Naturalist Journal: Down The Nature Trail

More Holiday Drawiings for Tags and Decorations: Poinsettia and Penguins

noreply@blogger.com (Judy Butler) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 13:41:00 +0000

Poinsettias, watercolors, and metallic watercolors, Micron and craft pens.
Much fun doing this one. I used Margaret's metallic paints she sent to me.
The scan does not do it justice, the original glows. Dec. 2009.

Did this little Penguin drawing in one of my daily journals in 2001.
Thought it would be fun as a Holiday tag. Colored pencils and ink.

Small Holiday Drawings for Tags and Decorations

noreply@blogger.com (Judy Butler) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:00:00 +0000

This Holiday Bunny inspired by all the rabbits that live in our back yard.
Wouldn't it be funny if one hopped up with a winter scarf on?

Watercolor, Micron Pens and Felt markers

Feel free to use these for your holiday packages. I will try to post one or two a day for the 6 that I drew. I put them in an Avery Label template and made bunches of tags for presents. This one prints out about 2 and 2/2 square but you can resize as needed.

Did this little tag several yers ago.

Colored pencils and ink.

Cactus Monday: ATCs on Christmas Wreath

noreply@blogger.com (Judy Butler) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 21:41:00 +0000

My friend Kate came for a visit on Sunday and brought me a wonderful wooden hoop with clothespins attached to hold my Artist Trading Cards. I am always showing her ATCs people send me from all over the world. Kate enjoyed the ones from Halloween that are still handing in the archway.

Great Christmas Wreath with ATCs

Kate thought I would enjoy a way to display the ATCs for the holidays. WOW, how great this is. Lew hung up the wreath for me and took this photo. Now this will make all the Cactusteers smile. I mixed cactus and other ATCs from all my pen pals. It almost held all my cards except the ones I am saving with dragonflies that Margaret recently sent. I am trying to get up the energy to put them on the beautiful dragonfly rope she sent. I do not have a chemo therapy treatment this week and hope I have lots of energy for crafts and painting.

THANK YOU TO EVERONE WHO HAS SENT ME THESE BEAUTIFUL ATCS!

For more cactus fun see Teri's Blog.

Cactus Monday: A visit by Cactus Mundi to My Daughter's Art Opening

noreply@blogger.com (Judy Butler) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:46:00 +0000

Cactus Mundi had an evening outing last night. We went to my daughter's Art Opening. She is Kelly Kerrigan and has a show for the month of December at the gallery at the Belcourt Theatre, an art film venue in Nashville. You can visit her blog and see each of the 24 acrylic on canvas paintings.
http://kellykerrigan.blogspot.com/

Here is Cactus Mundi who jumped right up on one of the paintings to look over the crowd.

Kelly had a great time at the celebration.

Of course Milo and the whole family were there. Milo became a wild Wild banshee after about 40 minutes. So Gran and Granddaddy came to the rescue. Paul scoped him up so we could whisk him off to our house. After he was scurried off Kelly could enjoy the lime light and then she and Paul could go out to dinner afterwards with their friends. We had a great time too partying with Milo at our house.

Milo thought it was very cool to sit on my scooter and honk the horn. Not sure this was a crowd pleaser so I turned the motor off. Worked well till he learned to turn the key back on! It was sure time to get him out of this venue.

My stamping buddy and long time friend Toni came for the fun.

Jeff, over 18 years ago he was a high school student of mine, now a life long friend. He is the one who took most of the photos.

Jackie on the right another Judy long-time teacher friend could not stay away from the funky art.

Kate who made it a real party.

It is amazing to me that several of my students from years long past are now my good friends. Tammy came in from California to visit her family but found time to drop by Kelly's show and see me for a short visit. Another one who was my student from over 15 years ago. Teaching is a wonderful profession. You leave behind the amazing legacy.

Seth made the hour plus drive in. He was so much help to Kelly helping her get her studio together and made this show happen. Thank you Seth!

Below are some details from the show.
Following is Kelly's Bio explaining why she is so passionate about her subject matter for the paintings:

I am Kelly Kerrigan, a 35-year-old Nashville artist. For the last 6 years I have been creating hand made lamps out of vintage ladies undergarments. My Tramp Lamps have been a great Internet success with over 500 unique lamps made for customers all over the world including many celebrities such as Aerosmith, Robert Zemeckis, and Imogen Heap.

