Quail

I have been seeing more fast-moving quail families lately. I can hear a male quail calling from the top of a yucca as I type this, but I can't see him. (I know you're there, Mister!) I thought I would share a few of the better photos I have taken. I wish I had better photos of the family with the really tiny ones. They are so amazing - you can't believe something with legs that short can move so FAST!!! A wonder.

Do you see the cottontail rabbit in the shadow? Well, every now and then that rabbit would chase the quail. I have no idea why - just to see them scatter?

I have recently updated my website with some of the new work. I would love it if you have a chance to take a look and tell me what you think. Can you navigate with ease? Do you have a favorite new painting?

Temperatures are creeping up - 93 today.

I think cool thoughts and paint with cool colors and that works just fine.

"Drifters." Oil on canvas, 20 x 20 inches. 

 I hope you all have a fantastic weekend! I do appreciate your comments and emails. Thanks for reading, and thanks for your comments.

Contrasts

We had quite an amazing walk this morning. About 2 weeks ago, one of the usual trails was filled - literally covered - with caterpillars. The flowers were still in nearly full bloom, and each one seemed to have a caterpillar climbing on it. I admit, I didn't take a single photo, feeling somewhat queasy by the prospect of so many caterpillars. Today, the same trail was filled with butterflies. (I think they were American Painted Lady butterflies, but I'm not sure.) It was rather magical to walk around, surrounded by butterflies. M, Pono and I were having a nice little butterly walk, with M out in front. Suddenly, M stopped, turned and grabbed the dog. "SNAKE!" While he held the dog, I, (of course) had to go in for a closer look. Lo and behold a rattlesnake caught in the middle of breakfast!!!! (Okay, Dad, I know you aren't a big fan, so you should probably cover your eyes. This goes for any of you who are a might sensitive.)

This last photo was taken about 8 minutes later, after we had hiked further and I decided I had to go back for another peek. I mean, it's not every day you see a snake swallowing a rat, right?

I think it's a speckled rattlesnake, possibly a Panamint speckled rattlesnake. M thinks it's a Western Diamondback. In either case, it was quite impressive, and maybe more than a little revolting on some level, no matter how much you love nature. (and snakes.) And now I wonder how many of you are going to comment about how I can take a photo of a snake swallowing a rat, but not a photo of a trail covered in caterpillars......

All I can say is that the world is full of contrasts of all kinds. Today, the contrast being one of a hike where it began as air filled with butterflies and had a snake in the middle. The end was rather anti-climactic, to say the least.

Happy May, everyone.

Lizard Wrangling

I made a new friend last week. If you are on Facebook, you've already seen this, but some of you aren't on Facebook, and I thought you might enjoy seeing the photo. Pono and I had just returned to the car after a nice hike one morning and I found this wonderful creature underneath the car. I didn't want to run over it, so I poked it, to get it to run away. However, it was in the shade, and it was a pretty cool morning (for us). The lizard didn't move. I picked it up to move it, so as not to run over it. While it was hanging onto my fingers, I decided to photograph his (her?) handsome mug. 

Horned lizard.

Desert Camouflage extraordinaire!

If you would like to see another post I wrote about the horned lizard a while back, click here. Many people on Facebook said that they used to see a lot more of these lizards when they were young. According to some research I have done about them online, one of the main reasons we see less of them is because their diet is pretty exclusively ants. Since more and more people are using poison to kill ants, the horned lizard has a hard time. So if you want to see more horned lizards, let the ants live. (preferably outside.) I have been told that borax or dish soap will create a barrier that ants won't cross. So if you can find where they are coming in to your house, maybe try something like that to keep them out. 

In the studio, I have once more gone off in another direction. I would love to hear your thoughts about this new work, as I always love to hear from you, my readers.

(This one is still untitled.) Oil on canvas, 14 x 11 inches. ©karine swenson2013

Have a fabulous day, and thanks for reading!

Hungry jackrabbit video

I figured out how to turn my video sideways, although some of the quality was lost. I don't really have the patience for the computer, as it turns out. If I takes me more than five minutes to figure out, I abandon my project. I hope you like it, anyway.

It's been HOT. I know it's the desert, and all that, but when it's over 100 degrees every day, day after day, well, it does get a little tedious. Pono tries to get me up early for his daily walk, and mostly it works. Even at 6 am, it's usually over 82 degrees. I am grateful for ice cubes.

I hope everyone else is managing to stay cool. Happy Fourth, everyone!

Hot day help

We can learn a lot by observing nature. Today's lesson is about how to survive in the desert on sweltering summer days.
1. Find a shady spot near water.

2. Drink a lot of that water.

3. Dig down to the cooler earth and stretch out.

4. Get as low as possible and try not to move.

5. And no matter what, don't let the heat turn you into an a**.

Happy August, my lovelies, from the jackrabbits, the cottontails, a roadrunner and myself!

