Blizzard of 2011

On February 1, much of the mid-West was smacked by a blizzard. A few days later, it hit the eastern part of the country. Record-breaking snowfall and low temperatures paralyzed us. We shoveled more than 8 inches of snow off the back deck twice within 5 hours that day, and left the final 4 or so inches. On the bright side, we didn't seem to get any ice AND we didn't lose electricity until just a couple of days ago for a couple of hours. Naturally this all occurred AFTER the carport was removed in anticipation of the new garage and studio. Today the temperature went above 60 degrees, so finally a lot of this stuff is melting. The downspouts sound like there is water running through a fire hose at full capacity! Perhaps construction can begin in the near future because we are COMPLETELY ready to get all of the various components of Ozarklake in one spot and under one roof.

This week I will be attending Citizens Day at the Legislature, sponsored by Missouri Citizens for the Arts. Best of Missouri Hands receives a grant from the Missouri Arts Council, and MAC receives funding from the Missouri Legislature -- at least when the Legislature approves a budget with funding for the arts. And that is my purpose in attending -- to ask my legislators to approve a budget that will include some money for the arts in Missouri.

Being snowed in has not been a total waste of time. We have kept busy happily creating art for Kala Gallery in Lenoir, NC; A Wish Called Wanda in St. Michaels, MD; Oak Creek in Scottsdale, AZ; and Artsy Elements in Williamsville, NY.

Ruby-throated hummingbirds should be here in about 60 days!

Hummingbird fact for today: Popular tropical destinations such as Mexico, Costa Rica, and Ecuador are rich in hummingbird species, most of which are never seen in the US.

Best of Missouri Hands Board of Directors

I attended my first meeting yesterday as a director on the governing board of the Missouri Artisans Association d.b.a. The Best of Missouri Hands (BOMH). That's me in the center at the top of the picture. The Missouri Artisans Association d.b.a. The Best of Missouri Hands was founded in 1989 as a nonprofit corporation "dedicated to the development and recognition of Missouri's arts and artisans through education, interaction, and encouragement." A primary goal of MAA d.b.a. Best of Missouri Hands is to advance the arts in Missouri by:

· Educating the public about Missouri's arts and crafts
· Educating its members and the community at large through an annual conference, a newsletter, a web site, and other interactive communications
· Providing technical assistance and mentoring for artistic development
· Offering networking opportunities regionally and nationally
· Rewarding excellence through its jury process
· Preserving cultural heritage through public education, display and other projects

The BOMH membership consists of nearly 500 Missouri artists of all levels and mediums. I am humbled and honored to be a part of this terrific organization. We have a new Executive Director and I expect to see great things happen within BOMH this year.

We've got a contractor for the studio! Unfortunately, we also have about 4" of snow and more coming, so groundbreaking may take a while. We can't wait to get everything together under one roof. We have to take out one tree, though, and we sure hope that doesn't upset our summer oriole and hummingbird populations.

Hummingbird fact for today: North American hummingbirds are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. Prior to that, hummingbirds were killed to decorate parlors and fashions and captured for exportation to collectors in Europe.

Dereliction

Wow! It's been a while since I posted anything. Unfortunately, there's just not much to talk about in the winter. The last few shows of the season were nothing to write about!

On the home front, we've been busy with holidays, family, and the death of Terrie's stepgrandfather. The picture of my feeder in Birds and Blooms magazine resulted in a tremendous response and we were kept hopping with orders from our Etsy store.

We plan to finally get a real, organized, studio this spring. At this point we're not sure how we're going to do that so we are getting ideas and cost estimates. The time has come, though, to get everything together in one place and NOT have bits and pieces taking up space in every room in the house.

We'll be going back to Texas in March. We'll be at the Dallas Arboretum Artscape the third weekend in March, and then on to the Zilker Gardens Festival in Austin the following weekend. Surely it won't snow in Dallas late in March two years in a row!

Hummingbird fact for today: Winter hummers are now a regular phenomena in the Southeastern United States. Check out this article from the Knoxville News Sentinel.

