sing the Day

SPCA Animal Artz

The Virgina Beach SPCA will be having a fundraiser and there is a call for art made from recyclables for an exhibition titled 'Once is Not Enough'.

I'm throwing my hat into the ring with these three entries. The Jack Russell is fashioned after my pup Valentine. The 'rac-a-wan' is to honor my friend Sir John and his band of bandits living in his back yard for 16 years. And the fox to express my delight and surprise when, last week, an adolescent followed Val and I down the dark winding road for more than a quarter of a mile, right to our driveway....curious of us as we were of him.

All are made from recycled materials, the fox has wisteria seed eyes and nose.

'Val' 12" high x 25" long: plastic shopping bags, cereal boxes, paper towel rolls, brown paper bags.

'Fox' 13" high x 19" long: plastic shopping bags, cereal boxes, brown paper bags, wisteria seeds

'Racawan' 7.5" high x 30" long: plastic shopping bags, cereal boxes, brown paper bags, toilet paper rolls, found rubber discs

All are painted with Acrylics.