Hopalong Hollow....

Hopalong Hollow, where the Blueberries grow sweet, and the moss feels soft beneath your feet.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

The watery world of Hopalong Hollow


        When it REALLY rains in Hopalong Hollow, it pours... and it pours, and it hails, and it drizzles, spits and rains some more. What a deluge! We feel as though we live on  a tiny island surrounded by a moat, a river and 3 streams.  The pond behind the house fills to the tip top, overflows into a dry creek which runs PARALLEL  to the house and vivaciously spurts into the  stream which passes in FRONT of the house. 

        Spillover from the hills, slopes and hollow finds it's way into another dry creek which travels only 15 ft FROM the house and gushes with unbridled exuberance  over slate,  rock and pebbles, eventually water-falling  into the same stream. (also known as Croaky Toad Creek)  
      The well on the hill engorges to the point of excess,spits its abundance out of the pump house, rushes down another slope on the OTHER side of the house and finds it's way to croaky toad creek, which has now become  Croaky Toad Rampantly Running River. Our poor old bridge( which has seen better days) groans , creaks and whines in defiance,  stubbornly clinging to it's mooring of clay bank, lest it be swept downstream along with all the fallen branches and debris picked up along the waters journey, to destinations unknown. And I haven't  even mentioned the water from the road which is lured to our property like a magnet, spilling into our maidenly sponge of a meadow . After 3 days of rainfall we have at least 4 new ponds and our ducks and geese  think they have died and gone to heaven. 
 "Where do we go next??" they gleefully quack.
  "Lets try this one! They honk in delirious delight! 
         Sometimes, I think we be  awakened one night in our second story bedroom, with water up to our chins, because our house has been swallowed up by  some monstrous underground well!
     Lest you think I look disdainfully on   all this precipitation, I do NOT.. I actually love it . I know all the good it is doing for my gardens and all green, living things in our area. I am so grateful for this rain.  Now for all my complaining it just so happens, the rain was fortuitous,as I was painting water all week long.  The rain certainly helped put me in a WET frame of mind, thinking of froggies, beavers,  turtles, salamanders and toads.,, but most of all thinking of a fine lADY bear, in her perfectly sturdy and well made canoe, drifting silently down an aqua blue river... 
           She looks so peaceful on her stretch of water, and I had looked forward to painting this piece. It turned out just as I had hoped..   Sometimes, when you are really lucky, things turn out even  better than you imagined them to be. Please, take a ride down the river with  Mamsey, in her canoe, here....
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Be sure to turn on your volume, the music makes all the difference.

 INCIDENTALLY,  I wish to thank those of you that left such nice messages here and at Acornmoon last week. I think you are wonderful!
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 By the way, last weeks soup was LENTIL, recipe was right on the back of the lentil bag,  Today's tea is Bigelow Orange Spice.

33 comments:

  1. Jeri!
    I am in water heaven!!! As long as you are ok, and not floating down the stream, I am ok.
    Oh yes, I am sure the ducks and geese find this to be a REAL TREAT!

    Your video... Well, the music brought tears, and your illustrations made my heart smile, you are such a master with the brush, right down to the reflection in the water, which by the way is so beautiful.. Dear, dear Mamsey... What a canoe she has.. It is marvelous! I could look for hours I would thing and still find something hidden somewhere.. I will be back to take a second ride down the river with Mamsey.
    Book release in summer 2013? Does this mean you are about done?
    Exquisite work Jeri..
    Wishing you a lovely (and dry) week.
    Love and blessings,
    Penny & Bebe

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  2. Jeri, between the cut out bubbles in the toady hole to the movie, well I don't know how you do it. I bet you just have to figure it out yourself. Love it. And the rain, we are in a terrible drought so I envy all of it. When it rains like that around here, you can find arrowheads and points.

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    1. Donna, Yes, it's a matter of figuring things out and then forgetting it, and having to learn all over again next time!

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  3. Well Jeri at least i can tell by reading this you have not floated away yet. tie a rope to a tree just in case.. I'm glad your gardens are being nourished though. Water has such power.

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    1. Gwen, We can always go to the barn loft (barn is on a high hill), if things get really bad!

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  4. My precious friend, the music is perfect for your gentle water world as you take us with you in the tiny canoe, under the stars. Lovely my dear. I am in tears. I was over at Penny's to see Bebe, and I cried. What is it....the love. The love of you all who create and feel and see what I see. Thank you precious Jeri. Anita
    P.S., what music is that? When you make your own Youtube, how do you get the permission to use music...or this this YOUR SONG?

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    1. Anita, Butterfly Waltz is the song. I sent you a message answering your question. There are many different ways to get music on your videos. When you know the name of the musical artist, you simply give them the credits on You Tube, and YouTube takes it from there.

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  5. THANK YOU FOR THIS INFORMATION, JERI! I want to do something similar for Easter! teehee...thank you so much. Anita

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  6. Thank you so much Jeri, your visit was a most welcome one.. Your kind thoughts are appreciated so much..
    Dancing cheek to cheek.. I know, I know all the words to the old songs... My father love Fred Astaire, as do I.. We always had music in the house..

    Will you just look at those little frogs! They are just having a grand time.. Oops! Did one of them swim down under? I see frog legs sticking out of the sand at the bottom!
    You are really something... I will be back in the morning to have my coffee with Mamsey. I just love this video.
    Enjoy your evening

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  7. Oh Jeri,

    I think you've had some frog-strangler days lately, my friend! That's what my grandmother used to call torrents of rain.

