Nature Lovers...

Happy Valentine's Day from Maine!

Local Food

Great Blue Heron at the pond the last two days. This gorgeous creature is the master of patience--rewarded by a tasty bullfrog.

A new brood of ducklings!

These are a new batch of mallard ducklings. They were on their way from a little overflow area back to the pond.

Many New Things

It's Spring in Maine, and time to start planning the garden. I've got a few things sprouting in peat pots in the kitchen window, and although it's exciting to see the new young shoots, it's still not warm enough to put them in the ground. In my studio, though, the garden is bursting to life. I'm working on a new book called Rainbow Stew, which Lee & Low Books will release next year. Three siblings visit their Grandpa, who invites them into his garden to pick all the colors of the rainbow, and then back inside to help make the yummy veggie stew. Since I've just entered a new decade (wince...) I've decided it's time to try something new: I'm experimenting with a new illustration style. I'm still using cut-paper collage (which I've used in 26 books) but since this book really needs lots of detail, I've added line. Here's a sample. I'd be delighted to hear your thoughts.

Woodies return

Couldn't decide if I should post here, or on my other blog, but finally landed here because I haven't posted for awhile. We've had alarmingly warm weather here in Maine, so the ice on the pond melted very fast, the peepers and wood frogs are going crazy, and the turtles are elbowing each other on the log to soak up the sun. This morning, the wood ducks returned. I love them--they look hand-painted. Very skittish, though, so I have to photograph them through the glass door 60 feet away. There were three drakes and two hens. At one point they flushed, and the hen flew up in a tree.

Last year we had a nesting pair, and thirteen ducklings arrived! Might these be returning woodies? I do hope they stick around and nest again!

From SCOOT! published by Greenwillow Books, 2008.

More Gobble fun

I just have to share this cute book trailer that the wonderful folks at Dawn Publications made for Gobble, Gobble!

They also posted a piece about how I made the illustrations for this book, in case you are interested. Click here.

Razzle Dazzle

My late-season raspberries are still green, but there's a busy community on the bushes!

A garden spider busily wrapped it's prey, several wasps made the rounds, and a pair of dragonflies were... inspired by a beautiful day in Maine.

Another New Baby at the Pond!

As I was heading toward the treehouse today, a nestful of baby phoebes flushed from beneath the floorboards. This little one perched on a nearby pear tree, and promptly began calling for mom. I hustled away to let the family settle down.

Pond Babies!

Just in time for the release date of Pond Babies:

The wood duck ducklings have hatched on Frog Song Pond! Mama and the kids are rather camera-shy, but here's a glimpse of them shot from a distance. There are at least a dozen--maybe 13. We are thrilled to see them! In the fifteen years we've lived on this pond, this is a first. Many mallard duckling fleets have been raised here, along with a couple of Merganser families, but the elusive wood ducks usually only drop by for a few days. Please wish them well!

UPDATE: Just added another photo, taken by the dock this morning!

Lady's Slipper update

In just a few days time, the faintly blushing green-tinged blossoms of the lady's slipper that appear in my previous post have deepened to a glorious rosy pink. Check out the bullfrog admiring their beauty.

To see him/her up close, check out my Frog Blog.

Morning Close-ups

Busy day ahead, but sunlight on turtle shells, and an eagerness to see if yesterday's chartreuse lady's slippers were blushing pink today, lured me to the pond this morning. Here are some of the wonders that greeted me.

Teeny Tiny Turtles!

From Pond Babies, to be released next week from Down East Books.
The new little Chrysemys picta picta I wrote about a couple of weeks ago apparently has peers!

Look closely at this photo (click to enlarge) and look for THREE baby turtles!

First POND BABIES are here!

That's a pine needle across his (or her) shell. See the tadpole?


Here's one of the tree tassels next to a quarter so you can see the size of the tiny hatchling!

After several rainy days, sunshine spilled over the pond today. A tiny ripple near the edge caught my eye.... a turtle hatchling! The first spotting of a pond baby this spring! Then I looked again.....the water was also FULL of tiny tadpoles! You can see one next to the turtle.

My new book, Pond Babies, will be out in June from Down East Books.

Pond Critters

So far this spring, in addition to the resident turtles and frogs, we've seen Mallards, Wood Ducks, a very impressive Kingfisher, and one Merganser hen. Yesterday, this Cormorant appeared--a first, I think. You can see how people confuse them with loons when they are swimming.

The turtles were completely unfazed.

Promised Peepers & A Frog On Ice

The peepers have joined the wood frogs in the happy cacophony at the pond.

This little wood frog seemed quite stunned to still find ice along the shore.

He stayed there--frozen?--for several minutes before leaping back into the water. Brrrr.....

Spring, spring, SPRING!

In case anyone has wondered why our pond is called Frog Song Pond, listen to the wood frogs in this short video. These chatterers are Spring's first arrivals, followed very closely by the peepers. I'll try to get a recording of them next. The pond is FULL of frogs right now! Here are two up close. And all those little shiny spots on the photo with the turtle in the middle? FROGS! Hundreds of them! While walking around the pond this afternoon, a sudden whistling and a flash of flushing feathers caught my attention. Five drake wood ducks! Here's a glimpse of the one that remained on the water--the rest sprung into the sky. Isn't he gorgeous?

The Pond is Waking Up!

Half the ice is off the pond, there are whole areas without snow, and the critters are tired of waiting for Spring. This pair of mallards moved back last week. Look closely and you'll see the first brave (48 degrees F) turtle at the end of the log.

My neighbors have their sap buckets out on their maples, too, and this little finch and his mate have chosen my front porch for their nest.