It's Saint Francis's Feast Day

 Today is the Feast Day of Saint Francis of Assisi. He is the patron saint of animals and environment and many web-sources concur, he could "be viewed as the original Earth Day advocate. Francis' devotion to God was expressed through his love for all of God's creation."

Friday's Follow-Up Re A Visiting Jay

Atop this entry is a copy of a Mutts cartoon created by Patrick McDonnell. It was initially posted in celebration of the 2018 Winter Solstice and I thought of the sentiment expressed by Mooch during the nor'easter which occured in NYC this past Monday (2-1-2021).

As I said in my blog post about the event (which I published the next day) an array of bird types (including a lone American robin, several Dark-eyed juncoes, a number of House sparrows, an entourage of Mourning doves, and a lone Northern mockingbird) spent a lot of time in my garden during this storm. 

The day following the storm, which happened to be Groundhog Day, a Blue jay stopped by my place.

Patrick McDonnell has got this! "A little bird seed or a source of water goes a long way for wildlife!" (Wednesday's Wisdom)

I completely agree with this bird featured the Mutts's drawing atop this entry (as anyone who reads this blog I'm a huge fan of Patrick McDonnell (the creator of the Mutts strip and related cartoons). Be that as it may,  it has been beyond bitter cold the past few days (and continues to be). I spent much of this last Saturday pouring hot water over the frozen water in my bird baths (that are in my garden) in order for the ice to melt and allow my visiting wildlife to take a drink or two.

"Spring is just around the corner?"

Atop this entry is a copy of a Mutts comic strip created by Patrick McDonnell. It was initially emailed to me this morning, February 21, 2021. We are still dealing with a lot of snow here  in NYC and as you can see in the next set of three pictures, Mourning doves, visiting my snowy garden appear unphased to know that spring does not seem to be around the corner.

They are a bird type featured in my book series, series, Words In Our Beak.

MY BOOK SERIES

The books make a perfect gift for someone who may be in quarantine or lockdown due to consequences of the coronavirus because the stories in them can bring the outdoors into the homes of those who cannot go out and about.

Inspiration From Patrick McDonnnell

Indeed, George Eliot! AND thank you, Patrick McDonnell for publishing another one of your amazing drawings  (a copy is posted directly above) and quotation citing. What a nice way to ring in the first day of fall, in the Northern hemisphere (in states that have Eastern Standard time, it offically begins today at 3:21 PM)!

As many of you may know, I am a huge Mutts fan and I've featured McDonnell's drawings and strips in a number of my blog posts.

On another note, McDonnell and his cast of characters are part of what inspired me to create my photo-comics. They are featured in my digital book, BIRD TALES.

It features a number of birds participating in a variety of activities and is dedicated to all birds and everyone who loves them. An interactive book for people of all ages to enjoy together and is now available via Apple Books.

BIRD TALES is my second book with Apple. The first one, Words In Our Beak, was published in 2015.

Subsequently, Words In Our Beak's iBook version was published as a soft-cover book (with slight variations) by MagCloud. 

Following this, Ingram Spark published a hard-cover version of Words In Our Beak Volume One  (with slight variations), and they also published hard-cover versions of Words In Our Beak, Volume Two and Words In Our Beak, Volume Three. 

All versions of Words In Our Beak have a goal which is to open readers to a simple understanding of the winged world and their environment. The setting for my books is my rooftop urban garden in New York City, my stories are told in the voice of Cam, a female cardinal, who visits it. Words In Our Beak is directed to children and adults who are curious about birds, and want to learn about them from a unique perspective.

Mourning doves, the bird type featured in  the photograph directly below, where they re sitting on a pumpkin in my garden, are included in this book all my versions of Words In Our Beak as well as in BIRD TALES.

While I believe this bird type likes autumn, I don't think their likely to do the George Eliot thing and fly around in search of other autumns, their interest seems to be invested in sticking around to nosh on seeds during all types of weather, as evidenced in the photograph below.

