Squirrel Antics

I never get tired of the squirrels & their cute antics.

 

I am glad that they stick around for the winter.

 

Though I am pretty sure this one is making some awfully devious plans...

 

 

Ha ha ha.  What are your favorite outdoor critters???



Outside Cleaning With Cuties

We've been outside with these lovelies for company...

We got so much done this past weekend with regards to outside fall clean up and it was all that much more pleasant a task thanks to all the cuties surrounding us having fun as we worked away.
Ella Luna can't go outside without her feet wrapped, but she did well despite the sore tootsies.
and Jaks couldn't understand what the heck his dad was doing on the roof...he says "eavesdrops, huh?!".

There's alot to do this week, the jazz is streaming nice and loud, the hot chocolate is already made,
bunnies are napping, the sun is out shining and my coloured pencils are calling...
Ahhh....it's going to be a great week in the studio, I can feel it.

Have a great day everyone.

Mandy & The Bun Babies

Abit Of Time Outside

Jaks has finally started to eat on his own...phew!
SO...
This weekend we were able to take turns being outside. 
One of us was outside making sure Ella Luna and Roo got some fresh air and exercise
whiles the other was inside keeping Jaks company as he continues to heal.
Poor little guy just can't go out for another couple of weeks at least, which really sucks because
the rabbits just love the fall with it's crisp air, cozy winds and falling leaves.

I've been working on this new image and spent abit of time on it outside this weekend...

...The grey squirrels came by to offer some cuteness, to say hello and to collect some peanuts...

...and the flowers seemed extra lovely.

  The nights around here are getting quite cold and we know they won't last much longer now...

Today is technically a 'Back To Work' day,
last week was the official time for that but as you know Jaks got very sick. 
Now, I am having a hard time finding the groove of my studio routine. 
I find myself whirling about in circles and constantly drifting back to
Jaks who I am still worried about and to Ella Luna who is very crickety and quiet this morning.

I still have quite a few summer photos to share with you all.
Shots from a blues festival we went to.  Shots from an airshow.  Shots from a biking excursion.
Maybe today is a good day to edit some photos and get all of those queued up.
But I think I will also work with my coloured pencils and bounce between Jaks and Jins room
and Ella Luna and Roo's room as I work on 2 illustrations.

Hoping your all finding your September groove. 

XO A Bunny Tired Bijou XO

Summer In Good Company

I've been spending many of these past recent weeks dealing with many

migraines and headaches unfortunately.

BUT

Also I am spending my time outside with...

Baby red squirrels...

With gentle grey squirrels...

With 100's of bumblebees who are floating about several of our white pointilla trees & rose bushes...

I am in the company of giant black birds...

Who luckily can't steal our rabbits but who I do on occasion see stealing

a new born bird from the smaller black birds nests.

(This has got to be one of my most favourite recent photographs...I love my zoom lens).

And of course I am spending my summer days outside with our 4 bunnies....

If anyone has spent a day watching their bunnies frolic and graze and nap out of doors,

they'll understand just how calming and lovely and fulfilling it is.



(that's our Jinster in that last shot)

I suppose I don't get half as much work done in the summer, ha ha....

I am too busy playing with bunnies

and keeping company with all these other fine folks....

Which I guess is why it's good thing that I live in a land which is frozen and

snow covered for half the year, ha ha...otherwise my studio may grow quite lonely. 

Hope your enjoying your summer days.

XO Mandy & My furry and feathered friends XO

p.s. Join me Saturday for some exciting news.

Fall Rush Around

As we wrap up the last of the fall rush around and drag outdoor furniture & pots into storage, as we cover things in tarps and chop & pile firewood, as we try to finish off last minute wood projects and stock up the studio wood piles...we make sure to have the bunnies outside with us because getting them out for long sun lite romping sessions has also been part of our seasonal prep for almost 15 years now...

They sit and watch us go to and fro...wondering what all the busy-ness is about...

As we work away with our 'gotta get done' list, they have a list of 'to-do's' all of their own...it includes the very important absorption of vitamin D & some serious nappage....
.

...it includes Ella Luna keeping a close eye on us to make sure we do as we're suppose to...she's a bossy little thing & considers herself the foreman, ha ha...

