Little Worlds Calendar
(click any image for an enlargement)
Sam 'n Ella
Everyone should have a rooster like Sam. He watched over his girls while they dust bathed, sun bathed, scratched for bugs, laid eggs... He kept an eye scan for danger and saved their lives dozens of times by sounding the alarm and getting them under the house before the predator had a chance to swoop down and carry someone away in its' talons. Everything wants to kill a chicken. He'd help them establish their nesting sites when they had buns in their ovens, and stood over them while they laid their first eggs there. He was a gentleman and an old friend.
Sam lived to be 12. He died peacefully in a banana box beside the wood stove. Ella, right, was his first girlfriend.
Sam 'n Ella
Everyone should have a rooster like Sam. He watched over his girls while they dust bathed, sun bathed, scratched for bugs, laid eggs... He kept an eye scan for danger and saved their lives dozens of times by sounding the alarm and getting them under the house before the predator had a chance to swoop down and carry someone away in its' talons. Everything wants to kill a chicken. He'd help them establish their nesting sites when they had buns in their ovens, and stood over them while they laid their first eggs there. He was a gentleman and an old friend.
Sam lived to be 12. He died peacefully in a banana box beside the wood stove. Ella, right, was his first girlfriend.
Raven Cuisine Series
In the sky over my home in the woods live two magnificent ravens. At the beginning of our time together they would knock-off a chicken or two, usually in spring when they were desperate to fill their stashes for the coming nestlings. I couldn't blame them. There isn't much to eat in these parts so I started to feed them. They were happy with leftovers, old eggs, cat food, the iffy fish from friends freezers. I bought them liver when hatching time was near. One day when I was taking a dead mouse down to the designated feeding spot I thought, "What if Martha Stewart fed the ravens?" Sometimes cats kill mice without mutilating them and friends started saving those for me in their freezers. They had to be cosmetically perfect. I didn't want the pictures to be gross. These went over well as place mats. Go figger. I hope I have done Martha proud.
In the sky over my home in the woods live two magnificent ravens. At the beginning of our time together they would knock-off a chicken or two, usually in spring when they were desperate to fill their stashes for the coming nestlings. I couldn't blame them. There isn't much to eat in these parts so I started to feed them. They were happy with leftovers, old eggs, cat food, the iffy fish from friends freezers. I bought them liver when hatching time was near. One day when I was taking a dead mouse down to the designated feeding spot I thought, "What if Martha Stewart fed the ravens?" Sometimes cats kill mice without mutilating them and friends started saving those for me in their freezers. They had to be cosmetically perfect. I didn't want the pictures to be gross. These went over well as place mats. Go figger. I hope I have done Martha proud.
Wayne and Beedoop
I raised this robin in my cabin on a perch in the window, no cage, and he and Wayne, left, would sit together all day and watch the bluff. Wayne understood more than your average cat. I learned I could trust him implicitly and raised many foundling birds with him. One would even perch on top of him while he snoozed. We had a unique bond and his death at age 12 was hard. I built him a Meowsauleum with rocks and planted a garden above him.
To read Wayne's obituary see the blog post http://www.raineyroost.com/blog/category/obituary-for-my-cat
I raised this robin in my cabin on a perch in the window, no cage, and he and Wayne, left, would sit together all day and watch the bluff. Wayne understood more than your average cat. I learned I could trust him implicitly and raised many foundling birds with him. One would even perch on top of him while he snoozed. We had a unique bond and his death at age 12 was hard. I built him a Meowsauleum with rocks and planted a garden above him.
To read Wayne's obituary see the blog post http://www.raineyroost.com/blog/category/obituary-for-my-cat
First Contact
It took four separate shoots on four separate days to get this image. Each shoot took half a day. It was way more complicated than I imagined. When the raccoons set the snails free one night I had to use a slug. Woolly bears are faster than you'd think and they kept trundling off like little busses, they don't take direction well. And making a butter dish look like a spaceship, well, you be the judge.
It took four separate shoots on four separate days to get this image. Each shoot took half a day. It was way more complicated than I imagined. When the raccoons set the snails free one night I had to use a slug. Woolly bears are faster than you'd think and they kept trundling off like little busses, they don't take direction well. And making a butter dish look like a spaceship, well, you be the judge.
Bus Stop
Haven't we all said this at some point?
Haven't we all said this at some point?
Raven Cuisine Series
In the sky over my home in the woods live two magnificent ravens. At the beginning of our time together they would knock-off a chicken or two, usually in spring when they were desperate to fill their stashes for the coming nestlings. I couldn't blame them. There isn't much to eat in these parts so I started to feed them. They were happy with leftovers, old eggs, cat food, the iffy fish from friend's freezers. I bought them liver when hatching time was near. One day when I was taking a dead mouse down to the designated feeding spot I thought, "What if Martha Stewart fed the ravens?" Sometimes cats kill mice without mutilating them and friends started saving those for me in their freezers. They had to be cosmetically perfect. I didn't want the pictures to be gross. These went over well as place mats. Go figger. I hope I have done Martha proud.
In the sky over my home in the woods live two magnificent ravens. At the beginning of our time together they would knock-off a chicken or two, usually in spring when they were desperate to fill their stashes for the coming nestlings. I couldn't blame them. There isn't much to eat in these parts so I started to feed them. They were happy with leftovers, old eggs, cat food, the iffy fish from friend's freezers. I bought them liver when hatching time was near. One day when I was taking a dead mouse down to the designated feeding spot I thought, "What if Martha Stewart fed the ravens?" Sometimes cats kill mice without mutilating them and friends started saving those for me in their freezers. They had to be cosmetically perfect. I didn't want the pictures to be gross. These went over well as place mats. Go figger. I hope I have done Martha proud.