My home studio in south Nashville is a great space for all my artistic creations that include lamp making, toy-morphing/assemblage art, as well as painting. The space also provides plenty of romp room for my son, Milo Sparks. I started painting at Austin Peay State University where I majored in Theater and Art. I have worked as a scenic painter for several local stage production companies. I spend all my time now painting, making lamps, morphing toys, and being a parent to Milo along with my partner, writer and graphic designer, Paul Kerrigan.

This collection of new paintings at The Belcourt Theater is filled with animals dressed as icons from film, music and fable. The personification of wildlife and house pets seems to be something we read about and enjoy when we are children, but as we grow up, stories and books focus more on real people and real life human situations. For me, subject matter can be just as intense and emotionally engaging if we put animals in our shoes, literally. Who is to say they do not go through similar emotional events in their own lives? I hope that I can embrace the narratives that are generally restricted to childhood stories and bring the audience of my work back to a time when animals were the heroes. Making an audience laugh is the main goal of all my creative endeavors. I am available for all kinds of custom artwork. Please visit www.TrampLamps.com to find out more.

Cactus Mundi Vists art store and Thankful Monday to Blog friends

noreply@blogger.com (Judy Butler) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Kelly and Milo took me for just a few minutes yesterday to buy some Christmas presents for some of my budding artist little friends. Cactus Mundi came with us. He says Happy Cactus Monday to all. For more Cactus Monday fun see Terri's blog.

For me everyday is Thankful Thursday. I have not been feeling well the last few months. Not much up to painting or posting on my blog. Apparently the word went out through Margaret (Peg) and Teri to my blogging friends. This Halloween was Milo's first Halloween that he is walking and aware of chocolate!
Below are the ATCs with pumpkin and Halloween themes that arrived in the mail the weeks before the holiday. Just amazing.
I taped them on to a string and hung over the archway in the kitchen. I have just not been able to take them down. Everyone who comes into the house admires the drawings but also stand in the kitchen and reads the greetings on the backs. The are over come that these gifts came from so many and from all over the world.
Thank you, thank you to you all. You make my life so bright.

I am posting this as part of Cactus Monday so hopefully all of you will see how grand it has been.

Took my scooter in the back yard Sunday Fall Photos

noreply@blogger.com (Judy Butler) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:52:00 +0000

I have not been able to walk in the yard lately so Lew and Kelly got out my scooter so I could wheel around and take some photos. I turned off the scooter and put Milo in my lap. He loves to blow the horn.

Here are some photos I took of fall in our garden.

There are two enormous elm trees, one in the front and one in the back of the house.

This island of the Nasturtium in the middle of the fall leaves.
Amazing that through the cold nights and frost all around Nashville
it has not killed the blooming flowers in the yard, yet.

You have to click on this one to make larger to notice the yellow butterfly blending into the yellow flower.

The coneflower also had one more spurt of blooms.
Never remember having these bloom on a 70 degree day in mid- November.

The Lantana were magnificent all summer and are still around, amazing.

IT WAS SO GREAT TO BE OUT IN THE GRASS
even if my feet were not touching the blades of grass
but the running board of my scooter.

Cactus Monday: Saguaro In Casa Grande Ruins, Arizona

noreply@blogger.com (Judy Butler) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:38:00 +0000

How about we call this Milo and Gran hanging out together in the desert.
I like that.

Another drawing from Casa Grande Ruins
Watercolor in Moleskin
for Cactus Monday

It says painted '90 but I did it today and got my numbers reversed when signing it . Ding Dang.

My excuse is that I have had pneumonia since a week ago today. Feeling much better, temperature free for two days. Hopefully this icky stuff will be gone soon. Milo has visited for two days and that has made me feel better. So named these two Saguaro after Milo and me!

For more Cactus Monday fun see Teri's Painted Daisies blog.

Paul won the logo contest for Burton/Wolfe Entertainment company

noreply@blogger.com (Judy Butler) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:40:00 +0000

Paul Kerrigan, our son-in-law won the logo contest for LeVar Burton's new movie/video production company. You may remember LeVar Burton as Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge from Star Trek-- The Next Generation. He was also the host of Reading Rainbow on Public Television and in the mini-TV series, Roots.

