Leanne Wildermuth : Artist by Nature

New Hummy Feeder

August

2006

How exciting to be able to capture my hummingbirds resting during a feeding! It is so cool to see them perched. I have a pair of Ruby Throated Hummingbirds, the male has a black head and bright red neckband – this one is the female of the pair. (I’m pretty sure, anyway!)

I picked up a new feeder the other day, and chose one with the rim that they can perch on. I hoped for a good shot, I’ve seen the male several times resting on it and sticking his tongue out, even opening his beak to clean himself. It’s the neatest thing!

This shot was taken zoomed in on the feeder that hangs outside our front window. I’ve got a 12x optical zoom on my Lumix, in case you’re wondering – there are no special lenses on my camera. I was on the couch, halfway across the room with low interior light since it’s about dusk. I lightened up the foreground a bit in PSP so you can see her coloring and detail. Gorgeous, gorgeous birds. I will never cease to be amazed by them.

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Filed under: The Great Outdoors, The Photog in Me

Tucker Tidbits Vol. 2

August

2006

Have vent, will follow!Tucker is making huge progress! Yay for puppy training!

I am kennel training him, and he can hold his potty for 2 hours at a time now, he also sleeps through the night. He’s more like clockwork than I expected for a 15 week old. He’s even beginning to learn commands now. He sits, lays down (with some prompting), obeys “let’s go” for the most part, and I’m working with him now on “no biting” and “stop”.

He loves to bathe, he does not sit still for a furcut, and he’s teething like the dickens! (He only chews on his toys, so far!) He’s been doing great about NOT jumping – we taught him that right off the bat, however when I pat on my thigh, he will come up to me for me to pick him up and hold him like a baby. He follows me from room to room, flopping down on the nearest vent.

In short, he’s still frappin’ adorable. I don’t think he can help it!

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Filed under: Home n' Hearth, Our Little Wheatie

Peach Rose

August

2006

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Filed under: Available for Purchase, Photography Prints, The Photog in Me

Gotchya

August

2006

Every time I say “GOTCHYA!” I automatically add “A TOASTER! Gotchya a TOASTER!”

You’d get it if you saw that episode of Will & Grace.

So. This morning at 6 AM, just after the rooster crowed and I shot it, I went and checked the glueboards I set out lastnight before bed. The fourth board caused the first word out of my mouth this morning to be “gotchya!” A TOASTER! No. I got the dang mouse. Now what. What the heck do you do with a mouse glued to a glue board? What’s protocol? Rinse in warm water and release? Uh. I needed coffee.

And so I put the mouse, glued to the glue board, on the counter. And I pondered it over a cup of coffee. And I looked at the cute little pictures on the sides of the glueboard boxes I had out.

I’m a wildlife artist, and this is NOT my nature. Uh, can I keep him? He’s so cuuuuute. No? Back to the box.

Seriously. Just throw him in the garbage? It would have been more humane to poison him. “Here, buddy. You’re totally stuck to this board and your fur is completely buggered up with glue, you can’t move, you’re freakin’ out because this was totally unexpected – here you were just running along your normal path and what the… what is this sticky stuff?!?! and I’m sorry, here’s your brown paper bag casket.”

“The Neighbor Kid” (because I know he’ll get a tickle that I called him that on my blog) said I should take him by the tail and peel him off the board. OMG. Wouldn’t that be like scalping the hair off a beggar? No way.

And so my conscience weighs on me again, another beautiful innocent creature dies at the hands of the so-called “Nature Lover”. But before you cast all those stones at me, let me just say – as God and my Husband are my witnesses, I didn’t mind having him as a house guest until – UNTIL – I had to reposition my monitor yesterday morning and guess what? Mouse turds. ALL OVER MY DESK. No, thankyou. He was making out with my mouse while I was sleeping. That just grossed me out. At that moment, it was him or me.

Boy do I feel like a hypocrite, though.

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Filed under: Home n' Hearth

Thursday Thirteen #37

August

2006

Thirteen Things about Leanne, Thursday, August 3, 2006
My other Thirteens1. I feel like a proud momma today, celebrating the 1 year anniversary of the birth of this friendship creating beast of a meme.

2. I wonder how many people are meeting how many new people every week when I publish a new edition at the Hub. Did that make sense? I’d love to know how many good friends met because they participated.

3. Ahh, memories. When 39 participants was considered a huge Thursday Thirteen turnout.

4. Aww, this was the first time the code was used. Isn’t she cute?

5. She’s all grown up now, strutting her stuff on Technorati every week, all big and Thursday Thirteeny.

6. She got her own place a few months back, remember, and now she throws these parties every week, and I’m rarely invited. I just get to help her get ready, and clean up after everyone has left. It’s a mother’s job, you know.

