Happy Holidays

Fritz

Fritz is a 'fraidey-bat. He used to be a creature of the night, patrolling the back alleys and shadows. Recently, though, something sinister has him spooked. Fritz no longer moves freely in the night. He hunches over with his leathery wings wrapped tightly around his body, afraid of every noise and hint of movement. His nerves are nearly shot and he hasn't had a decent day's rest in weeks. What evil could have put poor Fritz into such a state?

Miniature Skulls and Pumpkins

Just added to my Etsy store! Three different sets of mini Skulls and Pumpkins would make a great stocking stuffer or last minute gift item... I will ship same day as purchase, but cannot guarantee Christmas delivery this late in the game...but who wouldn't want these guys showing up in the mail anyway?

Heading South

A late season Robin fills up on berries, preparing to make the long trip south.
Have a great winter red-breasted traveller. I look forward to your arrival sometime in 2011, when you will bring the promise of warmer days.

Frost wins the day

Just as I thought the show was over, I noticed a lonely stump was jutting out of the frozen lake. One side was completely free of snow as the sun melted it away revealing the weathered log. On the shady side, the epic battle continued as Frost claimed victory in this tiny micro-climate. The shaded side was also the side protected from the wind, allowing the crystals to not only grow but to thrive as the vapor-heavy air settled against the frozen side of the stump.

The heavy coating of crystal upon crystal upon crystal gave the impression of a large feathery beast huddled against the stump on the ice. Yes, it is safe to say that the frost won the day today.

Bubbles in the Lake

As the frost cleared, I began to notice large colonies of bubbles trapped in the lake from repeated thaw-freeze cycles.




At this point the jutting crystalline structures on the surface were all but gone. I felt sure that heat had won this battle.

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Crystals on the lake

As I passed a large snag of driftwood I imagined two sentinels guarding a secret world. Today I was fortunate to have access to that world and the struggle between warm and cold taking place all around. The dark frozen surface of the lake was acting as a solar collector, releasing water vapor only to be grabbed back to solid form by the accumulating crystals. Any place that offered a slight break to the nearly imperctible breeze gave rise to miniature fortresses of ice.

Nature is the best sculptress. It is said that timing is everything. Today I was privy to a private showing of some of her most sublime work.

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Frost-Hike

As I hiked in the cold, a miniature struggle was being played out at my feet. The air temperature was a brisk 26 degrees, but the cloudless sky allowed the sun to melt the light accumulation of snow into a fine mist. The invisible vapor was then refrozen, crystallizing on blades of grass. The delicate crystals glistened as I paused to photograph their beauty.

As I hiked onward, I had no way to know the scope of the epic battle taking place on the frozen lake ahead of me.

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As the frost melted...

I began to notice the warmth of the sun on my back as I knelt on the ice, exploring and marveling at the world that had been created below. The dramatic jutting crystals of frost began to melt as warmth collected from the sun above. As the battle turned in favor of warmth, the surface of the frozen lake became crystal clear, revealing other-worldly scenes of air bubbles trapped in layers below the surface.

Below, a frost crystal begins to melt and re-assimilate itself into the surface of the lake.

At the sun's peak intensity, the icy lake began to crack, an explosive and hollow sound that would tremble from one end of the lake to the other. Crows cawed in alarm and the battle of heat and cold continued.
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Edward

Don't get me wrong...Edward enjoys the night very much. He has always had an affinity to lonely streets, shadowy alleys, and the warm glow of a streetlight as the sounds of clinking plates waft sleepily from an all-night diner. My only word of advice to you is there has to be a better reason than hearing a clattering on the lawn before you wake Edward up from a long winter's nap.

thoughts on lighting

I was browsing thru some old pictures and found this one from 2009. I like the warm sepia tone of the yellow/amber light and the contrast to the darkness at the top of the shot. I think a yard display that capitalized on this color theme would be very striking. No reds, greens, or even blue...just the blackness of night and the warm glow of candlelight.

Sophie

Meet Sophie. She is a mix of bassett, shepherd, and chow and has been a great companion to our family for 13 1/2 years. I'm not going to get all sentimental, but I can tell her days are numbered. She is in good health for her age, but there are signs that the sun is setting on her time with us. Her hearing is nearly shot, her stubby legs don't go nearly as fast as they used to, her muzzle is frosted with the white of her winter years. Wherever dogs go when they are done demolishing rubber squeaky toys, snoring like a lumberjack, and farting in the backseat of the car after being fed the leftover scrambled eggs on a camping trip, I hope there are squirrels to chase. If there are squirrels, Sophie will be a happy dog.

The Drifter: Final pix

The Ironic Death of the Cardboard Robot

Robot Box becomes self aware moments after being tossed in the recycling bin.
Life really sucks.

Pleasant Nightmares

Something foul is approaching on this strangely warm November night. The animals sense its approach and are restless, pawing at the screen door but too wary to go outside. The wind blows through the bare limbs and hisses across the pine needles, tossing dead leaves and rattling window panes. There is no sense in the balmy night air. Not this late in the year when it should be cold and frosty and laden with the first snowflakes of winter. No, something unnatural is out there tonight, riding the currents of heat. A storm approaches from the west, and as the sky is lit with electricity the silhouette of something dark and sinister boils in the clouds.

The Shadow Farm on Etsy is back from vacation

The shop is open again just in time to pick up that one-of-a kind creepy item for that special ghoul on your Christmas list. New photos of many of the items now posted and new items to come. Check it out!

I'm going to be on Hauntcast!

Coming up on the next episode! Tune in as I ramble on about Haunts, props, and whatever else happened to come up as I was interviewed by Chris Baker. New episode is set to air November 26th!

The Drifter: nearly complete

I last updated on this piece in late September. Since then, he has sat in various places around the house and on my desk at work, mocking my lack of vision. I just couldn't seem to pull this thing into focus, knowing it needed more work but not sure in what direction to take it. Should it be a water dwelling creature, drifting with the tides and currents until it is within reach of unsuspecting prey? Should it dwell in the desert, sun dried and bleached as it struggles to exist in the dry, hot climate? Finally, I decided that neither would do, and I would stray into my fears of the deep silent woods, tapping into the feeling of being lost and alone ,knowing that there is something watching. I am still not 100% done with this piece, but am beginning to feel at peace with the direction I have taken.

The last of the season

I spent today tying up some loose ends...finishing a few pieces I had started but not had time to finish. These are the last two pieces of the 2010 Shadow Farm Crop. Both are available for sale on Etsy. Stop by the shop and take advantage of my recently reduced prices and free shipping!

As I wrap up for this year and prepare to go into the long winter months, I can't help but start to think of what next year will bring. Ideas are already forming for some pretty cool pieces.