Charmingly Contrary and the Big Secret

Do you know those birds, the ones get away with unmentionable amounts of sass while we coo and awe? The ones who blink and trill then turn tail-feather with an inappropriate flash of white, stealing the seed right out of our fingertips, without so much as a please or thank you? Troublesome little bits, but we let them get away with murder just because they're so flippin' adorable?

Yep those ones.

You know you've fallen prey to their wily ways, and given a second chance, will fall just as hard again.

The thing is, they know that too.

"Charmingly Contrary" 4" x 4"

Currently being shown with Venation

When I first decided to immortalize Miss Contrary, little did I realize just how much she would live up to her name. I swooned too quickly over her wide dark eyes and flirty cheeks but that little ball of feathers, she has a mind of her own.

It started off during the first round of photography. All the little smallies lined up, gussied and primped for their glamor shots, posing just so (with energy now, turn a little to the left, and smile... perfect!). But Miss Contrary was in a mood for mischief. She gave a little puff and left a downey feather stuck right in the center of her painting. She stretched up and caught the light of glare in her eye right as the camera snapped. She refused to stay put and bounded out into the sunshine to tease the little critters who call the rhododendrom their home. I should have been irritated with her but she was just so darn charming I forgot all about it.

She behaved quite well all through the tedious day of installation at the gallery, and positively shined during the opening (as all saucy creatures who know the levels of their charm do). The following day as I compiled everyone's portraits, tidying them up and slipping them into lovely little albums I realized that I didn't hold a single decent image of Miss Contrary. I had to make a whole photography trip into town just for that one bitty chickadee.

Sassy little bird.

But you know what?

I wouldn't have her any other way.

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In completely unrelated in any way to the story of "Charmingly Contrary"I DO have some news for you. TOMORROW, Wednesday, marks the start of the biggest UmberDove blog contest to date so don't let your computer mouses slack!

It's so good.

I want to tell you RIGHT NOW!

But my lips are sealed.

**** Second Side Note: In case you were wondering about the state of large sunglasses and me, I assure you it has NOTHING to do with coolness, but rather an eyesight condition that I refer to as "blind as a rat in the sun." I'm a bit of a vampire, loving my gray skies and fog for the simple reason that I can SEE in them. Ah well. Maybe I do have something in common with that whole Twighlight deal. ****