Last week I tiptoed away from my studio for a few hours to visit my friend Kelly. She lives outside of Portland, up a long winding road, into the hills, down a long gravel driveway…

At the end sits her beautiful house.

With flowers all around, so pretty.

The very best part? Besides, of course, visiting with Kelly,…
her ducks and chickens. They’re out and about, running through the yard, scratching the dirt, eating bugs, living their happy duck and chicken lives.

They’d tolerate me for a moment, then run the other way.

But not this guy, the big head rooster, Buttercup.

He posed for me. Buttercup stood still and held his head high. And was not afraid.