The new production company is called Burton/Wolfe entertainment. The announcement about the logo is on LeVar's twitter page:
http://twitter.com/levarburton

See Paul's website at http://meepcamp.com/index.html
The logo is posted there and check out the Love link on the Menu bar, more Milo and Kelly photos. Just lovely.

Cactus Monday:Ocotillo cactus and ground squirrel

noreply@blogger.com (Judy Butler) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +0000

We visited many of the National Monuments, Ruins, and Parks in our treks across Arizona since 2000. One very interesting place was Casa Grande Ruins. They had a lovely visitor center with picnic tables. We had lunch and watched the round tailed ground squirrels play in the many holes around the area. (Help me on this, I think they are round tailed ground squirrels?) There was also a wall-like row of Ocotillo cactus in bloom. Our visit to the Casa Grande Ruins was on our very first trip to Arizona. We were so enthralled with all we saw we have been back many times--it is our favorite vacation destination.

During my last Chemo therapy session four weeks ago I did these two little ATCs that kept me occupied.

Ocotillo cactus with watercolor pencils
ACT format on some kind of linen paper
This is not my favorite paper for watercolor pencils, real grainy

Photo taken at the picnic area

Round tailed Squirrel Watercolor Pencil Drawing
ACT format

Photo taken in the picnic area Casa Grande Ruins

Cactus Monday: Pink Flower

noreply@blogger.com (Judy Butler) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:14:00 +0000

Did this today at the hospital during a three hour wait for some tests. Sketching makes the time go by a lot faster. I did three small cards. Will post others later.

From Photo taken at the Tucson Botanical Garden several years ago.
Watercolor pencils and Micron pens.
ATC format 2.5 x 3.5 on watercolor paper

The Last Persimmon Watercolor: Judy Butler

noreply@blogger.com (Judy Butler) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:55:00 +0000

Fall is upon us. The nights have turned cold with the first frost only days a way. The leaves are begining to fall and the persistent breeze shifts the leaves into swirling piles all over the yard. In the far back end of the yard are two very fickle persimmon trees, some years bearing fruit and others not a peep. This year there were a few lovely bright orange fruit that ripened just in time for the orange theme of Halloween. The Persimmon tree's leaves just shrivel up and do not turn bright colors. The hanging orange bobbles shine bright against the dark burnt umber green of their leaves.

Lewis went out and picked the LAST PERSIMMON thinking I might like to draw it. I thought that was a fine idea. I did this quick sketch trying to capture the shriveled leaves and the bright color of the fruit.

Cactus Monday: Our Garden Cactus Next to the fall Mums

noreply@blogger.com (Judy Butler) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:07:00 +0000

In our front garden our three native cactus plants live side by side by our fall mums. The mums are having a bumper crop of blooms this year. It makes for an interesting arrangement. Lew has dug up and put in pots the other cactus that wold not make it through the winter.

For more Cactus Monday Fun see Teri's Painted Daisies blog.
Click on each contributor.

Cactus Monday: Backyard Cactus Coming Inside for the Winter

noreply@blogger.com (Judy Butler) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:47:00 +0000

It was a beautiful fall day...Low 70s, mild breeze, and bright sun. Milo came over to hang out in our yard. Lew dug up one of the cactus in our front garden that would not make it through the upcoming cold days in Middle Tennessee. So while Milo played with the recently harvested mild peppers, I sketched this ominous, very spiky cactus--yes, these splinters were well out of his reach! This cactus will soon be off to spend the winter months on the sunny window ledge at Lew's office. It almost doubled in size during its time in the garden for the summer.

I had not been out in the yard for over two weeks.
It was such a glorious time with the family.
Kelly and Lew were the photographers.

Preliminary sketch of cactus.
Will finish this week for next Cactus Monday.

One of these spikes is 3 inches long and the cactus is only ___ inches tall.

The sun was so bright for a change we had to take off the sweaters, put up the umbrella, and get in into the shade.
It has rained here for weeks, very little sunshine in the last month. This was wonderful!

The mild banana peppers are all shades of yellow and bright red.

For more Cactus Monday Fun see Teri's Painted Daisies blog. Click on each contributor.

International Artist Blog: Sketching In Nature

noreply@blogger.com (Judy Butler) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 22:46:00 +0000

Kate Johnson invited me to join the international blog of artist called Sketching in Nature. I am so thrilled to be an artist "Correspondent" for this group. Here is a little about me that I will share with the group.

