To Reno and back

Oh man, I gotta catch up on blogging!

A couple weekends ago Jen and I went to Reno for a poultry show. First show of the season. I took ten birds, all Black Breasted Red. I'm pleased to have that many good BBReds to be showing this season, and would like to show a good "string" all season, plus probably some of the Brassy Backs as well. We were anticipating some possible bad weather but things turned out just fine, and it was a pretty drive. I had a good time at the show, it was nice to see people!

The birds took Best and Reserve of Breed, though they were the only Rosecombs there, so that's kind of a given. ;-) I don't expect many big wins in my immediate future since I'm not showing Blacks anymore. But, my goal is to get the BBReds good enough that they can win big again! I'm pleased with how they are looking.

Some pics from the drive and from the show:

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving tomorrow (or today, in some parts of the country). I hope you get to spend the day with people who put a smile on your face.  :-)

The Greatest Generation project

At the 2012 Colt Collectors Association show, last month, the "Greatest Generation" Colt 1911 won the Howard Dove award, and also Best Single Weapon, 1946-Present.  The latter is not an award that is given every year, but rather is given as the judges see fit.  It has been getting some huge attention and is going to get some huge publicity.  The professional photos have not yet been publicly released, though I have been given permission to share one (and only one!) of them here.  It wasn't easy to pick one, of course I want you to see everything, but this has everything.  The gun, the knife, the gorgeous case, the awards, and the art that I created for the top slide.  I am so proud and honored to be a part of this!

The project will be shown at the Firearms Engravers Guild of America show in Reno in January of 2013.  I may have permission to leak another photo or two before then, but I think it's pretty much staying under wraps until the big public release!

Michael Dubber, Evansville, Indiana - Master Engraver

Katherine Plumer, Oak Run, California -  Scrimshander

Larry Downing, Bremen, Kentucky – Custom Made Knife

Doug Turnbull, Bloomfield, New York - Final Finish

Les Yoder, Coopersville, Michigan - Custom Case

scenes from today

I hadn't been out on a long hike for probably about a month.  Lately any snippet of "spare time" has gone to the chicken coop, and of course the time change makes it impossible to accomplish anything outdoors after dinner anymore.  Busy busy busy.  I've also been less inclined to be out and about on my own because the cooler weather may bring about different big hairy creatures in the forest.  And while I am not yet adequately equipped to deal with big hairy predators (soon, working on that...), no cool animals will get near me when I'm carrying The Beast camera, so taking it along was the next best thing.

So the leaves are falling, and the grass is growing.  You can practically see it grow.  Does that seem weird?  Other parts of the country do that in spring.  By the end of May, if not sooner, the grass will all be dead again.

Anyway...

November 1 work in progress

October 24 work in progress

A lack of work-in-progress pics doesn't always indicate a lack of work in progress.  Unfortunately, lately that has been the case, I've hardly had any time.  Not good!  It's feeling like a mad rush to get that danged chicken house finished before winter weather sets in permanently, and before show season start.  I'm just so slow!  I've been spending lots of whole days out there and then I stand back and think "that's all I got done?!"  It's already been rainy, so I'm sincerely hoping that all my nice young cockerels (still down in Wilton) are still going to be in show condition, because the first show is coming up in just a few weeks.  I'm hoping to bring up some of the birds next week so I can show, we'll see how it goes.  I so badly just want the whole thing to be finished!!!  It's getting there, and looking good!

Anyway, I finally am getting in a pretty good day in the studio today and finished up the bird and fence rail.  Next up is the background.  This is shaping up to be quite pretty!  :-)

not yet titled (I need to think of something!  Dale, got any ideas?)
colored pencil and graphite on gray Stonehenge paper
8 by 11 inches
sold, custom

saw the hawk again!!!!

I was walking back to the barn to eat lunch and there it was, soaring overhead!  So I ran for my camera!  (This is the only time I ever run, by the way, to get my camera).  ;-)

Again, it was really high, so these are NOT great pics, but this is enough to say absolutely yes it's a leucistic red-tailed hawk.  COOL!  Now if it would just come perch on the dead tree outside my bedroom window...

back to captcha

I'm fed up with comment spam.  I'm going back to the word verification.  I know one of you out there hates it.  Sorry.  Can't please everyone all the time but I am OVERWHELMED with comment spam ever since I took away the word verification.  Blogger is really good about not publishing it on the blog, but for some reason they still email every single one, and it's a lot, every day.

For anyone who doesn't know what I'm talking about, it just means you have to type in that nonsense word when you comment.  Since hardly anyone comments, this shouldn't be a big deal, and most people find it to be a minor annoyance at the worst.

Apologies to whoever it annoys, but I'm tired of being the annoyed one.

[grumpy]

bird nerd alert!

So I'd just gotten back from the post office this afternoon, parked the car, and happened to catch a glimpse of a mostly-white bird of prey flying high over the pasture.  I immediately thought "white tailed kite" but when I actually turned and looked at it, OMG that was no kite.  It was big, soaring, and not marked correctly.  I got out and stared at it.  And stared some more, and was absolutely totally stumped.  Nearly white, some dark markings, but no recognizable pattern.  Soaring, and at least the size of a red tailed hawk.  I'm pretty good at bird ID but this didn't fit any description.  Pale ferruginous hawk maybe?  But even the back looked nearly white, which didn't seem right...  I figured my only hope, lacking any sort of "photographic memory" was to get my camera and try to get a pic.

I ran to the barn, had to change lenses, had to change the battery, and by the time I got downstairs again it was nowhere to be seen.  Dang it!  Oh, but there it was!  Waaaaayyyy up there in the sky, just a little white dot.  I shot a bunch of photos, most of which are blurry white specks, but even as crappy as they are, it's enough to see random dark feathers, asymmetrical markings, and a lack of any normal ID marks.

Best guess is that this is a partial-albino red tailed hawk.  I sent the pics to a friend whose judgement I trust when it comes to birds of prey.  Doing a little more research this evening, I've read that albinism is found in red tails.  I really hope to see this bird again, when I happen to have The Beast camera in hand!  Whatever it is, it's totally unlike anything I've ever seen.

October 12 work in progress

not yet titled (Buff Laced Polish)

colored pencil and graphite on gray Stonehenge paper

8 by 11 inches

sold, custom commission