Pet People Talk

Pet Lovers News and Animal Views

An Artist and Hummingbird Thoughts

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I have a huge flock of hummingbirds on my property by this time of year. By early August the babies had all fledged and I could barely keep the feeders full…

Rufous Hummingbird

There are at least 3 varieties, including this beautiful reddish brown one known as a “rufous.” Thanks to Bryan Hanson for the beautiful photograph!

Back in 2017 when we first saw our New Mexico property on a damp, exceedingly cold and muddy April day, I was absolutely entranced by these little guys. Up to then, I’d probably seen 3 dozen hummingbirds my entire life! The owner had wisely just put up some feeders, creating an ambiance of natural buzzing, colorful wonder. They seemed rare and special.

Those little guys helped sell the house to us. So that was a smart move on the owner’s part, especially since she had no idea I created animal jewelry(including hummingbird jewelry) for a living!

Life with Hummers

I get buzzed almost every time I walk outside, especially if I happen to be wearing something red. (Apparently I get mistaken for our local Indian paintbrush flower) There are often 25 hummingbirds at a glance out the window, all vying for a spot at one of my feeders.

At least one hummer hightails it up to my studio window almost every day, spying on me sideways with those tiny beady eyes, wings a blur. I wonder what they think of me?

I wish I could tell them apart, give them names. But they are WAY too fast for me to pick out any identifying features, beyond noticing that the females are more demure, the males more aggressive.

Their high, cricket-like chirping fills the air, especially right outside our house. But almost anywhere on our 20 acres you can see their little rocket bodies zooming through the air. And they travel pretty darned high!

I have a generous supply of white sugar. I find this especially embarrassing, having NEVER purchased sugar for human consumption since I was a very young woman. Now? I stock up on those little 4 pound bags almost every time I go to Albuquerque.

Seasons Change, Hummingbirds Migrate

By this time of year I look forward to October. That’s when they all migrate to Central and South America and give me a break from their care. I had no idea I’d end up feeding close to 50 of the little buggers by late summer.

I often tell my husband, “It’s a good thing they’re cute!”

But I know that after a long New Mexico winter that normally begins in October, I’ll be watching for that first hummingbird in April. Her uncanny inner GPS will guide her and her cohorts back to my property. I’ll sigh, realizing I have become a hummingbird symbiote*, dust off the feeders in my mudroom and start the entire cycle over again.

Do you have your own hummingbird story? I’d love to hear it!

* Symbiote: an organism in a partnership with another such that each profits from their being together

New Designs and The Changing Seasons

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The seasons are changing again. Fall is in the air, at least here in the mountains of New Mexico! This morning I had to wear a sweater during my morning walk…I’d forgot that August here in the mountains can be on the cool side.

New Mexico Wild flowers

New Mexico Wild flowers

I wanted to share with you this bouquet of wildflowers I picked. Normally I just let the flowers alone, admiring them and knowing they (or possibly some different ones) will be blooming tomorrow. But there is an unusual one called a “Mexican Hat” that I wanted to show my husband.

Since there was an entire patch of these whimsical blooms, I plucked one. Then I told myself it would be so much prettier with some other ones surrounding it. So I ended up with a whole little bunch, one of each kind I encountered. And aren’t they a pretty little bouquet? (The Mexican hat is the one with the tall part in sticking up in the middle, surrounded at the base by some pretty crimson petals.)

Along with the changing seasons, I’ve decided to make some new designs! It makes me so happy to “create something out of nothing.” What is just a blob of clay becomes a sweet ferret with angel wings. Or a cuddly looking grizzly bear. (Remember my last blog post about the grizzly cub that lost his mama? Well, they were reunited. And I created a line of grizzly bears in little Pepper the cub’s honor!)

I’m so inspired by both our animal companions and the wildlife around us. Animals are so beautiful and so much fun for me to recreate. I love to honor them as a piece of jewelry that any animal lover can proudly wear.

I really do have the best job!

I always smile inwardly when a customer comes up to me at a show and tells me she thinks I’ve covered the entire animal kingdom with my jewelry. That is quite a compliment since (according to my Google info) there are 1-2 million animal species!

Looking at it that way, I’ve only just dipped my toe in the water.

You’ll see my new designs pretty soon. I promise to let you know once they are cast and complete. Meanwhile, I’ll just keep on creating.

And now I have a question for you. What is your favorite animal? You can be very specific as to breed or species. It’s not that I run out of ideas, but I really do want to know!

