Category Archives: Art, Garden, Creativity

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Smell the Jelly

Grapes

We’ve been enjoying the Seedless Thompsons (also called Sultanas) since the middle part of June but the past few weeks of triple digit heat began to take its toll on the raisin cultivars. I decided to dedicate most of my weekend to the delectable chore of harvesting what remained on the twenty-something-year-old vine that grows in our yard.

Self Portrait

A reflective moment under the arbor was an opportune time for a self-portrait.

If our freezer would afford us the space to save twenty-four pounds of grapes, I may not have attempted the arduous process of making jelly.  It is trickier than I imagined and despite my good intentions and recipe, did not quite get the formula right.  Instead of jelly, we have a concoction that looks like syrup and tastes like honey.  Pancakes anyone?

Jelly

© 2015, Theresa Mae Funk. All rights reserved.

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Passing Shot: Up The Creek Without a Palette

blog sketch August

“Up the Creek Without a Palette” 16″ x 14″ pencil and watercolor work-in-progress on paper.

I invited my partner to have a look at one of my sketches, and he admitted that he wasn’t quite sure what he was looking at. His reply initially hurt my fragile self-taught artist ego, but I appreciated his honesty, and forgave his lack of shared vision.  My former, less confident self might have accepted his comment as absolute truth and hastily abandoned the newborn work but instead, I allowed my intuition to confront and dispel the fear of dreaded rejection that keeps many artists from sharing their work in the first place. The truth of the matter is this: My artistic style is not going to appeal to everyone, and not everyone is going to support my creative endeavors, but that is not going to stop me from bringing my work into the world.  There is no other option because at my very core, I am an artist.

© 2015, Theresa Mae Funk. All rights reserved.

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Bee Feeders

Bee Food

                     © 2015,TheresaMaeFunk. All rights reserved.

Bee keepers have varied opinions about which type of bee feeders work best to nourish their hives.  Rusty Burlew’s Honey Bee Suite provides comprehensive information on the subject, along with beautiful photos of bees and other pollinators.  I don’t keep hives, but I do like to feed bees, and find the Black Eyed Susan model is affordable, beautiful to look at, and easy to maintain.

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Passing Shot: Sun Valley, Nevada

Reno Pokey Gumby

Art  Clokey’s Gumby and Pokey on tour at The Legend of Lizard Peak Sierra Tahoe Series Opener. © 2015, TheresaMaeFunk. All rights reserved.

Gumby and Pokey™ model for the first postcard ever created for the town of Sun Valley, Nevada. Sweeping views of the township located north of Reno as seen from the parking lot of a newly installed 27 hole disc golf course.

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How Grows It?

sunflower carrot

A Circus Circus Carrot sprouts from seed in the shade of a Russian Mammoth Sunflower.

Between obligations, I make time to nurture myself in our backyard sanctuary by spending time in the garden.  Yesterday’s hours were spent extracting grass from the strawberry patch, transplanting tomatoes, decommissioning sweet peas, and pausing to appreciate the bright green hope of new growth in old dirt.

© 2015, Theresa Mae Funk.  All rights reserved.

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American Ninja Terrier: Big Adventures of a Little Dog

Stella will be four years old on Valentines Day, according to the date of birth that is listed on her Circle of Hope K-9 Rescue adoption papers.  Bianca, (her former name) was one of five puppies that were left in a box near the Rescue’s kennels.  At least whomever abandoned the baby dogs had the sense to leave them in a location where they knew they would be cared for.

baby stella

How could I not give this dog a home?

Also noted on Stella’s adoption papers was her breed.  Rat Terrier/Pomeranian mix.   Pomeranian?  Highly unlikely. She is an American Ninja Terrier through and through I thought, as I looked at the photos of the litter that had been sent to me.  Adorable? Absolutely. Garden guard dog potential?  Possible.  Knick knack, paddy-whack, give the dog a home?  Definitely.  And so her journey from Milan, Tennessee to Middlebury, Vermont began.

Stella Transit

Yoda?

I adopted Stella in March, but had to wait until June to receive her. The adoption fee includes spaying and neutering, first round immunizations, complete health assessments, and transportation fees.  Once given a clean bill of health, the adopted begin their journey to their new home.

Stella transit 2

Stella and her litter mates share a crate for the journey.

1,200 miles later, Stella and her fellow travelers arrive safely to their destination in New Hampshire where they are released to their adoptive families, or foster home volunteers.   It is an amazing network of compassionate people that willingly give of themselves to make these types of programs work.

Stella and T

A shy Stella and her human are united.

I’ll be making Stella a special batch of her favorite dog treats for her birthday next week, and will be making a donation to the Circle of Hope to express our gratitude and support.  The little dog, I think, approves.

Stella

 © 2015 Theresa Mae Funk. All rights reserved.