Zenbirder - living alongside nature

[punkin]

That set is very intricate (sp) work. How long did that particular set take you to finish?

 

[Beekissed]

I love your portrait!!! So lifelike and full of character....almost like Norman Rockwell! Very much talent and some should be passed over to us little talented folks, just to be fair!

 

[FarmerChick]

nice pics, the portrait is awesome.
like KOxxx said, you seem normal to me too..LOL

 

[Zenbirder]

Red or green?

Red only occasionally, Green about 120 lbs. in the freezer for two people for one year! Sometimes it is green three meals a day.

 

[Zenbirder]

We decided this morning to take down all but one hummingbird feeder. We have not seen a hummer since Tuesday, we will still keep one small feeder up for stragglers. It is always a relief when the hummers leave. We only have 3 or 4 pair that breed here, no problem. But starting in July and really through August and September we host a lot of birds. It is common to see 60 or more at a time. They come this far south from nesting somewhere north, and park with us for the rest of the summer. I think we went through 40 to 50 lbs. of sugar for them this year. They were down slightly from last year, but perhaps that was just because there was more natural food available due to our abundant rains. Last yeat we peaked a two gallons of hummer food a day, this year it was about 1 1/2 gallons. It is a challenge for the two of us to keep the feeders filled and deal with all that sticky sugar water and ants. We have Black-chinned, Broad-tailed, Rufous and Calliope as the most common. In the mornings you can stand outside with a feeder in your hands and they will light on your fingers. It can be a real pain to make sure all doors stay shut or you have to catch them back out of the greenhouse or shop. It is so funny when the come up about 6 inches away from my nose and chitter at me! So bye bye hummers for another winter.

 

[keljonma]

We decided this morning to take down all but one hummingbird feeder. We have not seen a hummer since Tuesday, we will still keep one small feeder up for stragglers. It is always a relief when the hummers leave. We only have 3 or 4 pair that breed here, no problem. But starting in July and really through August and September we host a lot of birds. It is common to see 60 or more at a time. They come this far south from nesting somewhere north, and park with us for the rest of the summer. I think we went through 40 to 50 lbs. of sugar for them this year. They were down slightly from last year, but perhaps that was just because there was more natural food available due to our abundant rains. Last yeat we peaked a two gallons of hummer food a day, this year it was about 1 1/2 gallons. It is a challenge for the two of us to keep the feeders filled and deal with all that sticky sugar water and ants. We have Black-chinned, Broad-tailed, Rufous and Calliope as the most common. In the mornings you can stand outside with a feeder in your hands and they will light on your fingers. It can be a real pain to make sure all doors stay shut or you have to catch them back out of the greenhouse or shop. It is so funny when the come up about 6 inches away from my nose and chitter at me! So bye bye hummers for another winter.

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb194/zenbirder/Misc366-1.jpg

What a GREAT shot! Just awesome!

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Ok, first, your artwork is so beautiful! I love it!

Second, I hope you got the gate figured out with the deer. The fawns must have been a beautiful sight to behold!

And, what a beautiful picture of the hummingbirds at your feeder! We have a hummingbird feeder, but only ever saw one hummingbird around it. Nothing like what you have there! Just stunning!

 

[dacjohns]

I hope you don't mind.

Hummingbirds when we lived in New Mexico.

 

[TanksHill]

Those humming bird pics are amazing. You are a very gifted artist. Sorry if this hasw been covered but are you self taught? Do you sell your jewelery? Just wondering. Gina

 

[Zenbirder]

Dacjohns, your photo is exactly what it is like here! Sometimes I don't think people always believe me when I talk about our hummers

Gina, I am self taught. I did enough formal schooling in science to know how to teach myself almost anything I want to learn from books. I have an extensive reference library. The key in portraiture of people, animals or plants, is to really see what you are looking at. Most people see what they think they should see, if that makes any sense.

Today I start by making two batches of soymilk, one to drink and one to turn into soy yogurt. I also need to prep anything today that I or DH would need tomorrow because I will be gone by 5:30 in the morning.

I am helping on a fundraiser, and am scared sh*tless that we won't pull it off adequately. We are making and delivering enchilada lunches, but the group sold some 600 plates! Yikes!!! I will be so glad when this is over.