Thanks for being an animal lover. We need more people like you in the world.

Your Animal Loving Artist,

Merry

New Mexico Spring…a Little Bit Different

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New Mexico Iris in snowI didn’t believe it was possible…Snow in May? We woke up last Friday to big, fat flakes covering our high green grass and dusting our blooming iris.

The hummingbirds seemed enchanted with it. They were darting through the snow, chasing each other merrily.

The mountains, which had begun to green in all the bare spots with live oak, are still snow dusted today, several days later. But the oak is a sturdy shrub. I doubt a leaf was frozen, and most likely all the snow will melt in a day or so.

My 8 year old grandson visited during the height of the storm and told me his harrowing tale of being “lost in the wilderness.” (His words) He said everything looked the same in the snow, but that “the alligator juniper looked elegant” He told me “it was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.”

I gave him a little pot of peppermint tea and a bowl of roasted almonds to warm him up.

I’m one of the luckiest grammies in the world, with grand kids a hop skip and a jump from my house.

Seeing our land from the little kids’ perspective awakens my early years of exploration in Ohio. All the way down to fossil hunting! We have a ravine on our property, great for sledding in the winter and fossil collecting in the spring, summer and fall.

And birds! Besides hummingbirds, we have orange grosbeaks, ravens, wrens and at least 20 or more varieties I haven’t identified. A real birder would have quite a time here.

But I just watch them and listen to their song. We have some real warblers nesting at our property at 7,000 feet. They awaken us sometimes in the very early morning, a mixed blessing.

Coming from lush Florida, I wasn’t sure I could learn to love the sometimes stark environment of New Mexico. But now the juxtaposition of a delicately petaled flower and cracked dry land gives me a little jolt of poetic appreciation.

And when the early afternoon sun shines through the stained glass windows in our adobe, I feel a little shudder of admiration and joy. New Mexico has a tentative beauty, one that kind of sinks in after absorbing it for a while.

Like an unexpected snow fall in mid-May.

What is it you love best about where you live?

I would love to hear from you here!

Ravens are Amazing

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Ravens are AmazingA couple days ago I was standing around admiring the foliage, the smells and the mountain breezes on our property. I heard a leathery “swish swish” above my head and looked up in time to see two enormous ravens lazily beating wings as they passed overhead.

I hear their laid-back caws from time to time and always stop to see where they are and where they’re heading. Mostly they float around with a friend or two and seem in no great hurry.

A local ranger with way too many chicken eggs saves some of them for the ravens, and a nearby neighbor leaves his deceased mice (from traps) on a tall pole so the ravens can take them away.

People around here seem to appreciate ravens.

I did a little of my own research on these beautiful and brilliant birds.

Here are some interesting raven facts:

  • A group of ravens is known as a “murder”
  • Ravens are playful! They surf on updrafts, sometimes fly upside down and even turn midair somersaults
  • Young ones sometimes play a game of dropping a stick in flight, then swooping down to catch it before it hits the ground
  • Ravens can make over a hundred different vocalizations. Their voices are deep, and they can imitated human speech and singing
  • They sometimes work together as a pair to acquire food, even luring a parent bird from its nest so the other raven can swoop in and eat the eggs or nestlings
  • They’ve been known to call and lead wolves to a carcass so the tough hide can be torn, allowing the ravens to dine on the soft insides of the carcass
  • Ravens are omnivores, dining on eggs, seeds and berries. They sometimes store extra food in secret hiding places. BUT if another raven is watching, it will pretend to hide it in one place then actually put it somewhere else!

Did you know I recently added to my line of raven jewelry? Yes, The Magic Zoo now has its own “murder!” I have a large raven pendant I created years ago on my website, but last summer I designed and added a smaller raven pendant, a charm and a pair of earrings in sterling silver and gold. And these new ones are in flight, which reminds me of the ravens that soar overhead on our New Mexico property.

Do you see ravens where you live? Tell me about your raven experiences!

The Magic Zoo is Ready for Autumn!

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Merry and WillowNow that I am back in the Magic Zoo saddle, I wanted to reassure everyone that I am fully operational and ready for the coming months! I can walk like a normal person (look Ma, no cane!) and every day my leg gets stronger and stronger. It’s amazing what physical therapy, a healthy diet and an impatient attitude can do. (I’m afraid I didn’t make a very good invalid.)

New Jewelry from The Magic Zoo!