...they do allow time for a cuddle now and then, but never for too long for there holes to dig, fallen leaves and pine needles to eat...& yes did we mention the sun basking, that is always top priority...

Even our little friends come out and join in the work...or, er I mean napping/sun basking....too cute, ha ha.

This was some of our weekend...we might be covered in snow for the next one, we'll see!  I love winter though, I really do...it's a time to hibernate of sorts, to rest up, to dive into the studio vortex even more...cozy fires, more movies, there is always more time to read...I love winter. 

How's about you all?

My New Buddy...Tilly The Squirrel

My precious buddy Chapman, the grey squirrel and her mate Puff seem to be gone:C.....BUT this new little gal has been my new outdoor buddy...her and her 3 babies. She isn't as friendly as Chapman but for a red squirrel she's pretty good and very very sweet, I kept finding her here on my bookshelf, ha ha...she would grab a peanut from outside than comes into the house to eat it on our bookshelves, I'd fine her here almost everyday soon after I open the doors for the rabbits...

And just the other day I came upstairs from my studio and found her sitting at the table eating my leftover mash potatoes! She's so entertaining. We are trying to keep them out of doors, but they seem to be very comfortable running through out our house! I guess we're used to it, they been coming into our house for over 8 years now.

I've recently had neighbours threaten to throw rocks or to let this sweety drown in their pool because she's apparently been digging up their plants to hide her peanuts! (Even nice people often have a cruel hearts). Sure it's annoying to have some plants uprooted but they are just plants after all...I just stick em back in the ground. Squirrels and chipmunks are a natural beauty, entertaining, sweet and yes mischievous, sometimes bold and sometimes very annoying BUT thats how they are, they are a lovely natural wonder with just as much right to be around than we do. Anyhow, I like my neighbours but I like Tilly too so what I did was I stopped giving her peanuts and now just give her and the babies a couple raisins and small slices of banana and apple....all of which they eats on the spot and don't take away to dig and hide into someones garden, so I think it's a win, win, win situation, the neighbours won't have plants disturbed, the critters still get their treats from the nice human lady, ha ha and I still get to enjoy some of my favourite furry company out in the yard...and okay yes, often in the house too!

Which reminds me, it's time for the rabbits yearly dose of 'revolution' flea medicine, because they spend alot of time outside and digging in sand all summer, the doctor suggested it...none of them mind it, it's just a tiny bit of liquid applied to the back of the neck but Roo-Boo, oh boy my big boy hates the stuff and I always feel horribly giving it to him, I don't know if it stings abit or if it's the really strong smell, probably the latter because he usually has a very sensitive nose...do any of you guys dose your rabbits and if so what do you use????

Well, I am organizing the food/beverage for Art On Main's big grand opening so I must hop on email and the phone to beg for some food! wish me luck, ha ha and have a great weekend.

Yard Critters

I am stuck inside and can't work outside today because of a chilly and rainy day...and I am finding that I am missing my furry little yard cohorts...Jonathan jokes that we go through a small fortune every month in peanuts and seeds to feed everybody who frequents our yard...let's see currently there is; Rudy, Toot, Schmoot, Chapman, Twitter...and another baby red squirrel, black squirrel and chipmunk, 3 pigeons and 2 sterling black birds unnamed...it's a busy yard... though I am always hoping for the groundhog who took refuge under our front porch last year to come back...and maybe a few wild bunnies living safely in the back portion of the yard would be nice!... ha ha...

...Today I am just thinking that it's very 'cool' how I never feel lonely out there in the yard by myself, because I am far from alone...not with all those critters running around, not to mention the 4 furries running around and munching our gardens bare, who actually do live in the house with us...though sometimes the 'others' (yes indeed, I am a big 'Lost' fan, ha ha) think they should live inside! Just the other day I was laying on my belly on the floor with Hazel and Jinny, we were all just chillin together, when I suddenly feel something jump onto my calves, run up my thighs and jump and sit momentarily on my back!...it was Toot, one of the baby red squirrels, knowing me if it really did want to move in I'd make the appropriate accommodations!... Anyhow, I didn't want to leave everyone high and dry, as I know I am usually disappointed when I visit my usual blogs and they haven't been updated for days...I am very busy with new works, most stuff is admittedly NOT going smoothly, but luckily I have Jonathan to help me and constantly say 'Mandy...breathe...it's okay...' and a dad who pops over despite being exhausted to help with a chop saw that's gone all wonky just when frames are desperately needed...and a mom who gladly drives all the way over at the drop of a hat to drive us to Canadian Tire because in the middle of Jonathan changing the brake pads, a much needed socket wrench decided to break! It's been abit of a tiring week with more going array than as planned..

