Maaaaaaaa!

MAAAAAAAAA!!!! 

That's what goats say, as opposed to Baaaaaaa, which is what sheep say.

 (yes, she is standing on the back of a sleeping sheep lady)

 I've kept goats for about 12 years now as a part of the farm family.

Their sweet faces bely the fact that they are very clever 

and naughty little escape artists.

Goats really do believe that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence and will go to any means necessary to taste it and prove their theory correct.

 I would never trust a goat in my flower garden, for sure...

But in a perfect world, they would be charming amongst the Hollyhocks.

Don't ya think?

 Another drawing for  the garden book. This will also be a greeting card and a print, once painted.

When you are creating flat art, consider all the applications it could be used on.  I use my flat art in books, cards, prints, on cups, fabric, flour-sack towels, canvas bags and  punch needle. A little can go a long way.

As I work, I am "watching"/listening, via YOUTUBE, to a great series about World War 1, entitled:  "The Great War" BBC 1964. It's a 26 part series and incredibly interesting.

 I confess, I am a serious History buff and know a LOT about the World Wars. It is something that has fascinated me for many years.

For really interesting British History with an adorable host, watch anything by Lucy Worsley and for humor, see Tony Robinson's, "Worst Jobs in History".

Question for you; How do you occupy your mind whilst working on a project? In silence? DO you listen to music? Books on tape? Talk radio? Movies?

Winter Greetings from the Hollow

We send out our warmest  and most fuzzy hugs to all our friends out there in the wide, wild world, and bid you the best of winter.

"Hopalong Hollow Productions"

presents our very amateurish but heartfelt greetings from all who dwell in the Hollow.

(Be sure your volume is turned up loud.)

From

The Donkeys: Ursula, Jemima, 
The Peabody Boys: Hans and Moses, 
The goats: Opal, Rosebud, Cecily , Naomi
The Sheep: Sophia, Beatrix, Margaret, 
The Geese: Hamish, Ivan, Attila, Fiona,
The Ducks: Jangles, Mia, Jeremiah Fisher, Trudy, Pittypat,Winston, Popeye,
The Chickens: Mavis Mudd, Jimmy, Demelza, Rusty, Euel, Esmeralda, Monet, Prudi, Conan... and a few miscellaneous chicksters
The Cats: Peepers, Aretha, Sasha, Moby and Claudette
 The DOG: EZRA
The People: Jeri and the Lord of the Manor, James

  Filmed in the Hollow (by amateur Movie makin- mogul  Jeri )
All movie making tips will be most appreciated!

Animal Crackers...

.

Animal Crackers in my soup,

Monkeys and rabbits loop the loop

.

 Gosh oh gee, do I have fun,

 

Swallowing animals one by one....

  ..

 In every bowl of soup I see,

 Lions and tigers watching me.

  I make em jump right through a hoop,

Those animal crackers in my soup !

  When I get hold of a big baboon, 

 then I push him under to drown.....

  Then I bite him in a million bits and I gobble him right down!

When their inside me where its dark,

 I walk around like Noah's Ark,

  I fill my tummy like a goop,

  With animal crackers in my SOUP!
  

WHEW! these girls DO go through a LOT of animal crackers. I was going to do this as a little movie, with Shirley Temple soundtrack and all, 

 BUT I have been a little bit busy...

 Drawing,

Animal Crackers in my Soup.

(and I still have a long way to go.)

Saying goodbye to friends.

      It is unfortunately inevitable, that when so many creatures dwell in one place, disaster can sometimes strike. Perhaps intruders enter our world bringing chaos, which racks the peace of our happy little Hollow. Such was the case this last week when we lost two members of our farm family to wandering marauders. I have lost many little animal buddies in my  life as a friend to all creatures great and small, and each loss brings a sadness that can only be relieved by remembering the good times.  Even what some would think of as the slightest of lives, are still, lives to be lived to the fullest. When I lost several ducks last year due to a "road accident", my son asked, " Why are you so sad mom? They were JUST ducks."  But those little ducks were the busiest, happiest little creatures I ever had the pleasure to meet. They marched along with such purpose and delight , snapping up bugs as they trekked along with a waddle and a quack-quack through my gardens. They were always at the ready when I grabbed my shovel to plot out a new flower bed, just waiting for the next fat tasty grub. I loved those little ducks!  I grieved for them, I cried for them having had, such short lives.... but then I realized what happy little lives they had been, their days filled to the brim doing all the splishy, splashy, ducky things

                                  

    So many cats, birds, goats, sheep and dogs I have known and loved. Many have been inspirations for my art and stories. Sometimes they had but a brief stay on this earth. But it gives me some consolation to know that I tried to give them a loving home and  the freedom to live their lives according to their animal natures. I know fellow animal lovers understand this, for I am sure you too, have lost a dear little friend at one time or another.

