A CHICKEN NAMED "EYE-RENE" HER OWNER AND A FAVORED RESTAURANT

one never knows what will propel a painter to produce an artwork...even a small one...

So...as a semi reclusive winter germophobe who refrains from much human contact during the winter... only to be released from this bondage during the May through October dining out season at favored restaurants...this can bring about some rather interesting stories.

Earlier this month we were eager to make our 85+ mile round trip to visit Allora in Malborough MA for the first time this 2016 dining out season..to say hello to Tall Tan Tom...as I prefer to call Allora's most able and creative bartender, boat owner/resident, motorcycler and former restaurateur. 

They were very busy with graduation parties and such giving us the opportunity to meet a new bartender assistant member Donna...a very friendly lady...while we waited to say "hello" to the aforementioned fellow.

Donna proceeds to regale us with quick stories about her green egg laying chickens!  Yes...she has just begun to help her son with a budding business which could include those feathered friends and their "output".  She told us that one baby chick was born with a missing or deformed eye, partially or wholly blind who imprinted herself to Donna...which she decided to name "Eye-Rene" or maybe Irene...I failed to ask for the correct spelling.

Birds garner my respect as they go about making their daily living, particularly those song birds who migrate thousands of miles to breed in New England..some flying only at night as the catbird is said to travel.  Recently I have managed to coax the elusive and shy wild handsomely dressed catbird to take grapes from my hand...making me feel like a little girl experiencing such a not-so-easy-feat for the first time!  The catbird is elusive and not readily seen...but wait...when you hear the most beautiful sweet melodious none repeating long song in your garden...you have been royally serenaded! 

That plus the fact that I still dearly miss my 12 1/2 year old verbose...as in > 50 full phrases...budgie "June-ya"...note the dropped "r" New Englander pronounciation...made me really want to share "bird stories"!   She later honored me by purchasing one of my small acrylic paintings.  

My "Junior"  was buried in a local 100 year old pet cemetery head stone and all.  One day I will paint him and perhaps write a short story about my sweet keet... (see below) *

After exchanging quick "bird" stories it was time to order our apps, martinis, dinners and dessert.  So in a previous blog  from last year,  I mentioned that Tom could concoct any libation of your imagination as long as it did not include St. Germaine...not one of his but one of my favored liqueurs...because it does not contain sulphites...  This year he surprised me with, 'I got you some St. Germaine...would you like me to make you a martini?'  This after we had just enjoyed a most delicious "hot and dirty martini' with 3 huge cheese stuffed olives in their very own hot pepper infused vodka not to be found elsewhere!  Decisions...decisions...

Rollatini and crab cake apps, arugala salad with figs, lamb and a braised beef dinner was superb as usual!  

This painting -Blooms at the Lake:  Looking through my hundreds of sketches... a  tree overlooking a lake was inspired by a scene in the movie "Rob Roy".  The one in the movie did not have the blossoms nor the rocky pebbly beach seen here.  Donna, enjoying a Celtic origin and the movie mentioned, was what prompted me paint this for her to accompany an earlier piece.  Thank you Donna for the inspiration!

*Currently accepting pet portrait commissions.  Please see Newsletter link and search item: 1340533

All images design concept content text are original and solely owned by Mimi Dee and may not be reproduced in any manner without permission.  June 19, 2016