Art by Gail H. Ragsdale

Fall in My World

2009-11-15T16:05:00.001-08:00

Full fall comes in November here in Tennessee, somewhat later than our Northern friends, but still beautiful and breathtaking.
I love the play of light coming through the trees.

Rich and warm, Indian summer is a frequent visitor here.

The hills are a riot of color.

The view down our driveway

Evening shadows moving in.

Still kissed by the Sun at the tops.

SFA Painting Original Art 4" x 4" RAVEN Crow Corvid Sky

2009-10-25T18:19:00.000-07:00

"Raven in the Clouds"
4" x 4" ~ 3/4" Gessobord using Daniel Smith Ultimate Acrylics

Will come with this Shaker-Style Stand pictured in the scan.

SOLD

The Start of Fall

2009-09-30T03:20:00.000-07:00

Soft, quiet mornings with the fog- looking down my driveway
The side roads look so inviting with the fog

What vistas lay around the bend?

Round hay bales in the fog with Kudzu draped fence

The beautiful backroads of rural Tennessee

Edgar Allan Poe Raven Crow Cat Original SFA Art 5 x 5 by Gail

2009-09-12T06:58:00.000-07:00

Edgar Allan Poe's Raven & Cat

5"x5" acrylic on GessoBord

Happy that this just SOLD on Etsy!

The Raccoon Family & Some Deer

2009-09-07T03:45:00.000-07:00

The bandits in a view from my bathroom window.
Mother and her 3 offspring at the base of one of the birdfeeders. We keep baffles on the feeders to deter raccoons and squirrels.

On the move...

First time I've seen one do this!

View from our living room window of the backyard

He has since shed the velvet off his rack

The doe that has two fawns this year.

The twins

Charlie~Sleep Softly Sweet Friend

2009-08-29T09:42:00.000-07:00

Dancing ribbons pushed by time,

Float through an old kitten's dream.

She chases them into eternity,

And catches them, As they change into Angel's wings.

Charlie 1992 - August 28th, 2009

Our hearts are broken. Carter had his friend the vet come to the house late yesterday afternoon to put her to sleep. Kidney disease comes on so quickly and is so deadly. We buried her next to her best friend Jeckle who passed in 2007.

She loved us both, her friends and to do nothing more than play. We never thought she would leave us so quickly.

Erica's Song

Go joyously into the spirit and summerland of youth,

Glory once again in your strength. Run free amid the wildflowers.

Sniff the tantalizing smells among the wooded tangles of the forest. Sleep in the warm sun beside murmuring brooks. And when you weary of the green hills and fields of Rainbow Bridge, follow the bright strand - forged of love which connects us.

It leads to the garden of my soul where a warm welcome always awaits your coming.

More Summer Photos

2009-08-28T07:55:00.001-07:00

Foggy morning with one of the mules in the field
Big Kate

Beautiful summer day on the farm

Clouds moving in and out

Beautiful summer pastures

More clouds going by

Down the lane near our house

Blog Award!

2009-08-26T12:15:00.001-07:00

A BIG thank you to Lynda at Haunted Swamp Designs for her gift of this award for my Nature photography! I was so surprised to receive this as I have been busy this summer and not on my blog much.

The rules are simple. If you have been given the Domestic Witch Blog Award, pass it on to 3 other blogs that you enjoy.

*include the award in your blog post

*link them within your post

*mention the person who gave you the award in your post

*let the people know you gave them the award

So I give this award to:

Linda of Pyewacketts whose wonderful work and words inspire me

Sonia of Dark Raven's Nest whose work is so great

Danielle of Notes from the Rookery whose work I greatly admire.

Tennessee Summer Photos

2009-08-25T10:08:00.000-07:00

One of the tripletts
They are so cute at this age!
Goldfinch getting ready to drink~

In the front yard

View from bathroom window

Why the bird bath always need cleaning!

Front yard

After a rain

Still in velvet

Yearling

New Raven Painting~Acrylic 4"x4"

2009-07-11T13:56:00.000-07:00

"Raven in the Clouds"

4"x 4" acrylic on 3/4" gessobord, a favorite surface of mine. I used Daniel Smith Ultimate acrylics and really like them.