Bringing Home the Tree
Older Volkswagons had their motors in the back but modern ones, like this one, have them in the front. This mouse family is having trouble with the fan belt. The child in the back seat is a shrew. She was adopted.
Older Volkswagons had their motors in the back but modern ones, like this one, have them in the front. This mouse family is having trouble with the fan belt. The child in the back seat is a shrew. She was adopted.
Latisha at the Wheel
I made this image in honour of my friend Latisha and her first electric wheelchair. Some of us were afraid she'd be so enthused with her new wheels she'd run us down like pylons.
Although I don't photoshop my images except for colour correction and to touch up minor distractions, I did change the colour of the car. It was green and I'm just so tired of the colour green.
I made this image in honour of my friend Latisha and her first electric wheelchair. Some of us were afraid she'd be so enthused with her new wheels she'd run us down like pylons.
Although I don't photoshop my images except for colour correction and to touch up minor distractions, I did change the colour of the car. It was green and I'm just so tired of the colour green.
The Bath
A scene you might come upon in the woods. Pay attention when you are out walking, there's magic everywhere. I planted this little garden around the bathtub so it would look like it had been there forever. The bath water contains pollywogs but having them surface at the same time the millipedes looked good was just not going to happen. Luckily the mouse is dead and glued to the ladder. She behaved admirably, though I wish she had brushed her hair.
To see a photo essay of the making of this picture go to the blog http://www.raineyroost.com/blog/category/making-a-mouse-photo
A scene you might come upon in the woods. Pay attention when you are out walking, there's magic everywhere. I planted this little garden around the bathtub so it would look like it had been there forever. The bath water contains pollywogs but having them surface at the same time the millipedes looked good was just not going to happen. Luckily the mouse is dead and glued to the ladder. She behaved admirably, though I wish she had brushed her hair.
To see a photo essay of the making of this picture go to the blog http://www.raineyroost.com/blog/category/making-a-mouse-photo
The Coat Factory
Try finding fuzzy orange fabric to match woolly bear caterpillar stripes. It ain't easy. At a thrift store I had to buy a complete set of giant, gaudy, orange, fuzzy curtains just for a six inch swatch. Luckily I really like giant, gaudy, orange, fuzzy curtains. Now my windows always look like a sunset.
Try finding fuzzy orange fabric to match woolly bear caterpillar stripes. It ain't easy. At a thrift store I had to buy a complete set of giant, gaudy, orange, fuzzy curtains just for a six inch swatch. Luckily I really like giant, gaudy, orange, fuzzy curtains. Now my windows always look like a sunset.
Buttplug and Beedoop
The hen in this picture, Buttplug, occasionally had anal issues that required first aid, hence the name. I'll spare you the details. Beedoop was a robin who was found on the road too young to fly and was brought to me for care and feeding. I raised him up for a few weeks and this is fledge day. Buttplug was a real character and always curious. She managed to stick her nose into most pictures.
The hen in this picture, Buttplug, occasionally had anal issues that required first aid, hence the name. I'll spare you the details. Beedoop was a robin who was found on the road too young to fly and was brought to me for care and feeding. I raised him up for a few weeks and this is fledge day. Buttplug was a real character and always curious. She managed to stick her nose into most pictures.
Raven Cuisine Series
In the sky over my little home in the woods live two magnificent ravens. At the beginning of our time together they would knock-off a chicken or two, usually in spring when they were desperate to fill their stashes for the coming nestlings. I couldn't blame them. There isn't much to eat in these parts so I started to feed them. They were happy with leftovers, old eggs, cat food, the iffy fish from a friend's freezer. I bought them liver when hatching time was near. One day when I was taking a dead mouse down to the designated feeding spot I thought, "What if Martha Stewart fed the ravens?" Sometimes cats kill mice without mutilating them and friends started saving those for me in their freezers. They had to be cosmetically perfect. I didn't want the pictures to be gross. These went over well as place mats. Go figger. I hope I have done Martha proud.
In the sky over my little home in the woods live two magnificent ravens. At the beginning of our time together they would knock-off a chicken or two, usually in spring when they were desperate to fill their stashes for the coming nestlings. I couldn't blame them. There isn't much to eat in these parts so I started to feed them. They were happy with leftovers, old eggs, cat food, the iffy fish from a friend's freezer. I bought them liver when hatching time was near. One day when I was taking a dead mouse down to the designated feeding spot I thought, "What if Martha Stewart fed the ravens?" Sometimes cats kill mice without mutilating them and friends started saving those for me in their freezers. They had to be cosmetically perfect. I didn't want the pictures to be gross. These went over well as place mats. Go figger. I hope I have done Martha proud.
Spot
Spot was a Silver Spangled Hamburg, also known as the Dutch everyday layer. She is pictured here behind the curtain on her nest box. My flock includes Old English game birds, Polish chickens, Belgian Bearded D'uccles, Silver Spangled Hamburgs, a veritable united nations of chickens.
Spot was a Silver Spangled Hamburg, also known as the Dutch everyday layer. She is pictured here behind the curtain on her nest box. My flock includes Old English game birds, Polish chickens, Belgian Bearded D'uccles, Silver Spangled Hamburgs, a veritable united nations of chickens.