BUT until I am ready to unveil my latest projects, some new prints are coming up soon for the shop...and also I figured it was about time for a tour of my downstairs studio (the upstairs one is currently undergoing redecoration!...tune in soon for those posts...I am off into the chill and wet to mail a piece off to Indianapolis...it's so exciting to think someone WAYYY over 'there' wants my work:D YAHOO:D

Happy Wednesday, A New Bird Feeder & A Brillant Sunset

So my honey disappeared into the garage (yet again!) the other day and when I went into see what he was doing I was greeting with a lovely little surprise that he spur of the moment decided to make for us...this excellent little bird feeder.

Which he wanted me to decorate and make colourful and unique, so I did just that and here's how it looks after I got my hands on it....(the side says "Dreaming Gives You Wings").

And here is where it lives in our yard. I am hoping it delights the birds as much as it does me every time I walk by it.

Also let me introduce you all to my buddy Chapman....a lovely and polite squirrel, who Ella and Roo do not like one bit but whom I just adore. He and I spent the day together yesterday, puttering to and fro in the yard and I sat gazing and enjoying our water fountain, he took a rest on the fence just above the fountain and seemed to be gazing at it too.

Also... I just had to share this photo I took of the evening sky the other night...the view from our kitchen porch...it's my favourite new thing, I crawl up on a chair, rest my chin on the railing and just watch the storms coming in from the North or the sun setting brilliantly like this....ahhhh....and even better still, if we walk about 10 minutes in this lovely direction we hit the lakefront. I am just so in love with our cozy little home at the moment, can you tell! ha ha.

That's all for today everyone...meet me back here tomorrow for some more glimpses into my little world...a.k.a "Bijou's Whimsy Land".

Squirrel Tales, An Old Illustraton, and Something Wooden

Well it's Thursday, which for us is our 'Friday', it's been a crazy week with house projects and I am honestly just feeling pooped. Not to mention the very rainy and humid weather is just making my migraines worse and more frequent, but I am proud of myself as I am spending little time in bed with my trusty ice and heat packs and I am just grinning and bearing it and ploughing forward getting lots done.

This weekend my dear friends Lisa and Jon and their two sweet boys Noah and Ben are coming in for the weekend so I am very excited to see them. And my old friend Bruce is coming into town too so I am looking forward to catching up with this old chum, who I have greatly missed.

So for today, because I am not ready to show you any new work quite yet. I am choosing this older illustration of mine for 2 specific reasons.

1 - Because even after all these years (it was created in 1999) I still love this image of mine. It reflects a strong belief of mine, which is...to fully be able to give to others and nurture and nourish other's souls, you first have to tend and be kind to your own. Right now, with all the pain I endure with my headaches, I am just giving myself alittle bit extra time to either sit and snuggle the bunnies, more time to stretch and yogify, and just abit more time to sit with a tea and read. I am allowing myself more time to just be still and breathe and let go of my worries and stresses. I am also allowing myself to divert from my usual routine abit more than usual, and spend some time on the house, just organizing and cleaning and re-arranging because doing so always relaxes and centers me.

2 - Because I am thinking of my friend right now...I won't mention her name in case she doesn't want anyone to know...but she is going through chemo right now and after a rough couple of years, she's remaining strong and focused on taking care of herself and I am proud of her. With the selection of this image today, I am also sending her good vibes and thoughts and hope that she continues to honour herself and her body at this rough time.

On to lighter topics...we are having abit of a 'problem' with chipmunks and squirrels running rampant in our house! We seem to be chasing one or the other out atleast 3 times a day. Yesterday, I walked out of the bedroom, to see Ella and Roo all stretched out on their hallway carpet watching a chipmunk, who was sitting right in the middle of their bowl eating their morning oatmeal and pellets!