I just got some more of my new designs back from the casters (wait till you see what I’ve been up to!) and they will be appearing on our website in just a couple weeks.

I would have them available sooner, but I have a veterinary convention (where The Magic Zoo is exhibiting) in Phoenix next weekend, so I’ll be a bit busy for a while with that. This is our wild and woolly season coming up, and I’m getting fixed up just in time to get with that flow!

The Rains are Here

Speaking of flows, it is now the monsoon season in New Mexico, so we have had our share of dramatic rainstorms accompanied by hail and some strong gusty winds. The roof of our house is steel, so when it rains (or especially when it hails) it can be so loud that you have to shout if someone is not standing in the same room with you. No, I am not kidding. Just ask anyone with a metal roof!

But due to all the rain, our entire 20 acres is a profusion of purple morning glories, little orange wild flowers and pink flowers of undetermined origin that the hummingbirds adore. Our prowling grandkitties, Firework and Willow, still stare longingly at the flock of hummers, but even these intrepid hunters are not fast enough to grab a hummingbird from the air. (Believe me, they have tried.)

Enjoy Those Fall Leaves

Do you live where the changing seasons are part of your life? For 18 years we made our home in Florida, where I’d have to literally stop and remember what season we were in. Every holiday had the same basic weather pattern…Easter, Independece Day, New Year’s Day. It made no difference!

Now I’m like a little kid on Christmas morning…I can’t wait till Mother Nature paints those cottonwood leaves golden yellow again. And the thrill of seeing a bright red maple! (Yes, there are some here in New Mexico, believe it or not) And although most of our property is covered by juniper, pinon and ponderosa pine, I do have my very own deciduous tree in the backyard with leaves that turn a yummy lemon yellow come October.

I have so much to look forward to and be thankful for. And that includes you, my very special and wonderful customer!

So tell me what you look forward to as summer glides into fall!

Walk with a Cane, Spot a Cougar

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Spot a CougarThere have been at least two Magic Zoo milestones this week. Graduating from an “old lady walker” to a cane happened practically overnight, and made me feel like a dare-devil. Ed hovered protectively for a while, but has since gotten used to the tap tap tap of (what sounds like) a pirate with a wooden leg on our flagstone and tile floors as I meander from room to room.

I’m getting used to this new hip thing, do my exercises religiously, and (like my surgeon instructed me) I walk, walk, walk.

But mostly this takes place inside, because almost every afternoon has brought thunder and often a real downpour. Our backyard profusion of wildflowers, native grasses and flowering vines now reminds me more of Florida than New Mexico.

The Hummingbird Horde

Instead of subtropical butterfly swarms, I have over 50 hummingbirds draining 6 feeders daily. (And no, I am not exaggerating.) Some of my friends observe this flock jealously, complaining they haven’t been able to attract more than one or two hummers to their feeders.

Our secret? My husband and I are suckers. We keep them in sugar water, provide nesting trees and welcomed them back from their long migration north again in April. I don’t know where it will end, because I suspect the newly fledged birds will travel south in October, then return ready to make their own babies next spring. There might be a little attrition, but overall I imagine things will only get worse (or better, depending on your viewpoint)

The Other Milestone, if you can call it that

On Saturday, Ed and I were sitting in the kitchen going over our day’s doings. Something outside the window caught my eye and I looked up just in time to see the back half of a really, really big cat slink behind a juniper tree about 50 yards away.

Here is how I computed this surprising event within ¾ of a second. “Oh, a deer. Right color. But a deer doesn’t have a long tail like that and is much, much taller. It couldn’t be Firework or Willow, because we put them inside 20 minutes ago, plus our cats are definitely not that big.” However, like I said the thoughts were in a ¾ second jumble, not laid out nicely like this.

Basically, I was quickly trying to make sense out of something that seemed impossible. Why impossible? I don’t know, I live at the base of a mountain range home to cougar, bear, elk, deer, bobcat, coyote and lots more. But I just never expected to see a cougar outside my kitchen window. Just like the time I saw the bear by our propane tank. Never expected that either.

I called one of my neighbors who lives about 3 miles away. “Have you ever seen a cougar on your property?” She said no, but they had seen big cat prints in the snow one year. She and her husband have a cabin at a bit higher altitude than where we are, so it wasn’t surprising.

Why this big cat came to visit I don’t know for sure. But we aren’t going to leave cat food outside at night anymore. Do big cats enjoy a meal of kitty kibble? Maybe. But I’m not going to test that theory.