Our Feathered Friends

I still haven't totally figured out my new camera.  So I begin with an apology for my lack of really good photographs.  I never said I was a photographer.  Painter.  Painter.  Nevertheless, I still make my awkward attempts to capture things I see for you, my dear blog readers.  It was a bird-filled weekend for me.  Turkey Vultures soaring overhead.  I love to watch them - they almost never flap their wings.  It lifts the spirit, to see something soar like those big birds do.  A large family of quail, visiting the front yard.  They make the most appealing sounds as they forage.  I should record it next time.  Ravens, fluffing in a Joshua Tree.  I wanted a closer shot of them, but Pono thinks ravens need to be barked at, and they flew off.  (Can't blame them much for that.)

I also have to tell you that this morning, on our way to a favored running spot, Pono and I saw a coyote pooping.  Now, this is not such a momentous event, except that afterward, it scratched its hind paws in the dust just like Pono does!  Pono was transfixed until the coyote did the scratching-in-the-dust part (they do this to spread the scent), then, for some reason he went ballistic and barked furiously.  Which was unfortunate, because then the coyote ran away.  Now WHY didn't I have my camera???  No one knows, not even me.  John Nieto, an artist from Santa Fe, recently did a (very cool) painting of a coyote and titled it "God's Dog."  I would agree wholeheartedly with that title.  They are so much like dogs, those desert tricksters. 

Fresh off the easel:

"Dazzling Dusk."  Oil on Board, 11 x 14 inches.  ©Karine Swenson 2011

Happy Horned Lizard

Saturday, July 2nd, 2011.  Southern California Desert.  104 degrees Fahrenheit, 4:22 pm.

Desert Horned Lizard

 The morning run with Pono three days ago was rewarded by an encounter with Phrynosoma Platyrhinos, or the Desert Horned Lizard.  It has been over a year since I have seen one of these amazing creatures.  I saw it scurrying out of the dirt road, and I stopped the car to take some photos.  Horned lizards are different from other lizards for several reasons.  First of all, horned lizards mostly eat ants.  According to this article, the small body of an ant is made up of a lot of indigestible material, so the lizard needs to eat a lot of ants.  This accounts for the horned lizard's large stomach.  Because of the large stomach, these lizards aren't as sleek and fast as other lizards.  They rely more on their horny bodies and their ability to change color to blend in with their environment for protection.  (notice in these photos how difficult it is to distinguish the horned lizard from the ground.) 

When a predator approaches, a horned lizard is most likely to freeze, relying on its coloring to hide it.  It will also blow its body up, to make its horns more obvious and to make itself look too big to swallow.  It may run in short bursts, as I saw this one do, and then freeze, to confuse the predator.  There are even a few species of the horned lizard that will squirt blood from its eyes to repel canine and feline predators.  (The desert horned lizard is not one of those.)  You can see a video with a Regal Horned Lizard which sprays blood here.  (If you are in to that sort of thing.)  The young horned lizards have smaller horns, and tend to get snapped up quickly, so the horned lizard will lay lots of eggs.  Cool-looking critter.

I am sure many of you are preparing for some fourth of July festivities.  Therefore I won't go on and on.  I will simply leave you with one more painting from the mixed media series and a photo of the native Antelope Ground Squirrel, wish you a happy fourth, and sign off!

Cute little bugger, but they are destructive, too.  They will climb up into your car and chew on important wires.

"Tail Therapy."  Acrylic and mixed media on canvas, 9 x 12 inches.  ©Karine M Swenson 2011

Stories in the shade

With our recent temperatures over 100 degrees, the only place anyone wants to be is in the shade.

Everyone want a chance to taste of the forbidden tree.

Even jackrabbits need a break, now and then.

After this moment, both bunnies popped straight up into the air, and one chased the other away.

We've had rumbling, threatening skies for two days, but only a few drops of rain fell here at our house.  Five minutes away, however, rain and hail poured from the sky and flooded the streets.  I wish we would have gotten just a LITTLE bit more rain here.  Pono has remained hidden in the safety of the laundry room, terrified of the thunder.  He can't wait for monsoon season to be over with.  Thank goodness for Rescue Remedy!

I think I have finally commited to showing a collection of drawings for the September opening of JTAG.  You can visit them in person next Friday from 6 to 9 pm, during our opening reception.  If you are nearby, I'd love to see you there!

Study, Leaning Joshua.  Charcoal on paper, 7 x 5 inches.

These drawings are all small studies for larger works.  Some will be Joshua Trees, and some will be abstract compositions.

Have a fantastic weekend everyone!

Thirst

July in the desert.  Everyone is thirsty.

A Family of Gambel's Quail.

A Cottontail.

Jackrabbit.

Antelope Ground Squirrel.

Cactus Wren.  My favorite desert bird.

There was a roadrunner drinking yesterday, but they are so dern fast, I didn't get a photo.  Maybe next time...

It's not too late for the giveaway of my friend Carla Sonheim's book!  For those of you who didn't read my last post, Carla featured some of my figurative art in her book.  It's called Drawing Lab for the Mixed Media Artist, but even if you aren't a mixed media artist, you will love the exercises in this book.  Sonheim's book features a number of talented artists, and of course you will get to see lots of her wonderful art, too.  So if you think you'd like a shot of winning a free copy, simply leave a comment, stating why you'd like to win.  The drawing is this Thursday.

Here is one of my pastel paintings featured in the book.

Have a terrific week, everyone!  As always, thanks for stopping by.