Leaping for Joy

Posted by Steven Kennard
A young fox is jumping in the air right next to a rough tree trunk. We don't see what is on the ground under the fox causing it to jump.
Pouncing – bad news for the vole

This may be bad news for the vole, but it’s good news for the young fox! Although we don’t see the foxes as much as we used to, they are still around and making their presence known now and again. This is always a cheering moment as they seem to be such happy creatures trotting across the field. I have a young friend who particularly likes foxes and this is for her and her family.

Happy Fox Friday to all! This little one and his siblings are on my animals gallery here: https://stevenkennard.com/blog/skgallery/animals

Motivation

Posted by Steven Kennard
A 'beaded' box made of African blackwood with a warm golden toned thuya burl interior is shown, with the lid propped against it facing the side It has smooth beading on the side of the lid and body and the top has a textured low dome, with a smooth edge. The sides of the top and the main body are finely textured.
‘Beaded Box’ open

This is the first box that I’ve turned in what seems like a really long time. It was an order from a collector in the US who asked me to make a box for him that got me to pick up my tools and get into the shop. I have been turning, just not creating. And for artists, the act of creation is vital as without it you find yourself losing motivation and joy in your work and your life as this is such an integral part of it. This is where I found myself. Circumstances have been so limiting lately for so many of us and mine have made it very difficult to devote the time and focus to see my way out of the emotional darkness that can overtake us all. I just wasn’t feeling it, which made it worse.

So, thanks to this email out of the blue from down South, I have found the desire to be once again making, with new ideas and the excitement to get back in my studio. This simple beaded box is African Blackwood, which you will know is my favourite for boxes, lined with a lovely warm golden Thuya burl and decorated with a surface embellishment of texturing and a subtle red tint on the textured areas.

This box is part of my Turned Art Gallery you can view here: https://stevenkennard.com/blog/skgallery/turned-art

A 'beaded' box made of African blackwood with a warm golden toned thuya burl interior is shown. It has smooth beading on the side of the lid and body and the top has a textured low dome, with a smooth edge. The sides of the top and the main body are finely textured.
‘Beaded Box’
A 'beaded' box made of African blackwood with a warm golden toned thuya burl interior is lying on its side, with the lid flat on the surface next to it. It has smooth beading on the side of the lid and body and the top has a textured low dome, with a smooth edge. The sides of the top and the main body are finely textured.
Beaded Box showing thuya burl interior

Fox on the Hunt

Posted by Steven Kennard

One of the young foxes was hunting a vole just when I happened to be looking out of the
French windows with my camera nearby. The glass, though clean, has softened the images somewhat, but we get an idea of the energy and excitement of the hunt. Clicking on any of the images takes you to the full gallery of foxes and other animals.

Here he’s spotted his prey:

A young red fox with black legs is running fast, with only one foot on the ground as it runs. It almost looks as if it might fall on its face in its haste to get going. It is running across a green, grassy area.
On the hunt
A young red fox with black legs and ear tips is leaping, all four feet off the ground, parallel to the ground, with its tail curved out and down. Its head is looking down at the dried rough ground underneath. There is green grass and weeds around and the bottom of a tree trunk.
About to pounce. Bad news for the vole.
A young red fox, with a pale underside and black paws is leaping in the air, almost vertically. Its head is cocked down towards the ground, as if it's looking at something among the dried grasses and green weeds. There is a tree trunk on the right of the frame.
Levitation

*For those who are concerned, foxes don’t play with their prey when it’s live, like cats. So the vole is already dead when we see the play.

A young red fox with black legs, muzzle and ear tips is standing with tail raised and arched. It has just flung a little dead mole it has killed into the air and it is watching the little creature fall. There is a tree trunk behind it and the bottom of another in the background.
Don’t play with your food

Fox News

Posted by Steven Kennard

We’ve had a busy spring and early summer and I want to share some photos of the family of foxes we have living with us on our property. The litter must have been born in the bushes or woods close to our house, and in the past few weeks we have been watching the young ones enjoying life, playing and tumbling around like all young animals do, in the grass and among the trees and bushes. They are beautiful and so fun to watch.

A young fox is in a grassy area with trees around behind and to the left. It is standing sideways with its body facing to the right, head turned, looking at the viewer.
Fox watching me watching him

Three of the fox cubs looking at me (well mostly).

Three young foxes are in a grassy area with trees around behind. One is sitting upright looking at the viewer, another is lying down looking at us with head slightly raised from the grass. The left most fox is half sitting, looking off to the left of the frame.
Three young foxes

And more foxes. What do you do when they keep playing in your garden? You have to take pictures! These were all taken in very low light, in the late evening, and at quite a distance, so it’s amazing that they came out at all!

Two young foxes are in a grassy area with trees and bushes around behind and to the left. the left one is sitting half upright looking at the viewer, the other is running towards the left of the frame with all four feet off the ground, and tail outstretched.
Flying fox and sibling

Have a great summer, friends!

Two young foxes are in a grassy area with trees around behind and to the left. One is sitting upright looking at the viewer, the other is lying down looking back at us over its shoulder.
Siblings

Ruby Throated Hummingbird

Posted by Steven Kennard
A small bird is hovering in front of a green yew bush, with its wings moving so fast they are almost blurred. Landing gear (feet) is down and his long bill is aiming up to the right. He has a brilliant red throat and pale mottled chest with irridescent green feathers.
Hummingbird about to Land on a Yew

We had observed this little bird hanging out on the yew tree outside for some time. I set up the camera and flash close to the bush with the radio remote control inside the house and waited for him to appear. It was a picture of patience as the other 93 taken will attest! Happy Wildlife Wednesday friends.

He is on my Animals Gallery

Furry Drone

Posted by Steven Kennard
I've only ever seen a flying squirrel once, in Kejimkujik Park in Nova Scotia. It was 'flying' around the campsite one night, moving so quickly it was hard to catch sight of where it was each time. This time it stopped to pick up something to eat before taking off again. They spread these flaps of skin between the front and back paws to glide between trees. Happy Squirrel Saturday! A small furry grey, brown and cream squirrel is crouching on the trunk of a moss-covered trunk of a tree, preparing for takeoff You can see the cream edged flaps of skin reaching from the front paws to the back legs and a fluffy tail as well as roundish ears and huge black eyes.
Northern Flying Squirrel preparing for takeoff

I’ve only ever seen a flying squirrel once, in Kejimkujik Park in Nova Scotia. It was ‘flying’ around the campsite one night, moving so quickly it was hard to catch sight of where it was each time. This time it stopped to pick up something to eat before taking off again. They spread these flaps of skin between the front and back paws to glide between trees. Happy Squirrel Saturday!

A small furry grey, brown and cream squirrel is sitting up facing to the right, eating something in her paws. You can see the cream edged flaps of skin reaching down from the front paws to the back legs. We see ears and one big black eye as well as black whiskers.
Flying Squirrel

Click to view My Animals Gallery

Looking into You

Posted by Steven Kennard
A young orange tabby cat is looking straight at the camera. Only the head, shortish whiskers and parts of the ears and shoulders are showing.. His bright yellow eyes have multi-paned windows reflected in them.
Looking Deep Inside

Rupert, our first Cornish Rex cat had a way of looking deep into your eyes, as if he could see into your soul. He’s been gone for over 4 years now but I still love him.

Have a great Caturday, everyone, whenever you see this!

My animal photos are all on this gallery.