Today, I saw that the squirrel Rudy, had taken to the kitchen counter to snack on a banana!! and last night...I discovered that my last piece of delicious dark chocolate...one I had been saving all day, had suddenly disappeared and since Jon is the only other one in the house tall enough to reach the kitchen counter and he didn't eat it, and I didn't eat it...again the suspected thief is the squirrel Rudy!

The other year, my nice little wooden honey sticks would go missing. I had the habit of leaving my morning dishes outside on the back deck until the end of the day. No one believed me, everyone thought I just misplaced them. Yet that fall, when Jon was stacking wood in the wood shed, what did he discover but my honey sticks, nicely chewed and nicely piled on a shelf in the shed...alongside a beautiful collection of my sunflower heads, which had also suddenly been stolen one day that same summer, ha ha! Now with the missing chocolate piece, I wonder what else they are going to start stealing from inside the house!

I wanted to share this photo with you, I took it yesterday morning...a Cone Flower on our new little deck, I just love the texture.

Anyhow, as I was taking this shot, Rudy the squirrel hopped down from the roof on to the the table where my lovely little breakfast was waiting for me.

He looked at me for a minute and I said "What do you think your doing mister", well he was quite sure of his plan because without hesitation he jumped up onto the side of my bowl...surveyed what layed within, and then grabbed a big strawberry and then just sat there on the table eating it, not even a foot away from me....I guess I had an uninvited guest for breakfast.

And the other day, I saw the cutest cutest cutest little dormouse hopping into the garage...I just love all the critters running around our home, it just makes me feel so content. In that same theme, I've been sketching alot of ideals out for illustrations based on my hero Jane Goodall.

Okay, enough about squirrels....lastly for today I wanted to show you this beautiful necklace I just got.....again yes from Etsy, my favourite place to shop.

It is from Ashlee Rising over at "Natural at Heart". This wooden medallion is so nice and light and I just love the intricate beautiful design. I think as a 'carpenter's daughter' I love all things wooden and when I saw these necklaces I just had to have one...you can't beat the price at about $9.00 a pendant..check them out at http://www.naturalatheart.etsy.com/ .

Well, that's about all for this week...we are back on 'holidays' and off to another busy weekend. Be Well everyone, thanks for taking the time to visit me and please come back next week.

A wonderful weekend with bunny happiness

Hi Everyone. We had such a wonderful and crazy busy weekend. Where the summer started off slowly and not feeling overly productive, we've kicked it into high gear now and feel like we are getting tons done and starting to enjoy the last half of the season.

I spent some time in my 'painting studio' tidying up abit. Some time buying new wood for upcoming paintings. I am in an exhibition in September so I must soon begin steady work on my pieces for that. I also made time to set up shop on the floor near Hazel and Jin and made some more stars but I'll show you those in tomorrow's post.

On Monday, we had a delicious lunch out at one of our favourite old jaunts...vegetarian pizza, potato and leek soup and Greek salad seemed to start the afternoon off wonderfully. Well anyhow, we just finished off a lovely porch off our kitchen. Because our Ella-Luna and Roo really don't like Hazel and Jinny, we have the house separated into two areas where each couple gets their own space. Ella and Roo have always had their own large back deck leading into the yard which they can use at their hearts content. And now, through the hard work of my sweetie and some help from my dad, Hazel and Jin now have their very own deck. After lunch this day, for the first time we took the girls out to their newly created space and taught them that going out onto that deck and going down the stairs leads to their very own grassy paradise...Here are some shots from the day...

As you can see Jinny was having an absolute ball. We had never seen her jump and leap and dash and spin and dance with such exuberance or joy behind, it was really a sight to behold and did our hearts great good.

That's our Hazel just being sweet Hazel....

With assurance from us, that yes indeed this parcel of yard is just for them...they proceeded to have an excellent day...

Well, we purposely left part of this area will taller grass...just for the bunnies...but they weren't quite used to it at first, ha ha...

The day was indeed fantastic...I wish that everyone could feel the wide array of wonderful emotions that these wonderful little furry hearts bring to us. One does not need to give birth to feel the pure joy of loving, being fully committed and caring for another precious soul, even if that beautiful soul has fur. I hope you all had an excellent weekend full of smiling, love and happiness. We do truly create our own happiness....go after yours if your less than content. Until tomorrow...when we'll get back down to studio business! Be well.