EARLY RISER

My days (and nights) here at Refuge Cove are full and abundant. There is always a corner or a task or an inspiration calling me. It's a bit like farm life...morning chores, planting, feeding the animals (and humans), an occasional trip to town (the dock) for socializing or the mail, heading out to the open waters to pull our prawn traps, a squeezed in session on the sewing machine, finding time for reading and spanish practice, and etc. etc. etc.! And of course the evening crib match with opponent Tom, one of my delicious dinner concoctions, and a movie in the new dvd player to entertain while I do handwork or the like. Phew!...I drop into bed and plummet into dreamland, only to cycle back into another day of early rising.

Roosters are not what wakes me. Chickens are not a part of my animal lot, but many friends and locals have them and we are the lucky recipients of the eggs. Lately I have been on a rooster/chicken (chickster!) focus for my fabric subjects becuase they are one of the ties that bind my Mexican and Canadian lives together. Perhaps chicksters are just one of those beings that take us back to our roots, back to the good old days, back to simplicity and earthiness. Also, I was so impressed and inspired by Linda's beautiful rooster, that I had to try one myself. First one, the "early riser", then the other - "on the run".

The animals I am responsible for feeding are numerous: 1 husband, 1 small dog, 10 goldfish, and about 500 hummingbirds! Now you may wonder how I have calculated this amazing number of buzzing, electric little avian generators. Julie told me one cup of syrup feeds 50, so yesterdays consumption of 2.5 quarts works out to about 500. The feeder is in my kitchen window, in front of me as I work away at the dirty dishes that pile up. They hover and watch as I fill an empty feeder at the sink, and when I hang it, I like to linger a moment or two with my hand at the base. With stillness I can attract them back to the feeder and my fingers just become another perch for them to get their sustenance. An awesome moment!

I bet you can't guess the subject of my next piece!