Outdoor Garden Party

One way to always have guests

on your patio would be to have

these evergreen deer topiaries.

These two won't eat all the greens

and flowers either.

They have done a great job

shaping and trimming their antlers;

haven't they?  

Too cute!

Next time someone asks to get

a puppy or a kitten and you feel you

have enough already, get them

an animal topiary or two.

Candylei's Deer Art Critics

Today is misty, cloudy and it's so green outside that you still need sunglasses. After looking at brown for how many months...it's still shocking to look outside. Did I wake up in Ireland?

When I stepped out a bit ago my deer art critics were waiting to see my new daily painting. Look at them lounging around. What a easy job they have. Eat, sleep and run and sleep some more. Kind of like us humans but with a stress factor involved called the clock and taxes.

I ended up just showing them my camera and told them to wait til tomorrow and they didn't flinch...only the camera clicked. There are actually seven deer that get mail at our address. Do we get to claim them on the census form? Age? Gender? I'll let the deer check that part off.

Finally an Medical Answer

The other day we got a phone call from our pediatrician that our son tested positive for Lyme's Disease. It was a bittersweet moment. A treatable answer to why our son seems to always be sick. Like sick, sick, high fevers...horrible sore throats that don't always test positive to strep but sometimes do. We go on antibiotics and he gets better then he's sick again.

I think our pediatricians had pidgeonholed us in a slot that was for kids who didn't go to preschool and then get sick often catching all kinds of bugs that they missed being around earlier. Hmmm.

I had asked our doctors on several occasions "Could it be Lyme's?" They would always ask the same question, "Did he ever have a rash?" And I would have to answer, "No." And then they would say, "It's just a virus. There are lots going around now." I could always hear that last phrase coming as soon as they started with "It's...."

Finally after this last week of fevers I asked the doctor if we could please test for mono and Lyme's and they agreed. At last. I don't feel I know everything, but I do know my child better than they do and after hearing many "virus" and "allergies" and such I began to feel demanding. Did I have to go to medical school I asked myself? Don't wait around is the advice I give any concerned parent. I had asked at one time if we could be referred to an infectious disease doctor. One of our doctor's said, "I know you are worried, but he looks great." She couldn't say the same about me because I had been up the last 100 some hours trying to manage his fevers that tylenol and motrin could not keep down at times.

The good news is that Lyme's is treatable in it's early stages with strong doses of antibiotics for 3 weeks. It can also cause eye inflamation, trouble concentrating, and knee pain. Lyme's is not something to take lightly it can affect the brain, heart and lungs if it goes untreated.

Snow White, Rapunzel and Cinderella Fairytale Daily Painting

Spring with it's warm freshness is visiting and in my mind as I painted this with a light and airy feel. I held back on most all of my black, but a little. When I went outside to check on the sheep this morning the deer ran across the field, the birds sang, Canada geese flew overhead, and I thought, "It's a lovely day!" Soon the geese will be making nests by the creek. Fawns will be hiding by the creek, too, in dappled light. I felt like a woodland princess even though I had on a big down jacket, rubber boots and my hair was a bit of a mess! We girls are all a princess at heart.

Colors are soft and play off against the smokey, blue-green background. I put in a pinch of the color red to catch your attention, Snow White holds a red heart instead of an apple and has the tiniest red bows in her hair. You might notice our fluffy white, westie dog made it into the painting, too, by my signature sitting on Cinderella's foot.

This original painting is for sale one ebay.

Chameleon Deer Watching Us

Deer blend into the wintery scenery here. They love hiding close by and they blend so well until I realize the trees are moving, and look closer and it's deer. They are wanting to come up close to eat our greenery, but they are watching our westie dog on top of the hill rolling around feeling full of himself. They eventually cross the creek and go on to other fields. But I know they will be back in a few hours for a little buffet outside.

Our World is Blue, Pink and a spot of Green

Our world has been various shades of blue and white outside the last 2 weeks. Blue ground and blue sky and a ring of pink clouds ruffling the two together. Schools were closed for 9 days and just resumed late yesterday.

Inside it's pink and white. I've been under the weather and these roses and gardening magazines have helped. Most of the time I had only one eye open. And that was only now and then.

The deer are the best snow removers. There is this little spot near the old spring where the grass is lush and green still under the snow. (They've since eaten it to the quick.) There is eight deer that come every morning and afternoon and paw away the snow to eat the grass. They are adding more green color to our blue and white outdoor world. Most all of our boxwoods are still covered in snow which is their saving grace from the deer.