Lighthouse Print

Artist's Gallery

Marblehead Print

After some frustration with our randomly-functional printer, I began to look into other options for printing cards. It turned out Walmart was quite easy and affordable. You could even type in the message for the inside of the card. The only thing was, I could not get just the picture on the front of the card. They all had colorful borders around the outside. Thus came the snowflake-bordered lighthouse you see above. It was a thrill to see a 'real' print of one of my paintings!
 

Last of all, Happy New Years!

Marblehead Revisited

Artist's Gallery

Marblehead Christmas Card

Presenting Marblehead Lighthouse, new and improved. Not totally satisfied with the previous year's painting, I created a new rendering the following Christmas. This one was on real artist's paper, using better paints. The thing most improved is the color tones - rid of that sickly shade of yellow ochre on the lighthouse. I really like how the texture came out too. I tried to make more 'prints' for Christmas cards . . . a little challenging with low-quality paper and home printer ink that only works half the time.

Marblehead Lighthouse

Artist's Gallery

Painted Lighthouse Card

This is one of the very first real Christmas card I made. You may recognize it as the Marblehead Lighthouse up on Lake Erie. My family actually visited the lighthouse several years ago - at Christmas time - and that's where I got my reference photo. You can see a similar photo over on J Beachy Photography's blog right here.

The card above, in acrylic paints, was my theme Christmas card one year. I liked it so much I couldn't bear to send it to someone! So I attempted to make copies ('prints') of the card to send to friends.

The card below is actually from the year before. On first glance it doesn't look much different, but maybe you can see, I actually did most of the card in colored pencil. My favorite part is the rosy sky in the background. Then I guess I cheated a bit and used white-out to do the snow on the lighthouse ledges, rocks, and path. It was certainly easier than leaving white spaces for the snow the whole time! Now this one I did send to someone. Which one would you rather receive?

Pencil Lighthouse

Cardinal

Artist's Gallery

Christmas Cardinal

May I present . . . cardinal version #2. As you can see, I do improve from year to year! I love how the snow-covered blue berries turned out on either side of the bird. (The card is pressed flat in the photo, so the front is on the right, and the back on the left.) Notice how the  reds on the bird are really tinted toward orange and yellow? Thus, the blues compliment the warm red color very nicely. Conversely, on the back of the card more clear and bluish. You can see how the green leaves go much more nicely with that shade of red. 

Merry Christmas!

Artist's Gallery

Christmas Cardinal

Happy holidays to all my dear readers! May your Christmas season be filled with peace and joy as we celebrate the greatest Gift of all. A quick note about the card above--a change in style, with real watercolor cardstock and a lot of white space. I think my cardinal came out decently enough, and the splattered snow gives a nice effect! And now, a verse to bless your Christmas season: 

In this the love of God

was manifested toward us,

that God has sent His only begotten Son

into the world,

that we might live through Him.

I John 4:9

Christmas Wreath

Artist's Gallery

Welcoming Winter Wreath

Well, the time has come to move on to lighter topics and put memories of the past to rest. It's hard to believe the Christmas season is already upon us - how time flies! - and wreaths like this one adorn many doors across the countryside. This was a quick sketch I did for a last-minute Christmas card a couple years ago. I like the look created by the watered-down blues on the door. I then used thicker, more opaque paint for the bright berries and snow. The candle was a nice touch, although I'm not sure I'd want a burning candle on a real wreath!

Perky Pepper

Backyard Poultry

Peppy

And now we come to the last chicken recently lost, Pepper the Barred Rock. I don't know of any chicken that's been through more than Pepper in its short life. The hen was unwillingly involved as the test chicken for a number of our inventions--chicken bonnets, leashes, and saddles to name a few. I remember our first year, Pepper caught its foot under the chicken run, and we tried to bandage it! What's more, Pepper started on the very bottom of the pecking order (the "scared chicken" with the bald head) and rose to the very queen of the flock. The 20-some new chickens I've added did help to increase the Barred Rock's seniority. As a result, Pepper then had to wear peepers on and off through the rest of its life. 

