Hunters actually shoot these adorable Partridges

"Northern Bobwhite" Drawing; prints available

When I spotted the two birds, they were running alongside the chicken wire fence, hidden beneath the Brazilian pepper, the hedgerow, and the Spanish moss which draped from their lower branches.

The birds saw me and a soft chortle started up in their throats as they ran for a hole under the fence to escape. They were so fast on their feet that I failed to capture the details necessary for identification.

Checking my Audubon Field Guide later, I tried to piece together my impressions: stocky round bird, reddish brown feathers, unique head markings or Mohawk haircut; a chipping or swamp sparrow I wondered? Naw! Too small.

It was a year later in March before I saw another pair scurrying along the fence line. This time I got a good look before they slipped under the fence and disappeared in the dry pasture stubble. 

Turns out, they were northern bobwhites; members of the quail or partridge family and indigenous to Florida.

When the mating season begins each spring, coveys break up and mates build their own covered nests in the grass. In late summer, families join others to form a new covey until the next breeding season.

My husband and I saw the bobwhites almost every day for several weeks. One lusty fellow searching for a potential mate flew to the upper branches of a live oak and serenaded us with a “bob bob white.”

On days when we didn’t see the quails, my husband would whistle his own rendition of the song and we waited. Sure enough, an answering whistle told us where the bobwhites were located that day.

When the spring rains came early that year and flooded the grasslands, our bobwhites disappeared. My husband whistled to see if they had returned, but so far, there has 

been no answering call. We have waited four long years for their return. I miss those bobwhites!

Mike Barr has one of the most helpful videos on painting a rainy day scene:  

With These Hands--Wonder

My little cowgirl is complete! I had such fun painting her, which just goes to show ya--passion is everything! When you love your subject, the painting comes easy.

That isn't to say I don't love a challenge; I do. The struggle itself can be rewarding, especially if you prove that you can do it. Sometimes that's a big "if," and some of those struggles are scraped off, painted over, sanded down.

It's not always easy trying to capture what your imagination dreams up. The clearer the image in your head, the easier it is to get it on canvas. "Wonder" is the first painting in my "With These Hands" series. With the help of my good friends, I've decided to keep this first series about children: discovering, learning, playing, etc.

The second "With These Hands" series will be about adults, especially aging adults who I adore drawing and painting; there's so much character and soul portrayed in each and every line and wrinkle. The adult series will feature: working hands, comforting hands, helping hands, praying hands, etc. I'm really excited about the whole project.

Of course, my first love is animals and birds. People are more difficult for me, but the results are rewarding. I'm excited about life and this beautiful world that God has created for us. If I can illustrate or portray even a portion of this wonder I'm gratified.

This painting is now on display in my art gallery at http://carol-allen-anfinsen.fineartamerica.com/