My name is Judy Butler, an educator and amateur naturalist who has taught the art of journal keeping to students and teachers across the United States for over 20 years. Now that I am retired from school administration for over seven years, I am spending time with my educational consulting company, Dragonfly Enterprises as well as drawing and nature journaling. Keeping journals, taking photos, and doing watercolors of nature’s bounty is a respite from deadlines and reports that are a part of owning your own business.

One of my personal and professional objectives is to encourage educators to use journals with their students and to keep their own reflective journals. I developed a website to provide resources to teachers at JudyButler.com.

For 11 years I coordinated a large environmental program called the Harpeth River Environmental and Educational Project for Williamson County Schools in Middle Tennessee. This project was part of my responsibilities first as the Gifted Education Coordinator and then as the Curriculum Director for the school system. We raised over a half million dollars in grants to support the project that focused on the marriage of science, social studies, creative writing and the arts. A description of some of the activities for this program is available on one of my blogs called Reflections on the River.

I am not a trained artist having had no formal art school classes. I remember being in elementary school and being "the Pet" of all the teacher because I loved to draw and put up fancy bulletin boards for them. I learned early you could get a lot of positive attention with art skills. While in college getting my undergraduate and graduate degrees in speech pathology and special education my family opened an arts and crafts shop in the suburbs of New Orleans. This allowed me to attend vendor training and then teach non-stop classes in the art shop in the evenings and weekends: learn the craft one day and teach it the next. I know many of you understand that strategy. From flower arranging to tile mosaics to decorative painting in oils, I received an in-depth arts education over the years the shop was open. The morning glories shown here are typical of the influence of decorative painting on my work with squiggly lines and embellishments. See my blog, Naturalist Journal: Down The Nature Trail, for examples of other paintings with stories and descriptions of the art pieces.

As an adult and a stay-at-home mother for a while, I brought in extra money teaching decorative painting and running art summer camps for elementary children in my back yard. My daughter grew up with paint brushes in her hands before she could walk. Not surprising she got her undergraduate degree majoring in drama and art. She also attended graduate school at the Savannah College of Art and Design for a year. Visit her blog and website for her unique artistic designs. She has three art exhibits coming up between now and the end of the year. I am very proud of her. My husband is also a fine artist in the areas of music, writing and the visual arts. Our daughter was surrounded by a love of the arts all of her life.

I think my drawing skills have improved over the years because of frequent practice, pushing myself to do detailed nature study, such as the nautilus, and my obsession for art books. My first teacher in this book world was Clare Walker Leslie. I notice that so many of the "Correspondents" mention her in their introductions. I have worn her books thin over the years. I only discovered Flickr and blogs in the last year. Imagine my astonishment to find one of my other heroes, Cathy (Kate) Johnson was part of these online social networks. Kate's book, The Sierra Club Guide to Sketching in Nature was part of my art learning arsenal. I would get giddy when Kate would comment about my work on Flickr. I thought that was so exciting. My secret dream was that I would be invited to the Sketching In Nature blog as a "Correspondent." Wow. A dream come true. Just amazing.

Cactus Monday: Sedum Undergo changes over the summer

noreply@blogger.com (Judy Butler) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 08:16:00 +0000

For Cactus Monday I featured the photos we have taken over the summer of our favorite succulent, sedum. Lew planted it last summer and it made some small little plants. But this summer it was an unfolding story of beauty.
We think this sedum is called Autumn Fire.
If any one knows four sure let us know.

July 2, 2009 the sedum was planted in 2008 as just a small cutting from a friend.

For the second year of growth is got tall in just a few weeks.
It was a rich bright summer green.

By the end of August the sedum had grown several feet and

was covered in fluffy big balls of soft green blooms.

What a great surprise! The green blooms turned a pale pink and then burst into a bright red crimson.

The photos do not do justice to the color.
The red color looks like the plant is on fire.

For other paintings and photos of cactus and succulents see Teri's Painted Daisies.

Tennessee Once a Shallow Sea: Watercolor of Coral Fossil

noreply@blogger.com (Judy Butler) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 23:55:00 +0000

It is hard to imagine that land locked Tennessee was once covered by a shallow sea with coral reefs. But that is the way it was 450 million years ago when this continent looked very different. I enjoy finding the remnants of the animals that lived here when it was under water. My favorite fossil to find is coral with its star shaped rock crystals.