Barred Rock 'Twins'

As I explained in my last post, I collected six Barred Plymouth Rocks over the last four years, and just lost the last two. Pepper was the very last chicken I had from my very first batch of chicks. It lived the entire four years of my flock. Over the last year, Pepper became very close to its younger Barred Rock friend Velvet, and they often hung out together. They seemed like twin chickens, even though Velvet was a year younger.

Goodbye, Pepper

I always loved to hold Pepper, and even to hear its indignant clucks and squeals of protest! Pepper was always making some kind of noise, sometimes even calling the other hens over to some treat like a rooster. I loved its cute wavy little comb, and perfect pepper-and-salt feather pattern. I never got tired of watching little Peppy, as we fondly nicknamed Pepper. My flock will never be the same without this faithful hen.

Vibrant Velvet

Backyard Poultry

Beautiful Barred Rock

Over my nearly four years of raising chickens, I've had a total of six Barred Rock hens (well, plus Puzzle the Barred Rock rooster). I got three the first year and three the second. Of those, four of them were lost to various ailments (you know, unexplained chicken diseases). That left my flock with one Barred Rock from my first chick batch, and one from the second. Velvet was from the second, almost three years old. It was a very spunky chicken that was always high in the pecking order, and high on our attention list. In fact, Velvet was sort of my sister's pet chicken (and/or my way of endearing my chickens to her considering their habits of eating all her ducks' food and shoveling straw out of her duck house).

Velvet

I always loved Velvet's crooked comb and beautiful zebra feathers. The hen was easy to cuddle since it had such plush feathers and, well, a good bit of fat under them. I think Velvet enjoyed being carried around in our arms and getting that extra - er - occasional helping of scratch. It took egg-laying very seriously, and any human hands that got to close would immediately receive a hard peck. Velvet's next favorite activity was dust bathing, and it sure took a lot of scratching to get all those feathers clean!

Evening Perch on a Fencepost

This past summer Velvet started going broody, sitting stubbornly in the nest box day and night--and biting anyone who reached in to get it out. We had to separate the determined hen in a fence so it couldn't get to the nest box. It could take 3-5 days before Velvet forgot about being a mother, and then we'd go about a month before we found it lingering in the nest box again. This probably happened four or five times before winter set in! I think Velvet would have made a good mother though. It certainly was a blessing to raise for almost three years and will be missed.

Persistent Poppy

Backyard Poultry

Poppy

Poppy was one of the toughest chickens I've seen. It came with three other Golden Buff chicks in my second batch of chicks. As they grew up, Poppy not only landed on the bottom of the Golden Buffs' pecking order, but also ended up as the lowest chicken of the entire 24-bird flock. But that never seemed to hinder this chicken. Poppy became quick on its feet, ready to grab and peck and run to get a bite of whatever treat we offered. No matter a few missing feathers, Poppy never missed out on what the "top" hens got.

Now Who's On Top??

Once the third round of chicks came along, it was a different story. Poppy was sure to let them all know POPPY was on top. Here you can see the hen already sizing up the new Golden Buff chicks at only 6 weeks. I have to say those chicks look a bit intimidated! Thus, for the last year of its life, Poppy was resigned to wearing peepers (as in the first picture) to keep it from continually chasing down and pecking the younger hens. Poppy really could peck . . . it pecked me more than once (only when I was redirecting its aim at another chicken's head on the roost at night). Of course it didn't hurt me, but I wouldn't want to be a chicken within reach.

Evening Snack

I love this picture of Poppy nibbling on grass seed in the evening light. They liked to roam the field of tall grass beside their pen when I let them out in the late afternoon. Poppy could always find something good to eat, whether it was loose paint on the chicken coop, insulation revealed under the siding on our house, or scratch from my hand. Even though I've now had twelve Golden Buff hens, I can see a different "personality" in each one. Poppy's was certainly a shining star.