7. She has friends, too, that help do the “cool” stuff that I’m too fuddy-duddy for. These special friends help keep her head on straight now that she’s so dang “cool”.

8. She even designed her own line of products. Because people love it, and people support the meaning behind the meme.

9. It means so much to me to know that my nurturing her along helped people meet people, and become friends. :sniffle:

10. Back in the day, she didn’t have a “blogroll“. She had a list of folks who joined in. Now, her list of friends is 255 bloggers strong and has been on display over 56,699 times.

11. I can’t help but get misty eyed when I look back at the day she was born. She was so young, so naiive.

12. I’ve made my own batch of lovely friends that I adore over the last 52 weeks. I am so thankful that people joined in, because if they hadn’t, I wouldn’t have had the privilege of getting to know them.

13. Here’s to another 52 weeks, sweet baby girl! My how you’ve grown!

Love,
Mom.

Happy Thursday! Thanks for stopping by!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

TECHNORATI TAG: Thursday Thirteen

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Filed under: Thursday Thirteen

Hot, Hot, Hot.

August

2006

It’s another scorcher of a day. I can’t even think of anything to say other than “dayum, it’s hot.” And I’m a summer girl. I prefer sweating over freezing my tootsies off in 30 below any day.

Today though? I’m |<>| this close to reconsidering. (Note: Not reconsidering. Just close.)

My poor plants are flopping over from the heat,

Birds are panting,

Evil grackles are dirtying up all the fresh bath water,

and the squirrels are dying for a dip in the pool.

It’s too hot to even eat sitting up.

Thankfully, this is going to break in a day or two – at least that’s what the forecast is for now. Meanwhile, does anyone know if it’s safe to transplant Azalea’s in this kind of heat? At dusk, or early morning? Should I wait for a nice cool 80 degree day? Ugh. It’s hot.

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Filed under: A Little Squirrely, The Great Outdoors, The Photog in Me

About My Nuthatch

July

2006

Adorable things I love about this little Nuthatch:

1. He can toss, flip and catch seed using only his beak.

2. Upside-down, even.

3. He is very inquisitive.

4. He allows me within 18 inches of him on the feeder.

5. But not on the tree.

6. He does not like it when I bring my camera outside.

7. He’s persistant, stuffing seeds in behind the bark.

8. He cleans up after himself, picks up any seed he’s dropped.

9. He watches me and knows when fresh suet is out, he’s the first one there, usually.

10. He’s acrobatic, flips and twists upside down and sideways with just small flaps of the wings – incredible little guy to watch from 18 inches!

It’s MONDAY! I feel like today is a good day to be busy in the studio, so I’m going to attempt to get things organized and get some canvas time in today! I’ll let you know how that works out – being summer vacation and all, we’ll see how the stars and moon have aligned themselves today. Wish me cooperative children and a peaceful puppy!

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Filed under: The Great Outdoors

Hot Day PSA

July

2006

The conversation was short, it went something like this:

Chickeymonkey: Hey Ma?
Me: Yeah Chick?
Chick: Have you stopped to smell the roses today?
Me: Nope, I haven’t. We should do that, huh?
Chick: Yeah! Let’s go!

And so we went. And it was one of those moments where you think “what a smart little kid.” and you wonder if she realizes how profound her little question was, and how in the midst of a day of working and a mind full of stuff – it is truly important to stop what you’re doing, get up, and go smell the roses. And the daisies, too.

Afterward, if you’re sweating like a bugger after being out there smelling roses in 100+ degree heat, you can follow the lead of our smart little Tuckerhead. Flop your daggone belly right over the vent, and take a nap.

Hope you’re staying cool, too!

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Filed under: Home n' Hearth, Our Little Wheatie

Pigs On Parade

July

2006

Today is the day for the Pigs On Parade event in Geneseo! There are 11 pigs in all (I think that was the count), here are a few pics of my Pig for you. It was HOT out there! Catybug and I are on the other side of the hayrack doing the “parade wave”, Doc Bordwell riding alongside as well. There was also some local news hanging around, so if I catch any extra publicity of course I’ll be happy to share that as well!

Some onlookers after the parade route ended.
He recieved some nice compliments!

The clearcoat really gave the painting a great shine, he looks beautiful out in the sunlight! I’m really pleased with how it turned out. The parade was handled so efficiently, and the community involvement was really great!

The only thing missing was candy, according to Chickeymonkey – she was expecting us to be tossing out candy from the hayracks. Which explains why she wanted to be an onlooker with Daddy!

Here are some extra pigs – we didn’t get pics of all of them. My personal fave is the Chef! It is really well done (hardy-oink-har-har)!