Keeping Cool

When it's hot, I find it helpful to think cool thoughts. So I painted a coyote from a photo I took last winter.

"Winter Morning Lookout." Oil on canvas, 30 x 24 inches.

The backyard animals all come to drink water, and sometimes even to bathe.

A cactus wren

Mourning Dove

Gambel's Quail

Gambel's quail

I hope you are all staying cool!

Sightings

The weather this past week has been as fickle as a teenager. It begins to get hot, and just when we are settling in to it, the wind picks up and blows the heat away. Today is cool and pleasant. It makes for nice walking in the morning. Here are some desert animal highlights, both from walks and from out-the-kitchen-window sightings.

Our friend "Bald Tail" returned for a drink of water. 

I would not have seen this coiled up rattler if Pono hadn't plopped down just 5 feet from it to get a drink of water from me. As I gave Pono his drink, I just happened to see it out of the corner of my eye. Effective camouflage!!! Once you see a snake on the trail, everything else for the rest of the hike looks like a snake! I call it "getting the slithers." It's good to be hyper aware at this time of year.

Another painting from the new series:

"Dissipate." Oil on canvas, 36 x 12 inches.