Nest Building

Nest Building
Originally uploaded by roflute
Bird behavior fascinates me. Black-capped Chickadees have such personality. I was watching a pair flying back and forth with something in their beaks when flying away from this hole in a tree. Turns out they were carting away wood chips and scattering them some distance from the nest. Very industrious fellows.




Flying back to the nest.




Fuch's Pond Preserve in Northport, NY. This is where I found my chickadees.  A hidden jewel for birders it is said.  There was an egret fishing in the far end of the pond and I did see two other birds I normally don't see plus a red-tail hawk flying overhead.  I'll be back to this place.

My Little Chickadee

My Little Chickadee
Originally uploaded by roflute

I've been really neglecting my blog again. This is the place for me to be creative, to show my art and photos and also to share some thoughts.

So here we are starting a new year. What will it bring? 2012 ended on quite a downer with Superstorm Sandy, the shootings in Connecticut, and.... Enough! There is so much to be thankful for. God brought me through the storm with minimal damage and some inconvenience. God is good. He provides. He brings us through. I've been thinking on what 2013 resolutions I should make. I thought this year I should think on a word for the year. What should that word be? After some thought, it came to me. My 2013 word will be .......FOCUS.....
Focus on God first and foremost. The rest are in no particular order.
Focus on my photography (focus, get it?) ;-)
Focus on my art.
Focus on my health.
These are all things that are usually part of my resolutions and I have been working on them but I am wanting them to be more ingrained into my psyche. To be more of who I am and make me a better me. Make sense? FOCUS

Durbes Pils, Tukum, Latvia

Durbes Pils, Tukum, Latvia
Originally uploaded by roflute

This month I was finally able to get a drawing done in time for the Virtual Paintout hosted by Bill Guffey.  Each month he picks a different location to travel to using Google Streetmaps.  Latvia is the location for June.  Most times I travel all over trying to decide what to draw and run out of month to get my drawing done.  Here is one of my choices.  This is one of the outbuildings for the Durbes Manor House on the outskirts of Tukum, Latvia.  Here is the Link for the google map.  Latvia has alot of interesting architecture.  There are loads of castles, abandoned buildings, modern homes, etc.  If you want to find out more about the Durbes Castle, here is a website. One of the outbuildings intrigued me more than the manor house itself.  This building sits at the entrance to the complex.

 This drawing is done in colored pencil on brown paper bag type paper.  It's a sketchbook I have reserved for only google streetmap drawings.  Enjoy!

Some more Drawings to catch up on

Trying to draw every day is not very easy and I haven't been able to keep up with this challenge very well but I am determined to finish. It is good practice and I find that when I exercise my drawing fingers, there is an improvement to how things go down on paper. So here are some more entries in my Everyday in May moleskine. I had fun drawing these eggs. Maybe I should have tried to do them in watercolor. These are colored pencil and micron marker. Not happy with this bag drawing. I need to be more patient and observant with the crinkles and folds. Done in graphite.
I'm comfortable with drawing apples. Can you tell? Done with Derwent watercolor pencils. A little Tufted Titmouse done in prismacolor pencils. This was the day that my nephew graduated from Virginia Tech. What an experience! The Commencement was held in the football stadium as there were about 5000 graduates. I've never seen so many black caps and gowns in one place. Michelle Obama gave the Commencement address along with Virginia Senator Mike Warner. Both very good, motivational speeches. I am so proud of my nephew. Afterwards, the family went back to the house and had a nice bbq. A very enjoyable day!

Some more of my EDiM Drawings

Here are some more of my drawings for May. It is good to be drawing again.

EDiM 4 Draw a Present

EDiM 4 Draw a Present
Originally uploaded by roflute

Time to get caught up on posting. At least a little bit. This calendar holds a special place in my heart. Whenever I sit by my computer I see it and it reminds me of my one and only niece. She knows I am a cat lover.

Every Day in May

Cedar Point Lighthouse, Long Island, NY
Originally uploaded by roflute

This is the second year that I am attempting this challenge. Last year I got about halfway through the month before the busy-ness of my life got in the way. Hopefully I will succeed to draw something each day in May and post it to the Flickr group. I like that they have a list to follow to give us inspiration.

It was rainy most of the day on Tuesday so I chose a photo I took last May of this abandoned lighthouse at Cedar Point beach on Eastern Long Island, NY. I remember it being a nice hike getting to this place and watching all the terns and shorebirds on the way.

This sketch was done pretty quickly since I wanted to get it done the actual first day in May. I need to practice sketching quick and work my way to sketching on location

Happy Easter

Happy Easter
Originally uploaded by roflute

These lovely daffodils are the first things blooming in my little patio garden. I want to wish all my family and friends a very blessed Easter and Passover. Enjoy!

Time to be CREATIVE

After whiling away hours on Pinterest (so addicting) I kept coming across colorfully lettered quotes that I really enjoyed. Wow! I wish I could do that. I like to doodle. I like Calligraphy and I like catchy sayings and quotes that make me go hmmm.... I found an online class filled with tutorials of just what I was looking for. I have to learn to be looser with my writing style but I love the color and all the different techniques and seeing what others have accomplished so far. Here are some of my projects so far: The class can be found HERE if you want to sign up. $$$ well spent! Thanks, Joanne Sharpe!


This is my Letter Love Book all snazzy'd up.

My mantra








Getting some color on. I used panpastels for the first time. Pretty cool stuff!