Watercolor of coral fossil middle Tennessee.

Photo of coral fossil taken from rock wall in Nashville.

Nancy Stetten on left with teacher at a workshop in Nashville in 2006. We found buckets full of coral fossils. Beautiful. Nancy led the field trip.
See her website nashvillefossils.com

Workshop participant holding up a coral fossil treasure. See the rock wall in the back ground. It is has layers and layers of coral. Imagine how thick the reef was. See the website about this teacher professional development. I am the project coordinator for this curriculum development project.

Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation has available this beautiful map of the different geologic formations: http://www.tennessee.gov/environment/tdg/bigmap.shtml. We bought a large one for our after school program at Tennessee State University. It is about 12 feet across. Very swell!

Another place Lew and I enjoyed exploring the fossil beds of coral was our trip to the Florida Keys in Jan. 2008. We stayed in Key Largo and enjoyed exploring the cost line for coral rocks. We watched road construction where the big bulldozers scooped up tons of the glistening white boulders. Here are some photos of the fossils.

This is the best. I sat on the beach with my laptop on a outdoor table made of coral fossils. Nifty.

Close up of the side of the coral fossil table.
Even closer enlargement of the coral fossil in the table.

A state park that preserved an old quarry with a small but lovely museum.

Article about the State Park

Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park Website

One of the areas we picked up fossils in the Keys. This was a pull over area with a safe place to park and not a restricted area. This spot was recommended by someone in the Park museum. Don't pick up rocks or fossils in state or national parks. This was a lovely spot with a great view of the water.

Look how the foliage is growing right out of the hard fossilized rock with almost no dirt. Amazing!

Cactus Monday: Superstition Mountain and Cactus Wren Watercolor

noreply@blogger.com (Judy Butler) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:29:00 +0000

I visited Superstition Mountain outside of Phoenix several years ago. I thought it was just wonderful. So I did this watercolor of the wren on a Cholla cactus with the mountain in the background. It is a composite of many different photos from Arizona.

For more Cactus Monday drawings and photos see Teri's Painted Daisies Blog.

Daisies watercolor from 1997 journal

noreply@blogger.com (Judy Butler) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 16:54:00 +0000

I have used masking fluid only a few times in all the years I have been doing watercolor. This was one of those experimentations. I do love painting daisies but this is a real departure from how I usually draw them.

Cactus Monday: Wtercolor Cactus drawing

noreply@blogger.com (Judy Butler) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Another drawing inspired by Toni's trip to Peru
ACT format 3.5 x 2.5
Watercolor Pencil

Another small drawing done in the Recliner during Chemotherapy two weeks ago. Helps to take my watercolor pencils and little journal. I use artist masking tape and secure an ATC commercially made card onto a journal page. This one is spoken for and will send off this week. I love the big sun. Was inspired by Margaret who frequently puts a squiggle sun in hers. I thought of her when I was doing this. Also helps to think of my blogging friends during these long doctor office visits.

Happy Cactus Monday. See other cactus art and photos at Teri's blog.

Panda at the Nashville Zoo 2003: Pastel Drawing Panda

noreply@blogger.com (Judy Butler) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 12:33:00 +0000

My only photo of the panda at the Memphis Zoo. One glimpse then he got up and wondered out of view. Dang.

In 2003 Toni and I visited the Memphis Zoo. The Panda exhibit is the centerpiece of the Zoo's exhibits. In the gift shop Toni bought this cute little hat. Several years later our friend Joan brought me back a similar hat from Hong Kong. We love our hats.

Toni and I have literally traveled around the world together. She is my good buddy for going down the nature trail. Here are some other photos of the Zoo.

Is this cute or what? The only panda in a carousel I have ever seen.

Bright Yellow Daisies in My Back Yard: Watercolor Pencil drawing

noreply@blogger.com (Judy Butler) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 19:50:00 +0000

Did this from a photo while I was in the doctor office a few weeks ago.
It is in my handmade journal of watercolor paper 4 by 5 inches.
I keep this in a little bag in my purse with pencils, eraser, and watercolor liquid brush.
I just hate the thought of Oct. 15, our average day of first frost and all the garden flowers will fade.