What wildlife do you have in your neck of the woods? You might be surprised. When I lived in Florida I spotted bald eagles and coyotes on the golf course across the street, so even if you don’t live at 7,000 feet, you might be surprised!

The Magic Zoo’s Very Strange August

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Merry with flowers and walkerTwo weeks ago I learned firsthand how everything can change in a split second. One minute I was jogging down the dirt road in front of our property, the next minute I turned ever-so-slightly to answer my tagging-along grandson’s question and the following instant I was on the ground with a broken hip. (I didn’t know it was broken at the time, but I suspected something was more wrong than just a bruised ego, which I also had.)

I yelled for little Cassidy and his sister Annabelle to go get Granddaddy, then waited in a singularly uncomfortable position, while a few enterprising mosquitoes took advantage of my inability to swat them away (I was holding myself up with both hands).

Ed came to the rescue, called 911 and thus began a saga whereby I learned to appreciate in a completely new way those who help in emergency situations.

A Very Long Wait for Help

Since we live in the boonies, it took about an hour and a half for an ambulance to reach me. My darling husband (talk about living those marriage vows) made me as comfortable as he could and held me up with his back against mine, swatting away the bugs and being a reassuring presence. When the ambulance arrived to take me to the hospital in Albuquerque (another hour and a half away) I was relieved and admittedly scared. (I am NOT a big fan of pain.) The transference from the dirt road to the gurney was excruciating, and I probably sent some coyotes and birds scattering with my yells.

Saved!

Finally, I was on my way. I made small talk with the paramedic seated next to me in the back of the ambulance ( a sweet, quiet young man named Sean) as he took my vital signs and typed on his laptop while we zoomed along at 80 mph. I made sure that Ed was following (he was, barely) and finally got to UNM (University of New Mexico Hospital) where they did all those things they do with a patient who has foolishly injured herself while trying to get healthy while jogging. One of the nurses assured me it was not the most ridiculous story she’d heard of a self-created accident, and for the first time since my fall I laughed.

X-rays were taken, the break was confirmed and the next day I was in surgery being fitted with a brand new hip. (What?! I swear I never intended to have a hip replacement. I was proud of my strong bones and joints, which were apparently no match for our rock-hard dirt road)

My New Heroes

The day after surgery, the powers that be (my surgeon) decided I could go home! I rolled out of the hospital in a wheelchair feeling so grateful to every doctor, nurse and aide who took care of me during my incredibly brief stay, and wished I knew what their favorite animals were so I could shower Magic Zoo gifts down upon them all. (Wouldn’t that be a surprise? None of them ever knew what I did for a living, nor would that have made a bit of difference. These beautiful people do what they do because their calling is to help others.) What a rich life they must have!

It has been two weeks since I broke my hip, and every day is so much better than the last. I’m been off all pain medication for many days (so good to eliminate that accompanying mental fog!) and I’m getting back to getting around on my own (though I still rely on a walker). So if you have possibly wondered why you haven’t had any news from me for a while, that’s because The Magic Zoo’s very strange August has been one of a kind.

Now, tell me what your August has been like! (I hope it’s been more fun than mine!)

Your Animal Loving Artist,

Merry

The Bunnies are Back!

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Ah…springtime in the mountains!

Tiny purple wildflowers are blooming close to the ground, the hummingbirds are dashing hither and thither like little cricket jets (they really do sound like crickets), moths are begging at lighted windows at night, and it is actually hot in the afternoon sun! But it could still snow, and the rule up here is don’t plant anything until June 1st. (Although my daughter-in-law has planted some kale, which is one of those early season crops that don’t mind a little frostiness)

Just a few days ago this little bunny obligingly sat outside our kitchen window, nibbling at winter leftovers. To me his lunch seemed pretty dry and unappetizing, but he just chomped down that long dry stem as if it were a strand of uncooked spaghetti.

My  visitor was a desert cottontail. I guess they can be troublesome if you have a producing garden, but since we aren’t at that stage yet, we can enjoy these little furry critters without worrying about their penchant for green veggies. (But I better warn my daughter-in-law!) Luckily, before too long there will be some wild greens for the bunnies to indulge in.

Oddly, one of my neighbors had trouble last summer with mice eating his garden produce! Then an old timer in the area told him to put little jar lids of water around the perimeter of his garden. Seems the mice were just gobbling up the greens for moisture.