Birds and Blooms Magazine - Again!

Wow! My second time in Birds and Blooms magazine! On page 49 of the December/January 2011 issue is a picture of a blue winebottle hummingbird feeder I sent at their request. It accompanies an article suggesting holiday gifts to make. But it also includes the web address of my retail store on Etsy where you can purchase a hand-made Ozarklake hummingbird feeder. Yee ha!

And speaking of the holidays, may I suggest giving a membership in The Hummingbird Society. Their slogan is : Teaching about hummingbirds,and working to protect them.

Hummingbird fact for today: Twenty-eight (28) species of hummingbirds, or nearly ten per cent, are threatened with extinction, according to an analysis by BirdLife International.

An Amazing Seven Weeks!

We're home now after being "citizens" of Silver Dollar City for 7 weeks. What an amazing experience! First, thank you Phil and Charleen, Jerre and Jimbo, Marty, Delma, and all the rest of the SDC employees who make it SO pleasant and SO easy for the artists in the Best of Missouri Hands Craft Village. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your fantastic circle for a limited time. Thank you BOMH artists - for your art, for your love, for your comraderie. Thank you Golden Arrow Resort for being our home away from home. And thank you visitors at Silver Dollar City for your interest, your questions, your sincere desire to learn about my art and hummingbirds and orioles - YOU are the reason I set up shop there for the Harvest Festival. It is an amazing and rewarding experience.

Off to Artstravaganza in St. Louis this coming weekend. And to Cape Girardeau later this month.

It is so sad to return home and know that our little hummer friends are gone until April. They were such fun this summer, with the feeder hat and hand-feeding over the porch rail and the constant activity on the front porch. There is nothing in the world that can compare!

Hummingbird fact for today: Carotenoid pigments, which create the brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows of birds such as warblers, orioles, and goldfinches, play little or no role in the plumage color of hummingbirds.

The Joy Has Left Our House

All of our little hummer friends have departed for points south. The cats watch the window expectantly, but there is no more activity. April is a l-o-n-n-g-g way off! I think Terrie is actually having withdrawal pains.

The National Harvest Festival is well underway at Silver Dollar City in Branson. We've seen several people who we met last year and even some of our neighbors from Camdenton. It was terribly hot until last week, but with fall weather finally here we expect to see even larger crowds through the end of October. There is some TERRIFIC art to see. I am always amazed at the amount of talent that lives right here in Missouri. PLEASE stop in and see us!

Hummingbird fact for today: There is good evidence that hummers do not fly very high during migration. Over land, it is unlikely they get much over tree-top height -- the better to see potential food sources along the migration route. (No, they do not ride on the backs of geese; the cold air at that altitude would kill them.)

Silver Dollar City!

The Best of Missouri Hands Village at Silver Dollar City opens this Saturday, September 11. The BEST handcrafted items will be on display for purchase and some INCREDIBLE Missouri artists will be demonstrating. Come by and see us in our 1890's costumes! We'll be down by the Red Gold Barn until the end of October (park is closed Mondays and Tuesdays).

Hummer season at Lake of the Ozarks seems to be winding down. We've seen just one male this week at the feeders along with eight or so females and/or juveniles. They're feeding like crazy, plumping up for their long journey back to the tropics. Ozzy and Izzy will miss their morning "kitty TV" out the kitchen window. The chittering and chest-bumping goes on all day and thinking of their imminent departure is rather depressing.

The Wolfe Gallery in Deland, Florida, just received a shipment of Ozarklake feeders. We're excited to have our work out in that part of the country. Chosen in West Volusia County as "Best in the West", co-owners Martha Ashley and Nancy Wagar invite you to stop by and experience Wolfe Gallery for yourself.

Hummingbird fact for today: Male Ruby-throateds leave the breeding areas first to open up food sources for the females and the young. The juveniles born this year will be the last to leave. Each bird migrates individually with no guidance except for that provided by Mother Nature.