My dad raised beef cattle but he also had sheep. I never warmed up to the sheep who, I felt, were some of earth’s dumbest animals. I once calculated that it would take the combined IQ’s of between 18 to 20 sheep to match the IQ of a set of luggage. Not Samsonite luggage, mind you, but of the nine pieces for $49.95 variety.

That being said, this silly engraving of a sheep is sooooo popular that I almost (almost!) feel bad about thinking that way about those dumbasss, smelly creatures.

I’ve only worked from a photo a couple of times but was always fond of this one of my brother taken during our farm boy teens. I always imagine him looking at the rain, wishing he’d gone with his girlfriend to her parents’ cottage because we sure as hell wouldn’t be bringing in hay. Weather forecasting just wasn’t all that great then :- (

At any rate, during today’s Studio Tour, a woman bought the last print in that edition. Glad I kept a proof stashed away.

We had a hired man in those days who, if the weather was nice for more than a week, would predict that a storm would happen soon. “Well boys, (we were always ‘boys’) there’s a big one coming!” The longer the nice weather stayed the worse that impending storm became until, in an especially nice summer, that nasty storm over the horizon would reach cataclysmic proportions. Eventually, as you might suspect, it would rain and he would bask in his self induced glory knowing that, once again, his prophecy had been held up to the light and once again had been proven to be true.

I don’t think he ever enjoyed the sunny days.

THE GUELPH STUDIO TOUR!!!

The Studio is as clean as it gets, the wine and cookies are out so…. drop by!!!!  :- )Tonight, tomorrow (Saturday) and Sunday.

Near Damascus, Ontario. This barn came down a few years ago, glad I took the time to do a proper sketch. Their architecture has a magic of its own so it’s sad to see them fall into ruin and then dissapear.

My messy backyard rated a Haiku. I found this online at Martha Knox’s site: wordsonwoodblocks.ca. I may just leave it messy to inspire likeminded people :- )

This is a Christmas collaboration with my favourite printmaker, Maria Moser. The church is in Wurzbrunne, Switzerland, home of her paternal ancestors.  It’s printed in five colours on stonehenge.