Thank God It's Friday (TGIF) AND For Many THINGS

Part of my morning routine is to read Mutts, the comic strip by Patrick McDonnell, a comic strip which I have referred to a number of times here on Blogger, and if you'd like to refer to entries regarding this, please click here. 

Meanwhile, Mr. McDonell's "episode" from Monday, November 12th, is posted above today's blog entry. I adore all of McDonnell's characters as well as the "stories' of occurrences in their daily lives; but I was particularly touched by the one I'm featuring above today's blog entry due to my appreciation for all the birds which visit my rooftop garden.

As anyone who follows TLLG here on Blogger, tumblr, or Facebook, knows, I have been thrilled by the birds which visit my garden, and I have been saddened whenever Cam (one of my visiting cardinals) disappears for prolonged periods of time. I have posted her picture below for those of you who may be new to TLLG's venues.

Moreover, if you'd like to read "stories" about Cam's antics, you may do so by clicking here for entries that have been published here on Blogger; or here for posts that have been written about her on tumblr. 

Additionally, you may click here to view a Virtual Story (mini movie) which features a number of photo-ops "showcasing" her.

In any event, whenever Cam disappears, my reaction is very much like Mooch's — the cat — in McDonnell's comic strip, I don't wonder if it was something I said; rather, I wonder did I frighten her somehow? Did I leave too much food or not enough? Did I not plant "things" that attract birds? Did I not clean her feeder throughly? And, also, in my saner moments when I realize her absences may have little to do with me, I always worry that she has been injured and that I could've of devised a way to insure her safety. 

My reactions are clearly tied in with my abandonment issues re having a father who left our family when I was quite young and a mother who insisted if I talked to him in the "right way" he'd return, which he never did.

Follow-Up Friday: Musings on Mutts AND an Update re "Words In Our Beak Volume One"

As anyone who follows my cyber venues knows, I am a big fan of the comic strip Mutts, created by Patrick McDonnell. McDonnell  has influenced my work as an artist/writer and raised my awareness re the plight of animals. Over my years in cyber-space, I've written about my appreciation for the strip's cast of characters. My musings re this strip include a number of entries here on Blogger. The strips posted atop this entry are two of McDonnell's most recent ones. As you can see, they have a seaside setting. Another strip with a seaside setting can be seen below.

February First

I confess that I feel that I don't have much to offer re the onset of February in this year of 2019 except to reiterate what Snoopy has to say re the date of 2-1 (in the comic strip that I've posted atop this blog entry). What I can do, dear reader, is to remind you that February is National Bird-Feeding Month.

Friday in the Octave of Easter & Arbor Day

Today is Friday in The Octave of Easter; and because it is the last Friday in April, it is also Arbor Day. I've always appreciated Patrick McDonnell's (creator of the Mutts comic strip) "take" re this event and have posted a copy of it atop this entry. As you can see, McDonnell's characters Earl and Mooch seem to know how much birds appreciate trees as evidenced in their planting one, which is appreciated by an avian creature.

I have also planted trees in containers that are in my rooftop garden and have not only been blessed by the beauty they bring to my place; as well as by their often unspoken help to our environment; many birds have come to visit because of them...

My First Comic Strip! A Fagus sylvatica's (Beech Tree) Romantic Evening

As anyone who has followed my blog can surmise, I "love" the comics! This is evidenced by my including strips from Dagwood's antics (from the comic strip Blondie); as well as Snoopy's observations (from Charles Schultz's Peanuts; and the beloved animal tales found in Patrick McDonnell's Mutts; in various posts here on TLLG.

I particularly enjoy the human traits, feelings and habits that Schultz attributed to Snoopy as well as Woodstock; and, McDonnell does this frequently in his cast of characters which include Earl, Mooch, Guard Dog, Woofie, and Shtinky Puddin'.

So, what's a comic-strip loving gardener, such as yours truly (who has little talent for drawing), to do when she observes emotions and human characteristics in the things she grows?

Wednesday's Wisdom: Cherish All Beings

The Mutts comic strip which is posted above was released one year go today, September 27, 2015. In honor of the anniversary of Patrick McDonnell's publishing this, I'm offering it as this week's WW (Wednesday's Wisdom).