We actually have several rabbit species around these parts. I’ve seen jackrabbits (two different varieties) and this ubiquitous little cottontail. Last year we had a baby cottontail that entranced the grand kids. The nice thing about rabbits is they try to make themselves invisible so you can get pretty close. A real bonus for a curious, animal loving 7 year old grandson!

I haven’t yet lived a full year in my new mountain home, so every season is entrancing. Spring here is one of the best of the four, with lilacs putting out delicate new foliage and local cottonwood trees showing off misty green hairdos. And now it’s warm enough that I can hang out the washing and bring it back in within a few hours. Oh, and the lizards are out!

What signs of spring are there in your neck of the woods?

Merry’s First Gallery Show!

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Cibola Arts I was invited to participate in the “Remarkable Women Artists” invitational show at Cibola Arts Gallery in Mountainair New Mexico! For someone who mostly displays her work on the internet, this WAS kind of remarkable and involved more action and communication than just writing copy for my jewelry and putting it up on my website.

At the opening reception in February I got to mosey around wearing a fancy name tag and be “famous” for a few hours in the gallery, meeting and greeting fellow artists, local ranchers, shop owners and I imagine a few tourists as well.

The show will wrap up next week, but it was fun to introduce my animal jewelry to this community and make some new friends at the same time.

I’m not planning a second career as a gallery artist, but I believe in enjoying new stuff coming my way and I definitely got a kick out of this one.

One of the wonderful things about living in this community is the fellowship among not just the artists, but everyone who appreciates this unique, semi-desert environment. I talk to everyone I meet, in stores and on the street. This is one of these places where you wave to everyone you pass on the road, and when the greeting isn’t returned, you just figure they “aren’t from around here.”

I’ve gotten involved in some extracurricular activities too. I love to sing and last Christmas season participated in the Community Choir, singing my heart out (initially as a Soprano, until I realized those high notes really were high) and finishing as an alto (much more comfortable).

Now we’ve started a year round choir, made up of die-hard singers among our community. Our next plan…some Americana (think Stephen Foster) tunes for our local Fourth of July celebration!

The other wonderful thing about Mountainair is the care and interest artists have in our community, and the effort taken to introduce art to youngsters. (This has always been a big deal to me) Because if we don’t encourage the next generation in whatever they long to pursue (especially art, in my opinion) the future looks a little grim.

Do you have some good ideas on how to encourage your kids or grandkids in their artistic endeavors? I would love to hear them!

It’s Thundering and Snowing Corn at The Magic Zoo!

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We’re cozy in our mountain home, but outside it’s snowing “corn snow” which, according to dictionary.com, is “snow in the form of small pellets or grains produced by the alternate melting and freezing of a snow layer.” To me they look like tiny snow balls.

Oh yes… it’s also thundering! I never, ever heard thunder accompanying snow before today. According to Wikipedia, it is called “thundersnow” and is pretty rare.

There’s always something interesting going on in the mountains. It may just be the sky with clouds that are reminiscent of giant UFO type spaceships (to my creative mind, anyway) or wind blowing through the pinons and pines, coyotes howling at dusk and early morning, and that weird faraway animal call that we can never identify but always seem to hear just when it’s starting to get dark in the warmer months of summer.

Best part of living here…I get to experience real honest to goodness seasons! Really, after living in Florida for 18 years, changing seasons were what I missed the most. Now I am swamped with seasonal changes, from the flowering of the mysterious fruit tree in front of our house (what kind of fruit is it, anyway?) to the misty green shrouding the cottonwoods on our way to Albuquerque, to yes, this spring snowfall that most likely will be completely melted by 10:00 tomorrow morning under a hot New Mexico sun.

Throughout these weather changes, I’ve been happily and cozily designing new Magic Zoo pieces, including a labradoodle, a Nubian goat pin, a pair of zebra earrings, some new Yorkie puppy earrings, raven earrings and some roosters! I’m hoping to have them up on my site within a month or two (there are several things that have to happen to these little clay models before they are ready to wear) but it won’t be long! And undoubtedly there will be a few more surprise designs as well.

And oh yes, check out our New Design section on the website to see what’s now available in gold! (Hint: you have to scroll to the bottom to see the new gold designs.)

This is also the time of year we plan our calendar of shows for the coming year. Nestled in our cozy little studio, all sorts of surprises are being hatched for my customers by my husband and myself. Keep in touch, and let us know if there’s a design you especially want to see!

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