back yard birds

Another drawing from snowy New England. I've been here for two weeks, still haven't seen the ground beneath the snow.

This is a compilation of several scenes. The bird houses are from a backyard in Salem. The birdbath and picket fence are from the next door neighbor in Peabody.

A few weeks ago I listened to a story on National Public Radio about John Steinbeck's novel, "Travels With Charlie". It's the story of his cross-country drive in a camper with his standard size poodle, Charlie. It turns out that most of his stories were...uh...slightly embellished, or, just plain made-up. He wrote about the folks he met along the way, and the simplicity of life and travels in a camper with Charlie, his canine companion. Turns out that a good deal of his travels included his wife and quite a few comfortable hotels along the way.

I've been doing this with landscapes and scenes all of my art life. I was thrilled to hear that my favorite writer did the same. Kudos to you, Mr. Steinbeck (and Bill Steigerwald)! And thanks for the encouragement and inspiration!

Here's more from journalist Bill Steigerwald and his adventures,

"Travels Without Charlie"

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10262/1088350-37.stm