This gallery contains 42 photos.
Originally posted on THE FORESTER ARTIST:
It’s her first birthday. For a while we didn’t think she’d make it to this one. We’re sure happy she did. Click on a picture to see the full-sized gallery. Sorry there are so…
Thirty seconds to brighten your day.
WIP – 1
“Food Chain”
In honor of Squirrel Appreciation Day, I’d like to share a work in progress. This year, I’m donating an original watercolor to the SCLC Lumberjack Banquet & Education Auction They raise funds for much-needed resource education programs.
I’ll keep you posted on the progress.
Tim and I see quite a few black bear while out and about. This young sow (see her ear to head ratio and shape of her face) was covered in burrs.
Mary and I were driving into camp last summer and were approaching a little creek. As we rounded a bend in the road, this bear burst out of the blackberry bushes. It ran across the road in front of us and stopped in the blackberries about 30 feet away. I stopped the truck. It stared at us and we stared back. It appeared to be a young bear. It stayed there for a good 3 or 4 minutes while we took pictures. This bear was covered in burrs. unfortunately, that comes with this territory. 
Wild black bears usually run, but this one didn’t. Maybe, being a young bear it was curious. We’ve seen that before, “Curious Young Bear.” We also suspected that it might be a sow and she had a cub that was still below the road. Perhaps, she wasn’t leaving her baby.
Maybe, it was hoping we might stay and pick all those…
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Everyone needs a hug now and then. Tasha and one of her 2-day-old puppies. Too cute.
Six boys in under seven years. The fact that she still has her sanity is proof she has been sneaking bliss.
Everywhere I look, I see evidence of naysayers being cast aside.
Little expressions of what brings her joy are on display in this corner or that.
Mementos from family trips.
Her family wall of portraits, young and old.
A shelf full of children’s books.
Her garden is a masterpiece transformed to greatness by her culinary prowess. Yes, she is that good.
Perhaps the greatest evidence of bliss is a beautiful trillium painting, her painting, hanging in the den.
The most recent picture of us. She graciously tagged along while I was shooting research pictures at San Francisco Zoo. Tim snapped a few shots with his phone.
I treasure her presence in my life. Not only because she is the mother of the man who holds my heart, but the woman to woman wisdom she brings to our relationship is immeasurable. I have benefited greatly from her experience.
It is only fitting that every so often her birthday occurs on Thanksgiving.
Happy Birthday Mom,
Love,
Mary
“Trillium” by Norma Livingston
Thank you, Tim, for the update!
One of the remaining osprey keeps watch from a nearby oak tree.
The surviving ospreys have seemed to rally this week after the helicopter incident I blogged about last week, Wild Wednesday … A Death In The Family. For most of the week only one young osprey was in the nest. It occasionally left, but would return later. It sat in the nest calling for food.
The young osprey waits.
After a few days, I saw the second young bird return. Then both called.
The other young osprey awkwardly comes in for a landing.
Waiting patiently for breakfast.
Eventually, I saw the parent osprey. She came in with a fish for the young birds, but didn’t give it to them. She flew to the edge of the tower and started calling the fledglings. When the youngster moved toward her, she lifted off and flew up river. She was training her…
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Senseless… If you’ve been following Tim’s Blog (The Forester Artist), no doubt you’ve enjoyed his posts about the Osprey family living near his work. This update breaks my heart.
This osprey put it all on the line defending its young, and paid for it.
Sorry, no wildflowers this week, only a sad story. If you’ve followed my blog for a while you may have seen some of my posts about the ospreys that nest and raise their young on a large electrical tower at our mill site. The tower, perched near the Sacramento River, overlooks prime fishing habitat. These birds are practically mascots for our operation. Almost without fail ospreys raise two offspring in the tower nest every year and have done so for decades.
The osprey family 2015, just a week before the tragic incident.
However, a week ago last Monday, while in our office we heard the sound of a low-flying helicopter. This isn’t unusual except for the helicopter wasn’t just flying over. It was lingering. I strained to look out my window to see the helicopter, but…
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Oh No! Baby-O
When a dog frightens mama opossum, Baby-O flings from her mama’s back and begins an exciting adventure.
Our local wildlife rescue organization, Shasta Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation (SWRR), holds an Annual Open House and Baby Shower event at Anderson River Park, in Anderson, CA. Educational animals will be on hand and there’ll be activities for children. Tim and I will be there as well.
My first introduction to SWRR was over 20 years ago when a turkey vulture fledgling took up residence in our henhouse. A few years later I discovered a mama opossum roadkill with live babies still in her pouch along our little country road. In each instance, SWRR volunteers gathered the young and cared for them until they were able to make it on their own in the wild.
Shasta Wildlife Rescue volunteer feeds an orphaned baby opossum.
A few years back, Karlene Stoker (SWRR volunteer), asked if I would write a story about a baby opossum. Karlene does a lot of opossum rehabilitation in her role as a volunteer. She figured if I could make turkey vultures sympathetic in No Place for Ugly Birds, then a sympathetic story about a baby opossum wouldn’t be too far of a stretch.
Thus, Oh No! Baby-O was conceived. Oh, No! Baby-O has it’s official release/birthday later this summer (August 2015). But today, there’s a special surprise at the SWRR Open House and Baby Shower. A limited number of advanced copies will go on sale as a fundraiser for SWRR! Isn’t that exciting!
So, if you’re in the area, come on by. Don’t forget your Orphaned Baby Animal Shower gift. Here’s a list.
Why bring a shower gift?
First, this is one of the ways SWRR is supported.
Second, all persons bringing gifts will be entered into a drawing for this piece of original art.
Baby Opossum in Dogwood Blossom – Donated original painting for Shasta Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation.
The drawing will be held at 1 p.m.
I hope to see you there!
Tim announced the news today…our new puppy has been born. It will be several more weeks before she joins us. She is grand-pup to my Hawk.
It’s been almost a year since Blitz passed. Soon after, I did this portrait of her as a bit of art therapy.
Our new girl golden retriever puppy was born on the 6th. She will be coming home in about six weeks. I can’t wait.
Our new baby is in there somewhere. She’s the cute one. Photo courtesy of Susan Liptak.
It just so happens her Grandmother, Gracie, is staying with us for awhile. In fact, at this moment she is putting a stuffed toy wolverine in my lap and asking for me to throw it for her. She’s staying with us while I’m running her in the Junior Hunt Tests for her owner and personal friend, Sally. Blitz was Gracie’s cousin.
Gracie is schmoozing for a retrieve with a stuffed wolverine. I think the wolverine is well loved.
This weekend we attended the Marin Retriever Club Hunt Test in…
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Sneaking Bliss 