                                    
 So, on a lighter note, here's to you, Pearl and Naomi, It was such a pleasure to know you my dear, Ornery goat gals!

Naomi, you used to make me so mad. There was not a fence made, that could keep you in. If the fence was too tall to jump, no problem, just give it the full body slam till it bends to your will, then walk on over. Fence too strong to bend? No problem, just get down on all fours and go underneath, it's a breeze! Naomi invented the quote, " The grass is always greener on the other side, fruit trees taste like heaven, (even the bark!), pink roses are ambrosia with a slightly piquant flavor, and ornamental Mulberry trees make a tasty dessert."  But that's okay, Naomi, even though I  chased you around the yard with a broomstick, I still loved you and  you always got a hand full of crackers at the end of the day, along with all the other goat-gals.

 Pearl, you came to live with me when you were only 4 weeks old! I bottle fed you and your twin and you had a voracious appetite.

 What a clever goat you grew up to be. Why, you were ever so helpful when we built the barn. You measured for the walls

and you swung your hammer with the best of em...
 You can read about Pearls excellent carpentry skills in post dated 10/28/09
;
What a lovely little face you had...

.

Pearl and Opal

Good bye Naomi and Pearl, I am so glad we knew you, I will miss you my little goat gals.

the kissing bandit

      It's hard to believe that our little girl is nearly a year old.

Especially since she was so unexpected.

Imagine our surprise when we came home after a weekend away to find this wee babe, newly born,standing next to her mama...especially since all our  goats are girls....

 

and we had no idea her mama was in the "family way".Ahem!

The aunties took to her right away, doting on her, letting her stand on their backside and never mentioning who was the "thief in the night", who was papa? They never spoke of it....All was very hush-hush in the barnyard.

But I know who the culprit was!

Papa..... was a rollin stone..Actually he was a dashing, amorous buck up on the hill, otherwise known as... "The Kissing Bandit". I don't know exactly how many innocent young doe's he led astray, but I know there are a lot of little kids around the "neighborhood" here, who have "Kissing Bandit" written all over them! He was a devious master at opening up his pen and flying over the fences. He had broken through my goat fence a few months before and I thought we caught him before he "violated" my girls, but alas, it seems we did not. Our innocent young Rosebud must have fallen pray to his charms! I would like to show you his photograph so  you can see for yourself what a handsome young rake he was, but it seems  his owner was tired of all the frantic phone calls from neighbors.... ("Come get your "blankety,!@#!@^*$#(*@#)#!.blank! goat outta my blankety,blank, blank yard !") and having to chase him down all over tarnation,, and, finally gave him away to someone with more patience and a taller fence. By the way, that wasn't me making the phone calls, I swear!  Actually, we are quite greatful to the kissing bandit, because we dearly love our little Cecily Rose.

 

Thank you kissing bandit, wherever you are !

Real Farmers

 When I was a little girl, I wanted to live in an old house, on a farm......

And be a farmer.

 And have a horse.

I spent hours drawing horses, but I loved ALL animals

 But mom was Allergic....

to fur.. 

and wouldn't allow birdies kept in a cage.

That left pet choices in the reptilian and amphibian department. We used to capture little blue lizards down by the railroad tracks ( those tracks were out in the country, where REAL farmers lived) We would purchase little painted turtles from the "pet department" at Woolworths. They  had a $4 special which included a little turtle,  a box of turtle food, AND a clear plastic bowl featuring a green plastic palm tree, WOW! 

I used to catch baby grasshoppers and put them in a mason jar. They came in all sizes and colors and didn't eat much... I  named each and every one of those hoppers, (pathetic, isn't it?)

  When I grew up and moved away from home, the first thing I got was a CAT. I was so excited to have a real pet, I gave him 5 names. 

That was a long time ago....I've had many cats since then.

And I do live in an old house

And I live on a farm with lots of critters,

 

Big ones, and little ones

Birdies, not in a cage.

 I'm still quite fond of reptiles and amphibians,

  

HMMM....not so much grasshoppers....

But still, I am not a REAL farmer.

Real farmers wake up with the cows,

and milk em.

Sometimes they actually EAT their chickens!

I could never do that...

just their eggs.

 And all my other critters are pure pets, all 24 of them.

I never did get that horse, but I have my heart set on a pretty cute little donkey.