A view of the side. It will come with this wooden Amish style stand. I will be offering this on my selling blog as well as eBay later this weekend.

Friesian Horses

2009-07-10T10:40:00.000-07:00

Hubby coming up the driveway with Qwintus and Monk
Monk

Crossing one of the creeks with Imke and Sil

Imke and Sil

Hubby with Imke and Sil

Monk

Fancy Harness~Bridles

More Fancy Harness

Eastern Phoebe's~Flown the Nest...Finally

2009-07-02T11:23:00.000-07:00

The further adventures of the Phoebe's under our eave on the front porch. She had 5 in this second batch, the nest is very crowded.
Whoops, one fell out. It's hopping along so we put it back in the nest under Mother's watchful eye.

Mother watching us.

Checking out the babies. Yup, all 5 there.

Mother hunting for insects. The Eastern Phoebe is not a seed eating bird. They hunt for insects of all kinds.

Feeding the brood.

Still hunting, brood is hungry.

We are hungry!!!

It's REALLY getting crowded in the nest.

Crowded and HOT

Food!

Gripping on to the sides for dear life.

Trying out the wings

Down to 4, one left earlier this morning

Down to 3~another one flew away

And down to one. This one didn't leave until the next day. One of the parents came and roosted on the edge of the nest that night to keep it company. Next day both parents were showing it how to fly.

Made it to the other post. Flew off after a parent shortly after this. Eastern Phoebe fledglings stay with their parents the first week or so learning how to fly and hunt. The parents continue to feed them for a couple of weeks.

We can still hear them in the trees with their distinctive "Phee-be" sound they make.

The female will be back this fall to roost on the post over the winter.

Blog Award ~

2009-06-29T05:53:00.000-07:00

My Blog was recently given the PREMIO MEME AWARD by Audrey. Be sure to stop by her blog for her wonderful photos and writing!

The rules of this award state that I am to share 7 facts about myself and then pass the award on to 7 others. No snoozing as I bore you to tears :-)

1. I love Winter. In the Winter with every drop of leaf off the trees I am able to look further into the woods surrounding our house. I love to see the forms of trees. I love the cold.
2. I am hardly ever without my camera. I love the digital cameras as now I can take as many photos as I like.
3. I love the West. I love the wild open spaces and big skies, the dry smell in the air.
4. I love all animals although some more than others.
5. I have so many projects in the works and so many more I want to do, I will have to live forever in order to get them all done.
6. I love to read and have a stack of books a mile high on my coffee table that I intend to read.
7. I am never lonely or bored, too many things to do to be either.

There are so many that deserve to be mentioned~
Sonia
Sarah
Deb
Holly
Leola
Kathleen
Elizabeth

Skunks, Woodpeckers, Deer, Blue Jays & Grackles~

2009-06-28T10:54:00.000-07:00

Striking terror into our hearts, the skunk. We have a BIG problem with them. Several years ago we had one living under our heat pump. A very smelly situation. Another ran laps around our house spraying as he went. Not a part of our house didn't reek. Everything not nailed down had to be washed, cleaned and sprayed-many times. We slept for weeks with our heads under the covers. It's a smell that just doesn't go away easily. Last week this one showed up and sprayed away. Fortunately it didn't get into the house but our garage and outside is pretty stinky. The joys of living in rural areas.
We don't see many white skunks with the black stripe.
I was thrilled to see this Red-Headed Woodpecker! The first one I have ever seen in our area. Looked out on our driveway and there it was.

We have plenty Downy Woodpeckers, Hairy Woodpeckers, Red-Bellied Woodpeckers and the Pileated Woodpeckers.

Look closely and you will see part of a fairly young fawn. Mother still has them in hiding in the woods around us.

One of our ever present Blue Jays in the front yard

Two Grackles. A pair seem to have settled here. Hope they don't invite friends.

A yearling Doe

Yearling in backyard

A yearling Buck.

Friesians & Friends

2009-06-27T12:29:00.000-07:00

Hubby driving with Kim & Matt. Qwintus and Monk are the Friesians.
Hubby & Kim. Monk & Qwintus.

A Gift Arrives!

