BELTED KINGFISHER 8" x 6" Watercolor & Pencil

ZOOM. A kingfisher almost clips me as it zooms by near the shore in search of fish and other tasty morsels. Definitely a bird on a mission. Their large beak is handy for snagging fish when they plunge into the water after one. An interesting fact about them is their nesting habits. The male and female dig and tunnel into a bank, sometimes 15 feet in, where the eggs are laid. That's definitely protection. Here he or she comes back again. What fun they are to watch.

VEIL OF MIST 11" x 14" OIL

September 11, 2009, 1:30pm -- VEIL OF MIST. The far off cliffs become a beautiful range of grays when seen through the mist. Everything is bathed in the restfulness of a rainy afternoon. All the ducks must be napping, I assume. Perfect afternoon for a nap. It's a perfect afternoon to be out on the lake too, gliding along through the light rain. Heavier rain is on the way as I look towards the east. I head for the south shore to look for shelter. The canopy of a cypress tree will be a sufficient umbrella during a downpour. Anchored to one of its many exposed roots, I gaze up through the limbs towards the sky. I feel small underneath something so big. The protection it provides is a wonderful feeling as the pouring rain arrives.

RAIN STORM 9" x 9" OIL

7:30am -- LIQUID GLASS. The only ripple is the one made as my kayak breaks through the surface of the water. The calm before the storm, which is building to the west and south. Could it really mean rain. I hope so, for many reasons. One of them is that being on the river during the rain is so magical. The sounds of the droplets hitting the water. The little circles each makes. The rustling sound in the tree tops as the rain makes it way through the leaves. I have the lake pretty much to myself. I guess everyone else checked the weather first. The swan family is out though, mom, dad and two not-so-little little ones. I'm wondering if maybe these are the two I saw just after hatching last spring. What a thrill! I'll tell about that another time. The fish are jumping like crazy and I am enjoying the comfort the rain brings as it washes away the cares of a hectic world.

DAWN 14" X 11" Oil

DAWN...the lake is at its serenest. In the soft light visually all the details are lost...mentally, too. There's a wish this moment in time could last forever but the city will wake up with all the excitement and energy of a two-year old, and the day will be filled with the sounds of life.

HOME 32" X 62" Oil

HOME...to the red-tailed hawk, building their nests in the cliffs high about Lady Bird Lake. They raise their young in the spring and early summer, so they are empty-nesters now. Often, they can be spotted coming and going from the cliffs in search of food. Numerous species of other birds, fish, and animals call the lake home. I am grateful that they share it with me.