Freak storm...

We have had one of the coolest summers in Minnesota history...not that I am complaining. I am not one of those that likes the hot, hot, hot. It has been breezy and pleasant. But yesterday, we were hit with a HUGE thunderstorm and it dropped these quarter size pieces of hail. It was terrifying and exhilarating at the same time!!!

This is on our back porch...it was 3-4 inches deep!

Our birdbath got a little chilly!

This is our front porch...you can see how big some of the hail got. Good news is, we got a lot of much needed rain for our farmers...bad news is the hail beat the you-know-what out of our flowers and garden.

Oh, well...that is how quick things can change. I remember hail in Hollywood and in Newport Beach, so no-one is safe!

More visiting wildlife

We have a momma turkey and babies that visit every day, and even a young buck...

Look! Twins!

New visitors at the feeder this morning...

I have been a little frustrated lately with the deer eating my garden. In my experience the last few years, if I keep the feeder full, they have had no interest in the garden. Well, not this year...so I told my husband we should consider not filling the feeder until winter. Well, as of this morning, I have changed my mind! They can eat as much as they want as long as they let me take their pictures!

What do you do for fun?

Recently, John and I enrolled our two corgis, Zoe and Dakota, in an agility class. It is the perfect scenario, they get exercise running around the course and we get exercise running to keep up. As luck would have it, they really love it and we get to have some fun together with our dogs. For those of you who don't know what agility is, it is simply putting your dog through a series of obstacles including jumps, ramps, and tunnels. It is a blast and is good for a laugh or two! Just ask the one who lost her dog in a tunnel! (Yes, that would be me) I thought I would share a few pictures from last night's class of our Zoe showing her stuff. We had to sit Dakota out for this photo shoot, but we will get pictures of her next time.

We take classes at a local facility known as Elk River K9. They are a wonderful organization with great teachers and offer classes in almost everything. Their website is www.elkriverk9.com. Check them out, and if you live in the area, join us for some fun with our dogs.
(Please forgive the blurry pictures, but what can I say?...my little girl is just too fast!)

Being animal crazy starts early...

During the remodel of my studio, I came across these photos taken by my brother when I was just a wee one. As far back as I can remember, animals have played a huge role in my life. Isn't it appropriate that I would eventually become an animal artist? To the credit of my parents, they indulged me with almost anything I wanted. (Even though I never got that tiger I always wanted) And to my credit, I was not one of those kids who begged for a pet and when the "newness" wore off, stopped caring for them. Walking the dogs, playing with the cats, and grooming the horses was my pleasure. I rushed home after school to be with these friends of mine.

This is a photo of me and one of the coon dogs from the movie, "Where the Red Fern Grows". The movie was shot near the area we lived in Oklahoma and I am sure this was a promotional gig set up by the producers. I have always been a "dog" person, not that I don't like cats, but there is something about dogs that I find so endearing and I connect with.I have no idea where this was, or what horse this was, but I do know that if there was a horse looking for a passenger, I was all for it. I am sure that this pony had a dozen or more obnoxious kids on his back every day, but I am happy to be there and I am sure that I let him pack me around without any argument.

I posted these pictures only to show that as artists, we are affected by our passions and our experiences. It is obvious where my passions started and have remained.If you are a parent, I offer this advice...do not try to squash the passions, however fleeting, of your children. You have no idea where they will lead...