Time to put on those walking shoes

Spring is here and winter is officially over (not that winter really made it's presence known here on Long Island this year).  Time to get some spring cleaning done and that is what I was doing last weekend.  This weekend was back to getting some play time in.  One day was spent with some photographer friends at Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge where I enjoyed watching a few osprey hunting fish.  There was also a pair busy at nest building.


The trails are easy and it was nice weather for a good walk with friends

Been working on some new products in my ArbeePhotos store on Zazzle.  Here is one of my new products.  

Great Horned Owl MacBook Sleeve by Arbeephotos
Browse Zazzle for a different MacBook Air sleeve.

Happy 2012

Another year has started.  What will this year hold?  I have promised myself this year to work on my photography and my art.  To design more products for Zazzle and get serious with designing more greeting cards for my Greeting Card Universe store.  There is certainly no lack of material with all the photos I have taken over the years.  It's a good way to learn some photoshop skills too.  I have been inspired with all the wonderful storefronts my fellow shopkeepers have set up.  Feel free to check out my shops.  Any feedback is very much appreciated.  Have a wonderful year everyone, full of God's richest blessings!

Has it Really Been so Long?......

I haven't posted in over a month. So sad. But I have been rambling around taking photos all over. At least once a week (usually more) I take my camera out and go in search of interesting stuff. Usually birds and Sunken Meadow State Park is one of my favorite places to go. There are alot of different birds there. This past week I met the newest member of the swan family. Dad was very protective so I didn't want to get too close but Mama was showing off her little cygnet to us.


I've also recently been to the Blue Ridge Mountains in Luray, Virginia. What a beautiful place that was. I am still working on the photos from that trip and that will deserve a post of it's own.


Here's a Black-Crowned Night Heron on the Rock. A very popular perch for waterfowl at Sunken Meadow. A whole flock of Night Heron's come to roost in the trees near the rock every night. What a sight they are. They look like old men in pinstripe suits, don't they?

Art Every Day?

It sure is hard to draw something every day. I started off pretty good but now the weather is getting nicer (except for this rainy week so far) and I want to get out there and play photographer. But here are some more entries for the Every Day in May challenge. I'm playing catchup



Some salt and pepper shakers that I picked up in Germany



My favorite crafting scissors



I love how these lemons turned out though the slice is a little off. Drawn from my head with no reference.


I love my Rav.


My wonky lightbulb. I like working in ink though.


My Whatever Clock in the office where I work. It's been a real conversation piece over the years.


Flames are hard to draw I have found.


Drawn with watercolor pencils. Another drawing from my head.


Love my strawberries. This drawing didn't turn out that bad either.

Draw Some Exercise Equipment

edm103
Originally uploaded by roflute
I'm not much of an exerciser but I have to get better. One of the easiest things to do to be more active is walking. It can be done anywhere, anytime. I'm usually walking with a camera in my hand so that gets me out and about. Here are my new New Balance walking shoes. I have found this brand to fit my double width foot best. Very comfortable for my tootsies. I'll have to start breaking these shoes in since I have a walking 5K later this month. That's one way to get my butt off the sofa!

Draw a Power Plug

edm102
Originally uploaded by roflute

Ah, this one was a bit more difficult than a bar of soap. I know it is a bit wonky looking and the perspective is off. Hopefully I will get better with practice. My friend had her baby today. I am so happy for her. She had a boy like I knew she would. Always nice when something good happens in the world.

Draw a Bar of Soap

EDM101
Originally uploaded by roflute

So I haven't been very creative lately, but I have been busy. I've missed my drawing and haven't done any of the Everyday Matters challenges in quite a while since I finished my first Moleskine sketchbook. What a better way to start a new moley with a new challenge. Every Day in May. Let's see if I can draw something each day for this month. Today it is a bar of soap. It is done in colored pencils and I had a nice perfumey smell while I drew it. Normally, this soap is in my sock drawer. Happy May everyone! It was a beautiful sunshiny day here today. Spring has finally come!

Croton Gorge Park

Croton Dam
Originally uploaded by roflute
Just a short drive north of New York City is this beautiful waterfall and dam. It is called Croton Dam and it was supposed to enhance NYC's water supply. It's a beautiful stone structure with striking views of the Hudson from the top of the dam.  There are quite a few walking trails in this park along with picnic tables to enjoy a nice lunch with a fantastic view.

Super Moon

Super Moon
Originally uploaded by roflute
This past Saturday I was treated to a beautiful full moon. It is called a perigee moon and seemed 14% larger than a normal full moon. That's because the moon was at it's closest point in its orbit around the earth. I was trying to figure out a good place to get a shot of this event and decided on the south shore since the moon would be rising in the east. I ended up at Captree Boat Basin with a few of the Fire Island Lighthouse. There were quite a few other people there with their cameras, families and loved ones. We were all waiting with anticipation.  Pretty soon there was a bit of bright orange on the horizon.  Here comes the moon.  What a big, beautiful orange ball in the sky.  Like the sun but....not.  A couple hours later, I got another pic of the moon a little higher in the sky over my house.  So beautiful. 

Mouille Point Lighthouse

Mouille Point Lighthouse
Originally uploaded by roflute

Here is my latest drawing for the Virtual Paintout blog where we are exploring Cape Town, South Africa for the month of March via Google Streetview.  There are alot of fancy houses along with mountains, seascapes and poverty stricken areas too.  This lighthouse caught my eye.  It is the Mouille Point lighthouse.  You can find out more here.  If you want to see the google streetview you can do so here.