Robert Henri's Art Spirit

The Art Spirit
inspires my art and life

Robert Henri's book, The Art Spirit, is a collection of notes, articles, fragments of letters and lectures to students. The book was complied after his death by former student, Margery Ryerson. Henri's highly inspirational material taps into the core of artistic expression and picture making. Learn more about Robert Henri (pronounced hen-rye) on my new page here.

Three Cats In The Yard

I decided that the pictures I posted of Jerry's tomato plants didn't really do them justice and show their size, so today I'm including these two shots.




When I was shooting the plants, the cats came out and wanted their picture taken too. This is Leah. Short for Ugly-a. She's a feral feline that we had fixed and take care of. At first I thought she was ugly, but now I see her beauty.

"A cat improves the garden wall in sunshine, and the hearth in foul weather." ~ Judith Merkle Riley


And Ziggy (our orange house cat, Tigger's brother). He's also a feral we had neutered. He's nothing like his laid back brother. He's afraid of us and like Leah, always stays a safe distance away. He and Leah are real pals and are almost always together.

"The cat has too much spirit to have no heart." ~ Ernest Manual

"Women, poets, and especially artists, like cats; delicate natures only can realize their sensitive nervous systems." ~ Helen M. Winslow

And last but not least, this is Princess. She is my studio cat, waiting at the studio door to be let in. She was here first and thinks all the others should definitely go!

"I had been told that the training procedure with cats was difficult. It's not. Mine had me trained in two days." ~ Bill Dana

Deer Trouble and Jerry's Giant Tomato Plants

We've had to put our hanging plants up on the side deck because we've got a juvenile delinquent problem. A brazen, ravenous, young doe started eating my flowers! I gave up years ago trying to have flower beds out here, but have gotten away with hanging baskets right up next to the back of our house. The deer have always stayed away . . . 'til now. We bought some spray, but I'm thinking it's easier just to move them around everyday. I scared the curious culprit away in the middle of the day yesterday! Any suggestions (besides hunting of course) will be considered. Here are a few shots taken early this morning with my little Cannon Power Shot.


Before I got off on that tangent, I wanted to show you these hu-mung-ous tomato plants that Jerry picked up! I've never seen a potted tomato plant get so huge. I hope the little deer doesn't decide to go up on the deck and give them a nibble.