Rex Oil Portrait Private collection

I have been a volunteer with 4H for many years and I must say that it provides me with a great deal of happiness. I enjoy the enthusiasm of the kids and count many of the parents as friends. I love being able to encourage young people to raise animals and learn about them as well as where they stand in the food chain. A Friend of mine who is an educator at the local Agricultural College told me recent statistics have our population as being 3rd generation from the farm. An alarming ratio when you think about the future and how we plan to feed an ever increasing population of people.

Last night my poultry members gathered for a meeting on judging conformational qualities of a chicken. For all you non farm folk, yes this important. It is a living breathing reproductively viable creature before it becomes a scrumptious meal upon your dinner plate.

In order to show where certain body parts are on a chicken I enlisted the help of my sons rooster Rex. Rex is a mature 4 year old Ameracauna rooster with 2 inch spurs capable of causing great damage should he desire to leave. Rex was my sons first foray into the world of chickens.

His real name is Nervous Wreck as he was originally too high spirited and nervous to make a good show rooster for a 9 year old. Connor worked with that rooster all summer. Rex was introduced to all sorts of things, horses, cats lawnmowers and televisions! By summers end he was what horse people call "bomb proof". It is something he has never lost.

So last night as parents gathered in a circle chatting about kids and watching them interact with a fully grown rooster on my living room floor I never once considered the scene strange. Everyone took turns picking up Rex and he was literally hugged like a teddy bear on more than one occasion. When the kids thought I wasn't looking a few of my freshly baked chocolate chip cookies were fed to the gentle bird.

Later that night when the kids and Rex were safely tucked in their respective beds my husband asked me if anything strange happened today.

I thought about it and replied an honest..." no".

"You don't think having a very large rooster walking about your living room being hugged like a doll by 10 year olds and being fed chocolate chip cookies is a bit strange?"

I considered his question, interpreted his underlying meaning and once again said ..."no."

How else am I going to prove to people that animals have feelings and are capable and deserving of kindness if I can not show it first hand? I have worked in the agriculture industry for over 2 decades and while I have the greatest amount of respect and admiration for people who make the business of raising livestock their career, I believe there is more than one way to keep animals.

With our civilization becoming more and more removed from the land I will take any opportunity to highlight the beauty and ability of raising animals, however small the scale, to people both young and old. If that means having a rooster in my house eating my cookies to prove there is nothing to fear about raising livestock, I guess I better start on my next batch of cookies. I wonder if Rex likes gingerbread?

Broadcove Valiant Diablo Oil Portrait Private collection

I have been painting for a long time. Long if you ask my kids but to me it seems like it is a timeless event. I do this because it causes me pleasure and takes me to my happy place. I used to tease my friends about having a happy place but in recent months I have found that other creative friends understood me when I joked about this mythical location.

One's a musician and the other is a writer and both commented on the calmness they felt when they took up their "hobby" and lost themselves for a few hours. Maybe it is akin to meditation because after I leave the studio I feel refreshed and energized.

Invariably people who visit my studio ask "How long did it take you to do this?"as they gaze upon some piece I have created.

"It varies" I say. And this never satisfies them. When I explain that I do it until I get it right they usually look at me with concern or disbelief. In a world so consumed by the quantification of time it seems foolish to them to do it until "it is right."

Then they ask "is this your best?" Or "What one is your favorite?"

When I explain that each one is a journey where I learn something new they look at me as if I am queer in the head. I suppose in this day and age that is a justifiable concern (my answer, their question but not my state of mind!). Why would one ever want to do a job until it is right or learn from the task when they could just go home at 5pm? No later mind you , wouldn't want to pay overtime would we?

I am glad to know that I am not alone in this ethic. I would hate to think that my doctor would ever walk out of a surgery because it was quitting time. I like to think that he and many others out there like to "do it until it is right."

What about you?

The above bull is a Holstein Bull bred by Ensley Crowe of Burncoat Nova Scotia. Diablo put Nova Scotia on the map for improving the quality of the Holstein breed in this country. While I am well known for painting dairy cows this is the first bull I ever painted. I was quite pleased with how well it turned out.

The Grey Mare 8X10 Oil Portrait Sold

This was a commission for a fellow who was retiring. As I worked on the piece I began to recognize certain anatomical characteristics about the mare and certainly in the foal. I asked if the recipient could tell me if they happened to be related to a stallion I knew.

I guess the question freaked the fellow out as he was astounded that I could recognize not only the stallion but his offspring. Turns out the mare is the daughter of the stud and the foal a throw back to him. I guess the fellow who now owns the painting was astounded that an "artist" would also know horses. The funny thing is that as an artist you end up spend extraordinary amounts of time rendering life like images onto canvas so much so that you study, duplicate and memorize all the little nuances of that creature. I can walk into any dairy barn that houses a cow I have painted and pick her out by her markings and the mammary veins, but only on one side!! LOL I probably spend more time looking at the cow than the owners do!

Today's News.

SO today we are being pummelled with what feels like the 900 th storm of the year. This one started innocently enough at 2pm but by 5:30 there was over a foot of snow. By 5:45 it started to blow. Now it is starting to rain/freezing rain. The kids are doing their little "happy" dance as the possibility of school being cancelled tomorrow is very high. I must say the drive home through this latest weather delight was "wonderful" (insert sarcasm here!).

I swear every 80 year old Grandmother on the planet decided she had to take her aged car with 3 year old summer tires out for that one "quick" trip to the grocery store for milk. Slamming on the brakes and skidding in a variety of semi circles before my eyes was just for my amusement I am sure.

Folks, News flash; YOU LIVE IN CANADA...BUY SNOW TIRES!

It snows here...alot.
We have more winter than summer.
It rains here, then it snows here ... alot.
We have crappy weather .... alot.
Global warming has not affected our miserable seasonal weather patterns enough for you to keep your bald summer tires on in February. EVER. This has not changed from when you were a child and it is not likely to change in the future.

BUY APPROPRIATE WINTER TIRES.

While I can normally get my jollies watching people experience the terror of sliding out of control from the comfort of my home while watching some form of vehicular "Wipeout " on the tube....I do not need to participate in your delusional fantasies that include your warped belief in your ability to travel safely through snow drifts that stop snowplows.

If you feel this rant does not apply to you, and you decide to pull such an idiotic maneuver and find yourself calling the ditch your new garage I will not stop and give you a ride home. You can walk your stupid arse home and stay there like you should have done in the beginning.

Winter preparedness. It is called being responsible. If you can not be responsible for your own actions...then don't act. Your inability to remain on your side of the road threatens the lives of every responsible person who is driving home to their families in their weighted down, new snow studded tired car.

Playing dodge ball with my car on a snow covered road with you is not my idea of a good time. Stop it. Your not funny anymore. If you won't do it for me Granny than do it for the 32 cats you have living in your house. I don't want to be responsible for them when your dumb actions have you hospitalized or having a personal meeting with St. Peter. I personally having you chatting about your eternal damnation with another fellow entirely but I think you get the point.

My rant is done.

I feel better.

Be safe on the roads. Be prepared, we'll all live longer.