Dainty Daisy

Backyard Poultry

Daisy in the Snow

I got three Buff Orpingtons with my second round of chicks almost three years ago. We named them Sunflower, Daisy, and Buttercup. They grew up together like triplets - all had identical golden yellow feathers and pointed combs. I will never know how Buttercup and Sunflower escaped while Daisy was lost during the mink incident. But the 'Buffy' trio had lost its leader.

Daisy was quite a character. I don't think I've ever had a hen so beautiful and yet so "chicken." You can see above what Daisy thought of the snow last year. The hen went this far and then seemed to decide its feet were stuck in the sea of cold white stuff!

The Other Side of the Fence

While Sunflower and Buttercup were both typically friendly and liked to be held, Daisy was the one to stand back and keep its feathers away from human hands. It would cluck loudly if we even touched it, and squirm while we held it. Daisy always had an air of pride in its step. But the hen was a bit mischievous too, like the picture above where it found a new method for getting a mouthful of fresh grass! (How it got that huge comb through the fence without nicking it, I don't know...)

Daisy

I always thought Daisy was the ideal portrait of a Buff Orpington, with its perfect red comb and lovely feathers. Because of its tall comb, Daisy was on the top of the little Buff Orpington trio's pecking order. (Maybe that's why its feathers stayed so beautiful.) It's been very difficult for Sunflower and Buttercup to adjust to life without their watchful Daisy.

Watchful Walnut

Backyard Poultry

Walnut in the Snow

Walnut was practically inseparable from Pinecone. They stuck together and looked out for each other, whether scratching for bugs or staking out nighttime roost space. I would not be surprised if both Auracanas came from the same mother. Their gorgeous feathers were nearly identical, only Walnut had more black on its head (the only way to tell them apart). But while Pinecone was the suspicious one, Walnut always seemed to have a sort of friendly and curious expression in its eyes. For this and its furry-soft feathers, Walnut even earned the nickname "teddy bear."

"Teddy Bear"

Upon my appearance, Walnut always came running in hopes for its favorite treat, scratch. In fact, when the flock free-ranged, Walnut would often race into our shed simply since that's where the scratch was kept. It would look hopefully up at me, begging in its own chicken way. I could hold and pet Walnut as much as I wanted as long as my other hand held scratch. I still remember feeling those amazingly soft chin feathers on my hand as Walnut ate. And, always, Pinecone would be in the background, looking for a chance to grab a few grains without getting too close to human hands!

Birds of a Feather

In this not-so-clear picture, Walnut stands watchfully by while Pinecone takes a dust bath in our garden last summer. No doubt, it had its turn in the dust hole as soon as Pinecone was done. Of all the chickens I lost, I think I miss Walnut the most. I will never forget my 'teddy bear' twins; but if they had to go, I'm glad they could go together.

Pretty Pinecone

Backyard Poultry

Goodbye, Pinecone

Pinecone was a nearly-three-year-old Auracana, or 'Easter egg,' hen. It came in our second batch of chickens, a total of about twenty, in 2011. Pinecone's beautiful feather pattern was like none I had seen before: coal black framed a rich gold "mane" which cascaded down onto misty gray and finally black tail feathers. I treasured the opportunities to hold Pinecone since it was very shy and usually raced away from our hands. Its little beady eyes and rose comb always had a very suspicious look.

Hidden Nest

Last summer, we had major problems with our chickens escaping to lay their eggs outside our coop. It took nearly a week to discover Pinecone's stockpile, in the center of some dense brush and grasses. If only the eggs were fertile--and the hen had intentions of setting on them--I was almost tempted to let Pinecone raise its own clutch of baby Auracana chicks! Of course, Pinecone was soon forced to revert back to the nest boxes, where it faithfully laid us a blue egg almost every day for two years.

Auracana Friends

 Pinecone was best friends with both Birchie (above) and Walnut. In fact it acted like sort of a mother for "Baby Birchie." No matter what Auracanas I get in the future, I will always miss my beautiful Pinecone.

