So much more than a rat with a cuter outfit, S.J.P…

Tags

animals, Australia, London, New Zealand, Outdoors, Recreation, Sarah Jessica Parker, Squirrel, Travel

A squirrel is just a rat with a cuter outfit! (Sarah Jessica Parker)

We don’t have squirrels here in Australia. Nor did we have them in New Zealand. The animal that comes closest, for me, is the possum. Australia protects possums. I have no idea why – perhaps because they are native to here. In New Zealand, they are considered vermin. Some enterprising Kiwis make hats and gloves out of their fur. It’s very snuggly.

My first encounter with squirrels was as a teenager. My family had travelled to Frankfurt for a white Christmas with my German Grandmother. My wonderful Omi would feed the birds and the squirrels in feeders outside the large picture window in front of her garden. The squirrels would appear from the eaves and shamelessly watch us from the safety of the other side of the glass. They fascinated me. I spent ages looking out for them. I have had a soft spot for them ever since.

O sweet September, they first breezes bring dry leaf’s rustle and the squirrel’s laughter, the cool fresh air whence health and vigour spring and promise of exceeding joy hereafter. (George Arnold)

I suspect Londoners laugh at tourists taking happy snaps of the squirrels while wandering through Hyde Park, but that didn’t matter to me as LM and I encountered this little guy during one of walks…

Hyde Park Squirrel – take I
(Image by TSL)

Hyde Park Squirrel – take II
(Image by TSL)

Hyde Park Squirrel – take III
(Image by TSL)

Hyde Park Squirrel – take IV
(Image by TSL)

Hyde Park Squirrel – take V
(Image by TSL)

Hyde Park Squirrel – take VI
(Image by TSL)

Hyde Park Squirrel – take VII
(Image by TSL)

Good Bye Mr Squirrel…
(Image by TSL)

 

Abigail Brown & Her Fine Feathered Bird Creations

Tags

Abigail Brown, Animalia, Bird, craft, Design, E. E. Cummings, Elle, Fibre Art, Flora and Fauna, Haberdashery, London, Ornithology, Peacock, Recreation, Shopping, Sparrow, Takashimaya, Textile Art

Peacock by Abigail Brown
(Image © Abigail Brown)

I’d rather learn from one bird how to sing than to teach ten thousand stars how not to dance. (E.E. Cummings)

I seem to have developed a previously unrecognised fascination for birds… Truly. Last month I featured a post on the paper bird magic of Diana Beltran Herrera. Today I bring you the fabulously fanciful world of Abigail Brown, a textile artist who creates amazing birds by hand out of new and reused materials.

Abigail studied a BA in Surface Decoration and Printed Textiles, graduating in 2003. During and since that time she has worked as a designer and illustrator of children’s books, children’s wear, stationery, and greeting cards, and produced work for the advertising industry – all whilst continually exploring ideas in fabrics for herself.

She has enjoyed coverage in magazines such as Vogue, Elle, Elle Decoration and Selvedge, and has sold her work through many beautiful stores (including my favourite, Liberty).

Abigail’s studio is in London and she has the most comprehensive menagerie of fabric bird-life…

Great Tit by Abigail Brown
(Image © Abigail Brown)

Robin by Abigail Brown
(Image © Abigail Brown)

Kingfisher by Abigail Brown
(Image © Abigail Brown)

Flamingo by Abigail Brown
(Image © Abigail Brown)

The sparrow that is twittering on the edge of my balcony is calling up to me this moment a world of memories that reach over half my lifetime, and a world of hope that stretches farther than any flight of sparrows. (Donald G. Mitchell)

I’m a fan of sparrows. They’re everywhere in New Zealand and are such unassuming wee birds. When you come to Australia, one of the first things you notice is the incredibly noisy bird life – the cockatoos and the galahs wake you up in the morning with their chattering. For some reason, there don’t seem to be any sparrows, though. I miss them.