And, as you may know, dear reader, especially if you follow this blog, where I've featured a number of Mutts strips within my entries, many of McDonnell's comic strips are full of insight and inspiration.

The Inspiration of Saint Francis

Saint Francis of Assisi's works are the inspiration for the cartoon created by Patrick McDonnell that can be seen in the image posted atop this entry.

The caption of McDonnell's (creator of the Mutts comic strip) cartoon comes from a hymn about this saint which you can hear @ https://bit.ly/1OyEDyX

As many of you probably know, Saint Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of animals; particularly birds.

Saturday's Sentiment Birds Watching

As you can see, The Mutts comic strip seen directly above, is created by Patrick McDonnell, whose strips have been discussed in many of my blog posts.

In fact, I've referenced this particular one in prior entries and it came to my mind again today as I was culling  photos that I've taken in bygone years in order to prepare for a new opportunity.

Two WKS Ago Today

Anyone who has worked on a waitstaff, eaten in a restaurant, owned a cat, or owned a dog will surely appreciate this strip by the talented Patrick McDonnell. It appeared in my in-box two weeks ago and I'm overdue in sharing!

"Mother's Day is for the birds."

I have often said, "Mother's Day is for the birds," so I was delighted to see today's Mutts comic strip (a copy is posted atop this entry) in my In Box. I just love Patrick McDonnell's drawings of birds, but that art medium is a talent I do not possess. Thankfully I can take photographs of them and the ones posted below are ones I've featured within this blog before, however because they are images of mother birds with their offspring, I am including them within this post in honor of today's holiday which is Mother's Day.

It's Saint Francis's Feast Day!

Today's entry is not part of the regular posting schedule I announced this past Monday, rather it is an extra posting which I mentioned might be something I will do from time to time.

My reason for today's entry is honor Saint Francis of Assisi. Today is his feast day! One of the ways I'm honoring the day is by sharing the cartoon by Patrick McDonnell that is posted atop this entry.

Among many things, Saint Francis is often remembered as the patron saint of animals; especially birds. I have a small statue of Saint Francis above my desk (seen in the image directly below).

His statue the one standing at the far left and serves as an inspiration for me to persevere in my work to help others learn about the needs avian community through my book series, Words In Our Beak.

Earth Day 2021

Earl and Mooch (from Patrick McDonnell's Mutts comic strip) as well as the prolific Mehmet Murat İldan sre spot on, for indeed "Wherever there are birds, there is hope."

For as discouraged as I might feel from time to time, whenever I see birds (such as the ones featured in the next sequence of photographs) in nearby Central Park, I feel more hopeful about most circumstances.

I also feel more hopeful about most circumstances when avian creatures spend time in the courtyard trees.

Happy June!

Well, dear reader, according to the comic strip Mutts, created by Patrick McDonnell, which is an animation that I adore (and one that I have sighted in a previous post that can be found by clicking here), we are in "half time", and, while I appreciate this animation (and often the sentiment that goes with it); I do not think "half-time" officially begins until the end of June, as that is the time the calendar year is half over, or perhaps, and maybe even more important, is the time of the onset of the remaining part of the year, and a chance to begin again.

"That was the week that was, it's over . . ."

According to Wiki, once upon a time (in the 1960's), there was a popular television show called "That Was The Week That Was" which opened with a song, whose lyrics included, "That was the week that was, it's over, let it go . . ."

Groundhog Day 2019 Let the ceremony Begin!

It's Ground Hog Day 2019! The Staten Island Zoo at 614 Broadway in West Brighton, opened at six o'clock this morning and the Groundhog Day ceremony began at 7:00 a.m.

At 7:30 AM, NYC will find out the results of our rodent's prediction. Meanwhile, in other parts of the country folks are awaiting their spokes-groundhog to weigh in...

In honor of this pre-celebration excitement I've posted one of Patrick McDonnell's comic strips atop this entry. Stay tuned for the outcome of the groundhog's prediction.