Splash!

Originally, I had scheduled this to a be a post on our new bird bath here at El Presidio, but a more colorful subject came my way and stole my heart:)

This is a Lorikeet and it was time for a bath.  One of the fun things about birds is their habit to wash up in a puddle of water, bird bath, or near an area of water that is shallow and still.

And that's important when searching for the right bird bath.  You don't want a dish that is too deep.  It has to have an easy escape and not feel like it will drown. Much like people.

When searching for a bird bath, there are a billion and one ideas out there.  My personal favorites are the brightly colored ones! Like this Lorikeet.

But even better.  My absolute fav?  A rock bird bath.  Now that is perfection!  Several of you have bird baths like this and they look amazing in your gardens.  So as you can imagine....a rock bird bath, a colorful parrot, some splash.....and me with a camera. What's a guy to do?

As I am into birding more, I am wanting more action from the birds outside.  So I am providing them reasons to stop and play at El Presidio.  Not only are birds important but these little art pieces we put into our gardens add a sense of magic and wonder. 

Imagine a hot summer day in Tucson.  You're coming home after a long day at work.  You see wonderful shade and birds taking a bath.  Now that's a cool idea:)  So much more to come.....
Side Note: Make sure that the dish is slighly filled with water and not completely full.  Birds like to get their feet wet and roll around in the water. But can be easily spooked and need a quick escape.  Otherwise your bird bath will just sit:)

The Art of Tubac

Greetings all!  Today's post is all about garden art. I generally hate street faires. Crowded spaces.  Not my kind of fun.  But several of us went and had a nice time. There are times when our gardens may need something "extra"....a little color splash or maybe something to make your garden more whimsical.  The desert can be for some people monotonous.  But it doesn't have to be this way.  Today I take you to the Tubac art festival south of Tucson.  And here's what I found.....

                                       
Have you met women like this one above?  I grew up with them all around me.  Maybe you are one of them.  And if you are, I totally dig your style.  I don't smoke, but I also don't mind the smell of cigars or a nice pipe. Okay, but you wouldn't put something like the above pic in your garden.  What could you put?

In Tucson, we have a lot of wonderful metal suppliers and artists who work with decorative stone and iron.  If you were a birder, for example, you might want to add art that included fountains or bird baths.....

Or a statue of a bird warrior to fend off the evil feral cats of your neighborhood.  To be honest, I loved this statue.

Okay, you're not a fan of birds.  But you like color and the desert southwestern theme.  Maybe something Mexican contemporary?  How about the grouping of these metal pieces above?  I love the metal flowers and cacti arrangements.

Or you want more of a Mexican feel?  How about this Day of the Dead figurine?

Historic Tubac is an interesting village of retired people, pecan growers, and artists.  It's an eclectic community of people who would love you to visit and spend money on their work.

Imagine color in your garden all year round with these metallic flower pieces.

Some of you may need something larger to act as a focal point.....

Or how about some lovely pottery next to a seating area?

Or using our wonderful winds to excite the mind.....I have a video below for you on this relatively new fad for your garden....

Think Color.  Think Metal.  Think Rock. Think Water.

One of my friends joked with me and knows of my love for owls.  He asked me, "What kind of owl is that Chris?"  Ha ha:)

While you're in your garden, play with shadow and the sun.  You are your own inventor.  This month promises to inspire from my travels around the state.  Let's get ready for spring and summer.  It's time to design!!!  I also wanted to let you know that I will be out of the country for 4 days and in the middle of the ocean, but I'll be back next week again reading all the blogs and posts:)  So if you don't hear from me, you all know why:)  Hope you have a wonderful weekend and for those of you who celebrate Easter, hope it's a wonderful time with family and friends.  I have some wonderful posts scheduled until we meet again:)  And like always, more tomorrow....

Here's the vid I promised.  It's cool:)

                                             

Cylon Gardeners and Friends

Who says Science Fiction can't have garden themes?  I found these pieces amongst several other works by robot artist Jordan Thomas.  This was the coolest looking art I saw at the convention.  Taking a break before more insight into space and the mind, here is some art from the Phoenix Comicon.

 For more information, click on this link to find his work.....

www.spaceboyrobot.com

He's also located at 3 different art shops around the Phoenix Area.

His bio reads, "I’ve been making robots for the last couple of years and it started when my love of indie handmade and my love of robots collided. I began building little robots out of wooden blocks and found/recycled items that I was lucky enough to scrounge up. Today, I still follow the same process. I personally hand build, and hand paint each robot. Each robot is a guaranteed ‘one of a kind’. About a year ago I began centering my work on steam power pseudo-Victorian era styled robots and have been working on a collection of historical ray guns from the future. I’m also working on a series of time machine oddities; although, they don’t actually travel through time…yet. "

Each of us is an artist with an imagination.  If you are interested in this art, contact Jordan Thomas at information@spaceboyrobot.com