House Sparrow by Abigail Brown
My bird of choice from Abigail’s collection
(Image © Abigail Brown)

All Abigail Browns birds are made to order and can take anything from 1 – 6 weeks to complete. Each piece is unique and may vary slightly from the image she provides on her site.

If you’d like to learn more, you can access Abigail’s site here. There are many more wonderful birds to see.

Ren Netherland Photographs Poodles in Drag…

Tags

Animal Photography, Best in Class, Breeds, Colour, culture, Dog, Dog Show, George Jean Nathan, Pets, Photography, Poodle, Recreation, Ren Netherland, Rita Rudner, Show Dog

Bella, the miniature poodle
(Image by TSL)

Love is the emotion that a woman feels always for a poodle and sometimes for a man. (George Jean Nathan)

Regular TSL readers will know about Bella, the miniature poodle. There’s a bit of a story about when I met LM. Bella was his dog, and frankly while I love dogs, I couldn’t imagine getting excited about, what was in my mind at the time, a slightly effeminate breed.

Oh, how wrong could a girl be…? I have fallen so hard for this poodle. I now cannot imagine life without her.

We all know that a dog can only have one master. Well, Bella has proven to be just the teensiest bit of a turn-coat, and has chosen me to be her master instead of LM. This may have something to do with the fact that I feed her every day… She is now very much my dog. You can even occasionally hear LM say, “I used to have a dog…”

Anyhoo, I am a poodle convert. Just love ‘em.

I’m not so sure how Bella would feel all dressed up for a photograph session with pet photographer extraordinaire, Ren Netherland, tho’… Oh the indignity!

They’re not dogs [poodles], they’re art. (Rachel Leigh)

Pirate Poodle taken by Ren Netherland
(Image © Ren Netherland)

Panda Poodle taken by Ren Netherland
(Image © Ren Netherland)

Camel Poodle taken by Ren Netherland
(Image © Ren Netherland)

Bison Poodle taken by Ren Netherland
(Image © Ren Netherland)

Pittsburgh Steeler Poodle taken by Ren Netherland
(Image © Ren Netherland)

I wonder if other dogs think poodles are members of a weird religious cult. (Rita Rudner)

According to his bio, Ren Netherland of Animal Photography is a highly sought after pet photographer. He travels the length and breadth of the States for eight months of every year in his mobile digital studio bus.

To be fair to Ren Netherland, he has many wonderful images of pets on his website (and these are not limited to poodles in drag, although there are more of these, too). If you’d like to see more, you can access his site here.

The VW Campervan Tent almost makes me want to go camping…

Tags

Campervan, Campgrounds, Camping, Design, Gifts, Humour, Outdoors, Recreation, Recreation and Sports, Shopping, style, Tent, Volkswagen

It’s almost enough to make a confirmed city-girl like me consider camping…

You’ll be the envy of all your camping (and non-camping) buddies when you whip this wee beauty out.

Featuring:

1. 1:1 Scale – exactly the same size as the original VW Campervan and officially licensed by VW.
2. 2 large double rooms, separated by zips. Will sleep 4 adults.
3. Opening doors in the same style as the original campervan.
4. Inner compartments that separate via fly sheet doors.
5. A choice of 3 colours – blue, red or green.

If you decide you would like one of these beauties, or if you’d like to learn more, get thee to Firebox.com where, upon payment of the very reasonable price of £299.99 you can have the VW Campervan Tent delivered to your door! So much cheaper than the original!

Sadly, it doesn’t feature a flush loo or a shower, the two primary reasons this blogger may not rush out to purchase her own VW Campervan Tent.

(All images sourced from here)

Dog Wisdom II

Tags

Activities, Dog, Eileen Green, Humor, Pet, Photograph, Poodle, Recreation, Swim, Sydney

My goal in life is to become as wonderful as my dog thinks I am.  (Toby and Eileen Green)

No, I didn't just jump in the water while you weren't looking...

Still pouring with rain here.  Have a great weekend in your part of the world!