Henhouse Casualties

Backyard Poultry

Twin Chickens

The shock of that first look into your chicken coop after an unexpected visit from a predator is unforgettable. The feeling of helplessness and remorse can't even be described. Perhaps the best description is it's all over now. I know because I went through it last week.

 

During my nearly four years of raising chickens, I'd lost very few of them. Sure, a few natural deaths here and there, sad but to be expected, as well as one encounter with a hawk (see poor Birchie's story here). Certainly my painstaking precautions to protect my flock were a benefit, as we've spotted raccoons, skunks, possums, and dogs around the property repeatedly. But never did I imagine a predator small enough to get through a hole 1" in diameter, strong enough to grab a full-grown chicken, and mean enough demolish an entire flock before it was through.

 

It was a mink. A very skinny animal about two feet long with the tail, sharp teeth, and very sharp claws; an otter is the only thing I could compare it to. My chickens were confined to their coop and plastic-enclosed greenhouse that morning, a week ago from Monday. The mink ripped a 3" hole in the plastic wall and climbed in. I hate to imagine the scene from there on. Six chickens were killed, from my flock of sixteen. Honestly I don't know what saved the others. Minks usually won't stop til all are dead. Either I came out in time, or they found safety on the highest roosts of the coop.

 

For some reason, it always seems that your favorite chickens are the ones you lose. This was partly true for me -- most of my older hens of more unusual breeds were lost. On the other hand, all seven of my year-old Golden Buff pullets survived (which I was not as attached to as my older chickens, but is good on the economic side). I do still have two of my Buff Orpington favorites, for which I am very thankful.

Velvet and Pepper

The "twin" Auracanas in the top photo, Pinecone and Walnut, will always have a special place in my heart, as well as the Barred Rocks I lost in the bottom picture. To remember each of the six chickens, the unique lives they lived and the joy they brought to me as their keeper, I will be doing an individual post for each of them. I only wish for one last time to cuddle each hen.

Amethyst Geode

Ohio History

Purple Crystals

These beautiful purple crystals were also on display in the gift shop, except they had not been sliced into rings like the last pictures. In fact, this amethyst geode was still in its original form. Check out the bottom picture! The green "skin" on the outside is basalt, which formed a protective tube around the amazing amethyst crystals as they grew. You'd never guess there were such beautiful gems inside a drab green log like this, would you?

Amethyst Geode

This geode came from Brazil, and is really as big as it looks, measuring six and a half feet high and weighing almost 700 pounds. Now that's big! Also, according to the sign, it's worth $10,000 . . . and didn't seem to be for sale.

Colorful Geodes

Ohio History

Purple Kaleidoscope

Of course, we had to have a 'quick' stop in the gift shop to pick up some souvenirs. However, as soon as I spotted the display of these beautiful geode cross sections for sale, I had to stop and take pictures! The one above is my favorite.

Pink Sunburst

Of course, these colorful crystals did not come from the Ohio Caverns. They were imported, mostly from Brazil, I think. The beautiful kaleidoscope-like patterns are created by cutting cross-sections of large basalt 'tubes' in which the crystals grow. Check out my next post for more details . . .

Lavendar Geode Crystals

Gold Miner

Ohio History 

Crystal Digger

It now came time to leave the underground world. This involved climbing a straight 63 steps back to ground level! We stopped to catch our breath and learn a bit more about the Ohio Caverns' history. After being discovered accidentally by a farmhand in 1897, just over a quarter mile caverns was opened up for tours by the public (who promptly removed all the crystals and covered the walls with grafitti).

 

New owners came in 1922, and they hired excavators to remove the mud and open up almost       3 1/2 miles of tunnels. They strung electric lights and laid gravel walkways which were later paved with cement. This is the part of the Caverns we just saw on the Natural Wonders tour. To celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the Caverns' discovery, the Historical Tour was opened in 1997. It includes the area first toured by the public, but does not feature as many crystal formations.