    I can't wait for the release of your new book! Indeed, Mamsey looks so peaceful. I'm sure she must be hearing the music in her mind as she paddles. And I love the way you created the wonderful creatures in the bark of the old tree. What fun to search for them! I am such a lover of bugs and insects that I'm also imagining that a water strider had just enough time to dart out of the way of Mamsey's paddle. Maybe there's a wee ant or two hitching a ride sight unseen down the waterway in Mamsey's canoe? Your artwork is so magical that I could spend hours just studying it and thinking about all the bugs that must be hidden somewhere.

    Thank you for giving us a preview. I know you'll let us know how we can get your book when it's released!

    Diane in North Carolina

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  8. Diane, I have a dragonfly or two on the bank, and it isn't too late to add a few water bugs... Hmmm. maybe I ought to pull out that painting again and add a few more little critters.

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    1. Ooooooh, Jeri - you'd do that for ME?!!

      What a compliment that would be!! I'm going back right now and look for the dragonflys.

      Thanks from me and all the bugs and insects in the world.

      Diane

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    2. Diane, They are on the very edge of the cattails along the right hand border,and that edge doesn't show up on the video. But yes, I will add more bugs, it really does need some more...there were a LOT of bugs in Bushky Bushybottom.

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  9. Dear Jeri - this is so beautiful...your beautiful art with the music is more than words can describe. So lovely - also I am like you - send rain because it does make things grow and get green. When summers turn dry I get rather distraught not to mention my flowers and veggies. Take care and thank you for making my Friday full of joy. God Bless.

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  10. I get tired of rain after a while, but for a bit it's so nice to enjoy! Really lovely work, as always! :) Watch out for all the mud!

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  11. hello,

    i hope you stay dry with all that rain water!
    such a lovely post with your charming art, film, music, photographs and more.

    love the little weasel in the last piece

    sweet weekend to you ~

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  12. What a lovely world exists within your drawings, Jeri. You have a wonderful gift. Thanks so much for sharing your work. Makes me want to keep trying to learn!!

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    1. Starr, Never give up, you may have something special tucked inside that you never even knew about.

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  13. Like I said Jeri, your video is just like a book that came alive... I love it!
    Just read your email, one on the way to you.
    Love ya!

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  14. Hi Jeri,

    Would like it if we could please have a little of your rain, we need it very much, over here.
    Love your sweet ducks and they must be loving it so much.
    Beautiful art work and just adore your sweet work.
    Will sit and sip orange spice tea with you.

    Happy weekend
    hugs
    Carolyn

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  15. Hi Jeri, happy tea party to you...I was wondering, if you would mind, if I used your book as the background for my new prim bunny doll? It fits perfect as he is blue, and it's about the blue bunnies, I of course will give you credit as the artist author of the prop...please let me know.. thanks so much, robin

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    1. Robin, sure enough, as long as background is credited to me. Where is she? I would love to see her.

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  16. Dear Jeri,

    Having ducks and geese makes it hard NOT to love lots of water, doesn't it? They are so happy and funny that it's contagious! I'm glad you're getting lots; may it continue.

    The video was indeed perfect with the music, and my children can't wait for the book to be out (Evangeline has already claimed it).

    Love,

    Marqueta

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    1. Marqueta and Evangeline.... I always say, the one who loves it most should have it!

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  17. Oh I ADORE floating about with Mamsey and swimming with the wee froggies ! I wonder what the geese would think of gaggling over into my VERY snowy post.

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    1. Willow, Well, they don't like snow much... until it melts.

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  18. Leave it to you, our Jeri, to find lemons and creatively conjure
    up a delicious lemonade of a blog entry. The video and waltz are
    enchanting. The water sequences are jewels. Come quick Summer'13!
    You and Rob share the orange spice partiality. Hope you, the
    Master of the Manor & menagerie remain safe and snug at theHollow.
    Missing and blessing you~
    Mary

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    1. MAry, Our Mary, Making lemonade is my specialty, what else can one do when handed lemons?! Miss you and Rob.

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  19. Oh my goodness, dear Jeri...I have been away far too long...missed so many beautiful posts...but I am catching up!
    What a beautiful video, your work takes my breath away....
    So glad you are getting much-needed rain...
    Blessings and wishes for a joyful week!
    xoxo,
    - Irina

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  20. It was a pleasure to meet you through Acornmoon - and I did make lentil soup. Now how do I make this week/s?

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  21. Oh dear, I haven't got one yet, James cooked a ham and we've been eating it all week!

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  22. Happy Valentine's Day, Jeri. I LOVE all your paintings and posts. I can dream and get lost in them. Thank you!

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  23. Dear Cousin Jeri,

    Mamsey looks so pretty in her canoe with her old fashioned clothing, bonnet, and cap! How we love Mamsey's tour down the river with all the ducks, froggy, fishy, and water critters! Red and white striped swimwear, how fashionable! Sarah and I have always loved waterside viewing! Our Corgi Katrina used to love to watch the frogs along the bank of the pond jump into the water. We would walk all the way around and Katrina got the biggest thrill out of it!

    Your cousins,
    Diane and daughter Sarah and Tillie Tinkham the seamstress mouse at the Corgyncombe Courant

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