Cactus Monday: San Miguel de Allende Garden Cactus

noreply@blogger.com (Judy Butler) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:34:00 +0000

Thank you to Julie who identified this plant. Her blog, A Succulent Life, is an inspiration to all of us who love succulents. This plant spotted on our Mexico vacation is not a cactus,
but a succulent called Euphorbia Milli or Crown of Thorns.

Succulent with flowers: ACT format watercolor pencils on watercolor paper 3.5 x 2.5

Photo of Euphorbia Milli or Crown of Thorns in Villa Garden.

When we vacationed in San Miguel de Allendel, Mexico we so much enjoyed the gardens of the Villa we stayed in. There were many cactus plants I had never seen before. One of my favorites was this spindly cactus with the lovely small red blooms and very large thorns.

Following are photos of the terraced gardens of the Villa.
It was so peaceful and beautiful.

Over looking the town.

This was in our private courtyard of our apartment.

Sunflower Watercolor Drawing: Handmade Journal

noreply@blogger.com (Judy Butler) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 01:02:00 +0000

Watercolor tubes and brushes on Cold press 140 lb.
Page 2 of new handmade journal 5 x 7
September 2009

For weeks during late summer we have enjoyed a small garden of large sunflowers on the drive to my daughter's house. On our last visit my husband stopped so I could take photos out the car window. The flowers were a little droopy from a resent rain storm and the hard work of growing so big during the summer. I will be sad to see them disappear as winter grabs all the annual blooms. So I thought I better capture their happiness to save in my journal.

Cactus Monday: Prickly Pear Flower Drawing From Mexico Vacation

noreply@blogger.com (Judy Butler) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 12:35:00 +0000

Moleskin Journal Watercolor 4 x 8 Watercolors, watercolor pencils, and watercolor crayons. Micron Pens

This is how to spend a good Sunday afternoon. Deciding what to paint for Cactus Monday and then doing it! There are so many wonderful artists who contribute to this project you want to do something enjoyable for others to see. Usually I wake up on Sunday morning and tell my husband, oh boy it is the day before Cactus Monday, I need to get busy and decide what to do. What will I post? Hummm..... lately I have not been much up to painting and have been searching my photo achieves for cactus pictures. But this Sunday I was determined to do a drawing and selected as my inspiration a favorite photos of our trip to Pozos, Mexico.

Tuesday March 27, 2007
We spent the day in the town of Mineral de Pozos that is a 45-minute ride from San Miguel, Mexico. It is home to an abandoned mine area where many kinds of ore was unearthed over the last 100 years including gold, silver, nickel, lead, mercury and copper. In the week of vacation that we were in Mexico this was my favorite part of the trip. Stark landscape with enormous cactus in every direction. It is also a wonderful art community with great artists and many different kinds of artistic endeavors.

Used this photo as inspiration for my drawing.

Look at those amazingly long thorns. Yikes. They were imposing. See the description of our trip to Mexico on my travel blog and other descriptions of cactus at Mineral de Pozos in this blog."

For more Cactus Monday fun visit Teri's Painted Daises Blog for a list of the Cactus Fanatics.

Nashvillians Can Now Have Chickens in the City: Chicken Watercolor Drawings

noreply@blogger.com (Judy Butler) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 03:36:00 +0000

I grew up in a small town right outside of New Orleans called Metarie. We were one of the few houses in the area in the early 50's and were next door neighbors to a pig farm. We had chickens, lots of chickens in our yard which meant chicken for dinner every Sunday. I remember vividly the smell of hot feathers in the plucking process. That area of the greater New Orleans metropolitan area is now wall to wall high density housing and a busy suburb of the Big Easy.

I see in magazines these lovely gardens with a few really cute chickens and I wish we could have a few as pets. No plucking their feathers. Lew thinks I am more than a little crazy. So instead I visit the State Fair and get my chicken fix.

Sketched after visiting the Tennessee State Fair
Mom and babies

Nashville just passed an ordinance that you can have up to six chickens in the suburbs, roosters prohibited.

No crowing in the Burbs!

ORDINANCE NOS. BL2009-499 & BL2009-510 – These two ordinances, commonly referred to as “the chicken bills”, amend the zoning code provisions pertaining to the keeping of animals on residential property.