 

I thought the picture above was appropriate for discussing the hours of underground labor that went into these Caverns. Actually, this and several other crystal geodes featuring miniature figures were for sale in the Ohio Caverns gift shop. This one only measured about 3" across. They were such intricate creations!

Crystal Cave

Ohio History

Who Lives Here?

This is my favorite picture from the Ohio Caverns. It's not hard to imagine that somebody must live in that cave! In fact, I'm not sure the opening is actually big enough for a person. This photo is looking down over the rock ledge beside the trail path, and I don't think it was as far down as it looks. However, I still love the visual effects of the shot - it seems to portray both beauty and mystery in the same scene.

Walls of Crystals

Ohio History

Side View

Here's another mesmerizing shot in - I believe - the third room of the Caverns. The rusty red streaks run diagonally up to meet the striking vertical white crystals. I could have stayed in there taking photos for hours! In fact it was quite comfortable compared to the outdoor chilly weather (so long as you didn't touch the cave walls or try to sit down), as the temperature was its typical 54 degrees. It was very humid though - the humidity is always 90 percent - and it seemed everything was dripping. They said the air is cleaner in the caves than above ground since it's filtered by the constantly dripping water flow.

Crystal Nursery

 This wall seemed like the crystal nursery. Tiny baby crystals hung in neat rows across its surface. I wonder what will happen when they get bigger and meet? It was amazing how they're all growing in such straight lines. According to the website, 95 percent of the caves' crystals are still active and growing. Do you think they'll gradually merge into larger crystals, or all grow very long and skinny?

Tunnel of Crystals

Ohio History

Looking Back

As we entered the fourth room, I turned back for this breath-taking snapshot. It was even more impressive in person than the photo (ok, I know the colors are a bit off...). I read some of the names for the underground chambers on the website - everything from "Fantasyland" (that sure fits) to the inventive title"Big Room." I wonder how hard that was to think up? The largest "room" covers almost a half acre, filled with hundreds of crystal formations, each so unique and complex in its design.

 

The Ohio Caverns currently have over 2 miles of surveyed passageways. The Natural Wonders Tour covers the mile most dense with crystals, while the Historic Tour takes visitors to the portion first discovered and opened decades ago. By the way, more about that history in a minute . . .   

Happy Thanksgiving!

Do-It-Yourself Decorating

Autumn Arrangement

 Here's to a wonderful Thanksgiving to all my dear readers! The fall colors in this bright bouquet seemed just right for this year's celebration. I recently made this arrangement from a bunch of odd flowers my mom picked up from our grocery store. It brightened the room of my grandpa who is in the nursing home recovering from hip surgery. This cheerful bouquet reminds me of a passage from Psalm 95:1-2 to bless this Thanksgiving season:

 

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord!
Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.

 

Iron Oxide Crystals

Ohio History

Crystal Combos

As we advanced into the third underground "room" of crystals, our tour guide pointed out the unique "dual formations" in the Caverns. They are combinations of iron oxide sediment at the top and regular calcium crystals at the bottom. These multi-colored formations are thus a mixture of rusty brown and pure white. Can you see both stalactite and column dual formations in the picture above? According to the Caverns' website, these formations are quite rare but Ohio Caverns features a large number of them.

Iron Loopholes

There was plenty of other iron in the underground caves as well. The orange color in the left side and center of this picture is actually hundreds of teeny crystals formed by the iron oxide. And in the back center I believe is a solid iron column, though it's hard to tell. These orange hues were so pretty - it was hard to believe it's the same process that leaves orange hard water stains all over the shower walls!

Crystal King

Ohio History

Champion Crystal

This is the prize crystal of the Ohio Caverns, accurately named Crystal King. Measuring almost five feet long, the crystal stalactite is estimated to weight over 400 pounds. It was amazing to imagine that much weight hanging from such a small top! It is said to be the largest free-hanging crystal stalactite in Ohio, unique in its pure-white color and perfect formation. Crystal King hung back in a rock wall recess, and though we couldn't see it, there is a corresponding stalagmite in a pit far below. According to the Ohio Caverns website, the crystal drips once every 7 to 8 minutes...we didn't stay that long to watch!

