When characters come alive!

     I am going to have to be very careful about what I paint into my books. It is very strange, but quite often I create a character on my paper and shortly thereafter, I actually encounter such a character UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL, in real life. Allow me to explain.

  My first book featured a little rabbit riding upon a red and green rooster. Within days of working on the paintings, I snatched a wild baby rabbit from the jaws of death ( the wicked culprit being my cat, also in book).

Soon after, a Red ROOSTER and hen mysteriously appeared on our property with 13 little chickpeas in tow. So began our chicken family.

  Book two featured a little lost squirrel, I did know him personally, because I raised the little fellow since he was an orphan boy.

 I painted a duck family into his story.....

and within just a few weeks, had acquired 7 little ducks, (now living happily on the creek bank)

  Next came Sir Percival, who was making his dining plans. Chicken Fricassee was featured prominently on the menu...

and soon, even though I had not seen a fox on this property in 20 years, I watched, as a bushy tailed red fox dashed right beneath my kitchen window chasing after aforementioned ducks. (Hmmmm, now I knew where so many of the free range chickens had disappeared to.)

"Ha! Catch me if you can!"

But this one JUST TAKES THE CAKE.We are asleep on this cool spring evening with the bedroom window wide open and no screen. The cats suddenly leap off the bed and a cacophony of hisses and shrieks awaken us. A kerfuffle ensues as we jump out of bed. Lights on! Dear me! What on earth is going on??

And there, walking casually across the rug is one of these... a DRUCILLA P.POSSUM....

in our bedroom.... at 3:00 in the morning!... Fortunately, she did not bring her offspring along for the ride.
Oh Dear! I love animals, but this is ridiculous.

I am in the process of drawing bear characters in current book

I do hope, that when we meet in person...

 they are as friendly and pleasant as the ones in my story.

Good luck!

Mamseys Potting shed

     Mamsey Bear's potting shed sits in the snow half- finished.

 

 

She expects this to be completed before she wakes up from her winters nap.

But those Beavers have not cut the wood for her walls yet.

 She has this lovely RED door just waiting to be hung....

It came all the way from England..... that's far from Hopalong Hollow.

She'll NEED those walls to hang all her garden hats...

And she NEEDS a place to store all her garden tools....

 And somewhere to put all her garden books..

 

And all her STUFF...

The Chickens want another cozy corner to  lay their lovely
eggs...
.

 

So those beavers better hurry up and cut that wood.....

 Because Mamsey will be waking up REAL soon.

And you don't want to make a mother Grizzly angry.