Sunday, February 26, 2012

Hopping Down the Bunny Trail


You know what is cool about finally having snow??? Seeing bunny tracks!! I've been waiting all winter. When I went out to feed the chickens this morning I noticed someone had been busy so I ran inside, grabbed the camera, and followed him around. I'm working on (working may be a bit of an energetic term since really I'm working on writing for about 16 hours every day...putzing a few minutes here and there might be more accurate) a series of bunny paintings. Yes, folks, I've taken my obsession to the next level. I'm now creating bunny art. And not copied bunny art either (ie., my lovely paintings of Beatrix Potter bunnies) but my own, original creations. My first is a mixed media canvas. I'm still working on it but the background looks like this:




(Can you guess what the background color is made from???)

It's got a bit more on it now because as soon as the background was finished I started building up the layers. I like how it's going so far. But this morning I had an idea to do bunny tracks. I've been thinking someone ought to stamp bunny tracks in metal, maybe for pendants or something. But when I saw them on the ground this morning I knew exactly what I was going to do with that second canvas I got for my two-fer. But you'll just have to wait and see.

After following Peter Cottontail all around the bunny trail he went home. Here:

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Bunny M.A.S.H.

I know I'm a lazy poster but it's hard to believe I haven't posted anything to the blog since late November. There's a very good reason for that, however. Several of them. All fluffy. All cute. All sick unto death.

Around Thanksgiving Fergal had an accident. We think he was pulling on the bars of his cage and ripped his jaw ligaments. I won't tell the whole story here (I'm including it in a book I'm working on . . . more details when it's closer to being finished) but let's just say that it was a couple months before I got to sleep longer than 4 hours at a stretch. This picture shows Fergal in his baby bib (courtesy of my nephew Destin) getting ready for one of his every 4 hour round the clock feedings. He did really well. He still needs feeding at times,when he refuses to eat, but for the most part is now eating on his own. He doesn't seem to be able to eat regular pellets so I have to grind his food in the spice grinder and mix it with water to make mush.

Then Twisk got a cold. And then Pippin got a cold. And then Dougal got an ear infection (and died in my arms.) And then Posey got a cold. This may be the Year of the Dragon but it's the Winter of the Bunny. Dougal was the first rabbit I've lost (aside from Poppet's runt and two stillborns.) It was difficult. I try not to think about it. Everyone else is on the mend.

Through everything Dr. Bruce has been a medical MacGyver. It's nice to have someone so resourceful and knowledgeable in charge. I've spent so much time with him since fall we're considering adopting him.

In other farm news, well, I guess there is no other farm news. Just sick bunnies. The sheep, llama, and alpaca are anxious for spring and real grass, otherwise they are doing well. Beatrix is rocking a new camo colored jacket because that's what came the last time I ordered. She looks like she's getting ready to go on a mission but then she always looks like she's plotting to take over the world. Now she's dressed for it.

Exciting writing news though . . . I'm about to sign a contract to let Pacific Press ePublish all of my titles they have published in print. Except for Eleventh Hour and Midnight Hour which Eric Stoffle and I own the digital rights for. We're busy converting those files ourselves and will release them through Amazon. I'll keep you posted. I am embarrassed to say that I've broken down and ordered a Kindle Fire. I never thought I would. I'm still not sure I want one. But I'm ridiculously excited about it anyway. This ePublishing gig opens up a whole new world. Especially for control freaks like myself. I'm not entirely sure I won't pop a couple books onto Amazon that I've been noodling on for years. Might be fun.

Now if we could just get a little snow before winter is officially over it might smooth my re-entry into reality.