White Light

And now enjoy the no-flash, "natural" lighting view of Crystal King. The shadows and highlights are something else. Also, at this point we were as far underground as the tour would take us, about 103 feet. I can be impressed now that I'm not actually in the cave anymore!

Crystal Shapes

Ohio History

Hidden Pictures

Moving into the second "room" of crystals, we began to spot some interesting varied shapes. Don't you just want to light that birthday candle in the center of the photo above? I see an arm and hand reaching down to the left of the candle, and a little orange egg on the right. But did you spot the water spigot on the far right side? This amazing crystal was hardly three inches tall, yet it looks so real! Except for the missing handle...

Light Effects

Ohio History

Crystal Silhouettes

Flash photography brings out the most beautiful colors and detail in the Ohio Caverns rock and crystals. But it also misses some of that "underground mystique." So here are a couple pictures using only the lights featured in the cave. Our tour guide assured us it was all white light, and any colors we saw were natural to the crystals. I love the silhouettes in the picture above. Doesn't it just feel a tiny bit like you're looking into the mouth of a shark?

I couldn't help thinking about a carrot when I took the picture below. I'm pretty sure that crystal is less than 12" long but it sure looks amazing.

Looking Up

Anatomy of a Crystal

Ohio History

Stalactite vs. Stalagmite

Here are a couple larger crystals, still on those rock shelves I described. Do you know the difference between a stalactite and a stalagmite? Truth to be told, I didn't until our tour; now I don't think I shall ever forget them. As our tour guide said, stalactites hang tight from the ceiling; stalagmites might reach the roof someday. So the stalactites hang down; the stalagmites grow up. I wonder how long it will take the one above to reach the ceiling. Will the stalactite reach the floor first?

Columns of Crystal

There was one more kind of crystal formation we saw as well: columns. I suppose the little columns in the picture above are stalactites that have reached the floor (or stalagmites that have reached the roof?). In this particular picture it almost looks like someone has squirted caulk all around the top of the crystals and it's oozing and dripping out! Or is that well-done upside-down meringues?

Rooms of Crystal

Ohio History

Crystal Shelf

 After a good 10 or 15 minutes of walking through rock-walled tunnels, we got our first glimpse of real crystals. The tour we took, called the Natural Wonders tours, traversed through four different "rooms" inhabited by hundreds of crystals. So above is the first "room." The crystals hung from low rocky roofs and grew from corresponding rock "shelves" about four to five feet high. The space between the two rock ledges ranged from two feet to six inches. It felt like looking into a kaleidoscope: rainbow-colored rock backdropped hundreds of miniature white "icicles." A mesmerizing view, to say the least.

From Mud to Cave

Ohio History

Crystal Water Droplets

Here are some of the first crystals we saw. They were tiny - only about an inch long - and hung above a rocky ledge at eye level. Did you spot the drop of water on the end of the foreground crystal? We watched (and used our imaginations) as each drop of water trickled down to leave its own tiny deposite of minerals, lengthening the crystal by . . . oh so little. The Ohio Caverns maintain a steady temperature of 54 degrees all year long, allowing a constant cycle of moisture. Indeed, although it felt both damp and chilly, this environment would be welcome in the freezing winter or summer heat!

Mud Division

 Our tour guide explained that when the caverns were first discovered, the tunnels were actually filled with mud anywhere from 3-6 feet deep. Many hours of man power drained the mud and poured the tunnels with concrete walkways. If you look closely at the picture above, you can see proof of the mud. Can you spot the crystal hanging from the ceiling a ways back that looks to have a bunch of mushroom roots at the bottom? Well, that was actually the base of the crystal, growing atop the mud. Now the mud is gone, but the crystal remains, no longer "planted" but now suspended.