2009-06-22T13:30:00.000-07:00

What a surprise! I have been off the computer for awhile due to computer problems and of course the hand problem, so I had no idea these were on their way!

I was so thrilled when I opened the package from Angie at FreeReinArt and out came these coasters of Friesian Horses! I had won these in Angie's Coaster Giveaway.

Be sure to stop by her blog and admire Angie's hand painted original art!

Angie, THANK YOU!

Wordless Wednesday...

2009-06-17T06:54:00.000-07:00

Turkey & Babies

2009-06-15T07:05:00.000-07:00

The view from my bathroom window! So far all 8 chicks have made it and are looking great.
I was afraid I was going to miss this photo with everyone looking. Did cut Mother's head off but was so intent on getting the chicks I didn't pay attention.

Our Cats ~

2009-06-11T06:48:00.001-07:00

White Socks. Just letting everyone know that the toys are hers. All of them.
Little Thing. Watching the Eastern Phoebe on her nest.

Heckle. Squirrel watching.

Charlie. Waiting for someone to play with her.

Little Guy. The feral cat at work.

Friesians & Geese

2009-06-10T08:35:00.000-07:00

Geese and their babies in the pond behind our house. We aren't able to see the pond from the house and yard, but it's a short walk. We can hear the geese in the early morning and late evenings when they take off and come in.
My husband and the Friesians in Florida last year with the same carriage. They had been body clipped so a couple looked brown.

My husband's boss with two of his Friesians.

Goldfinches, Eastern Phoebe, Indigo Bunting & Woodpecker

2009-06-09T06:47:00.000-07:00

Goldfinches and Indigo Bunting
Eastern Phoebe feeding her newly hatched brood. We've had a Phoebe nesting under our eaves by the kitchen window for a number of years now. She's already raised one brood this year, hope it doesn't get too hot for this group.

Eastern Phoebe

Female Red-Bellied Woodpecker

Yes, you are probably getting tired of seeing our birds! Haven't done too much art, some over the weekend but nothing close to posting.

Silent Sunday ~ Our Backyard

2009-06-07T12:41:00.001-07:00

Poppy's 'A Message of Love' Giveaway

2009-06-06T13:59:00.000-07:00

A treasure arrived this morning from my friend Linda in England! I was one of 3 winners in the Poppy's A Message of Love Giveaway along with Sonia and Sheila (I believe in Fate too!).

This big package appeared, I was expecting an ACEO! A lovely card was enclosed and a Certificate of Authenticity.

Poppy was Linda's beloved Labrador that reminded me of my Cindy gone some 30 years now. Poppy had recently passed over the Rainbow Bridge where she will wait for Linda when her time comes. Click HERE to see Poppy's Blog, "It's a Dog's Life".

I know how difficult it was for Linda to lose Poppy. I had lost one of my cats, Jeckle, almost 2 years to the day that Poppy left. I cried for months, and still cry when thinking of her.

We were to choose a subject for Linda to draw, I let her make the decision for me.

"HEAVEN SENT"

This little kitten is reaching up to play with one of her Guardian Angel's feathers, that she has plucked and floated down.

My photo does not do Linda's beautiful watercolour & chalk pastel painting justice! I will have this matted and framed as soon as possible!

Thank you Linda & Poppy!

And yes, Imagination is the Soul Within!

New Unicorn-WIP

2009-06-05T10:51:00.001-07:00

This drawing is going to be my newest Demon Unicorn, a project for the Dark Artist Guild Calendar project. I plan on starting tomorrow. Size will be 5" x 7" (SFA-small format art) and I'll be painting on a flat gessobord (love the smooth surface) and using acrylics.

I'll post the final painting when done!

Mental Duck to Mental Swan Award

2009-06-05T10:35:00.000-07:00

My dear friend Sarah just gave me this award! Be sure to stop by and read her blog. Besides being a wonderful whimsical artist, she writes beautifully and with such passion! Sarah has been a constant source of support for me in many ways.

The Mental Duck to Mental Swan Award is given to two groups of bloggers:

1. To Bloggers who encourage and nurture other bloggers to explore and grow in their creative, spiritual or mental lives.

2. To Bloggers who are blooming and growing creatively, spiritually or mentally in their lives & sharing it on their blogs .